MILLIONAIRE businessman Duncan Bannatyne last night announced plans to build a further ten health clubs across the UK next year.
Darlington company Bannatyne Fitness, the country's largest independent health club operator, already has 23 sites open or under-development across England, Scotland and Wales.
Mr Bannatyne, the company's founder and chairman, said work would begin on the next tranche of 3,000-member clubs, in Crewe, Newport and Dumfries, in the New Year.
Another phase of construction will get under way later in the year, at sites in Wakefield, Eastbourne and Stepps, near Glasgow. Further sites across the UK have been earmarked for development during 2003, subject to the signing of contracts.
Mr Bannatyne, who set up the health clubs company in 1997 after he sold his care home business, Quality Care Homes, for £46m, said: "We are well on our way to achieving our plan of 40 health clubs by 2005.
"There are some excellent sites across the UK, which are based in conurbations that would benefit from a Bannatyne's Health Club.
"The fitness industry may be going through a period of consolidation at the top end, but that doesn't mean it won't continue to grow- after all, I wouldn't be here if I didn't think that there was a prosperous future for this industry.
"All over the UK, we have been attracting new members keen to get fit in an environment suited to the stresses of modern working life, and I'm sure our new clubs will prove popular with new members.
"Bannatyne Fitness has seen particular growth in the mid-market of the fitness sector because there are more people with disposable income in that bracket who crave a healthy lifestyle and quality surroundings in which to achieve their goals."
Clydebank-born Mr Bannatyne, who also has plans to open two casinos, one in the North-East and one in Scotland, set himself the goal of becoming a millionaire after the Navy put him in a military jail at 19 when he was court marshalled after throwing his commanding officer overboard for a £10 bet.
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