Getting fit is big business
21 Apr 2010
Capital Enterprise Centres (CEC), which runs a network of business centres across London and the South East, says that the health and recreation sector is proving resilient with new start-ups opening at many of its Centres.
CEC Operations Manger Steve Plant says that locally the Colchester Business and Seedbed Centre offers the high quality premises, a secure location and free parking which make up the ideal package for leisure and recreation businesses.
He said: “This one of our fastest growing businesses sectors with already more than 5% of our units occupied by leisure and recreation businesses. Business centres may not at first seem an obvious location for this sector but the customers of leisure businesses want to go to high quality premises and enjoy ease of access and that’s what we offer.”
Health and recreation is big business and the sector contributes a Gross Value Added (GVA) of around £6 billion to the economy in the south and east of England. It is estimated that there are around 60,000 workers in the sector.
Steve adds: “We now have many fitness studios and gyms at our Centres and these are all doing excellent business. But that is only part of the story as we are also seeing other health and recreation businesses taking space and doing very well.
“A martial arts workshop has gone from strength to strength and so has a specialist boxing gym. A dance studio, scuba diving training, a weight loss clinic, hypnotherapy, and sports massage are just a few of the other businesses in this busy sector that have proved equally successful.
“These businesses need a flexible combination of studio space and offices and many have previously found problems with gaining suitable premises, especially near town centres. They were also reluctant to take on long leases knowing that their business was likely to expand quickly.
“At our Business Centres we can offer them secure space on a monthly licence and the ability to take on more space as they need it. It’s really this flexibility that is the key for growing businesses and we expect health and recreation to continue to be an excellent sector for business growth.”
CEC also believes that by having health and recreation businesses as tenants the attraction of their own Centres is enhanced.
contact
For more details on the Colchester Business and Seedbed Centre contact Centre Manager Pam Willett on 01206 854545