easyGroup no-frills gyms to open in Black Country and Staffordshire
Billionaire easyJet entrepreneur Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou is expanding his empire with the launch of a string of no-frills fitness clubs, with venues set to open in Staffordshire and the Black Country, it emerged today.
The easyGroup tycoon has already opened opened four venues, with the latest welcoming gym users in Kings Heath, Birmingham.
Decorated in the trademark bright orange colours and a no-contract membership from £15.99 per month, the gyms are set to rival the likes of Virgin Active, Fitness First and Pure Gym.
The opening in Birmingham follows on from the launch of gyms in Cardiff, Slough and Wood Green, London.
Luxury offerings such as swimming pools, saunas and steam rooms are shunned, with Sir Stelios opting to offer state-of-the-art equipment at cheap prices.
Spokeswoman Becca Douglas said: "In terms of UK expansion, that's definitely on the cards. We can't confirm any locations but we do want to open more gyms over the next 12 to 18 months. If the right opportunities were available in Staffordshire and the Black Country, we'd be interested.
"We're really keen to expand as quickly as possible."
A self-labelled "serial entrepreneur", Sir Stelios started easyJet in 1995 when he was 28. In 2000, EasyJet PLC was partially floated on the London Stock Exchange. He remains its largest single shareholder.
He also owns easyCar, low-cost car rental; easyBus, cut-price bus journeys between airports and city centres, and easyHotel.
Over the past two years, Pure Gym has opened a series of cut-price 24-hour gyms across the Black Country. It has seen venues open in Smethwick, Walsall, and two in Wolverhampton.
