Why Harrogate’s Stuart Perrin set up the UK’s first affordable boutique gym

 This story is sponsored by Coach.

Join the Fitness Revolution with Coach Gyms Harrogate

After operating a health and fitness setting in Harrogate years ago, Stuart Perrin spotted a gap in the market for a luxury gym that doesn’t cost the earth.

The former resident of the town is now the owner and CEO of Coach, the UK’s first affordable boutique gym.

Launching in Leeds in 2020, he went on to open a £1.5m site at Harrogate’s Hornbeam Park in January this year with more in the pipeline.

He said:

“There’s a real gap for a quality product at affordable rates in the town. There was an option to pay a small fortune or next to nothing.

“But there was a huge gap in the middle for people wanting quality but without the high prices.

“Coach itself is a boutique health and fitness concept, which basically means in a nutshell everything is really high-end; fixtures, fittings, experience.

“However, we offer it an affordable price. If you were going to a club like this in London, you would be paying £200 a month. Here you can join for as little as £29.

“It’s something very different and is the biggest gym in Harrogate as well. Since we opened in January, we’ve overtaken every other club from a membership size and perspective quite significantly.”

Coach boasts more than 200 pieces of state-of-the art equipment, as well as over 200 instructor-led fitness classes across four studios.

Surge Padel, where members can play one of the world’s fastest growing sports, can also be found on the first floor.

Mr Perrin added that there was a large focus on providing a female-friendly experience – a segment he feels is under-represented in the current market.

He said:

“Although we’re not a ladies only gym, we are definitely geared towards females when it comes to communication and experience – even down to the lighting.

“The lighting levels in Coach are quite low, a bit like a nightclub. Research went into the exact lighting level we need to achieve to make women feel less self-conscious.”

Since launching in Harrogate on January 21, Mr Perrin said the reception in the town had been “exceptional”.

He said:

“Within that time we have grown the business really fast and it has been really exciting. People come and see the product and unless they want a swimming pool, they wouldn’t join anywhere else. That’s not us being arrogant, I believe the value for money we offer is unrivalled.”

Coach Gyms is redefining affordable luxury. Join now from only £18.99 a month. Find out more and join the fitness revolution today!

Pure Gym set to open in Knaresborough in March

Pure Gym has revealed it plans to open in Knaresborough in March.

The no frills health club operates more than 300 gyms in the UK, including one in Harrogate, which opened in 2015.

The Stray Ferret revealed in March that it planned to open on the site of the former Lidl supermarket on Knaresborough’s York Road.

In an update today to the Stray Ferret, Pure Gym promised to bring “affordable, flexible fitness to Knaresborough” with an introductory offer of £12.99 a month.

Pure Gym Harrogate

Pure Gym in Harrogate, which opened in 2015.

The Lidl closed in 2018 and in February last year Homecare Pharmacy Services began providing covid clinics from a building in the car park until it moved in September last year to larger premises on Knaresborough’s Chain Lane.

Pure Gym now aims to have a gym up and running on the site alongside the main road in four months. It will open from 6am to 10pm daily.

A Pure Gym spokesperson said:

“Pure Gym is delighted to be bringing affordable, flexible fitness to Knaresborough.

“Scheduled to open in March 2023, the brand-new gym will be spread across about 11,500 square feet and will offer pin and free weights, group exercise classes, a range of machines and equipment, a large functional area and access to our PTs to help members achieve their fitness goals.

“The people of Knaresborough and the surrounding areas will enjoy access to Pure Gym’s flagship low-cost, zero-contract memberships to help support their physical and mental wellbeing. We look forward to welcoming new members to Pure Gym Knaresborough – look out for our opening offer.”

Read more:

 

New gym set to open on Harrogate’s Cold Bath Road

A gym company from Leeds is set to expand to a second site on Harrogate’s Cold Bath Road this year.

North Studio is planning to open in Wellington House, the building that is already home to cycling brand Prologue.

Posting an image of the new premises on Instagram, the company said:

“We are super excited to finally announce our expansion into Harrogate at the end of this year.

“Keep your eyes out for more details over the coming weeks!”

North Studio’s existing Leeds venue in Roundhay offers a strength room with weights and cardiovascular equipment, and a cycling room where spin classes take place.

It also has a more relaxed studio for yoga, pilates and barre classes, and the gym sells shakes, smoothies, teas and coffees on site as well.

Classes are £15 each with discounts available for block bookings, and membership starts from £70 per month.

It is the third business this week to confirm plans to open on Cold Bath Road. A new pet shop will open in the former home of the Refilling Station, while plans have been submitted to create a cafe-bar and record store further up the hill opposite Valley Drive.

