Britain is getting fatter. That is the shocking conclusion of a host of recent newspaper articles, yet flick to the celebrity pages and it’s obvious that the ideal figure is still slim and toned.
While the nation’s growing waistline might be a problem for government policymakers, it is a godsend to one sector: the health club.
Gyms used to be populated by the dedicated health freak. Today, they are part of the lifestyle of a growing number of Britons, with up to a million people a year joining a club for the first time. There’s a good chance that the market will go on expanding along with our waistlines, as people become more concerned with their health and the government tries to convert Britain into a nation of exercise junkies.
With health and fitness clubs increasingly acting as social centres for those trying to avoid the pub, it’s not surprising that owning one is a growing aspiration. And it’s not as financially unviable as many might guess.
With health and fitness clubs increasingly acting as social centres for those trying to avoid the pub, it’s not surprising that owning one is a growing aspiration
A reasonably sized club can be purchased for a little as £60k in some parts of the country, although leaseholds are far more common at this price. Prices vary enormously, peaking in the South East, where smaller clubs can fetch £1m, or around £100k per annum leasehold.
All about marketing
Potential club proprietors must be aware that a large and expanding membership is the lifeblood of any gym. You must therefore have a twin strategy whereby you strive to keep your existing clients happy, while constantly trying to win new business.
Winning new business in January is like shooting fish in a barrel, but retaining it is a different story. The number of people joining soars after Christmas, only for people to let their attendance slip after a few unproductive sessions.
Keeping these people coming back in January is fiendishly tricky. Some will simply be a lost cause.
Attracting new members isn’t about fitness know-how, it’s about marketing.
“You’re not buying a health club as it stands,” explains George Jaskowski, owner of Leisure Clubs Property Agency. “You always have to think about marketing and sales.
"Experience in those sectors is ideal if you are thinking about running a club. Buyers will often look at equipment and get impressed by computer-controlled running machines.
"But Mr Brown or Mrs Smith don’t recognise an advanced machine from a basic one. They want to be told that if they work out for 10 minutes, they’ll burn off a glass of wine.”
This sort of salesmanship requires a people person able to understand the public’s needs. It’s certainly not a role for someone shy of human contact — unless you’re lucky enough to afford one of the larger clubs, where membership can be dealt with by employees, and administration becomes the all-important managerial task.
When Jaskowski refers to marketing, he says he doesn’t think this should include expensive page-length ads in local papers. Word of mouth is vital, and no one should underestimate the power of Christmas and New Year offers, reduced membership fees, trial periods and friends’ introductions in enlisting new members.
Jaskowski warns that, while fitness clubs are not prohibitively expensive to buy, it is important not to underestimate additional costs.
“You have to cover solicitors’ fees, while landlords can demand up to three months’ rent in advance,” he stresses.
