A Wirral fitness business that opened in 2017 and now has almost 3,000 members expands into Liverpool with second gym facility after securing £250,000 from River Capital. Tony McDonough reports
Wirral-based fitness venture EmpoweredFit has opened a new gym facility in Liverpool city centre after securing a £250,000 cash injection.
EmpoweredFit launched in Arrowe Park in 2017. Its 22,000 sq ft gym has more than 3,000 members. More than 600 members voluntarily continued to pay subscriptions during COVID-19 lockdowns when the gym was closed.
Now the business, founded by Chris Ellerby-Hemmings and Thea Holden, has created six new jobs at its new Liverpool site in Carruthers Street close to the city’s commercial district.
It has secured £250,000 from Liverpool SME funding specialist River Capital via the North West Business Growth Loan Fund. Additional funding has come from Mercia Debt Finance and the founders’ personal investment.
Chris Ellerby-Hemmings said: “We’ve spent the last two years identifying the perfect location for our second site, and we’re incredibly excited about bringing the EmpoweredFit community experience to Liverpool.
“The demand from our existing members who work or live in Liverpool has been overwhelming and this expansion allows us to serve those members while creating capacity at our Wirral site.
“River Capital has supported us throughout our journey, and we’re grateful for their continued backing as we take this next step in our growth.”
This new gym can accommodate between 5,000 and 6,000 members, more than doubling the company’s current capacity.
It will be one of the few gyms in Liverpool city centre with dedicated parking and, as well as the six full-time jobs, there will also be opportunities for self-employed personal trainers.
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Andy Jones portfolio manager at River Capital, added: “EmpoweredFit is an existing client that has consistently demonstrated impressive business acumen and a genuine commitment to their community.
“The loyalty shown by their members speaks volumes about the quality of what Chris, Thea, and their team have built. This expansion into Liverpool represents a natural next step for a business with proven scalability and strong operational processes.”