We’ve noticed recently that there has been an increased interest in the UK health & fitness market from US companies. It’s not the first time that our trans-Atlantic counterparts have dipped their toes in what should be a lucrative market but their big brands like Golds have had limited success in the past.
However, it was always mooted that the UK market wasn’t quite developed enough for the US offering but with the likes of franchise operators Anytime and Snap Fitness starting to get a foothold here and US firms investing in Pure Gym, does the US feel that the UK market is finally ripe for the picking? It’s fair to say that the UK public are far more educated in the benefits of exercise than 10 years ago and that has been reflected by the increased uptake of gym memberships.
With major US premium Chain Equinox biting the bullet and testing the murky London water with a single club, maybe the speed at which they decide to follow up with subsequent openings will provide stronger evidence that we should prepare for some considerable US driven activity in the near future?
If nothing else, it’s surely a confidence booster for the sector that it’s attracting significant interest from overseas.