The Fitness First on Lavender Hill recently closed, rather suddenly (so suddenly that the notice on the door gives instructions on how to recover things members may have left in lockers). This hasn’t been great for the members, with around 2500 more people now sent to the branch just a couple of minutes away in the upper levels of the mini shopping centre in Clapham Junction. That branch saw fairly extensive renovations earlier in the summer to freshen it up and give a better experience, but there’s only so much that can be done with such an increase in numbers, and we’ve had several reports of a distinctly overcrowded experience at that already rather busy branch.

Exactly why this busy Lavender Hill branch closed is a bit of a mystery. However a clue may be that the original lease for the whole building at 276-288 Lavender Hill (which had been running for c. 25 years) ends this month; we imagine Fitness First were keen to keep going as it was a busy gym, but they presumably no agreement has been reached. 

This raises the question of what happens next at the now-closed site – and intriguingly, we have not seen any sign of either the site being up for a new lease, or of exploration going on on the planning front for potential changes or redevelopment at the site. We understand the freehold of the building changed hands around ten years ago (it was put on sale for £4 million) with the building suggested as being a redevelopment opportunity after the lease ended this year – maybe for partial conversion to flats. The market for small flats has dipped since then and this is a noisy location for flats with minimal outdoor space – so it may be more valuable to the landlord to maintain it as a more ‘town centre’ use like hotel or commercial space (or, indeed, a gym).

JD Wetherspoon are the ones who bought the building in 2013 – and a few years later, they converted the former Revolution site on the lower levels to the new London and South Western pub, making quite a sizeable investment (as we reported at the time). Wetherspoons prefer freeholds where they can get them, and own about 70% of their buildings outright – sometimes subletting the upper levels to others, but sometimes opening up their own small hotels in the spare space around pubs.

Clapham Junction Insider have heard from local Fitness First staff that Fitness First had intended to completely refurbish the gym - and wanted to secure a new lease – but that regrettably, an agreement on the renewal terms couldn’t be reached.

So it remains a mystery (though we have approached Fitness First for any further comment). Maybe another operator will take the gym over (paying more than Fitness First were willing to) – as the area round the station remains a prime location for gyms! Maybe Wetherspoons have expansion plans of their own for the pub on the upper level. Maybe a big build is on the way to convert it to something else. If you have any insight on what is going on at this site – do let us know.