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Tutor2u: Strategy of Takeover DW Fitness & Fitness First

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Tutor2u: Strategy of Takeover DW Fitness & Fitness First

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We've just flicked the switch on moving all our digital resources to instant digital download - via our new subject stores.

For every subject you can now access each digital resource as soon as it is ordered. This will always be the latest edition of each resource too (and we'll update you automatically if there is an upgraded version to use).

Simply add the required resources to your cart, checkout using the usual options and your resources will be available to access immediately via your mytutor2u account.

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Strategy After the Takeover: DW Fitness and Fitness First | tutor2u Business

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The integration process between two businesses following a takeover is crucial to making a success of an external growth strategy. How is the management of DW Fitness dealing with the challenges of integrating dozens of Fitness First clubs it acquired in 2016?

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Micro & Macro Analysis of the Fitness Market

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Micro & Macro Analysis of the Fitness Market

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Macro & Micro analysis of the private gym market sector

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As a group we conducted an analysis of the external market environment affecting the private gym market. Macro factors are "the number of broad forces that affect not only the company, but also the other factors within the micro environment" (Jobber 2012). We used PESTEL to analyse the external macro environment.

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Social trends on the private gym meerkat 

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Social trends on the private gym meerkat 

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https://lifestylegyms.wordpress.com/2014/10/10/macro-micro-analysis-of-the-private-gym-market-sector/

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How will Brexit affect the Fitness Industry?

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How will Brexit affect the Fitness Industry?

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How will Brexit affect the fitness industry?

How will Brexit affect the fitness industry? We asked three of our clients for their views...

The equipment supplier - John Halls, Managing Director of Physical Company

As an importer of goods Brexit has had a short (hopefully) term negative effect on the cost of goods that I purchase in USD and EUR. Essentially the cost of goods have increased to me by over 15% which will have a major impact on our business and the price of goods to my customers. We can only absorb so much so inevitably some of these increases will have to be passed on.

Although leisure weathered the storm relatively well in the last recession, I feel that consumer confidence this time around has been dented more due to the way our economy got hit so quickly. This could have an impact on membership renewals in the mid - premium end of the sector and as a result spending on facilities may be put off until a more positive economic climate is established. The same can be said at the other end of the industry, PTs and instructors could see a fall in clients and their spend with us may reduce.

On a positive side, as we look to trade more with countries outside of the UK we now become a more attractive proposition due the weakening of the pounds against other currencies. Exporting outside of the UK must now become a bigger push for us to capitalise on this side of the situation.

In the middle to longer term it's going to be hard to know what impact our trading relations will be with other countries. Until we know what trade deals the government negotiates with other countries it will be hard to tell if there will be a significant increase in tariffs / duties while importing & exporting.

The training provider - Rob Johnson, Managing Director at Future Fit Training

I think that one thing is clear - the future at the moment is uncertain. We are seeing some immediate short term destabilisation, but this may settle down in time. Some organisations will of course be immediately affected by the fluctuation in exchange rates, whereas others will not be affected due to tying in rates at the start of the year. Will they be affected come January 2017 - who knows - things may have settled down again by then. There have been fluctuations in the past, most notably with the euro exchange rate, but over time these have bounced back, so the same could be true of the latest issues.

I think that Brexit will only specifically affect Future Fit Training if the economy begins to falter or we go into recession again, whereby individuals might start to cut back on spending, meaning we could see a reduction in individuals purchasing training.

What I do hope is that the short term uncertainty isn't whipped up into a frenzy by the media, causing the person on the street to become overly cautious. If that happens then of course we may see the industry affected, with people cutting back and potentially spending less on health and fitness. But our industry is strong and as long as we all remain focussed on the issues at hand i.e. improving the health of the nation and getting more people more active more often, then we can overcome any uncertainties that Brexit might bring.

As a publisher of health books with a worldwide customer base, Brexit represents quite a challenge for our business. Currently we benefit from streamlined sales and tax processes in the EU zone, especially for ebooks which carry varying levels of VAT across the region. (Printed books remain tax free.) Tax arrangements have also been streamlined up until now for payments for translation rights from EU publishers outside the UK.

While sales to the UK make up a large proportion of our business and we generally print in the UK, much of the paper we use is imported and we anticipate costs rising. The biggest issue, of course, we now face along with all other businesses is uncertainty about the future and the strong possibility of a recession at least in the short term. Health books are not a necessity and we know in a recession book sales generally go down. At the same time, if there are new, complicated processes to implement we hope that we won't have to pass on costs to the consumer, especially when small businesses like ours are under constant pressure from the giants of the book industry.

