AUSTRALIAN boxing fitness concept UBX Training is eyeing up several sites in Glasgow as it sets to launch in the UK and Ireland.
The business has partnered with Empowered Brands, in a deal claimed to be worth £50million, and it said it is targeting six sites in the city.
The training sites will be part of 250 that will be rolled out across the UK and Ireland and create around 750 new jobs.
UBX Training was founded by world boxing champion Danny Green and fitness and tech entrepreneur Tim West and first opened in Australia in 2016.
There are now 92 clubs open across Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.
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John Jempson, chief financial officer at Empowered Brands, said: "As part of our investment, we are setting aside a sum to directly fund future franchisees’ start-up costs.
"Whilst the fitness sector has remained resilient and bounced back well post-lockdowns, access to traditional forms of lending remains impacted, and we will look to fill this gap.
"The investment reflects our strong confidence in the UBX concept.
"We foresee strong interest in our franchise offering from three key groups: personal trainers looking to take the step up into bricks and mortar, existing fitness businesses looking to diversify their portfolios, as well as ‘corporate refugees’ – individuals who might be leaving the workforce and rethinking their career path.
"UBX units are small and with our support, represent a low cost of entry to the fitness market.
"We are confident the concept will grow at pace here, building on the success of our existing brands."
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Tim West, of UBX Training, said: "We are well-positioned to capitalise on the wider interest in health and fitness post-pandemic.
"Covid-19 shone a light on the importance of regular exercise – for both physical and mental well-being - thereby widening our target market.
"Empowered Brands understands our vision and we believe their sector experience and deep understanding of the UK and Irish markets makes them the perfect partner for us."
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