AGE has definitely not diminished Dave Whelans zest for enterprise.
Now in his mid 70s, Mr Whelan has pushed aside the prevailing sense of economic doom and gloom, and is ploughing ahead with an ambitious plan to build a chain of 100 health and fitness clubs.
The Wigan Athletic FC chairman is in the fortunate position of having £250m to invest, so he isnt hindered by any lack of availability of bank finance or stock market funds. This week sees the opening of his latest venue at Hunts Cross, in Liverpool.
Last May, Mr Whelans company, Dave Whelan Sports, paid £2m to acquire the freehold of the former Buckingham Bingo building on a trading estate off Speke Hall Road. Since then, another £3m has been spent converting the premises into a well- appointed gym and health club.
Covering 33,000sq ft, there is a large open-plan area for running machines and cross-trainers, weights and other gym equipment, three studios for aerobics and Zumba classes, a spin room with 25 bikes and a 25m swimming pool with Jacuzzi.
Mr Whelan said: You should have seen this place when we took it over. It still smelled of cigarettes, even though it had been shut as a bingo hall for 12 months.
The last person out had just switched off the lights and left everything as it was. There were slot machines, bingo desks and chairs. It looked like it was still ready to use for bingo. It was sad.
Nevertheless, he sensed immediately he wanted to buy the building.
I had been looking for somewhere in Liverpool for 10 years, he said. When I saw this building, I was immediately impressed. I bought it in 10 days. Its got everything we look for in a successful gym. I predict this will be our busiest gym in the UK.
The Hunts Cross club will trade under the DW Sports Fitness brand and opens its doors for business this morning. It will employ 40 staff.
That opening date is very important, he said. The first three months of the year are the busiest time for recruiting members to health clubs. Its because of the desire to get weight off ahead of the summer holidays and the Christmas puddings are lying heavily on the stomach.
Mr Whelan has been investing in the current chain of health clubs since he bought 55 of them from his former retail empire JJB Sports in 2009. His health club venture, therefore, has coincided with one of the worst and protracted downturns in recent economic history.
In this climate, some might think investing like this is brave and others might say its stupid, he said. But the health market is staying vibrant.
Its happening all over the world. People realise they have to keep the body in good condition. Whether its the USA, Mexico or Britain, people want to live longer. Our clubs have been very popular.
When he gave LDP Business a guided tour of his new gym just before Christmas, Mr Whelan had Wigan Athletic manager Roberto Martinez with him.
Mr Martinez said: Im really impressed. The big global disease at the moment is stress, arising from the economic situation. We need places like this to feel good. Its a most impressive health club.
Situated just down the road from long-established rival David Lloyd Leisure, the new club will charge a full membership fee of £38, though off-peak discounts are also available. The club needs to attract 3,000 members to break even.
Once open, the new venue will be the 70th in the chain. Its a chain that already stretches from Inverness in the North to Poole, on the south coast.
The ambition is to open gyms wherever they can be a success. The immediate target is to get to 100, said Mr Whelan.