It's uncharted territory for everyone, including our authors, and the change does seem a daunting prospect at the moment. From a wider perspective, it seems an unnecessary risk to leave the EU, from which we receive many benefits that we have taken for granted until now; unrestricted travel, work and residence are hugely important and we will only appreciate them when they are gone. The political shenanigans of the referendum and its aftermath have shocked people all round the world, not least in the Republic of Ireland where I live much of the time.
Let us know how you think the UK fitness sector will react to Brexit by tweeting us @_ActionPR

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How will Brexit affect the fitness industry? - Action PR

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How will Brexit affect the fitness industry? We asked three of our clients for their views... The equipment supplier - John Halls, Managing Director of Physical Company As an importer of goods Brexit has had a short (hopefully) term negative effect on the cost of...

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Major health clubs chains must redraw business models or wither away

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Major health clubs chains must redraw business models or wither away

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Oxygen Blog

New report advises mid-market health clubs of urgent need to shake-up traditional business models

Warns of growing competition from all sides without growth in customer base

Recommends that clubs clearly define what they stand for

Advises clubs to avoid simple price-cutting to compete and instead re-think long term direction

Report published Friday December 11th, 2015

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A new industry report analysing the evolution of the health club mid-market is to advise independent operators and the major chains that there is no longer a future in trying to be all things to all comers or in offering generic, mediocre fitness experiences. It warns that health clubs must urgently decide whether they fall into the "self service" or "supported customers" genres, with pursuing "both" no longer a realistic option. It also specifically warns full service, multi purpose clubs that the common tactic of simply cutting membership fees to compete with low-cost gyms, while otherwise carrying on much as before, is not a defendable strategy.

The " Health club industry mid-market report - investigating how brands are repositioning in an era of rising competition " is published at midday tomorrow (Friday December 11th, 2015). The report is the latest in a growing knowledge-base of health club sector studies, researched and written by respected industry analyst Ray Algar and released by Oxygen Consulting, the Brighton-based global fitness industry consultancy.

The 81 page report draws on seven years of close analysis into the fast-changing health club industry and six months of report-specific research in three of the most mature fitness markets - the UK, Germany and the US - together with interviews and case studies of such diverse brands as Anytime Fitness, Fitness First, GYMBOX, Active4Less, Town Sports International, My Sportlady and others, and a more in-depth study of successes and pitfalls for the US-founded international Curves network.

From this, Ray Algar's report offers far-reaching conclusions and recommendations for mid-market players. It looks at how very few major developments in recent years - whether M&As, new brands or new concepts - have actually brought any significant volume of new customers to the industry, meaning that most innovations simply redistribute the same customer pool; meanwhile, the rise of low-cost gyms and specialist boutique studios has produced clearly defined, specific service providers that typical multi-purpose, mid-market clubs struggle to match, meaning not only an inevitable loss of share (and falling membership) to these new competitors but also a decline in club loyalty: increasingly, customers will regularly use more than one club to achieve specific goals and will show no lasting allegiance to a club simply because of its traditional geographic or multi-facility convenience.

Report author Ray Algar says: " I do not believe there is a long term strategy in clubs, whether they be independents or chains, offering an array of generic fitness experiences. In a world awash with mediocre offerings, I believe that successful clubs will be those that commit to making their business remarkable in a chosen discipline that all their stakeholders can get truly passionate about. Too many clubs seem to be reducing their prices while continuing the same mix, which simply leaves the business in a financially vulnerably state. It also sends a confusing message to consumers in an age when they can instead choose exactly the club to match their specialist needs. "

He continues: " And they now don't just choose from clubs based around bricks and mortar; there's a rising tide of alternatives, such as outdoor fitness classes, church hall Zumba classes and many more, which no club can any longer afford to ignore. The report shows just how much the alternatives, which I describe as 'salami slicers', can eat into membership levels.

" Evolution means radically re-thinking and challenging business models ... but only based on a genuine understanding of why customers are behaving as they are and only with a true conviction that the new business model is right, long term, and has the belief and trust of management, owners and other stakeholders. And in my view, for most clubs, it means standing at a fork in the road and deciding what type of business we want to be: are we going down the "self-service" or "supported" route, as we can no longer do both?

" It's a big question for any club and one which this report can go a long way in helping to resolve. "

This first Health club industry mid-market report is published at noon, Friday December 11th, 2015. Unlike previous sector reports, it is free to access and download thanks to the support of Precor and REX Roundtables for Executives.
Download the full report
Download the full report from the Oxygen Knowledge Store.
Notes for editors About Ray Algar and Oxygen Consulting
The report writer, Ray Algar, is managing director of Oxygen Consulting, a Brighton, UK, based company that provides compelling strategic business insight for organisations connected to the global health and fitness industry.

