It may seem odd to go to a gym for a workout when most people are sleeping, but gyms which are accessible around the clock are in strong demand.
The increasingly popular 24/7 model has typically been the domain of the no-frills, lower cost models such as Snap, Jetts, Anytime and the more recent entrant Plus Fitness.
Between these main 24/7 brands, there are 1050 gyms across Australia accessible by members 24 hours a day through secure key access.
Plus Fitness spokesman John Miller said with people being far more time poor these days this model had proved very popular.
“It’s an expectation nowadays that gyms are 24/7,” he said.
Paul Brownrigg, general manager of 12 WA Snap Fitness gyms under franchise to the Patel Group, said the 24-hour model was a good fit for lower-cost gyms, which typically weren’t manned with plenty of staff and extra facilities such as pools, saunas and steam rooms.
“The no-frills model of the 24/7 gym is instead about providing flexibility and convenience at a lower cost because you aren’t paying for all those extra facilities,” he said.
There is certainly demand from early bird and night owl members. Mr Brownrigg said no matter the hour, the gyms were rarely empty.
Of the Snap gyms under Mr Brownrigg’s management, the Perth CBD gym was most in demand out of hours. Between 20 per cent and 25 per cent of the CBD gym’s patronage was between 10pm and 4am, he said.
There are all types of people who use the gym late at night or in the small hours of the morning, including students, shift workers such as police and nurses, tradespeople who start early, mothers seizing the opportunity while their young children are asleep and their partner is home, or simply people wanting to avoid hot weather.
Mr Miller said the 24-hour model was convenient for people who wanted to train before work at say 6am or after work at 7pm.
“That’s where the real selling point lies within the 24-hour gym market. Nine to five is a thing of the past ... so gyms had to accommodate for this,” Mr Miller said.
The key to keeping costs down is that gyms are not staffed at night. Members get access through a secure key fob device at the front door.
Mr Brownrigg said in Snap’s case, a security company provides live CCTV monitoring across all 12 WA Snap gyms under his management.
“Other safety and wellness measures include a thorough induction process for members, covering everything from fire exits to appropriate behaviour and using the machines,” he said. “We also offer a mobile lanyard with a duress system within it, linking to security. If activated, club management or security would be on site very quickly.”
Other costs associated with being open 24/7 are minimal.
Mr Brownrigg said Snap used automatic lighting controls to power off when the facility was not being used.
Air-conditioning is set at optimum levels for member comfort, coupled with efficiency settings.
The all-hours model is so popular that the bigger, more comprehensive gyms, such as Goodlife, are moving in.
Goodlife did not respond to requests for an interview, but its website says there has been demand from members for a 24/7 service. Its Bibra Lake, Innaloo, Subiaco, Cannington, Floreat and Mt Lawley gyms have gone 24/7 and its Brookfield Place gym is about to follow.
But the move is not straightforward for bigger gyms; swimming pools and steam rooms must be inaccessible when staff are not present.
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