Friendly gym reaps top honour

KELLY HODEL/Waikato Times

ON THE PACE: First Place Fitness won the NZ Fitness centre of the year award. From left, owner Tony Brunton, member Mark Hunter and owner Ryan Johnston.

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It may not have swankiest, most sparkling gym equipment in the city and the carpet is lifting in some parts.

But its friendly personal service and laid back atmosphere has helped First Place Fitness in Te Rapa earn the title of best gym in New Zealand.

Hamilton's First Place Fitness scooped up the New Zealand Fitness Centre of the Year award at the Fitness Life Awards last Friday beating larger gyms including Auckland-based Tepid Baths YMCA Fitness Club and City Fitness in Nelson.

Looking around the gym, there's a mix of clientele from young 20-somethings to older fitness enthusiasts, some who have been going to the gym since Tony Brunton and Ryan Johnston, both 32, bought the premises three years ago.

As Mr Brunton walks through to the cardio room, he points out that there are only mirrors hanging at the back of the room "so there aren't as many posers."

The gym was set-up by former Wintec students Mr Brunton and Mr Johnston after they recognised a gap in the market.

Both had experience managing gyms Mr Brunton had managed the Wintec gym before it closed and Mr Johnston was in charge of the YMCA gym.

"Hamilton had a gap with customer service in a gym that was a friendly non-intimidating place," Mr Johnston said.

Member Mark Hunter has been attending the gym for a year and said that before that he was "in the land of too fat or too slow". He joined First Place Fitness because he used to work with Mr Johnston.

It's this strategy of targeting non-gym goers and relying on word of mouth that has paid off for the duo, who have seen membership numbers climb about 30 per cent to 1500 members in the past year.

First Place Fitness now employs nine staff From mid-September First Place Fitness will offer another 30 classes and open a cycling studio complete with interactive LCD screens.

- nikki.preston@waikatotimes.co.nz

- © Fairfax NZ News