Independent operator, Fitness Worx, will open a site in Rugby, UK on 6 December.

The self-funded chain was founded by former bodybuilder and PT, Jack Gibson, in 2012, with ambitions to reach 10 sites. It has grown by targeting fast-growing towns with a young demographic, for example Kenilworth, Warwick, Leamington Spa and Bristol. With the 10th site due to open early in 2026, Gibson is furthering his ambitions to have 25 clubs with a geographical spread from Manchester to Bristol, as well as a presence in London.

The 24-hour offering includes a 10,000 sq ft gym – hosting gym floor classes and Hyrox – and saunas. The price point is £45 a month and the membership capacity is 1,000. Gibson says 500 memberships for the new Rugby site were sold within 15 minutes of the pre-sale going live.

The USP is personal transformation programmes which have been designed to build a love of training and integrate new members into the community. “This is what transforms a 40-year-old woman who's nervous about coming into the gym into a loyal member who knows exactly what she’s doing,” Gibson told HCM.

“We measure health metrics at the start, middle and end of the programmes and these are progressive and tailored to the individuals’ goals. Our goal is to teach clients the fundamentals so they can confidently achieve their goals on their own, long after the programme ends.

“We often compare it to learning to drive: once you’ve passed your test, you have the skills to drive for life. It’s the same with training – once you understand what to do and why, you can train effectively.”

Gibson plans to stay independent for the foreseeable future and has a tight head office team, including his Dad – a former building contractor who does the fit-outs – his brother, Matt, who is operations director and Chris Bryniarski as sales director. Each time a new site opens, the head office team take it in turns to be on site until the ethos and values are fully integrated.

Gibson has a strong focus on retention: as well as the personalised approach, there are community events and he is responsive to member feedback. Hyrox, glute zones and saunas have all been recently introduced following member requests.

“We have feedback boxes at every site and read them each week, as well as doing regular polls on Instagram of what people are looking for," he explains. "If a piece of gym equipment has been asked for four or five times then we’ll buy it."

Look out for the full interview with Gibson in an upcoming issue of HCM. Click hereto sign up for your personal free digital subscription or hereto get the print edition on subscription.