Expectations around residential amenities have changed significantly over the past few years. Previously, having a good quality gym, swimming pool or spa was regarded as a premium, stand out development. Today, these facilities remain hugely important to support a generation rapidly driven by the importance of health and fitness …
Residential gyms are fast becoming a must-have in new residential developments, from apartment blocks, to later living communities and housing developments. We explore the facts and figures and look at why this is occurring now.
Following a turbulent two or three years in the fitness industry, what is the fitness landscape looking like in 2023 and what trends are we likely to see over the coming 12 months? If you want to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to being on-trend with your
Gyms are ever-evolving spaces that have to react to a range of elements, such as member requirements, changing fitness trends, and health and safety guidelines. If you’re unsure as to your next steps, here are some tips to help you make sure your gym is a healthy and popular space
We have just launched our new residential case study, Crown Street, highlighting our new approach to showcasing our project developments, and how we have best utilised the space provided. Our new video format allows us to provide a realistic interpretation of what our projects look like and demonstrate the stages
From free weights to racks to high-end cardio machines, there are so many different pieces of gym equipment to help gym users stay in shape. State-of-the-art gym facilities are now expected in most residential developments and making sure the space offers exceptional gym equipment for residents, is key to the
It’s a common misconception that you need lots of space to create a home gym. If you have a garage, garden building, basement or spare room, you’re likely to have the potential to create a place to workout away from the crowds. motive8 Home is the UK market leader in
Designing a gym, spa or fitness facility is a complex job. There are lots of things to think about and a variety of specialists who need to be involved, from equipment suppliers to interior designers. Get things right and you can avoid costly overruns and stressful moments. Plan properly and
Gym interior design can often get overlooked when it comes to planning and installing a gym or leisure facility. With a focus on layout and equipment, it’s easy to forget that aspects such as décor, lighting and interior features can have a direct impact on the success of your gym.
Own a garage and you might just have the perfect space for a home gym. We have previously looked at the top reasons to create a garage gym such as saving time and money and, best of all, making use of dead space. It is estimated that only about 25% of people
Louise brings a strong background in commercial fitness, having held leadership roles in large-scale environments such as David Lloyd. At motive8, she plays a pivotal role in shaping the culture and performance of our gym and spa operations across residential and corporate sites.
Her responsibilities span HR, recruitment, team development, and employee engagement. Ensuring every team member feels supported, valued, and set up for success. Louise also champions compliance and best practices in health and safety, helping maintain high standards across all locations.
With a passion for people, Louise works closely with site teams to build inclusive, motivated, and high-performing environments. She also leads on resident engagement, collaborating with teams to deliver meaningful wellness experiences that foster community and connection.
Outside of work, Louise is a dedicated Crystal Palace supporter and enjoys attending matches with her three children, sharing her love of football and quality family time.
Victor was welcomed into the logistics and gym install team team in 2023.
New to gym installation and maintenance, Victor is extensively experienced in the involved applications via previous positions, interests and hobbies.
With a long standing passion for fitness and discipline, Victor has been embedded within the gym scene for many years and was the primary attraction to his current position.
In his free time he enjoys staying fit and healthy, and spending time with his family and friends.
Lily joined the Gym & Spa design team in 2023. She is an architecture graduate with years of experience in architectural practice, now transferring her architectural skills into her role at motive8.
With her love for the gym and all things design, she provides creative and administrative support to the design team. This includes tasks such as creating 3D visualisations, 2D design drawings and quotes.
In her free time she enjoys cooking, travelling and weight training. She also volunteers her time to the Lao Association in the UK.
Lily joined the Gym & Spa design team in 2023. She is an architecture graduate with years of experience in architectural practice, now transferring her architectural skills into her role at motive8.
With her love for the gym and all things design, she provides creative and creative support to the design team. This includes tasks such as creating 3D visualisations, 2D design drawings and quotes.
In her free time she enjoys cooking, travelling and weight training. She also volunteers her time to the Lao Association inn the UK.
After nearly a decade as a professional actor and dancer, Adrian transitioned into the fitness industry in 2015. Since then, he has held a range of leadership roles across Operations and Customer Service. Alongside his management experience, Adrian is also a qualified fitness instructor.
In 2020, he joined motive8 as a Gym & Spa Manager and was soon promoted to Area Manager, where he continues to lead with passion, precision, and purpose.
