Elise

When Hobart’s newest fitness centre officially opened its doors in the CBD on June 3, Speaker of the House of Assembly and Liberal Member for Denison, Elise Archer stepped up to cut the ribbon.

Anytime Fitness Hobart is the fourth Anytime Fitness Centre to open in the State.

“This is a locally-owned and operated business in the heart of my electorate and I wish co-owners, Shea Siddall and local cricket star, Ben Hilfenhaus, all the very best with their new venture,” said Ms Archer.

“The great thing about being a member of an Anytime Fitness Club is that members have the ability to train anytime in any of the clubs around the world, which is also a great incentive for our national and international visitors.

Anytime Fitness first opened in the USA in 2002 and now has a total of 3,300 clubs worldwide. Anytime Fitness is Australia’s largest fitness chain, with Anytime Fitness Hobart being the 450th club to open in Australia with over 500,000 members nationwide.

“As an Anytime Fitness franchisee since 2009, the next logical place to open a club was in the Hobart CBD.  It took nearly two years to find the best location that was the most accessible and we did,” said co-owner Shea Siddall.

“Although we are part of a worldwide franchise, each club is locally owned and operated which allows us to better serve our members and the freedom to adapt to the local market.”

Anytime Fitness Hobart has invested in excess of $1 million into the local economy and will create at least 10 new jobs for Tasmanians.

“Our Hobart club has been so well received and we are already in the planning stages of more clubs across Tasmania,” Mr Shea said.

Ms Archer said the state had recorded an unprecedented 30 consecutive months of retail trade growth.

“This is great news for the Tasmanian economy, which has seen renewed business and consumer confidence under the State Government – rated the best State Government in Australia in terms of its policies that support small business,” Ms Archer said.

“Figures released by the ABS recently show the nominal value of retail trade in Tasmania was estimated to be $510.6 million in trend terms for the month of April 2017, up 2.4 per cent when compared to the same time last year and up a staggering 11.1 percent since the Government was elected.