A brand-new fitness studio is set to open at Chesterfield’s newly-opened Glass Yard development, just off Sheffield Road. Studio One is being opened by SRW Fitness owner Seb Walker, who started the business in 2007 and has been personal training in Chesterfield for more than 15 years. In that time SRWFitness has been based in 3 local gyms, a local park and clients homes. Having previously being forced to go into online personal training as a result of the Covid-19 lockdowns, Seb admitted he was delighted to be welcoming customers to the new centre. He said: “The Glass Yard is a fantastic location for the studio, just out of the town centre and easy to get to. There is 2 hours free parking so my clients can arrive knowing they can park and walk straight into their session not worrying about any additional parking costs or trying to find a space. The main positive for me is being part of something new and exciting, having a brand-new space surrounded by other likeminded businesses that complement each other is just perfect. “It’s a brilliant place to launch my first studio and everyone I meet is impressed with the whole development.  I think it’s different to anything else around here and it really adds something to Chesterfield and surrounding areas.” Studio One is described as ‘not your regular fitness facility;’ visitors will not find banks of treadmills or fixed resistance machines. The studio has been specifically designed with movement in mind, where all over body exercises are facilitated by a multifunctional rig, bands, bars, weights and balls just to name a few. There is a large AstroTurf space for group sessions and classes and a collection of top of the range cardio equipment with treadmill, concept 2 rower and skierg, as well as Technogym spinning bikes for indoor cycling classes. This space enables a plethora of exercise to be delivered and any exercise you would perform on traditional gym equipment can be replicated with ease, and some. There are other pieces of equipment, such as the fantastic interactive blazepods that help with balance, reaction speed and all other manner of things. The studio has been meticulously designed to maximise the useable space and deliver a unique fun experience for clients. With clients’ age ranging from 16 to 90 years old it caters for all and has classes and programs to suit most needs. Seb continued: “The aim of developing the studio is to create a facility where people can feel comfortable and at ease to exercise in a supportive, safe, clean, and friendly environment. With all my experiences over the past 25+ years in the fitness industry and previously basing the business in commercial gyms I have taken all the great aspects I’ve seen and wrapped them into a state-of-the-art fitness studio. “The community and support network that I want to create for my clients is built on my passion to help people achieve what they might think is impossible. That’s not just a body transformation but things like moving pain free, reducing or coming off medication. Increasing self-esteem, improving mental health and so much more. “The vision for Studio One is to be the go-to fitness studio in Chesterfield for health, weight loss, and lifestyle transformations. To provide the support, guidance, and knowhow to enable all my clients to achieve their goals but more importantly maintain them effortlessly for life. This is not just another gym this is something completely different.   “The philosophy to Studio One is Mind – Body – Move. A three-pronged process that focuses on three key areas to success. The ‘Mind’, addressing the habits and choices that are hampering your progression. Secondly, ‘Body’, what you are putting in your body and how to adjust your diet that doesn’t feel like you’re depriving yourself of happiness! Then finally ‘Move’, this is the exercise that will feel more like you’re having fun and less like you’ve just enlisted in the army. If you enjoy it, you will stick to it effortlessly!” The exercise offerings available at the studio include:

• SRW45 classes; These are 45 minute sessions similar to traditional bootcamp with up to 16 people,
• SRW1-6; Group personal training I hour sessions with a maximum of 6 people tailor fitted to your needs and also offer a one-to-one personal training option too.