Ray is also a past chairman of Wave Leisure Trust, a social enterprise operating seven leisure centres in the South East of England. He was involved for more than six years and experienced its transition from a start-up to a highly influential leisure organisation making a significant social impact on the communities it serves.

In July 2013, Ray launched Gymtopia, an award-winning digital platform that shares stories and insights about how the global health and fitness industry is creating positive social impact.

Ray's previous industry reports include:
* 2015 UK boutique fitness studio report
* 2014 Review of the UK Health and Fitness Industry and Outlook for 2015
* 2014 Fitness Sector Social Good Report
* 2013 Review of the UK Health and Fitness Industry and an Outlook for 2014
* 2012 UK Low-cost Gym Sector Report
* 2011 Global Low-cost Gym Sector Report
* 2011 European Health Club Industry Web and Social Media Report
* 2010 UK Low-cost Gym Sector Report

All these reports can be purchased from the Oxygen Consulting Knowledge Store

About Precor
Precor, headquartered in the United States, designs and manufactures premium end-to-end commercial and at-home fitness solutions. Precor delivers the personalised products, service experiences and resources operators need to grow their businesses, and the tools exercisers need to reach their fitness and lifestyle goals. Since 1980, Precor has been a pioneer in creating innovative fitness solutions for customers, including the EFX® Elliptical, Adaptive Motion Trainer® "AMT®" and Preva® Networked Fitness. Precor is part of Amer Sports Corporation, one of the world's largest sports equipment companies, with internationally recognised sister brands that include Wilson, Atomic, Suunto, Salomon, Arc'teryx and Mavic.

About REX Roundtables for Executives
REX Roundtables for Executives™, a global organization that runs Executive Mastermind roundtables, is the leading executive development program for health club owners and executives. There are currently 10 REX groups in the United States, with two new REX groups starting within the next few months. There are also REX Roundtable groups in Italy, Europe and Australia. Over 175 very successful club owners and executives worldwide currently belong to REX. Each REX Roundtable is made up of 15 non-competitive club owners, CEOs and executives of leading health clubs together that share best practices worldwide to improve the performance of their business and the quality of their lives.

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Major health clubs chains must redraw business models or wither away

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Oxygen Blog New report advises mid-market health clubs of urgent need to shake-up traditional business models Warns of growing competition from all sides without growth in customer base Recommends that clubs clearly define what they stand for Advises clubs to avoid simple price-cutting to compete and instead re-think long term

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Global health and fitness

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Discover all statistics and data on Health & Fitness Clubs now on statista.com!

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HEALTH AND FITNESS MARKET REPORT - FOCUS ON CLUBS AND EQUIPMENT - UK 2016-2020 ANALYSIS

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HEALTH AND FITNESS MARKET REPORT - FOCUS ON CLUBS AND EQUIPMENT - UK 2016-2020 ANALYSIS

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Health and Fitness Market Report - Focus on Clubs and Equipment - UK 2016-2020 Analysis

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This report reviews the market for fitness equipment covering both commercial and individual applications, as well as the UK health club market. The report includes products used in commercial centres (examples of which include gyms and health clubs, local authority leisure centres, hotels, sports clubs and teams and corporate, educational and military facilities), as well as equipment used in the home.

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To purchase click here.
Number of UK Fitness Members exceeds 9 million for the first time
- 5.3% rise in total membership and 3.2% increase in market value -

- Total market value now estimated to be £4.4 billion -

- Pure Gym become the largest UK Fitness Operator -

The 2016 State of the UK Fitness Industry Report reveals that the UK health and fitness industry is continuing to grow. It has more clubs, more members and a greater market value than ever before.

The 2016 report highlights that the industry has experienced another year of impressive growth over the twelve month period to the end of March 2016, with increases of 1.9% in the number of fitness facilities, 5.3% in the number of members and 3.2% in market value.

For the first time ever, member numbers have exceeded 9 million. 1 in every 7 people in the UK is a member of a gym, an all-time penetration rate high of 14.3%.

The influential low cost market with its large membership numbers, online joining, 24/7 opening hours and low price points has continued to expand rapidly and drive the growth in the industry. The private low cost sector now accounts for 12% of the total number of private clubs, 13% of the private market value and a huge 32% of the private sector membership.

For the first time ever, a low cost fitness operator is the UK's number one. Pure Gym have added 60 clubs in the last 12 months taking them past the 150 mark and into the top position.
Summary of Key Facts

There are now 6,435 fitness facilities in the UK, up from 6,312 last year.

