Nuyuu Fitness, the gym chain launched in October by Ben Silcox and Dragons' Den entrepreneur James Caan, has expanded its portfolio to five sites after acquiring two new properties.

The £2m venture, which is backed by Caan's private equity firm Hamilton Bradshaw, has added LA Fitness outlets in Newbury, Berkshire, and Stevenage, Hertfordshire, to its sites in Slough, Berkshire; East Grinstead, East Sussex and Livingston, Scotland. Both the Newbury and Stevenage gyms will be redecorated and rebranded as part of the first phase of a three-stage development programme. Phase Two will see the installation of Precor and Vibrogyms equipment in January 2010, while Phase Three - scheduled for March 2010 will involve member feedback and deep site works.

Silcox, nuyuu managing director and former national sales manager at LA Fitness, said: "Newbury and Stevenage fit our model entirely in terms of population density and refurbishment potential to become part of the nuyuu brand." Each of the initial three sites unveiled by nuyuu at the company's launch in October – Slough, East Grinstead and Livingston – are due to open officially in the second week of January 2010.