Xercise4Less has set its sights on gaining a foothold in the capital, with the gym chain’s first London site scheduled to open its doors in August in Hounslow.

The Leeds-based budget operator is eager to expand its presence in the south-east of England as it bids to make good on its target of 100 sites by the end of 2016.

The chain is aiming for a rapid upscale buoyed by strong financial backing. Xercise4Less recently attracted a further £5m equity investment from the Business Growth Fund (BGF), in addition to an increased debt facility of £20m with Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking and a further £6m in asset finance and leasing facilities.

The new £1m Hounslow club will span 30,000sq ft and feature 400 pieces of Matrix equipment. It will offer memberships from £14.99, although a pre-sale membership offer enables users to join for £9.99 per month. The gym will feature a number of fitness zones including cardio, free weights, combat and a ladies-only area, plus a large fitness studio that will feature more than 40 free classes per week.

“We’re excited to be opening our first gym in London and to bring affordable fitness to the capital,” said Xercise4Less CEO Jon Wright.

“We’ve ambitious expansion plans and we’re set to open even more Xercise4Less gyms across London over the next year to meet the increasing demand for quality gyms at purse-friendly prices.”

Xercise4Less now operates 28 clubs across the UK, with 210,000 members and plans to launch up to 30 more clubs by the end of the year.