Health club operator Fitness First is to launch a new budget gym brand called Klick Fitness.

The chain will be rolled out by converting existing Fitness First clubs in at least eight locations - Bromborough, Bradford, Manchester, Sheffield, Stoke, Wakefield, Aintree and Ipswich.

The group closed nine of its clubs earlier this month and plans to reopen them as Klick clubs in September.

Jason Worthy, head of central operations for Klick, told Leisure Opportunities that the launch of the nine clubs will be phased.

"The first set of clubs will open during the week commencing 5 September and the second batch during the week of 19 September," he said.

He added that the company is looking to open more than nine clubs under the Klick banner.

He said: "This is a market that we expect to grow very quickly."

Klick Fitness will offer monthly (£9.99) and annual (£99.99) memberships.

Each club will have a group exercise studio and the membership will include a certain amount of classes. Some classes will be made available on pay as you go and the Klick clubs will also include functional training areas for small groups.

Matrix Fitness, the commercial division of Johnson Health Tech, has secured the contract to supply the sites with new equipment.

Under the terms of the deal, Matrix Fitness equipment will be supplied to the first seven Klick Fitness sites.