Adrian believes deeply in the power of human connection and emotional intelligence, consistently infusing creativity and empathy into his work to foster more engaged, dynamic teams and environments.
Mental health is as important as physical health so, outside work, Adrian likes to meditate daily. He also still dabbles in theatre through Movement Direction, Choreography, and occasionally treading the boards himself.
Filip is responsible for the day to day running of our Inductions Department, and assists residents across our un-manned gym facilities with arranging their inductions and personal training sessions, as well as managing the group exercise schedules delivered across different
schemes.
Outside of the day time job, Filip also delivers Personal Training both in-house as well as on a self-employed basis, which is how he originally entered the Fitness Industry space in 2016.
Always taking the opportunity to promote health and wellbeing whenever possible, a bit of advice from Filip– “The easiest way to always stay fit is having a kettlebell at hand!”
Albert started his career in facilities maintenance and operations and is now a Senior Engineer. With Albert’s background in mechanical engineering and manufacturing, he has recently headed up a new department within motive8 providing refurbished gym equipment to rent or buy. He has worked in the fitness industry for the past 17 years. Albert is very meticulous at how the equipment is maintained and always aims to improve on efficiency of how this service is provided.
In his spare time he likes spend quality time with his family and work on mechanical projects.
Keep disruption to a minimum with our emergency call-out service. Our engineers will quickly run diagnostic tests and carry out repairs during the visit if possible. motive8 know how important it is to get your pool, spa or water feature back up and running as soon as possible.
Keep your facilities looking fresh, modern and in pristine condition. motive8 can advise you on the latest trends in design, sustainability and efficiency to make sure your pool and spa continue to give your site a competitive advantage.
Protect your investment, meet compliance regulations and prevent costly breakdowns. Our experienced pool engineers schedule regular maintenance visits or can attend as requested for events such as preparing an outdoor pool for summer. Our maintenance covers all kinds of pool, spa and water features for:
Jo has worked within the fitness industry for 11 years, starting as a fitness instructor to personal trainer working her way through to being a general manager for the UK’s largest gym operator.
With Jo’s extensive knowledge and experience within the commercial fitness industry, she is working with our managed London sites to maintain & build processes to streamline our operations alongside ensuring our sites are hosting events throughout each month to build a sense of community.
In her spare time Jo enjoys going out for long country walks with her dog, playing rugby and teaching dance at her local dance school.
Emily is motive8’s in-house nutritionist, and doesn’t stop at just being a great personal trainer. Her effective programming and nutritional advice is highly popular and aimed at helping clients achieve a variety of fitness goals.
Not only is Emily passionate about nutrition though, as she also loves strength training and Yoga. She takes a holistic approach to exercise, nutrition and health as a whole, which no doubt makes for a recipe for success across the board.
Her greatest piece of advice is simply “consistency…this will help you achieve your goals for the long term.”
Kate is an enthusiastic personal trainer, and qualified biomechanics coach, who specialises in posture and back care. She has worked in the industry since 2009, and her other specialisms include weight/fat loss, group exercise and working with specialist populations.
On top of that, Kate loves working with groups of pregnant ladies as she is also pre and post-natal qualified! Exercise is a real passion of hers, and she can often be found riding her bike, going to fitness weekends, walking in the lake district – and she’s recently started participating in cycling sportives.
When it comes to advice, she claims “give it a try – what’s the worst that could happen?” is her greatest piece.
Bradley has worked in the leisure industry since the age of 16, starting as a Lifeguard and progressing through various management roles which also took him to working and living abroad both in Dubai and Australia. Bradley joined motive8 in June in 2020 as a Gym and Spa Manager before being promoted into the role of Area Manager.
Outside of motive8 Bradley also enjoys teaching various group exercise classes as well as spending time with friends and travelling.
Josh has worked for motive8 since 2013 after graduating from University of Portsmouth. He has worked his way up through the gym and spa department from Spa Operative, to Supervisor, Manager and now Area Manager. Josh works with the managers he oversees to provide facilities residents can enjoy as an extension to their homes as well as working closely with the estate management companies to ensure the standards at all sites remain high.
Outside of motive8 Josh is a keen on his travelling and adding to a growing list of countries he has visited as well as being passionate about his own fitness and football.
Ashley Wright is the Head of Gym & Spa Management at motive8. She is a leading industry expert in gym and spa management, working with gym and spa facilities all over the UK.
