i-motion is set to open its second gym in January 2016, with plans to follow the Stafford site with up to six more openings throughout the year.

The low-cost independent gym concept was founded by former professional rugby player Gareth Evans, who launched the first site in Rotherham in 2013. Evans plans to self-finance the next three to four sites, and says he is in talks with banks and private equity houses about funding beyond that.

“One of our main focuses in 2016 will be locations in London and the Midlands, which will tie in nicely with our Rotherham and Stafford gyms,” Evans told Health Club Management.

The forthcoming Stafford site will be a 21,000sq ft 1,950(sq m) gym spread across three floors in the Guildhall Shopping Centre. It will incorporate three studios, two of which will be virtual and supplied by Wexer, who will also host the digital music throughout the club.

The gym – which hopes to appeal to the large number of nearby students – will have equipment supplied by Matrix Fitness and will feature the latest IC7 bike. There will also be more than 130 free classes on offer every week.

“We’ve got a wide target market for Stafford – our average age in our Rotherham club is around 40-years-old, split evenly between sexes, but I expect Stafford be slightly younger on average due to the close proximity of the college and university,” said Evans.

“Having an on-site café and juice bar means that members can train and relax just as they would do in a ‘high end’ concept. Price is obviously a USP, as our £9.99 memberships will be more than half that of local competitors – personally I feel we are the best value for money club in the UK at present.”