DAVID LLOYD LEISURE SET TO AQUIRE LOCAL HEALTH & FITNESS CLUB THE ACADEMY HARROGATE

David Lloyd Leisure, the UK’s leading health, fitness and racquets group announces that it has exchanged contracts to acquire local premium health club The Academy on Oakdale Place Harrogate. At the same time it unveils its plans to invest over £3million into refurbishing the facilities.

The deal is expected to complete at the end of July and the 99 staff will remain at the club, joining David Lloyd Clubs’ team of over 8600 based across the UK and Europe. It becomes the leading health and fitness company’s 110^th club. In addition, on completion, The Academy members will immediately benefit from being able to use any of David Lloyd Clubs’ 107* sites in the UK, Holland, Belgium, Spain and Ireland.

The refurbishment is expected to start in the autumn and will finish in early 2018, during which time the club will remain open. Following the redevelopment, it will provide members with unrivalled facilities to achieve their health and fitness goals.

Glenn Earlam, David Lloyd Clubs’ Chief Executive commented; “The Academy Club, with its superb range of family-friendly facilities is the perfect addition to our growing portfolio of clubs across the UK and Europe. We have ambitious plans which we believe will make it Harrogate’s leading health and racquets clubs. We’re looking forward to meeting the members over the next few weeks, and hearing their thoughts and ideas about the plans. I hope that they are as excited by the redevelopment as we are, and that they continue to enjoy the superb range of facilities for many years to come.”

Mark Silver CEO of The Academy commented; “The Academy opened in October 1994, with the intention of being the premium health and leisure operator in the region. Over the last 23 years I believe that has been achieved. With the sale to David Lloyd Leisure, and the investment and expertise they will bring in, I feel very confident that our members and Harrogate will reap the benefits for many years to come."

Families lie at the heart of the David Lloyd Club brand and newly refurbished facilities will include a wide range of children’s clubs and activities, including All Stars tennis and swimming programmes and  DLKids clubs so that families can socialise and spend time under one roof in a warm and friendly environment.

The hi-tech gym will form the centrepiece of the new look club and will be completely refurbished to features a number of world leading fitness brands such as Octane, Watt Bike, Woodway Curve and Life Fitness.

David Lloyd Clubs is famous for its tennis, and the club’s four indoor courts and three outdoor courts will be refurbished, along with the indoor swimming pool. Group exercise facilities will also be upgraded to feature dedicated High Impact and Mind & Body fitness studio and there will be a high-tech group cycling studio.

 The new look club will also feature a cafébar which will allow members to relax, work, eat and drink in modern and stylish surroundings, with an adults-only lounge and business hub for those looking to relax or work whist the kids enjoy the supervised activities. To find out more about David Lloyd Clubs visit www.davidlloyd.co.uk.

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* Excludes the three Harbour Clubs – Chelsea, Notting Hill and Kensington.

For further press information please call:

Liz Bartlett – PR Manager [email protected]   m: 07484 039373

Sarah Lacey – PR Executive [email protected]     m: 07825 642668

About David Lloyd Leisure Group

Including The Academy Harrogate, the David Lloyd Leisure Group has 110 clubs -  98 clubs in the UK and a further 12 clubs across Europe, comprising its two brands David Lloyd Clubs and Harbour Clubs (of which there are three -  Chelsea, Notting Hill and Kensington). 

On 1 June 2017 it acquired 14 UK health and racquets clubs from Virgin Active as well as opened its third Harbour Club at Kensington following a £5.5m investment and redevelopment programme. On the same day it also announced it had exchanged contracts to buy The Park Club in Chiswick, London.

It has approximately 560,000 members and employs around 8100 people.  This includes an expert health and fitness team of over 2000 while it contracts the services of more than 680 tennis professionals.

Across all clubs, David Lloyd Leisure has over 180 swimming pools (of which half are indoor) and offers over 13,000 exercise classes per week.

Every week over 25,000 children learn to swim at David Lloyd Leisure, 16000 children learn to play in the Tennis All Stars Coaching Programme.

David Lloyd Club’s racquets facilities are unparalleled with over 1000 tennis courts as well as over 400 badminton and squash courts.

Additional facilities include health and beauty spas, club lounges with free internet access, crèches, nurseries and specialist sports shops.