Gyms and fitness centres to acquire in the UK

Name: Gyms and fitness centres to acquire in the UK
Creator: Firmbase
License: https://firmbase.co/terms

Updated 9 November 2026

Looking to acquire a gym or fitness centre in the UK? Firmbase ranks 833 gyms and fitness centres using public company information to help buyers prioritise firms for research and potential outreach. The Approach Score ranks firms using public signals including director age and tenure, ownership, business scale, financial strength and recent changes. These firms are not listed for sale, and the ranking does not indicate that an owner is considering a sale.

The median firm has 7 staff and has been in business for 8 years; 6 firms are owned by groups that have acquired several firms in this sector.

Gym income can come from continuing memberships or separately charged visits and classes, so membership totals alone do not describe the service promised. Someone buying a gym business should read the membership terms alongside attendance records and the timetable of classes included in each membership. Pay particular attention to cancellation, minimum terms and any arrangement for another company to collect members' payments.

Understand member use before growing your gym group

Before you study member use, Firmbase helps you choose among 833 UK limited-company and LLP gyms and fitness centres with five or more staff. Use the ranking to map operators near the communities and sites your group can support. Look at the lease, the equipment finance and how much of the space each centre controls.

The ownership record helps locate independent centres and businesses owned by another company. The median gym firm has 7 staff. One person holds 75% or more in 37% of the firms shown. Companies House figures cannot explain a gym owner's intentions or the quality of a member experience. Compare operating data directly once a centre fits your regional search.

Compare the busiest and quietest hours with staffing, class space and equipment use. Review the condition of changing rooms, studios and machines against planned capital spending. Test how the centre responds to seasonal attendance and whether class schedules follow member demand. Instructor capacity and the cost of keeping facilities staffed can matter as much as headline membership.

For fitness acquisitions, this is a sourcing tool, not a list of businesses for sale. There is no single gym regulator; local authorities generally enforce health and safety rules for leisure activities, with exceptions for certain facilities. ukactive is a membership body, so any claimed affiliation should be checked as such. Review premises rights, safety arrangements and membership terms before deciding whether a centre fits your plan.

833

Firms

12%

Every director 55+

37%

Held 75%+ by one person

Median years in business

Median headcount

Under £250k

Median turnover band

includes our estimates

6 firms owned by 2 groups that have bought several firms in this sector. That is 1% of this list. Groups that own firms on this list include Third Space. To have a group's name removed, email dave@firmbase.co.

Key facts

In Great Britain, local authorities are generally the enforcing authority for leisure activity health and safety. Health and Safety Executive

The Health and Safety Executive identifies exceptions where it enforces leisure activity safety itself. Health and Safety Executive

ukactive describes itself as a membership body for the physical activity sector. ukactive

