Bruntwood welcomes boutique gym to Riverside

Manchester-based property company Bruntwood has announced a new boutique gym and personal training facility at its Riverside complex, situated on New Bailey Street, on the banks of the River Irwell.

FORM, the brainchild of personal trainers Libby Smith and Ben Wood – who together have more than 20 years’ experience in the fitness industry – will boast a fully-equipped 2,200 sq ft gym, in addition to an outdoor astroturf training area.

At its new city centre location FORM will offer various personalised programmes as well as 1-2-1 and group personal training. Clients will also have access to online coaching via a private members’ section on the website.

The pair have also commissioned Didsbury-based healthy eatery Bosu Body Bar, to provide a range of freshly-prepared, high-protein meals for clients.

Libby and Ben had been searching for a suitable city-centre venue to launch their all-inclusive personal training concept for a number of years, but had struggled to find somewhere flexible enough to accommodate their specific fit-out requirements.

Libby said: “At FORM we believe in breaking negative training habits and educating people on nutrition so that they better understand their own bodies, enabling them to reach their potential. To reinforce the quality of our online education and coaching it was critical for us to find the right physical space for our members.

“Not only did Bruntwood help us find the right location in the city centre but they worked with us to design a space that matches our ambition to be the leading boutique personal training experience in the North West.

“It's been great working with the team to bring our business to life and I'm looking forward to seeing them in some of our classes!"

Along with 1.5 acres of public realm the campus features a secure bicycle storage area and shower facilities to encourage workers to walk, run or cycle to work.

Pete Crowther, managing director at Bruntwood, added: “The research is clear; active workers are happier, healthier and more productive. Employee wellbeing is, therefore, at the forefront of our minds when designing and fitting out all of our developments. We want to ensure everyone on our sites has the opportunity to commute by foot or by bicycle.

“The Riverside complex already offers great outdoor space for exercise, but we have been looking to bring in a suitable dedicated gym facility to complement the other amenities on site for some time now.

“FORM is a perfect fit for us and we’re delighted to welcome them to the site. They have a great concept and, with a ready client base of busy professionals working at Riverside, I’m confident their business will go from strength to strength.”

FORM will join current Riverside customers, which include AO.com, MoneyPlus Group and Futureworks. Everyone working at the site will benefit from subsidised access to the fitness facility.

For more information on FORM, visit their website.