24-hour gym in Hull 'won't be closing again' as new owners step in
MEMBERS of a gym in Hull have been told it will not close again after new owners came forward to save it.
Fit 24, in St Stephen's shopping centre, was forced to close after going into administration, leaving staff and members in the dark over its future.
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Reopened: Fit 24 gym in St Stephen's shopping centre, city centre, has reopened after closing over Christmas. Picture: Simon Renilson
Last month the gym displayed a notice informing members it was under new management and would reopen on Thursday, January 3.
But when dozens of members turned up to use the facilities on Friday, they found it was still closed, although nobody from the gym had informed them.
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John Williams, general manager at Fit 24, said he and his staff were shocked at the closure.
He said: "Unfortunately, after three years, the club was placed into administration, leaving me and my staff confused because the business has been doing so well, running classes that are always busy and offering the different membership packages we have to suit everyone.
"The club was closed at the wrong time of the year because this is a crucial time for all clubs for customers joining after the Christmas high- calorie intake."
One member, who did not want to be named, said he felt like he has been "stabbed in the back" after not being informed of changes at the club.
The 49-year-old, of east Hull, pays £19 a month and was having to look at other places to go to keep fit.
He said: "Everyone who turned up after work on Friday was livid.
"We all read the pamphlet telling us which days it would be closed over Christmas but nobody told us about this.
"It is very popular and has hundreds of members who were clueless as to what was happening."
The man said he does not blame the staff who work at Fit 24, who are the best he has ever dealt with at a gym.
"It's those higher up who obviously knew something about this," he said. "We all feel let down and we are all still paying our membership fees.
"It's disgusting that they are treating us this way and we just wanted to know what was happening."
Jack Burton, a fellow manager of Fit 24, which has since reopened, said they have had fantastic support since the closure and has reassured customers "the club will not be closing again".
He said: "Since the closure of the club we have had such great support with constant positive feedback from people wanting the club to be reopened.
"Fortunately, we have been approached by a party, who does not wish to be named, to get the club open again, get the members back who have cancelled and continue to make the club the success that it already is.
"The staff who work here give 100 per cent every time, making the gym not just a leisure club but a small community that has been built up with familiar, friendly faces and new faces who are always coming in to the club."
Fit 24 is the only gym in Hull that is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Comments
by sameold1
Monday, January 07 2013, 2:53PM
“My Son works at Fit 24 and has from when it first opened and like all the staff was gutted when it closed,This isnt just a pay packet to him the gym is a massive part of his day to day life and those few days it was closed he was totally lost.The interaction and friendship between the staff and members is there for all to see, My Sons phone never stopped buzzing or ringing for all those days it was closed from members asking when and if it was reopening. I am chuffed to bits for him the staff and all the members that FIT 24 is back up and running again and to the fantasic comments made on facebook about the staff but most of all the big smile back on my Sons face.One final note is to say a big Thankyou to all involved who made this happen and a very Happy New YEAR to all at FIT 24.”