Our story
Our vision
We believe that living well is a life journey.
A journey that should always be enjoyable and fulfilling.
A journey that is enhanced by the power of community.
A journey that celebrates progress.
A journey that inspires your whole life.
1980
It all started in 1980 with one club in Chelsea, London. Set in a “cul-de-sac”, off Fulham Rd, the brand quickly became the place to be, as Allan Fisher, one of the original founders, started transforming fitness into a lifestyle that combined health and glamour.
1982
From the very beginning, it was clear that the ambience was what differentiated Holmes Place. It was the early 1980's, when fitness was quickly becoming the trend, with music, outfits and Jane Fonda's iconic VCR workouts reaching their peak. With this context in mind, Allan Fisher and Lawrence Alkin developed the club and its concept.
1985
Setting trends and not being afraid to call for change when change is needed is part of who we are. Can you imagine if someone lit a cigarette in a Holmes Place Club Room today? Back in the 80's that was as common as having your phone by your side. People smoked in aeroplanes, shopping malls, and yes, in the Club Room. So it wasn't popular when Allan Fisher announced that Holmes Place Club Rooms were becoming smoke-free areas. Everyone told Allan that the Club Room Operator would go out of business, but in fact, revenues increased! It was the right thing to do from all perspectives, and we are proud that Holmes Place was the first to do it.
1992
Over the first decade, Holmes Place was growing both through expansion and reputation, positioning itself in the high-end health club market. London was beginning to buzz with Holmes Place clubs which were offering members a stylish and exciting solution to their health and fitness.
1996
In 1996, Hans Koster invited Allan Fisher to design and implement the first Holmes Place club in Portugal at Quinta da Fonte, a new top-quality business park. The original contract was signed by the two over dinner (and good wine) on the back of a serviette, which remained in place for three appetizing years until they began the preparations for the Holmes Place IPO.
1997
Holmes Place made its IPO on the London Stock Exchange with 7 operating clubs in London and raised £13M for the rapid expansion that was about to take place.
2000
With the market being cautious of expansion outside the UK, Jonathan Fisher, Allan Fisher's son, leads a consortium to buy the franchise rights to develop Holmes Place in central Europe and East Mediterranean countries. By 2002, Holmes Place had become a Pan-European company with 50 clubs in the UK and 26 outside led by a private consortium.
2003
Holmes Place is privatised by Private Equity in what had become a fast-growing and competitive market.
2006
Private Equity sets its exit strategy in motion, selling all UK clubs to the growing Virgin Active brand. The following year, the Fisher and Kirsch families partner to buy back Holmes Place Europe (excluding Iberia) and all further rights to what has become a heritage brand.
2012
Holmes Place seizes the opportunity to buy back the remaining 30 clubs not under its ownership. Holmes Place becomes the largest privately owned premium health club chain in Europe.
2016
Holmes Place embarks upon a rebranding process, complete with an original signature monogram. The new round and elegant logo emerges, resembling a hand-drawn HP, while inspired by the infinity symbol; it's also reminiscent of yin-yang, standing for the brand's sense of balance and inclusion.
2017
Holmes Place further establishes itself as the leading premium fitness brand with Jonathan and Allan working together to buy the Virgin Active clubs in Iberia; in parallel, through another acquisition, Holmes Place Israel becomes the undisputed market leader with 30 clubs and over 125,000 members. Holmes Place Israel concludes an IPO on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange in December 2017.
2018
Continuing its focus on improvement and innovation, Holmes Place launches new Xpress Classes and ads new concepts to its signature classes. Medical and physiotherapy are a new focus with specific programs being designed to fulfil the needs and desires of the Holmes Place community.
2020
This year Holmes Place celebrates its 40th anniversary. A long and joyful journey bringing health and fitness into people’s lives since 1980. Today Holmes Place serves over 300 thousand members, across 100 clubs in 8 countries. And there is still so much ahead. We can't wait to tell you what we’re planning for the next 40 years. After all, as the saying goes, life begins at 40.
A LUXURY BRAND
Spanning three generations with 40 years of service, Holmes Place health clubs provide top-notch service in stylish, exciting and social environments. To its members across 8 countries and 100 clubs, Holmes Place has become a community of like-minded people looking to enjoy their life journey.