Read more:

 

Ripon gym Intrim closes for good after nearly 40 years

A Ripon gym that opened nearly 40 years ago has closed permanently following a dispute between the gym owner and landlord.

Intrim 24/7 opened in 1984 and was one of the longest running gyms in the Harrogate district.

It was based above discount store Yorkshire Trading Company, on Queen Street.

A notice on the building says the premises have been repossessed by the landlord due to non-payment of rent.

The gym closed its doors in June 2021 but Phillip McKay, who has owned the business since 2003, told the Stray Ferret he had hoped to re-open.

But Mr McKay said he has now been given until the end of the month to remove his equipment and has given up on hope of returning.

Yorkshire Trading in Ripon.

Intrim was based above Yorkshire Trading Company.

He said the gym initially closed following structural problems and there had been a subsequent disagreement over who was responsible for repairs. He added:

“My business has traded in Ripon for more than 38 years and I have run it for the last 20 years. It’s an important part of the community.

“It’s been an absolute nightmare. The members have lost memberships and there has been a lot of bad feeling about that.”

Phllip McKay with his son inside Intrim.

Read more:

Mr McKay has been driving a HGV for the past year while his business has been closed.

He plans to store his equipment until he can find new premises, but added he might be forced to sell it if the right property doesn’t become available.

He said:

“After covid we were doing really well and come June 24 last year, it was just gone. It has been a nightmare.

“Hopefully we will get the equipment moved and find another premises. I just don’t know what’s around the corner.”

The notice placed on the Ripon gym.

The notice placed on the Ripon gym.

A notice on the gym says it was repossessed on June 28 for non-payment of rent.

Mark Johnson, operations and compliance manager at Yorkshire Trading Company, confirmed the landlord, Nicholls Property Partnership, had repossessed the property.

He added:

“The lease has been forfeit by the tenant for non-payment of rent owed. This information is displayed on the notice displayed on the property.

“All other matters are subject to ongoing legal proceedings, and we are not in a position to comment at this time.”

Harrogate gym launches strength training for menopausal women

A Harrogate gym has launched strength training sessions for women over 40 in an bid to “change the narrative” around menopause.

The sessions will be held at Eleven Eleven Sports Performance, which launched a studio on Otley Road in May.

The programme will focus on heavy lifting and increasing strength training to stimulate and build muscles to make up for the decline in the hormones estrogen and progesterone. It will also include sprint interval training, plyometrics and stabilising exercises.

Information will also be given on how to lead a healthier lifestyle to help lower cortisol levels, which is known as the stress hormone.

The sessions will be led by coaches Mark Nel and Kelly Loe, who moved to Harrogate from South Africa a year ago.

The couple co-own Eleven Eleven with Liz and Dean Kemp.

Empowering women

Ms Kemp said:

“Lifting weights is going to be good for anyone over the age of 40, but for women specifically because of the imbalances in hormones and the massive impact it has. Estrogen is a muscle-building hormone, so if that’s dropping you need to replace it.

“It’s trying to empower women to say you can do something about it. You can lift heavy and you will get the same effect and you will be able to build that lean muscle mass. This is even more important when you get older.

“It’s turning something negative into something positive. It’s about getting the narrative out there that you can pick up a barbell at any age if you are coached in the right way.”

The semi-private classes are limited to four participants to allow them develop their technique and lift safely.

They are being held on Monday, Wednesday and Friday lunchtimes from 12-1pm and 1pm-2pm.

Read more:

New skills

It is hoped that under the guidance of Mr Nel and Ms Loe, who are both skilled weightlifters, the sessions will encourage women to try something new and gain new skills.

Ms Kemp said:

“I turned 50 this year and I’m a control freak. I didn’t like the changes going on in my life without knowing how I could help and take back control. I think that was where it started from.

“You can’t control what your hormone levels are doing, but there are so many ways you can improve your health and body composition.

“I was training with Mark and Kelly and I realised what they were doing is what the over 40s need in their life to create a healthier and fitter lifestyle going forward.

“It’s about changing the conversation and mindset around it and focussing on the positive.

“It’s being in the right environment to be able to train safely and do what we need to do to replace what our hormones used to with nutrition, healthy living, sprint training and jumping and not being scared of doing it.”

Age is just a number

Mr Nel, who has 24 years experience in the fitness industry, said no matter what age you are, you should still be able to achieve the same ability as someone who is younger if you are taught correctly.

He said:

“You might not lift the same weight or speed, but you are not restricted to ‘you can’t do that because you are this age’. To me it doesn’t matter if you take the right approach. There are athletes doing it at 70.”

Mr Nel, who has a string of accolades under his belt in both CrossFit and weightlifting, added that programmes can be modified for individuals depending on their ability.

