Opening an Australian Plus Fitness Franchise in the UK: Is it Possible?

By UKFO Editorial · 4 September 2026

Are you interested in bringing the Australian gym brand Plus Fitness to the UK? This article explores the feasibility and steps involved in potentially launching a Plus Fitness franchise across the pond. We'll delve into the necessary considerations and whether this international expansion is currently an option for aspiring franchisees.

An Australian Fitness Giant Eyes the UK Market

The United Kingdom's fitness industry is a dynamic and fiercely competitive space. Dominated by budget-friendly, 24/7 gym chains, it presents both a significant challenge and a tantalising opportunity for new entrants. One name that frequently surfaces in discussions about international expansion is Plus Fitness, an Australian brand that has achieved remarkable success with its 24-hour gym franchise model. For ambitious UK entrepreneurs, the question is not just whether Plus Fitness will arrive on these shores, but whether they can be the one to spearhead its launch.

The short answer is yes, it is theoretically possible to open a Plus Fitness franchise in the UK. However, the process is far more complex than simply buying a single gym licence. It almost certainly involves securing the master franchise rights for the entire United Kingdom, a venture that requires substantial capital, strategic vision, and a deep understanding of the UK market.

Understanding International Master Franchising

When a successful franchise like Plus Fitness decides to expand into a new country, it rarely does so by selling individual units directly from its home office. The logistical, cultural, and legal hurdles are simply too great. Instead, they seek a partner on the ground through a master franchise agreement.

What is a Master Franchisee?

A master franchisee is an individual or a company that purchases the exclusive rights to develop and sub-franchise a brand within a specific territory—in this case, the UK. You are not just buying one gym; you are buying the right to become the UK's 'head office' for Plus Fitness. Your role would be to recruit, train, and support a network of individual franchisees who will open and operate their own Plus Fitness gyms across the country.

This model allows the parent company (the franchisor, Plus Fitness in Australia) to leverage local expertise while expanding its global footprint. The master franchisee benefits by earning a significant portion of the initial franchise fees and ongoing royalties from all the sub-franchisees they recruit.

The Responsibilities of a UK Master Franchisee

Taking on the master franchise for a brand like Plus Fitness is a monumental undertaking. Your responsibilities would extend far beyond running a single gym. You would be expected to:

Adapt the Brand: Work with the Australian head office to tailor the Plus Fitness brand, marketing materials, and operational systems to a UK audience. This includes everything from pricing strategy to the tone of social media posts.
Develop a National Strategy: Create a comprehensive business plan for rolling out the franchise across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. This involves identifying target cities, demographic analysis, and a realistic growth timeline.
Manage Site Selection and Lease Negotiation: Establish a robust process for helping your sub-franchisees find and secure suitable properties, navigating the complexities of UK commercial property law.
Build a Supply Chain: Source UK-based suppliers for gym equipment, security systems, marketing materials, and other essentials, ensuring they meet the franchisor's quality standards.
Recruit and Vet Franchisees: Market the Plus Fitness franchise opportunity to prospective investors across the UK, managing the entire recruitment funnel from initial enquiry to signing the franchise agreement.
Provide Training and Support: Establish a UK training centre and support team to deliver the franchisor's proven systems to your network of franchisees, providing ongoing guidance on operations, marketing, and business management.

The UK Fitness Market: A Competitive Arena

Before investing the significant capital required for a master franchise, a thorough analysis of the UK market is essential. Plus Fitness would be entering a mature market with established players.

Gauging the Competition

The 24/7, low-cost gym sector in the UK is dominated by giants like The Gym Group and PureGym, who have hundreds of sites nationwide. There are also other established fitness franchises, such as Anytime Fitness (another 24/7 brand with a global presence) and Snap Fitness. Any new entrant must have a clear point of difference to capture market share. You would need to demonstrate to both Plus Fitness and potential sub-franchisees how your strategy will overcome this entrenched competition.