The studio is also working with local businesses, running bespoke classes and team building sessions for them. These are arranged at times to suit so staff can finish work and attend the session or go before work too. Studio One is also linking up with other local health and fitness businesses and offering a space to deliver specialised exercise classes from some of the best instructors in the area. Seb explained why he was so passionate about promoting health and fitness in the local community: “For me this isn’t work, it’s something I love doing. You know that when you are heading home from your summer holiday and you’re excited to get back to ‘work’ that you have found something that is more than just an income. “I love working with clients, understanding their needs, and helping them achieve what they desire but also have some fun along the way. Exercise doesn’t need to be scary, and a good session isn’t measured on how much pain you are in the next day. There is no set standard, no one size fits all training method, the training starts with what you can do and then ends up morphing into being able to do what you never imagined possible. “You just need to find something you enjoy, something that doesn’t feel like you’re ‘exercising’. This however doesn’t have to involve a gym or a personal trainer and can be anything that gets your heart pumping and a bit breathless. However, before embarking on a new fitness regime asking a health and fitness professional for guidance is a no brainer to ensure you’re safe to start. The benefits of being active are undeniably positive both physically and mentally you just need to get the right guidance, find something that works for you and be consistent!” “Creating my own studio is something I’ve strived for over a number of years but with all the challenges over the past 2 years it’s created a perfect storm of opportunity. The opportunity to be part of something like the Glass Yard was too much of a draw to miss out on and I can’t wait to push on and see how far I can grow the business in the future.

Plans put forward by the University of Derby to build a Business School in the city centre have been approved. Earlier this year the University submitted a planning application to build Derby Business School on land adjacent to the University’s One Friar Gate Square building, and last night (Thursday 26 May) Derby City Council’s planning committee unanimously gave it the go ahead. Construction for the new development, which is proposed to be net zero carbon in construction and operation, is due to start in November 2022, with the building earmarked to open in September 2024. Professor Kathryn Mitchell CBE DL, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Derby, said:“We are delighted that the planning application for our city centre-based Derby Business School has been approved. “This is a key milestone for the project, and we are extremely pleased to have reached this stage. The building will be crucial in the city’s regeneration plans and will offer students a high-quality, innovative learning and teaching environment. Working closely with our partners, we are looking forward to the next phase of this ambitious and significant development.” The new building is projected to be the study base for more than 6,000 students by 2030 and is the first element of the University’s City Masterplan, which is the vision for how the University intends to develop its city centre presence and improve connectivity between its sites. The new Business School building will feature innovative teaching and learning spaces including a virtual reality suite, stock market trading room and creative labs. Alongside this, the building will be a technology-enabled smart campus and be used as a living lab for research projects from across the University and industry. Manjit Paget, Programme Manager for Derby Business School, added: “We expect this development to be a welcoming and interactive space – a building where students will learn, but also where businesses can come in for advice, work with our student community, researchers and business support units. The idea is that it will host specialist spaces for collaboration and idea generation, and will enable us to further enhance our research with partners across the D2N2 corridor.”

It has been a promising couple of months for the Derby retail scene.  Despite the current challenges surrounding inflation, interest rates and tax rises, there is certainly a sense of restored confidence within retailers in comparison to the previous couple of “pandemic years”.   We are witnessing a good level of enquiries from a range of different occupiers which are pleasingly turning into lettings, some of which I am excited to now be able to reveal… Looking firstly at Derby’s high street, following ALB Group’s acquisition of the block on Albion Street just a couple of months ago, FHP announce that they have already completed on three new lettings.  The former card shop unit has been let to “Hatchet Harrys Axe Throwing”, the old Goldsmiths unit has gone to an independent speciality coffee shop “Barista Lab” and the former EE store has been let to “Pace”, a lifestyle fitness boutique that will offer a wide range of gifts, wellbeing products, exercise classes and personal training. FHP has also have exchanged contracts on the former Dorothy Perkins/Burtons unit on Victoria Street with “Boo” – a fast food burger restaurant chain who have a number of locations across the Midlands. Within the Cathedral Quarter, Derby Brewing Company are taking the former Las Iguanas premises on Friar Gate and are opening their new concept in “The Clubhouse” which will be a unique addition to Derby’s hospitality scene.  The company has also agreed an offer on the old Burger King unit on East Street to an exciting leisure occupier. This is in addition to several new brands into the Derbion Shopping Centre in recent months, with Tommy Hilfiger, Mango, Flannels and Lids having taken place and the likes of Frasers and Jack Wills set to open their doors very soon. No doubt there will be concerns in 2022 for retailers, however FHP are highly optimistic about the rest of the year and excited as to what it will bring to Derby.