Plans to create Jersey's first 24-hour gym

Friday 11 September 2020

A father-and-son duo are planning to start Jersey’s first ever 24-hour gym after buying Club Soulgenic.

Serial entrepreneurs Steve and Connor Thorne of Anytime Fitness will be taking over the St. Helier outlet from founder Glenda Rivoallan.

Launched in the USA in 2002, Anytime Fitness has brought its 24-hour/365 days a year model combined with instructor-led and virtual training classes to more than 30 countries with over 4,500 clubs. 

Jersey will be its third British franchisee.

Video: Glenda announcing the news to Club Soulgenic's followers on social media.

“My father and I have always had a keen desire to introduce a state-of-the-art 24-hour fitness facility to the Channel Islands, ever since we opened our first UK club,” Connor explained.

“This is why when we discovered Club Soulgenic, a location perfectly suited to our vision we felt it necessary to reach out to Glenda and her team to discuss the possibility of acquiring the business.”

Glenda, who opened Club Soulgenic in 2018, had aimed to bring something new to Jersey’s fitness scene – a central location where time-poor individuals could enjoy an all-in-one experience, with the site offering a modern gym space, classes, therapies and nutritious food from Nude Food downstairs.

While she’ll be staying on in a “transitory consultancy role”, Glenda said that giving up ownership of the brand would allow her to spend more time with her family. 

Pictured: The fitness and wellness centre is located in the heart of town on Union Street.

She commented: “I am immensely proud of Club Soulgenic and the time was right for myself and my management team to re-adjust our focus on our other businesses. Covid has taught us all so much and on a personal note one goal for me is to spend more time with family - I am fortunate that I now can.  

“It has always been my wish to pass the Club on to the very best in the field and to people who are customer-focused. We are extremely fortunate to have found this in Steve and Connor and the Anytime Fitness brand. This will be a fitting legacy to the incredible passion and commitment, which enabled us to make our club community what it now is.” 

She went on to thank the gymgoers, staff, business partners and suppliers for their “support and encouragement”, adding: “I want to wish Steve and Connor the very best of luck. Their plans for the club are really exciting and I really look forward to seeing how they build on what we have created.”