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Supplier showcase: Project profiles
We take a look at recent projects by Precor, Life Fitness and Prospec
NETWORKED PARTNERSHIP
Client: Goodwood Hotel and Health Club
Supplier: Precor
The Goodwood Hotel and Health Club on the prestigious Goodwood Estate, amid the stunning Sussex Downs, has a TripAdvisor ‘Certificate of Excellence 2014’ and a rating of four stars. Renowned for its two PGA (Professional Golfers’ Association) championship courses, it also features state of the art fitness facilities.
In 2013, the 160sq m (1,725sq ft) gym was refitted with Precor CV equipment, all offering Preva networked fitness. Since then, the hotel’s satisfaction ratings on TripAdvisor have been higher than ever before, with a consistent score of 82 per cent and above.
Kathryn Gard, operations manager (leisure) for Goodwood Health Club, comments: “We were confident from the start that Preva would add clarity, aiding us in understanding our 2,000 members more and therefore positively impacting on retention and sales.
“When we talk to prospective members about what Preva and Precor can do to support them in achieving their goals, they are always blown away and their own confidence in the product, just from the short demonstration, is very visible and very real.”
Leisure manager Jen Evans adds: “Precor equipment and Preva is incredibly intuitive and easy for members to navigate. The Preva app is a wonderful addition, ensuring workouts done outside the gym are included in an exerciser’s programme and contributing to rewards given within goal-setting.”
With Preva now playing an integral part in goal-setting and motivation, the hotel is launching a wellness consultation scheme that encourages a well-rounded lifestyle, taking into account swimmers, runners, cyclists, fitness enthusiasts and class-goers.
The hotel also uses Preva’s personalised messaging and club feed functionality to build the business, and has concentrated on two main areas: promotion of services such as personal training, and boosting class occupancy in low attendance classes. As a result, personal training revenue reached over £30,000 in 2013 – a continuing trend in 2014 – while class occupancy levels reached 71 per cent.
But Preva is about more than just what’s visible in the gym. “Preva also impacts the member and guest journey without them even knowing,” continues Gard. “The networked equipment is centrally tested every 15 minutes to ensure full functionality, which seriously reduces machine downtime.
“Prior to installing Precor, we often had to wait over three days for a call-out to malfunctioning pieces, and factor in a two- to six-week wait for parts. With the Preva network pre-reading the machines, the engineer can come prepared with tools and parts to correct the problem. It’s a tremendous benefit, substantially improves the customer experience and promotes retention with a greater perceived value in membership.”
Retention levels have reached record levels, which the club attributes to the installation of Precor and Preva.
Gard adds: “Precor was an obvious choice for us. Not only did the equipment tick all the boxes in terms of functionality, but the support – from sales, service and software through to maintenance – also delivered above expectation.”
Details: www.precor.com
GOING STRONG
Client: Life Leisure
Supplier: Life Fitness
Stockport leisure provider Life Leisure has extended its fitness centre at Houldsworth Village, adding a new functional training suite with over 100 pieces of high performance Life Fitness and Hammer Strength equipment.
An indoor five-a-side football pitch was converted into the new functional training/strength and conditioning area, where members now have access to the complete Hammer Strength Range including HD Elite power racks and platforms, Hammer Strength plate-loaded equipment, Hammer Strength MTS, benches and racks.
Life Leisure decided to install the new area in recognition of the growing popularity of strength training – increasingly viewed as an essential part of a complete physical activity programme for all members, whatever their fitness level, ability or gender. Strength training features in the top five 2014 ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) fitness trends, along with body weight training and HIIT (high-intensity interval training). Life Leisure’s new installation acknowledges both the popularity and the importance of these training methods.
The centrepiece of the new facility is the Life Fitness Synrgy360 XM – a versatile exercise system designed for group training that offers six training spaces incorporating six-rung monkey bars. A huge range of functional and bodyweight exercises are possible on and around the Synrgy360, which also offers the perfect introduction to strength and conditioning for all demographics and populations.
In addition to this successful installation, which was completed in July, Houldsworth Village has been working with British Weightlifting and plans to offer the facility as a venue for Hammer Strength Clinics in the future.
Chris Finnigan, account manager at Life Fitness, says: “The latest expansion at Houldsworth Village has underlined its position as an elite training facility in the north-west. With demand for functional training and strength and conditioning training growing, members now have access to the latest innovative equipment for the ultimate workout.”
Malcolm McPhail, chief executive of Life Leisure, says: “Providing accessible, affordable and inclusive fitness is an essential requirement for Life Leisure facilities, and the new-look training area at Houldsworth Village is no exception. Through our partnership with Life Fitness, members can enjoy best-in-class fitness equipment that clearly sets us apart from our competitors.”
Details: www.lifefitness.co.uk
BEYOND LEISURE
Client: London Borough of Camden
Supplier: Prospec
5 Pancras Square is a new community building located in the heart of London’s King’s Cross, with public facilities including a leisure centre, relocated modern library, café and a customer service centre. It’s set to be one of the greenest buildings in the UK after achieving a BREEAM Outstanding sustainability design rating, with features like a bio-roof, solar panel and solar fins.
Prospec was specified and installed a range of its products – from lockers and cubicles to duct panelling and vanity units – not only within the new leisure facility, but also throughout the building. Working hand-in-hand with the project architects – experienced leisure facility firm LA architects – the team at Prospec developed the leisure centre specification to include premium systems and high quality finishes to provide a truly modern changing and shower facility.
“The changing and shower facilities at Pancras Square Leisure are designed with the user at the heart of the design,” says a spokesperson for LA architects. “The spaces are both bright and bold, which was especially important in this project as they’re located in the basement of the building. We specified glass lockers and cubicles to best achieve this. The block colour of the lockers provides impact and vibrancy, while the translucent glazed shower cubicles subtly contribute to an added sense of spaciousness.”
The use of glass throughout the changing rooms was in fact a key part of the specification, with the use of toughened and laminated locker and cubicle doors being particularly important for wet areas.
The Cabrillant system – which has been consistently improved and updated to maintain its status as a premium shower and changing room cubicle for demanding leisure centres such as Pancras Square Leisure – has been installed at the new building, which is expected to have 500,000 users a year. Prospec also installed its Marathon Glass lockers, complete with KABA lock cylinders, into the leisure facility.
Ease of cleaning is assured with curved internal radius and sloping shelves that allow compartments to be hosed down with the assurance that the water will drain.
Working closely with the main contractor, Kier Major Projects, Prospec was also specified and installed in all the toilet facilities within the 10-storey office space.
“Over the last 22 years, LA architects have acquired a vast amount of experience in the design and delivery of highly successful leisure centre facilities,” concludes the LA architects’ spokesperson. “During this time, we’ve worked with Prospec on a considerable number of projects and we’re confident in specifying Prospec’s products. They provide the quality, robustness and aesthetics that are required for the demanding environments of leisure centre facilities.”
Details: www.prospec.co.uk
