New attraction set to move into Plymouth's Barcode

A 24-hour gym looks set to open in one of the last remaining empty spaces at Plymouth’s £53m Barcode leisure complex. Drake Circus Leisure Ltd, the British Land subsidiary which controls the Barcode, has applied for planning permission to change the use of the unit next to the car park entrance from a restaurant to “indoor sports and recreation”.

Unit 11 has been vacant since the Barcode opened five years ago. But now it is listed as “under offer” on one leading property website. And documents have been submitted to Plymouth City Council seeking permission for the change of use of the 624m sq unit, including its 247m sq mezzanine.

A document prepared by Birmingham-headquartered planning consultants CarneySweeney said Drake Circus Leisure’s plans were sparked “in response to market interest” and added: “This development will strengthen the city centre as a regional mixed-use destination.”

The company that could be moving in has not been named but the document said: “The proposed occupier is a gym, who aim to increase access to health and fitness activities to a wide demographic within the local community to encourage and improve health. The gym seeks to operate 24 hours a day to maximise convenience and operational benefits.”

It goes on to say that a new management plan covering opening hours is also being submitted - because the gym wants to be open around the clock. It said: “This application seeks to extend the opening hours of Unit 11 to operate as a gym for 24 hours a day (everyday including Sundays and Bank Holidays) in order to maximise convenience and operational benefits.”

The document said that a gym is not dissimilar to the uses in the rest of the complex and it will “complement the entertainment and leisure offer at the Barcode and contribute to the vitality and viability of the city centre by increasing footfall compared to the currently vacant unit”. It said: “The gym/health and fitness use sits comfortably within, and is consistent with, the use of the overall site as a leisure and entertainment destination.”

It is intended that the gym has a member of staff on site at all times and its CCTV will be monitored around the clock. Plymouth’s Public Health Team has supported the application and there has been no objection from the highway authority.

The Barcode is anchored by the 14-screen Cineworld multiplex, and also includes the leisure destinations Boom Battle Bar, Paradise Island Adventure Golf and Spinners. It is also home to the food and drink outlets Franco Manca, Zizzi, Brewdog, Five Guys, Kaspa’s, Las Iguanas and The Cosy Club.

If Unit 11 is filled by a gym it will leave just Unit 1, on the ground floor underneath the Cosy Club, and the top level Sky Bar empty. Meanwhile, PureGym is due to open soon at Bravo Way, the £19m newly named district shopping centre at Derriford.

And there are already nearly 20 gyms in Plymouth. These include Nuffield Health at the Barbican Leisure Park, MDL Fitness at Queen Anne’s Battery, Club Moativation at the Crowne Plaza, the Gym Group at Derry’s Cross and at Laira, McCaulay’s at the Crescent, Club Continental at the Continental Hotel, Bodylines Gym in Stonehouse, Plymouth Health and Fitness and Plymouth Performance Gym, both at the Millfields; BLOCK Gym at the Royal William Yard, Jacksons Gym at Cattedown, Pantheon Gym at Ford, the UPSU Gym and Sports Centre, at the University of Plymouth campus; YMCA Plymouth at Honicknowle, Bodyworld at Derriford, JD Gyms at Transit Way and the Life Centre in Central Park.

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