Burn It eyes growth in Aberdeen

OUTDOOR fitness company Burn It has unveiled plans to expand into Aberdeen ­after profits raced ahead last year despite the damp summer.

Pre-tax profits at the ­Livingston-based outfit, founded in 2010 by Paul Duffy and John Laurie, jumped by 21 per cent to £40,000 on the back of a 25 per cent leap in turnover to £151,518 after its franchises expanded around Scotland.

Burn It has grown from offering outdoor fitness classes and residential camps to running “boot camps” for mothers and ­babies, corporate team-building sessions and a ten-week “Revolution” fat-loss course.

Laurie, a former general manager at a national gym chain who gained a master’s degree in business administration from Edinburgh University, said: “Despite the weather and a notable decline in disposable income among customers, we have been successful in growing the residential retreat side of the business.

“This year our focus also includes expanding into Aberdeen whilst growing our offering in Edinburgh and Glasgow, as well as preparing ourselves to launch south of the Border in 2014 in order to continue boosting our turnover and strengthening our position as a brand with a wider footprint across the UK.”

The company’s franchises have already expanded into Dundee, East Lothian, Elgin, Inverness, Moray, Perth and St Andrews.

News of the rise in profits at Burn It comes after fellow exercise class provider British Military Fitness recently unveiled plans to double its number of customers in Scotland by targeting big events such as endurance races.

Market research from IBIS World found the fitness industry in the UK is worth £1.2 billion a year and employs 26,000 people.