24 hour gym comes to Twickenham
4:00pm Saturday 24th November 2012 in News By Rachel Bishop
24 hour gym comes to Twickenham
A 24 hour gym is coming to Twickenham after the council approved an application for a fitness centre.
Anytime Fitness will be based in Regal House in Twickenham, where there has been a empty unit since June 2010.
Richmond Council approved the plans at a meeting in York House on Thursday, November 1.
The council imposed conditions on the gym, which included installing black out blinds, using lights that turn off when there is a lack of activity in the gym and to provide a complaints telephone number for when the gym is unstaffed.
Mary’s Terrace resident, John Milner, spoke against the application on behalf of his fellow neighbours at the meeting.
He said: “The change from office to gym and the change of hours of use from weekdays, 9am to 5pm to seven days and 24 hours will result in harmful noise disturbances and light pollution and Regal House is currently quiet and unlit during weekday evenings, nights and weekends.”
The gym has a target membership of 1,500 people, who will have access 24 hours a day, but exercise classes will not be offered.
Peak times are expected to be between 4pm and 9pm and between 12am and 5am there is expected to only be one to two customers per hour. The gym will be staffed between 9am to 8pm.
Anytime Fitness director, Karl Dietrich, said: “Our neighbours and local residents are really important to us. We also strive to make our clubs clean, comfortable and welcoming places in which to work out for the whole community.”
For more information visit anytimefitness.co.uk.
Comments(5)
twickerman
says...
11:51pm Sun 25 Nov 12
The applicant suggested Cllr Elengorn was a typical customer. Cllr Elengorn amused the committee by replying "I don't think so, I'm a specialist in unfitness'.
Because the gym will be unsupervised from 8pm to 8am and at weekends the committee were concerned about members safety and residents protection. Anytime Fitness said that
that was their concept and they wouldn't change it, and if residents had a problem they could phone the following day.
Pay as you go membership is also not part of their concept. Customers will have to sign a contract for a whole year.
Cllr Khosa, speaking in support of the gym, entertained the committee when he explained that the gym concept was like KFC and McDonalds! Soon there would be one on every high street.
The meeting webcast is on the Council website.
Twickenham resident
says...
10:42pm Mon 26 Nov 12
Are we really to be expected to believe people will be exercising when they should be sleeping? Perhaps it is designed for those coming off night shifts?
Think Twickenham Bob will be disappointed - can't see the prices of Anytime Fitness annual contract being much cheaper than VA....
Twickenham Bob
says...
9:54am Tue 27 Nov 12
People who go the gym on the whole are far more conciencious, and 24 hour gyms are a boom for shift workers, thoes who work in the financial markets and policemen etc.
twickerman
says...
11:15pm Tue 27 Nov 12
Anytime Fitness only do annual memberships and have many web complaints in the USA about their customer service and payment collection.
Anytime Fitness advised that at night they expect 1.2 customers/hour (during peak season) at the Twickenham gym.
Twickenham Bob says...
5:13pm Sun 25 Nov 12
The Virgin Active at £90 a month is too expensive for thoes who are not higher rate taxpayers. So the new gym will open up more oppertunities for students and young people in there twenties get fit and healthy.