Member Article

First northern branch for US fitness brand comes to Greater Manchester

Major US lifestyle brand, Orangetheory Fitness, is bringing its unique fitness offering to the North West.

The brand’s iconic £1m studio is set to open in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, after a deal was secured in collaboration with independent retail real estate consultancy, Harper Dennis Hobbs.

With over 1,000 successful studios across the world including the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, Altrincham is set to follow their success after a record-breaking pre-sales launch event ahead of its planned opening in December 2018.

Harper Dennis Hobbs worked with CEO, Alistair Firth, to secure the deal on the 5,500 square foot space. Opening in the town centre’s Stamford Quarter, franchisee, Wellcomm Health & Fitness has its sights set on the Midlands & Northern England, starting with Altrincham as the first of 40 Orangetheory Fitness studios to open across the region over the next nine years.

Orangetheory is a unique workout that focuses on the heart rate of those training. Members can see their real-time performance via screens within the studio, measured by heart-rate monitors. The varied range of high intensity interval training is designed to ensure every member spends between 12 to 20 minutes at 84-91%% of their maximum heart rate, otherwise known as the ‘orange zone’. Reaching this point will encourage the body to continue to burn calories for up to 36 hours after exercise has been completed, making it ideal for busy lifestyles.

James Ebel, CEO at Harper Dennis Hobbs, said:

“The North West has been identified as a hub for busy professionals wanting to remove themselves from the lucrative market and financial burden that comes with living in London, so it only seems natural for a fast paced, boutique-feel fitness studio to follow suit and make the move, too.

“With the ever-increasing popularity of gym culture in the UK, this opening of the first Orangetheory studio in the North of England will be the start of an ever-growing trend as each cluster is launched throughout 2019 and beyond.”

“We’re delighted to partner with HDH who have understood our needs and presented a range of exciting property options.” says Alistair Firth, CEO of franchisee, Wellcomm Health and Fitness, “We look forward to working with them as we develop our portfolio of studios, which will no doubt build on the success of Altrincham.”

The studio plays a part in the £40m launch sweeping over the Midlands and the North, which will add to the already booming 1000+ studio operation that Orangetheory Fitness’ franchisees have formed. As advised by Harper Dennis Hobbs, the studio gym franchise has already begun plans for future locations, including Derby, which is set to open in early 2019.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Emma Lumley .