A new £1 million health and fitness club was today ready to welcome hundreds of members through its doors.

LA Fitness, in Radford Way, Billericay, has already recruited around 1,000 people to take advantage of its top-of-the-range facilities and will officially open tomorrow.

It boasts a 16 metre by six metre heated swimming pool, steam room, Jacuzzi, sauna, and cafe bar.

There is a fully-equipped gym and more than 40 fitness classes, such as toning and fat burning exercises and yoga, on offer.

Twenty staff, recruited locally, have been taken on as fitness instructors, managers and receptionists.

They have moved into a 15,000 sq ft development on the ground floor of an old snooker and indoor bowling centre, opposite Billericay railway station.

Membership manager Ollie Berquez said everyone was looking forward to getting the centre up and running. Head office staff will make a special trip to the club for the grand opening.

Ollie said: "We are looking to take on about 1,500 members and we have already signed up between 800 and 1,000 people.

"We have had a lot of interest shown by residents in the Billericay, Stock and Hutton areas and they seem to be impressed with what we have to offer.

"The facilities are all really nice, particularly the layout of the swimming pool."

The club also has five star changing facilities with complimentary shower gel and moisturisers, sunbeds, a creche and unlimited fitness consultations and assessments for members.

They are allowed free use of LA Fitness's other 15 centres across the country.

Bosses are confident their Billericay club will be a success.

Ollie said: "We chose the town because there did seem to be a lack of fitness facilities and we hope we will do well here."

Inductions are now taking place at the centre, which will be open from 6.30am-10pm Monday-Friday and 9am-7pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

Ready for business - Michael Finger, general manager of the new LA Fitness club

Picture: NICK ANSELL

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