Image: Ray Hatton (far right), with Metro staff and son Matthew (centre)

Ray Hatton, father of former world champion boxer Ricky Hatton, has opened his first fitness club and has announced plans to build the venture into a chain of gyms.

Metro Fitness - located at the Merseyway Shopping Centre, Stockport - has been launched as a premium-offer budget gym.

Split over two levels, the club has been laid out in a way that has been designed to provide a large selection of equipment, supplied solely by Cybex - the company which was also appointed to provide all the equipment at Ricky Hatton's health club which opened three years ago.

The Metro Gym offers specific workout zones including a women-only area, virtual spin, Vario suspension training, a large freeweight space, functional training area and Power Plate facilities.

Monthly memberships have been priced to start at £19.99.

Ray Hatton said: "Our aim is to marry premium service and facilities with affordable, flexible pricing. People are tired of paying too much for health clubs who in some cases treat them purely as a number."

Ray will work alongside his son Matthew on the venture.

Metro Fitness will offer a full programme of weekly group exercise classes that are all absolutely free to members.

George Stylianou, director at Metro Fitness, added: "This gym will attract a whole new market, namely those who may have previously considered joining a gym but have been put off by the inflated prices, hidden extra costs and long term commitments.

"We are also attracting gym members who have become disillusioned with the lack of customer service, cleanliness and general upkeep of both equipment and facilities."

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