Ashley joined motive8 in 2019, initially as Gym & Spa Area Manager before being promoted into her current role. Ashley’s background encompasses Personal Training, working for prestigious brands such as Nuffield Health and Digme Fitness; as well as service management.
Ashley’s on the ground knowledge of the industry coupled with service management experience allows her to take a holistic view of motive8’s corporate and residential offerings. Ashley works closely with Area Managers to support them and their onsite teams in all aspects of running motive8’s managed residential facilities, ensuring residents receive a bespoke service at each of motive8’s gym and spas.
A key aspect of Ashley’s day to day role is to ensure a true community feel is achieved across all of motive8’s sites, creating more opportunities for residents to enhance their wellbeing journeys through events, workshops and specialist classes. She works closely with the Area Managers to support them and their onsite teams in all aspects of the running of motive8’s residential facilities.
Away from work, Ashley still teaches spin classes at a number of gyms across London and enjoys cooking and travelling.
Sally has over 10 years’ experience in sales. She has worked within the communications industry for 12 years and made the move to motive8 because of her love for all things fitness.
Sally is passionate about gym and spa design and takes pride in each individual project, whether that be residential, corporate, commercial or within the hotel market. She consults, designs layouts and provides product advice on schemes nationwide with a range of developers, designers, project managers and private clients.
She enjoys being active, is a regular gym goer and has practiced yoga since being a teenager, qualifying to teach it in 2014.
Kim’s career began in the property industry, where she spent a number of years working for both estate agents and developers, giving her a broad spectrum of experience and knowledge of how the industry functions.
Kim has worked alongside Nick for the past 11 years and transforms his ideas & designs into 3D visuals and 2D floor layouts via CAD & Visio in line with the architect’s requirements. She brings together all project documentation including equipment specifications, quotes & project drawings. Once finalised and agreed, Kim procures all the required equipment.
In her spare time, Kim loves playing tennis, cooking and travelling.
Kamil is a recent law graduate with a background in customer service and sales, working within the maintenance administration team. His skills include IT, Multi-tasking and customer service.
In his spare time he enjoys going to the gym, boxing, practicing MMA, playing guitar, reading and gaming.
Monika is the Gym Maintenance Co-ordinator Manager for all gym and pool/leisure equipment and has a background in maintenance and accounts administration for property development companies.
Monika’s skills include accounting, IT and of course the backbone of all busy administration roles, multi-tasking!
In her spare time she likes to spend her free time with her dog Cezar, walking through parks and forests and also likes to relax with a good book at the end of the day. Monika is also interested in psychology, which she is currently studying.
Albert started his career in facility maintenance and operations; he is now motive8’s Refurb and Technicians Manager. Albert launched a new department providing refurbished gym equipment to rent or buy which his background in mechanical engineering and manufacturing perfectly suits. He has worked in the fitness industry for the past 17 years. Albert is meticulous about how the equipment is maintained and is always looking at ways to improve the service motive8 can offer to their clients.
In his spare time he likes spend quality time with the family and work on mechanical projects.
Joining motive8 back in 2013 with the Gym & Spa department, Rolstone brought his experience from the customer service industry as well as 8 years’ experience as a personal trainer, the knowledge of which was spread into the department.
Rolstone now manages motive8 gym installations, ensuring equipment and design are delivered on time, safely and to a high standard. Providing H&S best practice and service support to our customers for all our products with the aid of our team of engineers. Rolstone is also working with our Maintenance team that currently services in excess of 200 sites in the UK to ensure longevity and value for the client.
Nisha graduated from university with a BA Hons in Accounting and Finance. Since then, she has gained significant experience and knowledge in all aspects of accounting and finance. She has joined our accounts team and is responsible for managing our books and preparing relevant financial reports for the business. She is very productive in challenging roles and as a self-motivated and meticulous person is willing to learn new skills and develop existing knowledge.
Outside of work, Nisha enjoys spending time with her family and exploring nature, especially taking scenic countryside walks. Cooking and baking is another of Nisha’s passions.
Sheena joined the motive8 team in 2024, with over 15 years’ experience as a PA, her position is essential to the smooth running of the office. From managing office operations to supporting the heads of departments, Sheena’s role is to provide administrative support and develop relationships across all departments within the company.
Away from motive8, Sheena is a keen runner and qualified personal trainer, championing women in supporting them with their physical and mental health.
Rob Clarke is one of the UK’s leading specialists in residential leisure and wellness facilities. With over 20 years of industry experience, he has worked with many of the country’s leading developers, architects, designers and property management companies.