He said:

“If your ability is just a barbell, you have that option to go through. If you are someone who is a fit 67-year-old and you want a little bit more intensity that option is there as well.”

Foundations

There will be a focus on mastering three basic foundations of bench, squats and deadlifts before advancing further.

Ms Kemp said:

“The other thing that makes it unique is you are benchmarked. So you have your set standard and until you reach the next level you don’t progress. It allows you to understand what your weaknesses are and what you need to work on.”

Ms Loe, who has been coaching since 2015 and specialises in CrossFit, added:

“I think we have created an environment where we respect more of the technique side of it than lifting heavy. We cheer on the person who is coming last and trying the hardest, as opposed to the person coming first. We do not tolerate massive egos.”

Ms Kemp said there was so much information out there about menopause that it could be overwhelming.

She added:

“That’s what we want to strip back to the bare functions of what you can do to take control and turn the difficult transition into something positive.”

Plans to set up temporary gym at Ripon Leisure Centre

Harrogate Borough Council has submitted a planning application to install a temporary gym at  Ripon Leisure Centre.

It comes after an investigation into ground conditions beneath the older half of the leisure centre after an underground void was discovered in 2020.

The first floor of the leisure centre is currently open but the ground floor remains closed because of concerns over safety.

The council said the void is understood to have been “present for a number of years and was only discovered when the reinforced concrete slab, which provides the foundation for the new swimming pool, was cast.”

The temporary gym – which will be situated in the car park next to the main entrance – is due to open in the autumn whilst ground stabilisation works take place.

Read More:

Councillor Stanley Lumley, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for culture, tourism and sport, and chair of the board of directors at Brimhams Active, said:

“We remain committed to enabling people to enjoy physical activity. By providing a temporary gym, while the ground stabilisation works take place, we can minimise the disruption to current and potential customers and ensure they can continue to maintain their health and wellbeing goals.”

 

 

 

Plans submitted to extend Grade II listed Knaresborough hotel

An application has been submitted to create more bedrooms at Knaresborough’s Dower House Hotel, including a rear extension

The plans, put forward by the Inn Collection Group (ICG), include changing the internal layout and creating a new portico entrance.

As previously reported by the Stray Ferret, the gym and spa have closed as ICG, which acquired the Grade II listed building in December, said they made the hotel less viable.

In the application, ICG said:

“Information contained on the company’s website demonstrates the sensitive design approach adopted for ICG facilities, staying true to the characteristic of each individual property.

“It is also worth highlighting that ICG is custodian to at least 12 listed buildings across its growing portfolio of inns, with many others at least in conservation areas, and sensitively restoring and celebrating these historic buildings is central to its customer experience and business philosophy.

“ICG is, therefore, familiar with the sensitivities surrounding heritage assets with the business model adapted to the characteristics and value of specific buildings.

“The works proposed at The Dower House Inn form part of a plan to upgrade and refurbish the existing site to provide essential maintenance to the building and its setting whilst improving its functionality for the benefit of its customers.

“This will ensure the business is viable and sustainable, in turn securing the preservation of the listed building for the future. The works proposed will reflect approaches taken across other sites, with the replacement of finishes and external and internal alterations sensitively incorporating existing features of the listed building and its setting.”

Read more:

The planned extension would see an extra 27sq m of floor space created on top of the existing 2,287sq m, as the new owners create more bedrooms in the area which formerly housed the gym and spa.

Internal walls would be moved and new windows created in order to create 16 additional bedrooms. The plan would also see an extra six car parking spaces created, bringing the total to 58.

The ICG application added:

“The proposal will upgrade the hotel, increasing visitors and encouraging overnight stays. This will facilitate a degree of growth and job creation, and thus will support the economic and social wellbeing of Knaresborough, an established main settlement.

“The principle of development is, therefore, considered acceptable as it presents an opportunity to enhance the site within the confines of its heritage context, thereby supporting the tourism industry, economic growth, and prosperity of town centres.”

To view or comment on the application, visit Harrogate Borough Council’s planning website and use reference 22/01750/LB.

Knaresborough’s Dower House accelerates closure of spa and gym

Members of Knaresborough’s Dower House gym and spa have been told that the facilities will close next month, seven weeks earlier than originally planned.

The Stray Ferret reported last month the gym and spa were closing after the hotel was acquired by the Inn Collection Group (ICG) in December last year.

At the time the group said the gym and spa, which includes a swimming pool and sauna and provides beauty treatments, would close on August 31 as part of a “multi-million pound expansion” plan.

However, letters sent to members this week said the facilities will now close on July 11. Kate Bentley, rooms director for ICG, said the closure was brought forward due to a decline in users and rising operating costs.

She said:

“Since buying The Dower House in December 2022 we have spent a lot of time familiarising ourselves with the hotel and surrounding area while meeting and listening to customer feedback.

