PureGym to Open in Ireland, Citing Growing Market

As participation in weekly exercise rises in Ireland, the U.K.’s largest low-price gym operator is entering the market

PureGym is headed to Ireland, the European gym giant has announced.

The U.K.-based high-value, low-price (HVLP) operator will first launch in central Dublin at the beginning of 2027, with additional expansion planned in the coming years.

The move adds to PureGym’s growing international footprint, which spans more than 700 clubs in Denmark, Switzerland, the Middle East and the U.S., following its acquisition of several Blink Fitness locations from Equinox in 2024.

PureGym’s former group chief financial officer, Alex Wood, who has taken over as CEO following Clive Chesser’s recent departure, credited Ireland as a country with a rich history of sport, exercise and activity.

The gym operator pointed to recent research from Sport Ireland showing a significant rise in weekly exercise participation, increasing from 12% in 2017 to 20% in recent years.

Contract-free memberships will begin at €29.99 ($34).

“Dublin is an iconic city and a great place for us to start in this exciting new market,” Wood said. “Today’s news marks an important milestone in our mission to inspire healthier nations by bringing high-quality, low-cost fitness to an even wider audience, at affordable prices.”

PureGym will compete with Flyefit, a budget-friedly operator with more than 20 locations across Ireland and a concentration in Dublin, as well as Snap Fitness and Énergie Fitness.

On the boutique front, UBX (pronounced “You-Box”) has found an ambitious master franchisee in Fight Path, which plans to grow the boxing and strength training brand to 40 to 50 gyms across the U.K. and Ireland in the coming years.