UK CLUBS – OVERVIEW
PRIVATE SECTOR
While private sector growth continues to be driven by the low-cost segment, it is a less significant factor this year: of the 120 new clubs that opened in the last 12 months, only 45 (37.5%) were low-cost. In the previous year, low-cost accounted for 80 of 145 new openings (55%). Although total low-cost club numbers are up by just 2.6% in this year’s report, the two other key metrics – members and value – continue to show good growth. Membership numbers within this market segment reached an all-time high, passing the 3 million mark for the first time (up from 2.85 million in 2023). This represents 41% of the total private sector membership, equivalent to almost 4.5% of the UK population. Market value has also increased, reaching £888m (from £782m in 2023). Will it pass the billion mark in 2025?
To attract investment, the whole franchise environment needs to be healthy
The three largest franchise operators – Anytime Fitness (see page 79), énergie Fitness and Snap Fitness – now have 324 clubs between them, down from 327 in 2023. Although they opened 21 clubs between them in the 12 months to 31 March 2024 (18 new clubs and three acquired clubs), Anytime Fitness and énergie Fitness both closed a number of clubs during this time. Combined membership across the three operators remains at a similar level to 2023. “We’re seeing good interest in fitness as a franchising opportunity, although I do think Anytime is probably growing faster than the competition at the moment, with a number of brands fairly flat,” says Anytime Fitness UK chair Andy Thompson in his interview on page 79. “That’s not ideal, because to attract investment, the whole franchise environment needs to be healthy. Of course we also need to showcase our products specifically, showing how good an investment they are for potential franchisees, but this is inextricably linked to showcasing fitness as a sector worth investing in.”
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STATE OF THE UK FITNESS INDUSTRY REPORT 2024
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