West Kirby-based business finance specialist, Bathgate Business Finance, has brought fitness franchise, Transform Hub, to Wirral, with a £32k own-book deal.
Transform Hub’s Bromborough site opened in October 2023 and is the first to open in the borough, with two more sites planned for the CH postcode in the next two years. The £32K funding for Bathgate was secured to purchase equipment including free weights, resistance, and cardio machines.
There are currently 20 Transform Hub gyms in the UK, primarily in North West England, but with some locations in Greater London. The Wirral sites will be led by Directors Nick Hodson, who boasts more than 25 years’ experience running a family-owned healthcare recruitment business and as a business consultant, and Jamie Leighton, who has been a personal trainer and Professional Coach since 2009.
Transform Hub offers personal training in a group setting, nutritional advice, a fun and community-focused environment and compassionate coaching to provide accountability and help clients stay on track. As a franchise model, Transform Hub, also offers potential business owners the chance to purchase its method of setting up and running a successful fitness business.
Director Nick Hodson said: “We sought external funding to support the launch of our first Transform Hub in order to preserve some headroom for working capital, which is always a challenge with a new business. We approached three different funders and Bathgate’s process was the simplest by far. Once approved the cash was in our account and ready to use when we needed it. Bathgate’s reputation is second to none for SMEs looking for finance and we certainly had an excellent experience.”
Director Jamie Leighton added: “Transform Hub is unique in that we’re not targeting ‘gym bunnies’ but rather people who have tried lots of different diets and gym programmes without success. The funding provided by Bathgate has helped us to bring a different offer to Bromborough.”
Bathgate’s Ian Adams said: “Transform Hub’s business plan demonstrated a unique offer for customers, a sophisticated and considered sales process, and sound basis for a successful franchise model. Nick and Jamie’s extensive combined experience in both business ownership and development and the fitness sector also makes this an exciting venture for Bathgate to support. We’re looking forward to seeing the Bromborough site flourish and eagerly anticipate the opening of the next two sites.”
The Transform Hub deal is a further demonstration of Bathgate’s award-winning support for SMEs and its commitment to service excellence. In September 2023 it was named winner in two categories at the prestigious NACFB Commercial Broker Awards 2023 – the SME Champion and Service Excellence award – and in October 2023 won Professional Services Business of the Year at the Merseyside Independent Business Awards (MIBS).
For more information about Bathgate Business Finance or to find out more about its own-book lending visit bathgatebf.co.uk, call 0151 625 7323 or email [email protected]
Pictured at top are: L-R Nick Hodson (Transform Hub) Ian Adams (Bathgate) Jamie Leighton (Transform Hub)
Photograph by: Andrew AB Photography