Fitness First is planning to push ahead with the rollout of its microgym concept BEAT, with ‘club-within-a-club’ boutiques soon to be added to a number of the chain’s London sites.

BEAT, which debuted in March 2014, is a heart-rate focused studio concept launched in response to the growing popularity of boutique studios among London gym goers. However, the inaugural BEAT boutique was closed earlier this year, casting doubt on the future of the concept.

But Health Club Management has learned that Fitness First retains broad ambitions for BEAT and is working to add the concept into its health clubs at Fenchurch Street and Bishopsgate sites this summer, plus up to four more locations by the end of the year. BEAT is currently available at Fitness First The Strand and at Fitness First London Bridge Cottons.

“We have big plans for BEAT – the member response has been excellent so it’s something we’re looking to put into more sites,” said Fitness First UK managing director Martin Seibold.

“We used the initial boutique hub at The Strand as a testing ground for BEAT and 11 other concepts which we’ve developed in-house and will be looking to utilise. Once we’d cracked the formula, we didn’t need the studio any more, so we brought BEAT over to our nearby Strand club.”

It is understood that the studio vacated by BEAT has been taken over Best’s Bootcamp – a new boutique offering from DW Sports Fitness director Scott Best, which is due to launch later this month.

The club closed at the end of last month, with BEAT sessions now being offered instead at Fitness First’s nearby club at The Strand.