Total industry membership is up 5.3% to 9.2 million.

Total market value is estimated at £4.4 billion, up 3.2% on 2015.

The UK penetration rate is 14.3%, compared to 13.7% in the previous year.

224 new public and private fitness facilities opened in the last 12 months, up from 191 in 2015.

Commenting on the figures, David Minton, Director of The Leisure Database Company said: "This is a great set of results for the industry. The uplift in each core index shows the potential when technology, innovation and customer centric fitness products come together".
Notes
The State of the UK Fitness Industry Report is compiled from the most comprehensive review of the UK fitness industry, involving individual contact with all sites. The reporting period is the 12 months to 31st March 2016. The audit and resulting figures are compiled by independent leisure market analysts, The Leisure Database Company who have been monitoring the performance of the fitness industry for over 30 years. Further details of the report can be found here 2016 State of the UK Fitness Industry Report.
Further Information: The Leisure Database Company
The Leisure Database Company is a leading independent database specialist who provides key market intelligence and analysis across the industry. Established over 30 years ago, the company works with a wide range of fitness operators providing member profiling reports, new site analysis and latent demand estimates. 2016 sees the launch of 2 new services; LeisureDB Mobile Apps and the LeisureDB Social Media Fitness Index.

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Press Release: 2016 State of the UK Fitness Industry Report

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To purchase click here . Number of UK Fitness Members exceeds 9 million for the first time - 5.3% rise in total membership and 3.2% increase in market value - - Total market value now estimated to be £4.4 billion - -&amp

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Summary of the UK Health Industry

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Summary of the UK Health/Fitness Club Industry

Merger and acquisition activity is this year's major theme with Virgin Active now Britain's second largest health club chain, after Fitness First. This follows Virgin's acquisition of the 47 Holmes Place clubs, bringing the group total to 73. Simon Halabi, the property magnate recently acquired the 54 Esporta clubs for a sum in the region of £475 million and Whitbread received £925 million for its 69 David Lloyd clubs (£13.4 million per club).

Membership growth slows
Total membership of UK private sector clubs grew by just 1% in 2006 and remains static at 4.2 million, representing 7% of the adult population. Geographic accessibility is no longer a barrier as the recent National Audit of Fitness Consumers research reveals that 99% of the population is within a 20-minute drive of a health club or leisure centre. So, what will drive further growth in this £2.5 billion market?

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Summary of the UK Health/Fitness Club Industry - Oxygen Consulting

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Merger and acquisition activity is this year's major theme with Virgin Active now Britain's second largest health club chain, after Fitness First. This follows Virgin's acquisition of the 47 Holmes Place clubs, bringing the group total to 73.

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2015: Leisure Database Company

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- 5.8% rise in total membership and 5.4% rise in market value

- Total market value now estimated to be £4.3 billion

The 2015 State of the UK Fitness Industry reveals that the UK health and fitness industry is in good health, it has more clubs, more members and a greater market value than ever before. 1 in every 8 people in the UK are members of a gym, an all-time penetration rate high of 13.7%.

The 2015 report highlights that the industry has experienced another year of positive growth over the twelve month period to the end of March 2015, with increases of 5.4% in value, 3.3% in the number of fitness facilities and a 5.8% rise in the number of members.

The growth in the industry continues to be driven by strong performance from the rapidly growing low cost market in the private sector. This expanding market now accounts for 9% of the total number of private clubs, 10% of the private market value and an impressive 24% of the private sector membership.
Summary of Key Facts

Total market value (public and private sectors combined) is estimated at £4.3 billion, up 5.4% on 2014.

13.7% of the UK population are now registered as members of a private health and fitness club or a publicly-owned fitness facility contrasting with 13.2% in the previous year.

Total industry membership is the strongest growth indicator, up 5.8% to 8.8 million over the past 12 months.

191 new public and private fitness facilities opened in the 12 month period ending 31st March 2015, up from 177 in 2014.

There are now 6,312 fitness facilities in the UK, up from 6,112 last year.

Commenting on the figures, David Minton, Director of The Leisure Database Company said: "The results are great news for the industry and finally we have some innovation and fresh thinking coming through; the consumer obviously appreciates the new experiences, as shown by the sharp increase in member numbers and the all-time high penetration rate".
Notes
The State of the UK Fitness Industry Report is compiled from the most comprehensive review of the UK fitness industry, involving individual contact with all sites. The reporting period is the 12 months to 31st March 2015. The audit and resulting figures are compiled by independent leisure market analysts, The Leisure Database Company who have been monitoring the performance of the fitness industry for over 30 years. Further details of the report can be found here 2015 State of the UK Fitness Industry Report.

