Budget health club operator Pure Gym has announced that it is to open five new sites in the UK - including its first two locations in London.

Due to open at Easter, the group's expansion into the capital will be marked with the launch of new clubs at Kennington and Wandsworth. Meanwhile, new locations at Warrington, Aberdeen and Edinburgh Ocean Terminal will see Pure Gym increase its portfolio to 15.

The chain's Aberdeen site is due to open at the end of February; the Warrington club is set to launch in early March, followed by the Edinburgh Ocean Terminal site. It follows a £10m investment led by Magenta Partners, along with a new £3.5m facility from Barclays and additional funding from shareholders.

Pure Gym chief executive Peter Roberts said: "One of our biggest challenges is to identify and procure the most suitable sites by continuing to lease buildings from both private and major institutional landlords. "With a strong product offer and funding in place to grow the brand, we are looking forward to delivering ambitious expansion plans for the UK in 2011."