Health and fitness operator Cannons Group is to invest £100m in expansion across the UK and continental Europe. By the end of 2002, Cannons plans to be operating in Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Telford, Nuneaton, Bishop’s Stortford, Chesterfield, Cheam, Warwick, Leatherhead and Yeovil.
James Andrew, group property director at Cannons, said: “We want over 25 new clubs in the UK in two years. We’re concentrating on the east and west midlands, north-east and Scotland.”
Andrew said the company is looking for sites of between 2,323 sq m and 3,716 sq m (25,000 sq ft and 40,000 sq ft). He confirmed the group will pay market rents for prominent edge of town sites.
The group is also expanding its European operation with plans to open five clubs in Holland, plus outlets in Belgium, France, Holland, Spain and Germany.
Cannons currently has 32 health clubs in the UK and plans to grow this to over 60 centres in two years. Its long- term plans include 100 centres in Europe, plus 100 clubs in the UK within 10 years.
EGi News 05/09/00
