FITNESS centre bosses across the North-East are reducing membership prices in an effort to attract more customers intent on fighting the post- Christmas flab.

Now is the best time to join a gym, as companies across the region vie for custom as many people start the New Year with resolutions to slim down and get fit.

Health clubs are offering major discounts on membership fees, as well as waiving or reducing joining fees in a bid to attract their market share of customers.

In Newcastle, Fitness First has reduced its joining fee from £100 to £50, as well as its monthly membership from £36 to £25.

Martin Willoughby at David Lloyd Leisure, in Stockton, said it was offering a discounted joining fee, down from £75 to £10, with that being waived for anyone joining on January 17 and 18.

A spokesman for Bannatynes Health Clubs said the firm's branches across the country are offering up to 80 per cent off its £200 joining fee, although in Darlington it is 50 per cent.

He said: "We aren't going to enter into any kind of discount price battle. We are a quality product at a very reasonable price, with state-of- the-art facilities."

JJB Sports Health Club in Middlesbrough is already considerably cheaper than the others, with a £25 joining fee, and at present is offering a two-for-one deal.

Manager Helen Davie said: "We get more people interested in joining at this time of year and to encourage them we might put on an offer."

The price cuts come after years of growth in the personal fitness market, which has seen the number of gyms nationally rise from 1,990 to 2,850 in the past ten years.

Mintel, the market research company found consumers were increasingly unhappy with the high price of joining a gym and were prepared to shop around.

Mark Brechin of Mintel, said: "With competition in the market likely to become stronger, operators will have to work hard to retain their existing members and to encourage new ones to join."