Lisney in Belfast has announced the acquisition of a third outlet for the Fitness First group, which moved into the Northern Ireland market last year by opening two leisure centres. Fitness First has taken a lease on 20,000 sq ft in Ballymena, Co Antrim to add to its 14,000 sq ft unit in Lesley Retail Park in south Belfast and its 19,000-sq-ft unit in Connswater Centre in east Belfast. Fitness First wishes to open outlets in Dublin and the agents are looking for adaptable clear space of between 10,000 and 25,000 sq ft.

Fitness First was floated on the Alternative Investment Market in October 1996 and has a market capitalisation of approximately £534 million sterling. A typical Fitness First health club, with a fit-out costing £600,000 to £1.2 million for a leasehold site, and on average £2.2 million for a freehold site, provides a large gym, aerobics studio, health spa, parking, creche, lounge area, beauty salon and video library. Its membership is more than 236,000, of which 165,000 are in the UK.