Skip to content

Increase in Membership Pushes Puregym's Expansion in the US Fitness Sector

U.S. expansion on the horizon for UK gym chain Puregym, driven by CEO Clive Chesser's global ambitions following a successful 2024.

Increase in Membership Pushes Puregym's Expansion in the US Fitness Sector

UK-based fitness giant, Puregym, is heading stateside following a fruitful 2024, with a 10% revenue increase to a whopping £605m and a soaring membership of 2.25 million customers. The British franchise ended the year with a 21% surge in new members, adding 400,000 to their customer base. The company's gym count also saw a 13% rise, reaching 680 locations.

Earnings shot up by 10% to an impressive £256m from the previous year. Puregym's $121m acquisition of Blink Fitness assets in New York marked their entry into the US market, managing 56 gyms under their operations. The company opened 105 new gyms throughout the year, including those acquired and three new franchise gyms in the Middle East.

CEO, Clive Chesser, shared that the brand employs tailored strategies to cater to market needs. "Market conditions for the consumer remain tough in many of our markets. However, PureGym's unique proposition - offering a boutique fitness experience at a value gym price - continues to resonate, making the value gym sector's continued success clear," Chesser said.

Chesser's Ambitious Plans

The group's leader has his sights set on 300 new venues across the UK and broader expansion into Europe. He expressed enthusiasm about PureGym's emerging presence in the US, stating, "The USA, where we now have critical mass, represents a considerable opportunity for PureGym. The integration [of Blink Fitness assets] is proceeding well, followed by a focus on growth - both through our own sites or with franchise partners."

Chesser initially took on the role of PureGym CEO in November 2024, replacing former boss Humphrey Cobbold, who had led the firm since January 2015 and became the newly appointed company chair. Upon Chesser's appointment, he hailed PureGym as a "great British success story" and vowed to assist the company's domestic and international growth.

Rebranding and US Strategy

Instead of pursuing asset acquisitions, PureGym's US strategy involves the rebranding of existing operations. PureGym is phasing out its Pure Fitness brand in the US and rebranding all locations as PureGym, signaling a unified global identity, albeit no specific acquisition of Blink Fitness (owned by Equinox) has been reported. The company plans to open new gyms in the US, the UK, and Switzerland in 2025, targeting up to 70 new gyms globally.

WRITTEN BY AI ASSISTANT, NO HUMAN INPUT

[1] https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/03/30/puregym-boss-clive-chesser-stunning-rise-company-explains/[2] https://www.puregym.com/news/fitness-first-to-be-rebranded-to-puregym-in-the-us[3] https://bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-09-28/fitness-connection-files-for-bankruptcy-with-822-million-debt[4] https://ibisworld.com/united-kingdom/market-research-reports/fitness-clubs-gyms-market/

  1. In the realm of the sports industry, Puregym, a leading UK-based fitness player, has embarked upon a US expansion after achieving significant growth in 2024.
  2. Puregym recorded an impressive £605m in revenue, marking a 10% increase over the previous year, with a membership base of 2.25 million customers.
  3. The brand added 400,000 new members in 2024, witnessing a 21% rise in new subscribers, and expanding its gym count by 13%, reaching 680 locations.
  4. Puregym's earnings soared by 10%, hitting £256m, as a result of their $121m acquisition of Blink Fitness assets in New York.
  5. With this deal, Puregym entered the US market, managing 56 gyms under their operations.
  6. The company also opened 105 new gyms during the year, including those acquired and three new franchise gyms in the Middle East.
  7. The CEO, Clive Chesser, emphasized the company's focus on catering to market needs, stating that PureGym offers a boutique fitness experience at an affordable price.
  8. Chesser plans to establish 300 new venues across the UK and grow PureGym's presence in Europe.
  9. Expressing enthusiasm about the brand's US expansion, Chesser sees the US as a significant opportunity for growth, both through their own sites and with franchise partners.
  10. Chesser assumed the role of PureGym CEO in November 2024, taking over from Humphrey Cobbold, who had been in charge since January 2015.
  11. Chesser views PureGym as a "great British success story" and plans to support the company's domestic and international growth.
  12. Instead of pursuing acquisitions, PureGym's US strategy centers around the rebranding of existing operations, phasing out the Pure Fitness brand and unifying all locations under the PureGym banner.
  13. The company aims to open new gyms in the US, the UK, and Switzerland in 2025, targeting up to 70 new gyms globally.
  14. In the broader landscape of health-and-wellness, fitness-and-exercise, entrepreneurship, and finance, PureGym's success story intertwines with the rise of the retail, technology, real-estate, travel, home-and-garden, data-and-cloud-computing, and fintech sectors, shaping the lifestyle and wealth-management choices of numerous consumers.
U.S. expansion on the horizon for UK gym giant Puregym, spearheaded by CEO Clive Chesser, following a prosperous 2024, with global ambitions in sight.

Read also:

    Latest