The first 25 firms, in Approach Score order

Rank	Firm	Approach Score	The facts behind the score
1	Bodyworks Toning Table Studio Salisbury	Approach Score 84/100	1 director aged 70 or over, 1 aged 55-59 · longest in post since 2011 2 individuals hold 50%+ · independent More about this firm 5 staff · turnover est. £282k Net assets £88k (Jul 2025) Company no. 07631107 · Companies House
2	Fitness Zone Sleaford, Lincolnshire	Approach Score 84/100	2 directors aged 60-64 · longest in post since 2013 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 6 staff · turnover est. £301k Net assets £277k (Jun 2026) Company no. 08569203 · Companies House fitness-zone.uk
3	Beauty Works Retail Portslade, East Sussex	Approach Score 84/100	Director aged 55-59 · in post since 2001 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 6 staff · turnover est. £219k Net assets £23k (Oct 2025) Company no. 04307451 · Companies House beautywork.co.uk
4	MRC Ayrshire	Approach Score 83/100	Director aged 65-69 · in post since 1997 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 5 staff · turnover est. £145k Net assets £25k (May 2026) Company no. SC087814 · Companies House movementrecreationculture.com
5	Bodyworks Fitness Studio Salisbury	Approach Score 83/100	Director aged 55-59 · in post since 2011 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 8 staff · turnover est. £243k Net assets £74k (Jul 2025) Company no. 07511705 · Companies House bodyworksfitnessstudio.co.uk
6	Burn Fitness Cleethorpes, South Humberside A director sits on 4 or more companies	Approach Score 83/100	1 director aged 70 or over, 1 aged 65-69, 1 aged 60-64 · longest in post since 2004 2 individuals hold 75%+ · independent More about this firm 6 staff · turnover est. £433k Net assets £203k (Apr 2026) Company no. 04981545 · Companies House burnfitness.co.uk
7	Paladin Leisure Wantage, Oxfordshire	Approach Score 83/100	2 directors aged 55-59 · longest in post since 2003 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 22 staff · turnover est. £825k Net assets £516k (Jan 2026) Charge satisfied Sep 2026 Company no. 04656972 · Companies House tfdgym.co.uk
8	Debbie Hingley Hampshire	Approach Score 81/100	In post since 2007 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 5 staff · turnover est. £139k Net assets £33k (Sep 2025) Company no. 06370138 · Companies House
9	GymWorks Chorley, Lancashire A director sits on 4 or more companies	Approach Score 79/100	1 director aged 60-64, 1 aged 55-59 · longest in post since 2017 Corporate owner More about this firm 13 staff · turnover est. £1.5m Net assets £1.2m (Mar 2025) Director resigned Oct 2025 · charge satisfied Sep 2025 · PSC register changed Sep 2025 Company no. 10711790 · Companies House gym-works.co.uk/preston
10	TLC Health and Fitness Harrogate	Approach Score 79/100	Director aged 70 or over · in post since 2009 2 individuals hold 50%+ · independent More about this firm 5 staff · turnover est. £200k Net assets £496 (Apr 2025) Company no. 06869014 · Companies House
11	PTFitness Mold, Flintshire	Approach Score 78/100	1 director aged 70 or over, 1 aged under 45 · longest in post since 2004 2 individuals hold 50%+ · independent More about this firm 9 staff · turnover est. £192k Net assets £50k (Aug 2025) Company no. 05077915 · Companies House ptfitness.co.uk
12	121 Urban HOT Yoga Hornchurch, Essex	Approach Score 78/100	Director aged 55-59 · in post since 2014 2 individuals hold 50%+ · independent More about this firm 5 staff · turnover est. £403k Net assets £6k (Feb 2025) Director resigned May 2026 Company no. 08887242 · Companies House 121urbanhotyoga.club
13	The Bosworth Clinic Woodstock, Oxfordshire	Approach Score 77/100	In post since 2013 Independent More about this firm 8 staff · turnover est. £293k Net assets £26k (Feb 2026) Company no. 08467336 · Companies House thebosworthclinic.co.uk
14	24 Hour Active Princes Risborough, Bucks A director sits on 4 or more companies	Approach Score 77/100	1 director aged 70 or over, 1 aged 65-69, 1 aged 55-59 · longest in post since 2012 Corporate owner More about this firm 9 staff · turnover est. £601k Net assets £145k (Mar 2025) Director resigned Oct 2025 · PSC register changed Dec 2025 Company no. 08016200 · Companies House
15	Muscleworks Gym A director sits on 4 or more companies	Approach Score 77/100	We hold older figures than Companies House 1 director aged 65-69, 1 aged 60-64 · longest in post since 2001 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 9 staff · turnover est. £1m Net assets £619k · newer accounts made up to Jan 2026 Company no. 04149749 · Companies House muscleworksgym.co.uk
16	Cwmfit Carmarthen	Approach Score 77/100	Director aged 65-69 · in post since 2016 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 9 staff · turnover est. £493k Net assets £6k (Apr 2025) Company no. 10456524 · Companies House
17	Barnes Health & Fitness London	Approach Score 77/100	Director aged 55-59 · in post since 2005 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 8 staff · turnover est. £1.3m Net assets £1.7m (Mar 2026) Company no. 02594821 · Companies House barnesfitness.co.uk/privacy-policy
18	Datchet & Eton Leisure Slough, Berkshire	Approach Score 77/100	1 director aged 60-64, 1 aged 55-59 · longest in post since 2011 2 individuals hold 75%+ · independent More about this firm 28 staff · turnover est. £562k Net assets £54k (Jun 2025) Company no. 07627515 · Companies House deleisure.com
19	Curve Fitness Bradford, West Yorkshire	Approach Score 77/100	Director aged 55-59 · in post since 2012 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 15 staff · turnover est. £342k Net assets £150k (Oct 2025) Company no. 08244063 · Companies House thecurvefitness.com
20	iCan Lifestyle Whittington, Shropshire	Approach Score 77/100	1 director aged 60-64, 1 aged 55-59 · longest in post since 2009 2 individuals hold 75%+ · independent More about this firm 5 staff · turnover est. £193k Net assets £2k (Mar 2025) Company no. 06863280 · Companies House icanlifestyle.com
21	BodyFlex Gymnasium Gloucester	Approach Score 76/100	Director aged 55-59 · in post since 2012 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 8 staff · turnover est. £380k Net assets £385k (Nov 2025) Company no. 08313863 · Companies House bodyflexgym.co.uk
22	Boxcentric London	Approach Score 76/100	Director aged 60-64 · in post since 2020 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 8 staff · turnover est. £390k Net assets £44k (Apr 2025) Charge satisfied Jul 2026 Company no. 12579542 · Companies House boxcentric.co.uk
23	NoLimitz Redditch, West Midlands A director sits on 4 or more companies	Approach Score 76/100	Director aged 55-59 · in post since 2016 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 12 staff · turnover est. £336k Net assets £45k (Oct 2025) Company no. 10431254 · Companies House nolimitztrampolinepark.co.uk
24	Combat Sports Academy Gillingham, Kent A director sits on 4 or more companies	Approach Score 75/100	2 directors aged 55-59 · longest in post since 2008 Independent More about this firm 5 staff · turnover est. £191k Net assets £67k (May 2025) Director resigned Aug 2026 · PSC register changed Apr 2026 Company no. 06770915 · Companies House
25	MJ Capp Pinner, Middx	Approach Score 75/100	In post since 2013 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 5 staff · turnover est. £421k Company no. 08622310 · Companies House

