The debt of fitness clubs and gyms amounted to approximately PLN 10.4 million at the end of 2021, over a third more than a year earlier, the National Debt Register (KRD) reported. There are currently 277 branches in the register, and the average debt of one of them is PLN 46,000. In total, the entire sector has nearly PLN 15.4 million.
“The problems of fitness clubs and gyms did not end with the end of lockdowns and the reopening of facilities. There are still restrictions, such as limits on people or shorter duration of classes. Institutions must ensure social distancing and disinfection. Our habits have changed during the pandemic. Some people hold back, fearing infection. On the other hand, many people want to regain their former form and take care of their condition and health. The beginning of the year is traditionally the period of high attendance at gyms and fitness clubs. however, to what extent these facilities will manage to retain their customers for a longer period of time,” said the president of KRD, Adam Łącki.
Fitness clubs have the largest arrears (over PLN 5 million) with financial and insurance institutions. These liabilities account for almost half of their total debt. The greatest financial problems are faced by owners of facilities from the Mazowieckie Voivodeship, where 41 debtors have 195 liabilities for a total amount of over PLN 3.6 million. Institutions from the Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Łódzkie and Wielkopolskie voivodeships with arrears exceeding PLN 1 million are also in a particularly difficult situation.
The industry itself is also waiting for money from its debtors. In total, for almost PLN 1.5 million. Almost 98% of this amount belongs to natural persons. Meanwhile, the financial stability of fitness clubs depends largely on the loyalty and reliability of their customers.
In the last year, the financial situation has not deteriorated in the entire sector. People conducting sports activities – teachers, instructors or coaches managed to pay off some of their arrears. They closed the first pandemic year with debt in the amount of PLN 6.4 million, and at the end of 2021 this amount decreased to less than PLN 5 million, it was also announced.
Currently, the KRD has 327 debtors conducting classes, with 980 overdue financial liabilities. On average, one debtor owes just over PLN 15,000. As in the case of fitness clubs, the main group of creditors of instructors and trainers are financial and insurance companies, which They are guilty of over PLN 2.8 million. The coaches from Mazovia have to deal with the largest debts, with a total of over PLN 1.3 million to pay off. Sports teachers from Silesia also stand out negatively, who should return over PLN 888,000.
The total debt of the entire sector – instructors, trainers and facilities to improve physical condition, increased by almost 10%, from PLN 14.1 million at the end of 2020 to PLN 15.4 million in the last month of 2021, completed.
Source: KRD and ISBnews
