2026 State of the UK Fitness Industry Report

ACTIVITY VS IMPACT

Market Intensity: Churn & Competitive Pressure

MARKET INTENSITY INDEX

20222026

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CHURN BY SECTOR

20222026



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  PRIVATE PUBLIC PRIVATE PUBLIC PRIVATE PUBLIC PRIVATE PUBLIC PRIVATE PUBLIC   

Market activity over recent years highlights a consistently high level of churn, underlining the competitive intensity of the sector. When measured as a proportion of total sites, openings and closures combined represent a signicant share of the market each year, peaking in 2023 before declining steadily through to 2026. This pattern suggests that while the market continues to expand, competitive pressure beneath the surface has begun to ease slightly following the post-pandemic recovery period. New supply continues to enter, but is offset by ongoing site exit, creating a continuous cycle of replacement rather than pure expansion.

Differences between sectors are also clear. The private market experiences signicantly higher levels of churn, consistently more than double that of the public sector, reecting a more dynamic, performance driven environment in which operators actively optimise portfolios. In contrast, the public sector demonstrates lower levels of activity, consistent with longer site lifecycles and a more stable operating model. Churn is now an embedded feature of the market. Success is increasingly determined by the ability to adapt quickly, optimise performance and remain competitive within an evolving landscape.

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STATE OF THE UK FITNESS INDUSTRY REPORT 2026

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