Hove Fitness Club on the up after move because of RAAC

Hove Fitness Club faced an uncertain future after it was forced out of its home in Nevill Road in December last year when RAAC concrete was found in the building.

But the gym was given a lucky break after finding a new site in St Heliers Avenue when other plans fell through.

Now, fitness club co-owner Matt Lambert said they are slowly but surely building their way back up and have plans to expand their offering in the next year.

Inside the fitness club (Image: Andras Topanka)

Matt told The Argus: “We have had nine months in the new place and we haven’t got everyone back but we have a got a new crowd of people with some of the old members too.

“It’s brilliant, the new site is all new and is looking really nice.

“When we were getting through the struggle of having nowhere to go I was trying to keep positive but I couldn’t see a way out. It was a lucky break and it’s still surreal now.”

RAAC - reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete - is a cheaper form of concrete used extensively in buildings from the 50s to the 90s, but is more susceptible to breaking and only has a lifespan of around 30 years.

After RAAC was found in the fitness club's old premises in Nevill Road, the building was deemed unsafe and it was forced to move.

After struggling to find a new home, Matt and co-owners Lucy Egan and Ben Hutton struck lucky when the St Heliers Avenue site came available.

Hove Fitness Club co-owner Ben Hutton with a gym member (Image: Andras Topanka)

The gym was opened by former Albion man Pascal Gross in February, and in June was granted an alcohol licence to serve drinks in its café.

Matt with gym members in the cafe (Image: Andras Topanka)

Now, Matt said plans for the gym to expand in the next year included new saunas and renovation of the tennis courts.

The tennis courts would be transformed in the “first part of next year” with plans to launch a tennis club in time for the warmer summer months.