New 24/7 fitness club to open in Morecambe town centre

Morecambe town centre will receive a huge fitness boost with the opening of a new 24/7 gym.
Snap Fitness under the Travelodge in Lancaster. Photo by The Local Data Company.Snap Fitness under the Travelodge in Lancaster. Photo by The Local Data Company.
Snap Fitness under the Travelodge in Lancaster. Photo by The Local Data Company.

Snap Fitness, offering round-the-clock access to exercise machines, will move into empty shop units near the Arndale next month.

Sarah Harrison, manager of the Arndale Morecambe Bay, said the move would “totally transform the area” and “sends a positive message about the town centre”.

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The fitness club will open underneath the Travelodge in shop units which have been empty for years.

Empty units near the Travelodge in Morecambe pictured in 2011.Empty units near the Travelodge in Morecambe pictured in 2011.
Empty units near the Travelodge in Morecambe pictured in 2011.

Snap Fitness also has a gym underneath the Travelodge on the corner of Spring Garden Street in Lancaster, which opened in April 2016.

There are over 2,000 Snap Fitness clubs worldwide and 35 in the UK.

The gym offers the latest training equipment as well as group classes.

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Work has already started on the new Morecambe premises and the gym is expected to open towards the end of September.

Empty units near the Travelodge in Morecambe pictured in 2011.Empty units near the Travelodge in Morecambe pictured in 2011.
Empty units near the Travelodge in Morecambe pictured in 2011.

Sarah Harrison said: “I am thrilled that Snap Fitness has chosen the Arndale as their new premises.

“Snap offer great facilities and affordable fitness for all. The gym will totally transform the area and complement the recent public realm work in Euston Road and New Town Square.

“This investment sends a positive message about the town centre and for businesses in Morecambe”.

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Arndale Morecambe Bay is one of 33 shopping centres owned and operated by NewRiver Retail.

The retail chain bought the Arndale in a £14m deal in 2014 and said they planned to invest “considerable funds” in the flagging shopping centre.

NewRiver Retail also revealed plans to revamp the centre in partnership with top designer Wayne Hemingway and his family.

Since then the centre has experienced mixed fortunes.

The flagship Tesco closed in April 2015 but was replaced by a Home Bargains store in May 2016.

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A Burger King restaurant opened in the centre in August 2016 but Argos and Bright House both shut this year.

Sarah Harrison said there were still plans to open new public toilets in the Arndale and work in conjunction with the Hemingways.

Meanwhile Lancaster City Council has recently been at work on a project to revamp pedestrian surfaces close to the Arndale Centre – in Euston Road, Market Street, Victoria Street and in New Town Square.