The Gym Group passes 150 sites nationwide
The Gym Group plc, the fast growing, nationwide operator has passed more than 150 low cost 24/7 no contract sites with its continued rapid expansion adding a further 22 new and acquired sites in the first three quarters of this year.
Nine new, organic, additions have opened so far between January and September this year with the Group, which has more than 700,000 members, on course to meet its target of adding between 15 and 20 new sites for the whole of 2018.
The new openings are in addition to the acquisition of 13 easyGym sites in the summer. This deal followed the 18 sites acquired from Lifestyle Fitness last year, which have all now been rebranded as The Gym. In total, the Group now operates across more than 150 sites. By comparison, in the first half of 2017, the company’s total sites stood at 95.
Typically new sites range from between 10,000 -20,000 sq ft and are often part of office, mixed-use, retail or existing leisure locations. Supermarkets looking to downsize, redundant vacant retail space and shopping centres are among the sites the group has expanded into during 2018.
Expansion plans are set to continue apace next year and the company expects to add further sites across the country in 2019 according to property director Jonathan Spaven. “We are on course to achieve our strategic target of 15-20 new openings for the whole of this year on top of the 13 easyGym locations we have acquired,” he said. “We are keen to talk to landlords who have been hurt by the current demise in the retail and restaurant sector.”
