A new chain of the UK’s most high-end and advanced fitness clubs is about to launch in Manchester backed by serial entrepreneur and investor, Matt Haycox.
Matt Haycox’s is the ultimate comeback story. He built a multi-million pound strip club and property group by the age of 24, only to lose it all in the financial crash of 2008. He opened the first Wildcats club in Wakefield in 2004, and it was the start of a spectacular period of growth which saw him create the largest group of strip clubs in the UK.
His six figure investment in the multimillion pound launch of GSquared reflects his belief that regional hot spots in the UK are currently underserved by luxury gyms and there is pent up demand for health clubs that offer the best in both mental and physical wellbeing.
Starting from scratch, Matt has painstakingly rebuilt his business empire and eclipsed his early success. Recognising that health clubs, not lap dancing clubs, are more in tune with today’s consumer habits, Matt has focused his efforts on developing this side of the leisure and wellbeing market.
Matt Haycox is a cornerstone investor in GSquared which aims to open five additional clubs within the next 18 months in Leeds, Newcastle, Liverpool, Edinburgh and Glasgow and overall the business expects to invest £5 million in its sites over the next three years.
Commenting on his investment, Matt Haycox, said, “Despite the ups and downs of my career I have always tried to follow my instinct for future trends and identify markets that are currently underserved. Twenty years ago there was a culture and demand for strip joints which my business at the time fulfilled.
Today, post covid and in a new era where mental and physical wellbeing is at the top of all our agendas, I believe there is huge demand in the UK for what GSquared provides hence my investment in this fast growing business.”
The GSquared club is housed in a 12,000 square foot space underneath the Grade II listed Royal Exchange in the centre of Manchester. It combines opulent interiors with cutting-edge innovation. Membership will be limited to only 800 people as opposed to the usual 3,000 for a space of its size.
As the most exclusive gym and fitness club in the UK, it puts wellbeing and health at the centre of its offering. Besides having a nutrition bar, climbing wall, assault course, indoor running track, treatment rooms and the best equipment and physical trainers available, it is the first UK commercial gym to use the BodPod which is a body composition machine that calculates body density and fat percentages.
Membership costs from entry level at £95 per month to £225 per month for the Platinum Plus level which includes a chauffeured pick up/drop off service. GSquared is the brainchild of its CEO Andy McGlynn, who has over 20 years’ fitness industry experience.
GSquared has a 7-stage member introduction process called ‘YouSquared’ which claims to be the most advanced gym induction in the world, including body composition analysis, spinal alignment, full health and wellbeing analysis and more. All training and fitness programmes are created bespoke.
CEO of GSquared, Andy McGlynn, commented, “I have worked in fitness for 20 years and it is no exaggeration to say that this opening is the culmination of my life’s work. GSquared is going to transform the gym experience for people who want luxury, want a truly personalised service and don’t mind paying a little bit more.”
