Read for Free: 2024 State of the UK Fitness Industry Report

LOW-COST OPERATORS

LOW-COST OPERATORS

PRIVATE SECTOR

PRIVATE SECTOR

■ All key metrics have improved: The low-cost market continues to grow. Total low-cost club numbers are up from 724 in 2023 to 743 in 2024 – a rise of 2.6%. This follows a 2.3% drop in the previous 12 months – the first fall since this market segment emerged in 2011. ■ Market value and members are up: Low-cost market value and member numbers continue to enjoy positive growth. Market value is up 13.5% to £888m (from £782m in 2023), while member numbers have risen 6.4% to pass 3 million for the first time (3.03 million, up from 2.85 million in 2023). Average membership per club has risen from c.3,900 to almost 4,100 since 2023. ■ Price rises push players out: In 2023, the low-cost segment lost Active Fitness, énergie Fitness and TruGym, as these brands’ average fees effectively moved them out of the category. In 2024, four more brands have dropped out of this sector, the majority of their clubs no longer charging under £25 a month on average: Coach Gym, Foundry Gym, Lifestyle Fitness and Revolution Fitness. ■ Penetration has reached an all-time high: Low- cost penetration has risen higher than ever, with 4.5% of the UK population now members of a low- cost private sector club – up from 4.2% in 2023. ■ Market leaders continue to grow: PureGym remains the leading low-cost operator, having added 34 clubs since 2023 (opened 32, closed one, acquired/rebranded three) to take it to 379 (plus one temporarily closed club in Tonbridge). It is followed by The Gym Group in second place with 234 clubs (+4 clubs: opened four, closed one, acquired/rebranded one). JD Gyms sits in third place with 89 clubs (+10 clubs: opened seven, closed one, acquired four). ■ Three chains dominate: The three leading operators – PureGym, The Gym Group and JD Gyms – operate 94% of all low-cost clubs in the UK (up from 90% in 2023). Between them, they have over 2.9 million members (up from 2.7 million in 2023). ■ Average prices rise: For the first time, the average low-cost monthly fee has risen above £24, while over 89% of all UK low-cost clubs now charge £20 or more a month (up from 69% in 2023 and 54% in 2022). Low-cost clubs in London charge almost one-third more on average (£30.10) than low-cost clubs outside London (£23.05).

Top three low-cost operators: 2015–24

Average monthly membership fees: Low-cost operators

400

London Rest of UK

Pump Gyms

2024

£21.16

2023

New Age Fitness

£21.32

*

2022

21 % of clubs

79 % of clubs

2019

Kiss Gyms

£21.99

2018

2017

24/7 Fitness

£22.62

2016

NRG

2015

£22.62

£30.10 £23.05

JD Gyms

£23.06

300

The Gym Group

£23.82

2.41 m members

0.62 m members

Simply Gym

£24.37

PureGym

£25.40

Buzz Gym

£26.70

£0

£5

£10

£15

£20

£25

£30

200

Average members & membership fees per club: Low-cost operators

6 k

JD Gyms

PureGym

5 k

The Gym Group

Kiss Gyms

100

4 k

NRG

Simply Gym

3 k

24/7 Fitness

Buzz Gym

New Age Fitness

Pump Gyms

2 k

1 k

0 k

£20

£21

£22

£23

£24

£25

£26

£27

£28

Average membership fee per club

0

PureGym The Gym Group

JD Gyms

*2022 figures include openings in 2020 and 2021.

84 

85

STATE OF THE UK FITNESS INDUSTRY REPORT 2024

STATE OF THE UK FITNESS INDUSTRY REPORT 2024

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