Further Information:
The Leisure Database Company
The Leisure Database Company is a leading independent database specialist and market analyst. Established over 30 years ago, the company is contracted to Sport England and Sport Wales to maintain their respective Active Places databases covering over 20 types of sports and fitness facilities. The company also works with a wide range of fitness operators providing member profiling reports, new site analysis and latent demand estimates.

enquiries@leisuredb.com

Tel: 020 3585 1441

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2015 State of the UK Fitness Industry Report Published Yesterday

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5.8% rise in total membership and 5.4% rise in market value - Total market value now estimated to be £4.3 billion The 2015 State of the UK Fitness Industry reveals that the UK health and fitness industry is in good health, it has more clubs, more members and a greater market value than ever before.

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Initial Research Activity

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Budget gyms with more flexible contracts contribute to increase in membership in last year

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Consumer spending on UK gym membership has soared by 44% in the last year, figures reveal, driven by the growth in popularity of new, budget gyms which come without the expensive shackles of contracts that cannot be unlocked and hefty fees.

The research suggests that earlier reports of the demise of the gym - as the UK enthusiastically embraces cycling, park runs and open water swimming - may have been premature. In June Sport England reported the first fall in the number of people going to gyms or keeping fit in the privacy of their own homes - by 153,000 to 6.56 million - but the latest figures indicate they are being more pro-active.

Discerning and health-conscious consumers are demanding more flexible ways of improving their fitness, research has found, as they take advantage of new technology such as apps and wearable devices - effectively virtual personal trainers - alongside traditional gym facilities.

The data is published by Cardlytics, which monitors consumer spending on debit cards, credit cards and direct debits, based on analysis of 5.5 million accountholders. It looked into the spending behaviour of gymgoers in the eight weeks prior to them joining a gym, and the first eight weeks of their membership.

The findings paint a picture of a nation of growing numbers of gymgoers, who are in turn spending more money across the board. At specialist health stores, for example, spending among gymgoers jumps 55% in the two weeks prior to them starting their membership, while shopping at sporting goods stores rises by 96%.

Spending on eating out steadily increases by 27% in the eight weeks leading up to a gym membership beginning, and remains higher by 15% during the first eight weeks of consumers becoming active. In their first week of active gym membership, consumers spend 34% more at fashion retailers. Supermarkets also see an uplift, with an 11% increase in spending.

The popularity of budget gyms, including Pure Gym, EasyGym, Anytime Fitness and DW Sports, are driving the increase, Cardyltics said, with a a 66% rise in monthly expenditure by the 5.5 million individuals, from £101,000 in May/June last year to £167,000 the same time this year. But mid- and top-tier gyms, such as Virgin Active and Holmes Place, are also seeing results, with spending rises of 22% and 14% respectively.

Jill Dougan, managing director of Cardlytics, said: "This data shows that British consumers aren't the only ones improving their figures, as UK retailers across the country benefit from a focus on fitness. A gym membership can lead to higher levels of spending across the board on social activities, new clothes and healthier products."

A new study by the research analysts Mintel has confirmed the boom in budget gyms, pointing out that while the UK's recession was the catalyst for polarisation within the private health and fitness club industry, budget gyms have successfully targeted the lower end of the market with aggressively priced membership.

Mintel said: " Nearly four-fifths of UK adults have set themselves at least one health or fitness goal, yet only 12% currently use a gym. However, the indications for the private health and fitness club sector remain promising, with the continued rise of budget gyms helping to break down the barriers associated with more established clubs - namely cost, location and the commitment of entering long-term contracts."

Its study said the rise of wearable tech had given consumers a more proactive way to manage their health. Buoyed by the increased availability and popularity of health-related apps such as Apple's HealthKit, fitness apps such as Strava and wearable tracking devices like Fitbit, it said 54% of consumers are interested in monitoring different aspects of their daily activity or wellbeing.

A number of gyms now support "360-degree" tracking services that take into account members' exercise performed outside the gym, as well as their nutritional intake.

Tim Cook, partner at OC&C Strategy Consultants and an adviser on the leisure sector, said: "The traditional gym is no longer sustainable. We estimate that emerging 'value gyms', including the likes of Pure Gym, are likely to make up 30% of the private gym market in the next three to four years."
Topics

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Consumer spending on UK gym membership has soared by 44% in the last year, figures reveal, driven by the growth in popularity of new, budget gyms which come without the expensive shackles of contracts that cannot be unlocked and hefty fees.

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The UK health and fitness industry experienced another year of growth.