Gym chain “Snaps” up Poundland stores elsewhere

MyWelshpool can reveal that national gym chain Snap 24/7 Fitness has a track record of taking on premises vacated by struggling Poundland over the past few months as similar plans are being pursued in Welshpool.

Last Wednesday night, Welshpool Town Council gave an emphatic no to the plans for a number of reasons, following the town’s shock response to our story last week that the building’s owners were applying for a change of use from retail to gym so that Snap 24/7 can take residence. Their comments will be submitted to Powys County Council who will make the final decision.

At the meeting, Cllr Kelly Meredith claimed that “there is a deal between Snap Fitness and Poundland to take over the buildings that Poundland occupies but have gone into administration”.

And it appears that over the past few months, Snap 24/7 Fitness has indeed submitted similar plans for a former Poundland site in the North Yorkshire military town of Catterick Garrison.

And just last month the chain announced it will be opening a new facility in a former Poundland in the Dorset town of Ferndown.

At last Wednesday’s meeting, the plans faced stiff opposition with the Town Council reluctant to lose another town centre retail space.

But the national chain already runs more than 1,000 gyms in 20 countries, including over 100 in the UK and Ireland.