Fylde women defy the doubters to come by strong with fitness centre

Three Fylde women entrepreneurs have defied lockdown pessimism to power ahead with their own fitness centre.
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Former St Bedes' student Sophie Lowe, Sarah Burgess, who went to Arnold School, and ex-Queeen Mary student Rebecca Morris, spent three months renovating the units at Whitehills after having to leave their previous premises in Lytham.

At the time they were told that they should give up the fitness business as it would be ruined by the pandemic, but the girls dug deep and decided to come back stronger with Ride and Sculpt and the Juice Club.

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Sophie said: “Ride first opened in 2018 just as a spin studio with Sarah. We had been personal trainers out in Malaysia where they had a different style of spinning.

Left to right Josephine Box, Rebecca Morris, Sophie Lowe and Sarah Burgess at Ride and Sculpt and the Juice Club at Brooklands Way on Whitehills Business ParkLeft to right Josephine Box, Rebecca Morris, Sophie Lowe and Sarah Burgess at Ride and Sculpt and the Juice Club at Brooklands Way on Whitehills Business Park
Left to right Josephine Box, Rebecca Morris, Sophie Lowe and Sarah Burgess at Ride and Sculpt and the Juice Club at Brooklands Way on Whitehills Business Park

“The last year we had an investor who wanted to leave and they said, ‘I recommend you shut the company because no-one is going to be interested after Covid’.

“But we thought we will come back bigger and better and it has paid off so far.

“When we moved to Whitehills we opened the gym called Sculpt and the Juice Club for somewhere to have coffee eat and drink. It is quadruple the size of the previous place. We have taken on two units and each is on two floors.

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“We have a dedicated spin room, done out in a kind of nightclub style.

The spinning classes, say the owners, are like being on a healthy night out, with 
nightclub style lights and musicThe spinning classes, say the owners, are like being on a healthy night out, with 
nightclub style lights and music
The spinning classes, say the owners, are like being on a healthy night out, with nightclub style lights and music

“It is really dark and we spend a lot of time choosing the playlists. All the instructors are trained in how to do the different light sequences.

“It makes it fun and distracts clients when they are working out for 45 minutes. It’s a bit like a healthy night out!“You have soul cycling in America and London but there is nothing like this in the North West.

“People might think we are crazy to try it in Blackpool, but we have only been open a few weeks and our classes are 98 per cent full and we are constantly putting new ones on."

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The centre in Brooklands Way also has a high intensity training studio, a normal gym floor with treadmills, cross-trainers, squat racks and ropes along with the Juice Club offering smoothies drinks and coffees, which is open to non-members too.

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