Nearly three quarters of our franchisees had no fitness industry experience prior to investing, utilising the comprehensive guidance and advice available from Snap’s London-based Support Office.

The perfect example of this is new Snap Fitness franchisee Mark Williams, who opened his first location in Truro in 2024. Mark, who lives in Cornwall and has worked on a range of both residential and commercial construction projects, identified an opportunity for a high-quality gym in the area and wanted to capitalise on the growth of the fitness industry.

Mark, after taking his family carpentry business to new heights, ventured into commercial property development and successfully developed two new commercial units in Quintrell Down, Newquay. However, as a regular gym go-er and someone who trains martial arts regularly, Mark wanted to combine his passion for health and fitness with a new business venture.

“I felt Cornwall, in particular, didn’t have many gyms,” said Mark. “Truro, which is incredibly local to myself, was the first place that I wanted to open up.”
 

Landing on Snap Fitness

Not knowing where to start when opening a gym, Mark quickly identified franchising as an effective route to market. Having researched the various fitness franchises available, there was one key factor that drew him towards Snap Fitness.

“It was the brand,” said Mark. “They had 100 clubs; we were number 101 and it’s growing year-on-year. Snap Fitness seems to appeal to the younger generation and the older generation, we attract a broad range of people and that’s because of the Snap brand.”

The importance of support

By franchising with Snap Fitness, Mark was able to access full end-to-end support. The team supported in pinpointing the perfect location and property, as well as introducing Mark to the brand’s expert partners to collaborate on bringing his vision to life.

This included working with one of Snap Fitness’ key fitness equipment providers who were able to recommend the perfect equipment and gym layout to suit the Truro area’s demographics.

“For me, doing my first gym, having a franchise like Snap Fitness behind me was worth its weight in gold. This was everything from getting the building, all the branding, the colour schemes, the equipment, the setup and the flooring. They gave me the insight into what I need to be doing to open a gym and make it successful.”

“I chose to go with Life Fitness for my equipment who did some great 3D drawings and a walkthrough video which was the full vision of this gym which was such an incredible help.”

An investment fit for the future

At the time of its opening, Snap Fitness Truro achieved the brand’s second-highest presale numbers ever for a gym in the UK & Ireland. The facility has been incredibly popular for people in the local area and Mark feels confident in the exciting future developments planned at Snap Fitness that will continue to deliver him a healthy return on his investment.

“Snap keeps with the curve and as a franchisee, it’s reassuring to know that I’ll be keeping up with the trends. Don’t just think people are going to come in that are the stereotypical gym user, model it towards everyone and include a varied range of equipment. Snap recognises it’s not just people that come in to lift weights that want a gym, it’s not like that anymore.”

Plans for 2025 and beyond

With Truro continuing to perform incredibly well and capitalising on the local demand, Mark is not taking his foot off the gas. With additions such as an infrared sauna coming to the facility in 2025, he is continuing to invest in the facility and make it the best it can be for the local community.