Major Market Harborough gym to shut after string of cancelled memberships leaves it struggling

The gym will shut just days before Christmas
The gym.The gym.
The gym.

A major gym in Market Harborough is to shut just days before Christmas after being hit hard by a string of members leaving it.

The More Fitness Harborough gym on Rockingham Road will close its doors for the last time at 9pm on Friday December 17.

All three staff at the superbly-equipped health and fitness complex on the town’s Welland Business Park will lose their jobs.

Contract Manager Jack Garner said their team had battled to recruit new members to their “great little gym” as the leisure sector reopened earlier this year after the shattering Covid-19 lockdowns.

But Mr Garner told the Harborough Mail that they are being forced to act now because so many people are cancelling their membership.

"The decision to close More Fitness Harborough was not an easy one for us to make.

“Our site team worked hard to attract new members to this great little gym following the reopening of the leisure sector earlier this year.

“But faced with the number of cancellations coming in, the only viable option for us was to close the facility as of December 17th,” he said.

“All customers have been informed of this decision and provided with the reasoning behind it.

"We would like to thank all current and past customers for their support over the past two years and we would like to assure people that any money owed to members who've paid up front for memberships will be reimbursed."

The gym, believed to have up to 400 members from Market Harborough and the surrounding area, opened in September 2019.

A statement on the More Fitness Harborough website says: “We’re very sad to announce that the doors of our gym will permanently close on Friday 17th December 2021 at 9pm.

“All our customers have been notified via email or sent a letter informing them on how our closure impacts their memberships and details of how they will be reimbursed.

“From all the team at More Fitness Harborough, thank you for your patronage over the years and we wish you all the very best with your fitness journeys.”

A dedicated member of the high-tech gym, which is run by the More Leisure Community Trust, told the Mail: “Many of us are shocked and upset that our favourite local gym is closing down.

“We were stunned to receive an email out of the blue last week telling us that it will close in the middle of December.

“It’s very sad that the staff we all get on so well with will all lose their jobs,” said the dad, who lives in Market Harborough but asked not to be named.

“There are 400 members affected – it’s still a very popular place and the best gym in the town.

“The three staff have done a brilliant job and have worked so hard over the last two years to build up an excellent facility we can all be proud of.

“We lost the Training Shed here in Market Harborough during the first coronavirus pandemic lockdown last year – and now More Fitness is going too.

“I go three times a week to this gym and it’s brilliantly equipped and kitted out.

“It’s attracted a lot of women members as well as men and it’s an absolute pleasure to train there,” said the fitness enthusiast.

“It costs me £35-a-month, which is very reasonable.

“I’m more than happy to pay that because it is so vital for both your mental and physical health to stay fit and work out – especially following the very tough 18 months we’ve all had.

“There has been no consultation with members to try to find a way forward to save it and bring in new members.

“I’d love to launch a campaign to fight to rescue the gym if we can muster enough support in Market Harborough,” he said.

“Losing More Fitness is a huge blow to our town and I cannot believe they’re shutting it just the week before Christmas.”