OPERATOR PERSPECTIVE
OPERATOR PERSPECTIVE
The culture at Bannatyne has evolved significantly, with team member retention improving by 8 per cent over a three-year period
Our new EPOS system will give us deeper insight into customer behaviour, helping us to personalise offers and promotions. Later this year, we’ll also launch a new app that puts member engagement at the heart of the experience. It will support goal-setting, offer class booking improvements, deliver on-demand content and prompt re-engagement if a member hasn’t visited recently. Project Keep is another innovation – a retention-focused tool that engages members at the point of cancellation, offering tailored interventions and simplified options to remain part of the Bannatyne community. We’re also refreshing our gym floors, focusing on functional training areas and adding theatrical elements to energise the member experience. 4°C cold tubs are being rolled out – they’re proving incredibly popular – and, where space allows, we’re trialling padel tennis, a sport that’s growing rapidly in popularity. Safety remains paramount. We’ve enhanced CCTV, delivered additional first responder and defibrillator
training, and generally raised standards to keep our members and teams safe. Crucially, throughout all of this, we’re protecting what makes us who we are – the classes and services our members love, from aqua to Pilates and yoga – ensuring we evolve without compromising the soul of the club. What are you seeing in the sector generally? Gym usage continues to rise across the UK, driven in part by greater awareness of wellbeing and mental health. However, it’s the low-cost sector that’s really widened access, particularly for younger people. Bannatyne occupies a mid-market position, but we’ve dipped a toe in the water with Just Fitness – our dry-side, low-cost concept in Broadstairs. It was Duncan’s idea to create a value proposition that also protects our main club nearby, with members able to access both sites. Could we replicate it elsewhere? Possibly – but only where the location, competition and business case make sense.
Every club operates with a Balanced Scorecard and it fosters healthy competition. No-one wants to sit at the bottom of the league table.
We prioritise listening. Our B:Heard forums, which run across all seven of our regions, give team members the opportunity to share their views and shape change. Each club has a B:Heard representative and monthly meetings are a source of real innovation – ideas from the team that we implement in response to their feedback. This has led to a range of initiatives: Staff Appreciation Week, Mental Health Awareness Week, charitable fundraising, B:Fed (which provides pre-shift food options), guest passes for partners, long-service awards and extra annual leave. These aren’t grand gestures, but they’ve been powerful in creating a workplace people enjoy being part of. We’ve also introduced the Bannatyne Passport – a structured, 30-day onboarding process for new starters – and empowered General Managers to take ownership of their local environment. Our use of the Apprenticeship Levy has increased markedly, led by our L&D Manager whose passion for
development is infectious. We’ve launched new career pathways and the B:Developed scheme – a structured programme that supports current and aspiring GMs in building business acumen and leadership skills. It’s forming the backbone of a sustainable, in-house succession plan. While we’re undoubtedly competitive when it comes to customer experience, our people share a strong sense of purpose. That’s clear in our support of causes such as Barnardo’s and Operation Smile, championed by Duncan [Bannatyne]. Finally, talk to us about innovation at Bannatyne We’re making significant strides in digital transformation and systems integration. B:Connect, our bespoke membership system, is already improving the way we engage with members. It includes an AI chatbot to assist with lead generation and onboarding – and we’re continuing to refine and expand its capabilities.
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STATE OF THE UK FITNESS INDUSTRY REPORT 2025
STATE OF THE UK FITNESS INDUSTRY REPORT 2025
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