PureGym has achieved a milestone with the launch of its 700th gym, in West Yorkshire. This is the 40th UK launch this year, with plans to open a further 10-15.

The high-value, low-cost operator is the UK’s largest gym chain and now has sites in six markets globally – the UK, Denmark, Switzerland and the United States, as well as a presence in Saudi Arabia and UAE with a franchise partner.

Group CEO, Clive Chesser, says the 700th gym opening was a proud moment: “As a business and as an industry we’ve come a long way in the last 16 years, capitalising on the growing importance being placed on health and wellbeing and the subsequent increase in demand for high-quality gyms, with low-cost flexible memberships.

“The opening of PureGym number 700 represents the strength of our operating model, the dedication of our teams, the trust our members place in us and another exciting landmark in our growth story.”

At 10,700sq ft the Pontefract gym is an example of PureGym's medium box format and offers members 24/7 access to weights and cardio equipment, a fitness studio hosting a range of classes and certified personal trainers.

PureGym chair, Humphrey Cobbold, was chair of the HCM Summit last week, in London. In a closing chat with ​​i>HCM editor, Liz Terry, Cobbold talked about how the brand is looking to reach out to other populations, especially people living with long-term health conditions.

PureGym is partnering with Sir Chris Hoy, the Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust to improve outcomes for men with prostate cancer. As part of the initiative PureGym is offering free membership to advanced prostate cancer sufferers who are receiving hormone therapy.

At the Summit, Cobbold said that while PureGym won’t gain financially out of this “it is morally the right thing to do to use our assets and spare capacity for the good. It also plays well with our colleagues who all know someone living with prostate cancer.”

Cobbold went on to say that PureGym has offered millions of free hours to the NHS but have had difficulty finding traction with the organisation and has had better results when working with charitable organisations which represent diseases.

He announced that free memberships for people living with Parkinson’s disease, along with a carer, are now being offered. This was launched via the Movers & Shakers podcast, shared by the Parkinson's community, which is campaigning to ensure everyone referred for Parkinson's sees a specialist within 18 weeks and gets yearly follow-ups.

Engaging older adults is another area PureGym is working on, but has yet to find the winning formula. “We’ve had a series of cracks at it,” he said. “We do know that putting an area aside and saying it’s for older people doesn’t work, because we’ve tried it.”

He went on to say that in Denmark there has been more success – there have been occasions where gym members have brought in their own kettles and organised their own socials after a class or a walk on the treadmills.