| PureGym | |
| Type: | Private company |
| Industry: | Health clubs |
| Founded: | 2009 |
| Founder: | Peter Roberts |
| Location: | Leeds, UK |
| Num Locations: | 327 gyms |
| Num Locations Year: | 2022 |
| Area Served: | United Kingdom, Switzerland, United States, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates |
| Key People: | Humphrey Cobbold (CEO) |
| Owner: | Leonard Green & Partners |
| Website: | https://www.puregym.com |
PureGym Limited is a British chain of no-frills health clubs, headquartered in Leeds. It is Britain's largest gym chain by membership, with over 1,500,000 members registered to their gyms.[1] [2] [3] [4] PureGym also operate gyms in 8 more countries and have over 500 locations worldwide; the newest territory, the UAE, opened in 2022.
In May 2015, PureGym acquired all gyms from rival UK fitness chain LA Fitness, bringing the total number of gyms across the UK to 141. In 2019 an acquisition of Danish chain Fitness World added another approximately 200 centers to the portfolio.[5] As of October 2022, PureGym has 327 gyms in the UK.
Most locations are open 24 hours a day[6] and offer cardio equipment, fixed and free weights, and exercise classes. There are over 200 pieces of training equipment in most gyms. There are no swimming pools or saunas, which are found in more expensive gyms.
For safety, all PureGyms are monitored by real-time CCTV linked directly to security staff and emergency services. They also have AEDs and first aid kits on site. Most gyms also run weekly fire drills during off-peak hours.[7]
PureGym was privately owned by CCMP Capital and other investors.[8] In 2014, rival The Gym Group attempted to take over PureGym, but abandoned the takeover after it was referred to the Competition and Markets Authority.[9]
In May 2015, PureGym Ltd bought their UK rival LA Fitness for around £60 million to £80 million.[10] [11]
Humphrey Cobbold took over from Peter Roberts as the CEO. Roberts has, in turn, become the CFO, with Adam Bellamy continuing as the Non-Executive Director.
In November 2017 it was bought by Los Angeles–based Leonard Green & Partners for £600 million.[12]
In December 2019 PureGym agreed to buy Danish Fitness World, which also operated in Switzerland and Poland, for £350 million.[13]
In February 2021 Humphrey Cobbold told the BBC that "We are burning about £500,000 a day and that's the average over eight months of closure".
In 2019, PureGym acquired the Swiss basefit.ch. By the end of 2021, all of their facilities will have been renamed and redesigned[14]
It has a 2-star accreditation from Best Companies and a BCI score of 696.6.[15]
PureGym opened in Dubai in 2022. PureGym UAE is headed up by CEO Susan Turner, with operations being handled by John Foy.