Virgin Active Aims to Scale Social Wellness Club Concept Across UK

The third space is a familiar idea by now, but Virgin Active is after something else.

The health club operator wants to become the second space, the one that isn’t optional, where members mix work and socializing with a serious sweat and recovery session.

The vision becomes a reality this July at Virgin Active’s Mayfair site in London, which has been revamped to serve as the brand’s first U.K. social wellness club.

Global concept success

The concept has already played out successfully at Virgin Active clubs in Milan, Cape Town, Sydney and Doha, according to the company.

Members get a gym floor and five studios offering Combat, Lift Club, Mind and Body, reformer and tower Pilates, plus a private Pilates space. Recovery options include a contrast spa featuring a Finnish sauna, infrared sauna, cold plunge, vitality pool and indoor pool, along with heated hydromassage beds and Hyperice tools.

Longevity treatment rooms are also in the mix, staffed with physios, osteopaths, sports therapists and performance specialists. And in keeping with the “stay and linger” vibes, there’s a nutrition cafe, coworking lounges with private meeting rooms and call booths, and even a dedicated concierge for class bookings and on-site laundry.

Industry trends and competition

It’s a model that has gained traction in the U.S., too. Luxury athletic country club operator Life Time has built out its Life Time Work concept, announcing last summer that it would roll out more than 55 work lounges inside its routinely wait-listed clubs, with another 30 planned. Included with membership at participating clubs, the space offers comfortable seating and high-speed connectivity.

Virgin Active’s Mayfair overhaul was executed by U.K. contracting firm Murray & Willis, which has shared preview shots of the new Mayfair design concepts on LinkedIn. Phase two of the project, currently underway, includes updated club changing rooms and facilities, along with a new entrance and reception area.

“We look forward to sharing progress throughout the project and revealing the completed transformation in the coming weeks,” the firm wrote.

Earlier this year, Virgin Group founder Richard Branson posted about his visit to the club, sharing that he worked out and previewed the new spa.

The Mayfair site will welcome members back in July, with a limited number of spaces opening for new members.

Uk expansion plans

Virgin Active members at other U.K. clubs may not have to wait long for their own social wellness club. Elena Chambers, country director at Virgin Active U.K., said in a statement that the relaunch represents the direction the brand has committed to across its U.K. portfolio.

“This is a significant investment in the space, the experience, and the standard our members can expect from us, and it is the first of several steps we’re taking across the UK in the coming months and years,” Chambers said.

Virgin Active operates 31 clubs across the U.K., according to the company’s website.

Carlsquare managing partner Arnold Holle, who advised on David Lloyd Clubs’ recently announced acquisition of premium chain Aspria, told Athletech News in April that the European luxury segment is moving toward larger clubs where members spend significantly longer on-site, with average stays of about an hour and a half and some members spending entire days.