A former Orangetheory Fitness member is reopening the chain’s empty Stamford Quarter studio after becoming so disappointed by its closure that he decided to take it over himself.
The gym will reopen under the new name Altytude Fitness, preserving the coached training style and community that had developed at the Altrincham studio.
Peter Lee trained at the Altrincham studio for just over a year before the national brand closed earlier this year.
Like many regulars, he was left without a local alternative that delivered the same structured, coach-led workouts.
But instead of moving to an alternative gym, he is now taking on the unit and launching Altytude Fitness as an independent gym built around the same core principles - and a subtle nod to his home town.
Peter first joined Orangetheory after looking for something to do while his son attended Muay Thai sessions nearby.
“I’d known about this place since lockdown, and I always went past, and it was always uninviting,” he said. “Then my son decided to take up Muay Thai and on Tuesdays and Thursdays I had two hours to kill. I was a bit out of shape, so I thought, let’s have a look. I went along, did a trial and never looked back.”
What made the difference was the format. “It’s the style of workout it was and that format which worked for me. But I think that’s also a format that works for lots of people. It’s the thing that gives you the time and the ability to be coached that makes the difference.”
When the studio announced its sudden closure in April, Peter said the disappointment was so acute that he began exploring whether he could bring something similar back to the same space.
The result is Altytude Fitness, Peter’s first foray into the fitness market after a successful career in cybersecurity.
It will not be an Orangetheory franchise, but it will deliberately retain the coached, structured approach that members so valued.
Two former Orangetheory coaches already familiar with the room and the training style, Dani and Rachel, are committed to the project.
Peter has spent the last few months busily preparing the space and kitting it out with over £300,000 of state-of-the-art equipment, including a full Technogym cardio floor with 12 SkillRun treadmills. All equipment is completely brand new, and there will also be a juice bar on site.
Altytude will be holding an open weekend on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th September, with tours of the studio, challenges and giveaways, and anyone is welcome to come down and have a look.
Classes will then start from Monday 28th September.
Further details on membership, class formats and the exact launch timetable are expected soon.
For more details about becoming a member of Altytude Fitness, visit the website or follow @altytude.fitness on Instagram and Facebook
