HEALTH & FITNESSSYOUNG AT HEARTSHOKK énergie’s new Blackpool site is the partnership's firststandalone health club for children, and part of a growing trendtowards kids-only facilities. Caroline Wilkinson visitschools, sports clubs and other youth-focused organisations,even the police – they’re scrambling over eachother to use the new facilities at SHOKK Blackpool.Whether it's through linking with schools to help achievethe government's directive of five hours' exercise a week, openingup to the local PCT and care homes, or working with thepolice to help get disenfranchised youths off the streets, the clubis generating high levels of interest in the community.The new club is one of a number of standalone facilities forchildren opened across the health club industry recently. It’s alsothe first standalone facility developed under the joint franchiseventure between youth fitness specialist SHOKK and The énergieGroup – a partnership launched in October 2007 – and will beused as a benchmark for future developments. SHOKK énergieplans to open five new standalone sites by April 2010, includingsites in China, Norway and Scotland.BREAKING BARRIERSThe franchisees, ex-professional footballerMickey Mellon and his wife Jane,Schools, sports clubs and otheryouth-focused organisations haveshown interest in the facilitywere eager to create a facility that got Blackpool kids moreactive, off the streets and away from their games consoles. But,according to Jane, convincing the kids wasn't the main challenge– the parents were the barrier. Trying to get the messageacross that the club is a lifestyle-based multi-activity centre,albeit with a gym – not a place where kids just pump weights– has been a struggle. "When you first hear about a kids' gym,most respond with 'what's that?'” says Kieran Murphy, marketingdirector at SHOKK. “It's not an easy concept to understanduntil you touch and feel it, so instructors have to take the kitout and do demos. That way parents and schools can see whatyoung people get from it, as opposed to telling them or givingthem a flyer. You have to bring it to life."Essentially SHOKK and énergie were building a business fromscratch, with no natural footfall, standalone template or SHOKKbrand awareness in the local area.The most effective way of getting kidsinto the facility was by offering freedemo sessions during the soft launch,which had been spearheaded by a52 Read <strong>Leisure</strong> Management online leisuremanagement.co.uk/digitalISSUE 3 <strong>2009</strong> © cybertrek <strong>2009</strong>
three-week pre-sale campaign of demosand community information sessions.Murphy, however, considers creatingfrom scratch an advantage. “From a marketingpoint of view, everything we do iscompletely about SHOKK, so for youngpeople it’s a place they can own asopposed to when it’s within an existingclub and it’s mixed with adult facilities.”The club features 23 stations of SHOKKbrandedkit, as well as an exercise studioSTANDALONECHALLENGESMost members can only use the gymafter 3.30pm, when school ends, soit was important to maximise daytimeusage with schools, as well as makingit accessible for kids out of school.Having scoured Preston and Blackpoolfor commercial units, SHOKK and thefranchisees chose a 446sq m (4,800sq ft)space on an industrial estate, away fromcentral Blackpool. Despite not being ona main thoroughfare, the club is ideallysituated near two major supermarkets,schools and a large residential area, sokids can make their own way there.With walls covered in graffiti, vibrantlycolouredSHOKK kit, Dance Mats, aTarget Wall, 'no-adult' signs and large neon-coloured, handshapedseats, it's clear who the club has been built for. But thefitness element has been integrated into a youth club environment,so it also acts as a drop-in centre for young people tosocialise and learn about positive lifestyles.Although kids aren't encouraged to do more than one hourof exercise per session, they're free to socialise in the 'chill out'area after exercising, allowing parents more flexibility in pick-uptimes. The area is decked out with games such as pool tables,encouraging secondary spend. An adult coffee area generatesadditional revenue, while an unused therapy room and plans fora new mezzanine floor offer further expansion opportunities.In addition to 23 stations of SHOKK-branded kit – includingX-ertain products such as SHOKK MOTIVATRIX, Wireless DanceSystem, IGNITION CV and FLT resistance equipment – the clubhas a 4.65sq m (50sq ft) exercise studio to host a wide selectionof 30-minute to one-hour alternative fitness classes. Sessionsinclude breakdancing, cheerleading, kombat, ju-jitsu, footiecise,balance boarding and circuits, at the end of which the kidscomplete a PMR (progressive muscular relaxation) session tolearn how to relax their body and mind.The club, for five- to 18-year-olds, also offers evening sessionsfor over-14s with dance music and strobe lighting, andthere are special classes for five- to seven-year-olds.For a £25 month-by-month contract (minimum three months),each member completes a six-session Tactics induction overthree weeks covering themes from nutrition to mental health –to orientate them before they begin any set programme.Young people are great at referrals, so the club offers a'buddy hour' for a friend to use the facility for free. Nonmemberscan access the classes for £3.50; once kids use theclub, Jane says the conversion rate is high. An 80 per centretention rate is also being achieved.With a target of 500 members in the first year and 300members to break even, Mickey hopes the focus on groupmemberships will continue. "I prefer the big daytime contractsfrom the PCT and schools, rather than individual members, asthey keep your income coming in and reduces the demand afterschool – which means we know more of our kids at night,ISSUE 3 <strong>2009</strong> © cybertrek <strong>2009</strong>Read <strong>Leisure</strong> Management online leisuremanagement.co.uk/digital 53