Fitness First started in 1993, when entrepreneurs Mike Balfour and Christopher Pearce opened a health club in Bournemouth with the dream to make fitness affordable to everyone; to build health clubs of the highest quality that were accessible to all.
Fitness First was the first health and fitness company to float on the Alternative Investment Market with Mike Balfour as Managing Director and Christopher Pearce as Executive Chairman. It was the turning point because it provided the funds to roll out a chain of health clubs. Growth was rapid - with 7 new clubs in 1997 and nearly double again in 1998. By the end of the decade there were 49 UK Fitness First clubs and 100,000 members, employing 3,000 full time and part time staff. In 1998 Fitness First was the first UK health club operator to enter Continental Europe, and in the year 2000 the business expanded geographically again, this time into Asia and Australia.
We’re here to help you get the results you want, and that means providing support, motivation and guidance from the start. As a new member, you will be given a free fitness induction, assessment and tailored programme. We have over 20 fitness programmes to choose from, ranging from total body workouts to programmes for weight loss, strength and sports conditioning. For that extra motivation, our team of professional 1:1 personal trainers provide advice that’s both effective and affordable.