“Dower House — including the spa — is in desperate need of investment which is long-overdue. We have made the decision to accelerate the closure of this part of the hotel.

“We appreciate this may be disappointing for spa users, however we look forward to carrying out a significant investment in the building that a wide range of people can enjoy.”

The ICG has said that all Dower House members who chose to move to the Crown Hotel in Boroughbridge could have their joining fee waived. The Boroughbridge hotel is part of the Coaching Inn Group and also has gym, pool and spa facilities.

Read more:

Michael Ward, a member, said:

“I am disappointed at the closure, and the way it has been handled. The first I knew about it was when the story appeared on the Stray Ferret. I am not impressed with the Inn Collection Group.

“I will therefore not be taking up their offer of joining the Crown Hotel at Boroughbridge, despite the joining fee being waived. It’s disappointing because the Dower House is the only facility of its kind in Knaresborough.”

‘Lifeline’ Dower House gym and spa in Knaresborough to close

Members at Dower House gym and spa in Knaresborough have spoken of their upset at the news the facility is to close.

The 15th century hotel on Bond End was acquired by the Inn Collection Group in December 2021.

The group has confirmed the gym and spa, which includes a swimming pool and sauna and provides beauty treatments, will close on August 31 as part of a “multi-million pound expansion” plan.

Rooms director at ICG, Kate Bentley, apologised for the news leaking out prior to members receiving official confirmation.

The Stray Ferret has spoken to many members upset at the loss of the facility.

Karina Ingh, has been using the gym every day for six months and said she was “disappointed” by the way the news had been handled:

“We were promised this amazing refurbishment and yet they’ve chosen to close the gym and spa with no member consultation.

“It’s their business model and I understand that, but some members have been there for 30 years — it’s a lifeline for them.”

Ms Ingh, who said she believes the gym has 500 members and 10 staff, is concerned about the lack of similar facilities nearby. She said she had been looking at other gyms but none had the same spa facilities or community feel:

“Some people use it every day like me and can just walk or car pool together. I’m disappointed that they are taking a really well-used facility away. It’s a total loss.”

Read more:

Fellow member Suzanne Longson echoed Ms Ingh’s concerns about the lack of similar facilities nearby:

“Whilst I understand that things change, I don’t think the new owners realise how unique the gym is. Throughout lockdown we messaged each other regularly, offered help to our elders and made sure they were OK. We’ve supported each other through illness, loss and bereavement.

“There is a big social aspect for a lot of the members who live alone, who pop down for a cuppa and a chat, and are given that time. Knaresborough is about to lose yet another local facility to the big boys, and it’s a shame.”

‘Valuable social interaction’

Chris Souter also described the place as a “lifeline”:

“I am 77 in June, and it has been a lifeline since lockdown, enabling me to take regular exercise. It has also been a valuable opportunity for social interaction and relaxation.”

Another member, Chris Coggan, criticised the way the group had handled the closure decision:

“I am absolutely gobsmacked that this is being done without any consultation with staff or members. I feel it is a much used community resource with obvious health and social benefits, providing a lifeline for many if its members. I urge the new owners to reconsider their decision and think about the effect this will have on the local community.”

Kate Bentley, at ICG, said rising costs had contributed to the closure decision:

“We’re hoping in the long run it’s positive news for the town and will become a much more welcoming space for non-residents.

“We just can’t see a way to make the spa and its space viable in the long run. We appreciate it will be a loss to local people but the investment plan we have will hopefully make the site profitable again.”

As well as the leisure facilities, the Grade II listed building has 38 bedrooms, several bars, lounges and function areas.

The Inn Collection Group also recently acquired Harrogate’s St George Hotel and Ripon’s Spa Hotel.

Pure Gym to open in former Knaresborough supermarket

A Pure Gym is set to open in a former Knaresborough covid vaccine centre and Lidl supermarket.

The Lidl on York Road closed in 2018 when the supermarket relocated to a larger site nearby.

In February 2021, the site was taken over by Homecare Pharmacy Services, which administered thousands of covid jabs from a building in the car park until it moved in September last year to larger premises on Knaresborough’s Chain Lane.

In January this year, Harrogate Borough Council granted planning permission to convert the site into a gym.

Read more:

Now, documents submitted to the council have confirmed that national fitness chain, Pure Gym, will move into the site.

Pure Gym has lodged an application to the council to operate opening hours from 6am until 11pm, Monday to Sunday.

The company does not plan to increase the size inside the former Lidl unit and will instead use the existing space for the gym.

The council will make a decision on the opening hours at a later date.

The new gym would become Pure Gym’s second in the Harrogate district. The company operates a 24-hour facility on Harrogate’s Tower Street.