Outlets to be owned by combination of new franchisees and established operators
Anytime Fitness has opened its first 24-hour health club on Jersey, one of nine new outlets it plans to launch in the next three months, providing the government’s road map out of lockdown continues as scheduled.
Further openings will follow in April and May in Addlestone, Ashford, Daventry, Epsom, Fulham, Newark, Solihull and Penarth, with clubs being owned by a combination of new franchisees, as well as established operators adding further sites to their portfolio.
Neil Randall, CEO of Anytime Fitness UK, says: “As we start to see the light at the end of tunnel, we’re proud to be able to support more ambitious entrepreneurs in fulfilling their dreams of owning their own businesses.
“Some of these owners have had openings delayed by over nine months in some instances and can’t wait to open their doors and begin improving the health of their local communities.
“The past year has seen a lot of people reassess their life and business objectives and it’s been great for us to be able to welcome new faces to the network, as well as supporting current franchisees to own further clubs.
“While we continue to call for further government financial support following a tumultuous past year for our industry, it’s important to look forward positively and celebrate success stories like this, where we’re able to make more facilities available to communities across our network to improve their health and well-being, which has never been more important or more essential.”
Pent-up demand for memberships has been significant during the latest lockdown, according to Anytime Fitness, with the company’s new clubs seeing substantial demand from potential members.
The St Helier club in Jersey, which opened on March 15 following the end of a four-month lockdown on the island, had already recruited over 750 members before its grand opening.
Connor Thorne, director of Anytime Fitness St Helier, says: “We’re so excited to be able to open the first 24-hour health club in Jersey.
“It’s been great to see the reaction from people on the island of what we’ve done with the club and we’ve never been somewhere before that surpasses London in terms of the public’s interest in health and well-being.
“It’s great to be able to open and we’re looking forward to growing with the island and supporting people to live healthier lives.”