NRG Gyms

NRG Gyms is a UK-based high-value, low-price gym operator founded by Shafiq Ahmed in 2013, when he opened the brand's first location in Gravesend. Built on the principle that great fitness facilities should be accessible to everyone regardless of income, NRG operates a 24/7 model offering premium equipment, inclusive environments, and a strong community ethos at subscription prices that remove the traditional barrier to entry. The brand has grown steadily to over a dozen sites across the UK, with locations in London, Manchester, Sheffield, Newcastle, Walsall, and beyond.

The UK gym and fitness market is undergoing a structural shift away from legacy, higher-cost operators toward affordable, round-the-clock facilities. NRG has been one of the standout performers in the high-value, low-price segment, distinguished by its emphasis on community-building — what it calls the 'NRG Tribe' — and its willingness to adapt each gym's layout and offering based on granular member data and local demand research. The brand has invested in dedicated female training zones, boxing areas, spin studios, and Olympic lifting platforms, iterating continuously on its product based on direct member feedback.

Ahmed's background spans corporate finance, retail management at Harrods, and social impact — including supporting the launch of a microfinance bank in India — experiences that shaped both his operational discipline and his commitment to social value through affordable fitness. NRG has raised over £12 million in combined equity and debt funding, including two rounds from growth equity firm Puma Growth Partners, whose initial £5 million investment in 2018 was followed by a £4 million follow-on in January 2025. In August 2025, NRG acquired Pump Gyms, nearly doubling its location count and membership base.

The Puma follow-on investment is being used to expand NRG's UK estate, deepen data and analytics capabilities to improve the member experience, and build a technology-led back-office infrastructure capable of supporting rapid national scaling. Alongside the investment, NRG strengthened its board with the appointment of Neil Greenhalgh as Non-Executive Director — former CFO of JD Sports, who oversaw the acquisition of the Xercise4Less gym chain in 2020. Ahmed has been appointed to the Health and Fitness Association Board of Directors and has set an ambition to grow NRG to more than 100 locations nationally.