808 more firms are in the list, in Approach Score order.

You're seeing the first 25. Buy all 833 for £799 + VAT, with the facts behind each score, director names, shareholders and financials.

Buy the list of all 833 firms, with director names, ages and shareholders

Each row comes with the facts behind its score, financials with dates and contact details.

What's in the file

One row per firm, in Approach Score order, as Excel + CSV.

The score and the firm

Approach Score

The facts behind the score

Points for each part of the score

Financials with dates

Website

Publicly available contact details, where identified

Directors and shareholders

Director names

Director birth month and year

Director appointment dates

Named shareholders with more than 25%, with ownership bands

Some people with significant control appear as Other individual, with no further detail. Director email lookups are not included.

Frequently asked questions

What approach should I use with a gym owner?

State who you are in your first message and explain the types of fitness facilities you run. Tell the owner you found their details on the public Companies House register through Firmbase. Explain how to object to your use of the information, then stop if they do. Screen the number against the Telephone Preference Service and the Corporate Telephone Preference Service before calling. Ask about the facilities they run before requesting member or payment data.

Who oversees health and safety at gyms?

In Great Britain, the Health and Safety Executive says local authorities are generally the enforcing authority for leisure activities, with HSE responsible in some settings. Identify the type and ownership of each facility before assuming which body applies. ukactive describes itself as a membership body; membership is not a sector licence. Check claimed affiliation separately from the safety arrangements and incident records of the centre.

Health and Safety Executive · ukactive

What role does the gym Approach Score play?

Use the methodology page to understand how Firmbase orders firms from public company information. The Approach Score can narrow a regional search, but member retention and facility condition require operational records. A company score does not show how often people visit, whether contracts are fair or whether an owner would consider a deal. Keep those checks outside the ranking.

How can I analyse membership income?

Match active contracts to actual payments, pauses, cancellations and attendance. Separate recurring access fees from classes, coaching and other charges, then compare each with the staff and space needed to deliver it. Read who collects the money and who owes the service. This avoids valuing every registered member as if they paid the same amount or used the centre alike.

How this list is filtered

Active on Companies House. Companies in liquidation, administration, receivership or a voluntary arrangement, or with a proposal to strike off, are left out.
Dormant companies are left out.
Firms whose owners asked to be removed are left out.
Private limited companies, public limited companies, LLPs and private unlimited companies only. Sole traders and partnerships are not covered.
Firmbase industry tag: Fitness & Gyms.
SIC code 93130.
5 or more staff, from filed headcount or our estimate where none is filed.
Registered office in the UK.

How this list is built

The Approach Score ranks firms mainly on public Companies House information about owner tenure and age, ownership, size, financial strength and recent register changes.

Firms with higher scores appear first in each list.

Use the ranking to order research, then check each business directly.

Read how the Approach Score works

What it does not mean

No firm here is for sale, and the score says nothing about any owner's plans.

At least 95% of the firms where we hold directors had them checked in or after November 2026.

What we do not cover

We cover limited companies, LLPs and private unlimited companies. Sole traders and ordinary partnerships are not on Companies House, so they are not here. Regulatory information is not included in this list. Buyers should check the relevant register as part of their due diligence. Gyms have no single sector regulator. Check health and safety arrangements with the local authority and verify any claimed voluntary ukactive membership with the body.

Why age bands but no people's names

Age bands come from the month and year of birth on Companies House. This page shows no exact ages and no people's names. Both come with the purchased list. The band edges from 45 to 65 are the ages where the score changes. A row shows no age bands when a director's surname is in the firm's name, its group's name or its website. Those directors' ages still count towards the score.

Is this your firm?

You can ask us to take it off every acquisition page, and out of every list we sell after that. Give us your name and work email, and we send you a link to confirm. If your email address is on the firm's own website domain, the firm comes off once you confirm. If it is not, a person reviews your request first. A list already sold stays with its buyer.

To have personal data erased, see our privacy policy.

Other areas

East Midlands East of England London North East North West Northern Ireland Scotland South East South West Wales West Midlands Yorkshire and The Humber

The standard Firmbase list

Fitness Companies in the UK