Since joining motive8, Rob has progressed through a number of senior leadership roles before joining the Board of Directors in 2020. Most recently he has led the successful restructuring of the maintenance division, introducing new technologies and systems to improve efficiency, service delivery and client communication. Rob has also played a key role in the continued growth of the company’s management division while supporting business development, client consultancy and operational leadership across the business.
Rob’s career has been built on extensive experience in leisure operations, facilities management and health and safety underpinned by a commitment to continuous professional development and industry best practice.
Outside of work, Rob balances family life with four children alongside training for Ironman triathlons, applying the same discipline and mindset to both his personal and professional life.
Future focus: Rob believes that while technology has an important role to play in improving efficiency, reporting and operational performance, the most successful leisure facilities are built around people, where strong systems and processes are combined with faultless service and exceptional customer experiences. He is passionate about ensuring motive8 continues to deliver a people-first approach, helping clients create engaging, welcoming spaces where residents and members can thrive.
Richard Moon is a co-owner of motive8, where he leads the gym, pool and spa maintenance division. He first joined the company in October 2004 on a university work-experience placement and has been part of the business ever since, joining the Board in 2016.
During his time at motive8, Richard has worked in almost every area of the company. His roles have included personal training, inductions, working in spa’s, working as a gym and pool maintenance technician, co-ordinating and installing gym design projects, managing gym design, and helping to set up the rental and refurbishment department. He believes this breadth of experience, from design and equipment supply through to staffing, day-to-day operation and maintenance, is what sets motive8 apart.
One of Richard’s proudest achievements has been building the gym maintenance operation from its first contract to around 400 contracts today. He has also helped motive8 grow from a team of around 20 people to approximately 120 employees. What matters most to him, however, is that the business has retained its family feel, with many team members now having been with motive8 for eight years or more.
Richard has a degree in Sports Rehabilitation, but much of his expertise has been gained through more than 20 years of hands-on industry experience. His approach to leadership is centred on getting the best from people. He enjoys coaching staff, giving them responsibility and helping them develop the confidence and skills to solve problems for themselves.
Outside of work, Richard spends most of his time with his family and his “crazy” cocker spaniel, Max, while keeping fit whenever time allows.
Future focus: Richard believes motive8 now has the people, systems and resources needed to grow further and take on more volume, while maintaining the personal service and family culture that make the company different.
Sarah has worked in the fitness industry for 27 years and is a co-owner of motive8. She has worked across all areas of the business from the grass roots up and has a strong understanding of how design must align with operational requirements, ensuring clients and end users receive the best possible service while considering ongoing operating costs throughout the design process. Sarah now steers the financial operation of the company supporting the wider team to deliver a great service.
Outside of work, Sarah enjoys long walks with her Whippet, strength training and family time. She also loves getting lost in a great book!
Starting life with motive8 as a freelance personal trainer delivering gym inductions at some of motive8’s original unmanned residential gyms, Jenny then teamed up with motive8 in 2011 to open their commercial Personal Training studio in Leeds and then joined the Board of Directors in 2018. Supported by an amazing team, Jenny has taken the Personal Training department from delivering solely personal training and inductions in unmanned facilities to developing services such as virtual inductions and delivering classes and compliance services to over 150 unmanned facilities across the UK.
With over 25 years industry experience and a degree in Physical Education, Jenny has seen many trends come and go, however, the trend which remains consistent at motive8 is our passion for delivering exceptional customer service. This is what makes motive8 the success it is.
Passionate about the people within the business, Jenny established the motive8 well-being Committee which delivers various initiatives throughout the year to enhance employee well-being.
Future Focus: Jenny and the team are always looking for ways to evolve their services with a belief that focus areas must be around the team, resources and staying ahead of industry trends to continue delivering services that enhance the residential gym user experience.
In her spare time / outside of work Jenny enjoys spending time with her family and takes part in triathlons, Hyrox and is a huge believer in training for your mental well-being.
Nick Sadler is the Founding Director of motive8 and has worked in the industry for 28 years. He has worked as the lead Gym and Spa consultant on projects across all sectors on a number of prestigious schemes with developers, architects, interior design agencies and managing agents. His expertise and consultancy on projects have ensured that the original design concepts are always met and exceeded whilst maintaining the future operational efficiency of the facility.
Nick Sadler | LinkedIn
