London & South East Premier Hospitality

Budget at its best

easyGym, London, Oxford Street
Written by Roma Publications

easyGym, London, Oxford Street

In just over three years low-cost health club operator easyGym has opened a total of eleven gyms throughout the UK, including a flagship site in London’s Oxford Street.

With gyms in Slough, Wood Green, Birmingham City, Birmingham Kings Heath, Southampton, Cardiff, West Croydon, Ilford, Fulham and Tottenham, and Wandsworth set to open in Spring 2015, easyGym brings a whole new meaning to budget at its best.

Each site has been cleverly reconfigured to align with the brand’s unique premium low-cost model, as easyGym CEO Paul Lorimer-Wing explains:

“Our philosophy has always been to provide a quality but affordable experience. Low cost doesn’t mean basic. We strip out the frills to give great value, but still have Precor’s top-of-the-range equipment, tasteful décor and quality fittings. Our strap line – and philosophy – is to give people the ‘freedom to do more’ and although we can’t be everything to everyone, we can be a lot of things to a lot of people.”

London’s Oxford Street is the largest site with a 26,000 sq ft state-of-the-art gym, where the fitness area alone houses 25% more equipment than the average easyGym. As well as 42 treadmills, 30 crosstrainers, 27 bikes and 14 Adaptive Motion Trainers (AMT), all from Precor’s Networked 880 Line with P80 consoles and Preva Networked Fitness, there are 10 Concept II Rowers, two Stairmaster Steppers and an 8.5m TRX frame.

London’s Oxford Street is the largest site with a 26,000 sq ft state-of-the-art gym, where the fitness area alone houses 25% more equipment than the average easyGym. As well as 42 treadmills, 30 crosstrainers, 27 bikes and 14 Adaptive Motion Trainers (AMT), all from Precor’s Networked 880 Line with P80 consoles and Preva Networked Fitness, there are 10 Concept II Rowers, two Stairmaster Steppers and an 8.5m TRX frame.

Alongside this various strength zones include a fixed resistance area featuring Precor Discovery Selectorised equipment, a more advanced section with 15 cable machines and Precor Discovery Plate Loaded equipment and a third large area for free-weights.

Located in the heart of the city centre, recently opened Birmingham City provides a 5,683sq ft Freedom Zone area with medicine balls, gym balls, ViPR sets, kettlebells and Precor stretch trainers, to enable members to workout freely without limited space. This area is also used to hold free easyGym’s 30 minute PACK (Be part of the pack!) classes, based on HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), FIT (a fun blend of cardio and resistance exercises), Core and Tone, where members get to work out in a small group with an elite Personal Trainer.

Southampton boasts the best gym floor in the city due to its 21,000 sq ft size and range of Precor equipment. It also offers members free parking.

Birmingham Kings Heath was transformed from an old ‘bed warehouse’ unit into a state-of-the-art 20,000 sq ft health club and features a full group exercise studio with an extensive class timetable, as well as the usual free-weights, cardio and resistance areas.

Furthermore, easyGym continues to improve existing clubs, with Ilford and Croydon benefitting from refurbishments and Wood Green having undergone a refurb to include additional Precor Discovery Plate Loaded stations, FTS Glides and Icarian Superbenches.

The majority of locations also offer Precor’s Preva Media Package, which features on all cardio equipment and is free for the first four weeks and then £1.99 a month. Delivered via the P80 console in a format specifically designed for the in-motion exerciser, it allows members to watch TV, browse the web, check emails and plug in their iPod. Only customers paying for the Preva Media Package will have access.

Jez Whitling, Sales Director for Precor UK, said:

“easyGym has partnered with Precor since its inception over three years ago, and as clubs open we continue to assist them with account management, service and marketing support. Installing Precor’s Preva Media Package into all their facilities enables easyGym to purchase top of the range Precor equipment with an unrivalled entertainment option, but still charge a low membership fee. Members can decide whether to pay a little extra, and this fee generates income to help pay for the initial equipment investment. Precor has a strong relationship with easyGym and will continue to provide them with quality equipment and services as they go from strength to strength.”

The company has ambitious growth plans; to build a portfolio of 50 clubs in the next few years, opening a maximum of 10 a year, with additional plans to expand easyGym into Europe.

For more information visit: www.Precor.com or telephone 01276 404 900.

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Roma Publications