Plus Fitness's Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

Your due diligence must critically analyse what makes Plus Fitness special. In Australia and other markets, their USPs often include a strong sense of community, highly integrated technology (like virtual classes and member apps), a wide range of equipment, and a franchise model that is perceived as being highly supportive of its franchisees. You must assess whether these attributes are strong enough to resonate with UK consumers and entrepreneurs. The key is to identify a gap in the current market that Plus Fitness is uniquely positioned to fill, whether that's through a superior member experience, a more favourable franchisee investment model, or targeting underserved towns and suburban areas.

Navigating the UK Franchise Landscape

The framework for franchising in the UK differs significantly from other countries like the USA. This 'lighter touch' regulatory environment places a greater emphasis on thorough due diligence by the prospective franchisee.

Due Diligence Without Formal Disclosure Documents

Unlike the United States, the UK has no legal requirement for a franchisor to provide a specific "Franchise Disclosure Document" (FDD). Instead, ethical franchisors provide what is commonly known as a franchise prospectus, information pack, or disclosure pack. As a potential master franchisee, you would receive extensive documentation from Plus Fitness. This should include their company history, financial accounts, details of their international operations, and a draft of the Master Franchise Agreement.

Your due diligence is paramount. You must scrutinise these documents with the help of specialist solicitors and accountants. Critically, you should insist on being able to speak with existing master franchisees in other countries (like New Zealand or India) and a selection of their single-unit franchisees to get an unfiltered view of the business, its profitability, and the quality of support provided by the head office.

The Role of UK Franchise Associations

While not mandatory, membership in a reputable trade body like the British Franchise Association (bfa) or the Quality Franchise Association (QFA) is a strong indicator of an ethical franchise. If you were to become the UK master franchisee for Plus Fitness, seeking accreditation from one of these bodies would lend significant credibility to your operation as you begin recruiting your own network of franchisees.

These associations require their members to adhere to a code of ethics, which governs the relationship between franchisor and franchisee and ensures fair and transparent practices. This would be a powerful selling point for your new UK network.

The Financial Commitments: What to Expect

Securing master franchise rights requires a seven-figure investment. The financial structure is multi-layered and requires careful planning and access to significant capital.

The Master Franchise Fee

This is the substantial, one-off upfront payment to Plus Fitness for the exclusive rights to the UK market. The exact figure would be subject to negotiation but would likely be in the hundreds of thousands of pounds, if not more. This fee grants you the licence, the operating manuals, and the initial training and support to launch the brand.

Ongoing Royalties and Marketing Levies

As the master franchisee, you would collect fees from your network of sub-franchisees. A portion of this income would then be paid back to the parent company in Australia. Typically, this would be structured as:

A share of initial franchise fees: When you sell a new franchise unit for, say, £25,000, you might pass on 30-50% of that to Plus Fitness.
A share of ongoing royalties: Your sub-franchisees will pay you a percentage of their gross turnover each month (e.g., 7%). You would then pay a smaller percentage of that turnover (e.g., 3%) to the Australian head office, keeping the difference.

Securing Finance in the UK

Financing a master franchise purchase is a specialist area. Major UK high-street banks like NatWest, HSBC, and Lloyds have dedicated franchise departments that understand this model. However, they will require an exceptionally robust business plan, detailed financial projections, and evidence that you have significant personal capital to invest. You would need to prove not only that you can afford the initial fee but also that you have sufficient working capital to fund the business through its initial years of development before the sub-franchisee network generates substantial revenue.

Is a Plus Fitness Master Franchise Right for You?

The opportunity to bring a successful international brand like Plus Fitness to the UK is rare and potentially very lucrative. It is the chance to build a national business from the ground up, shaping an entire network and leaving a lasting mark on the UK fitness industry.

However, the risks and responsibilities are immense. This is not a passive investment. It requires an experienced, well-capitalised, and highly motivated entrepreneur or leadership team with a background in business development, marketing, and ideally, the multi-site leisure or fitness sector. You must be prepared to navigate complex legal agreements, build a corporate team, and lead a national network of small business owners.

If you have the vision, the resources, and the appetite for a high-stakes, high-reward challenge, then investigating the Plus Fitness master franchise rights for the UK could be the first step towards a game-changing business venture.