A few years ago, I created an online poll where I posed a question to UK consumers: Assume you live in a small town and the high street has the following businesses – post office, greengrocer, butchers,
off-licence and gym. One of the businesses has to close to make way for a new town library. Which one would you choose to close? They chose to close the gym to make way for a shiny new library. I wasn’t surprised because I sensed a creeping disconnection between the private health and fitness club and the community it claimed to serve. I believe it remains far too easy for members to emotionally disconnect from their local club…

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