Next Generation considers £200m sale

Health club entrepreneurs David Lloyd and his son Scott are believed to be considering putting their Next Generation Clubs chain up for sale, following the appointment of investment bank UBS to investigate strategic options.

The chain could be worth up to £200m.

In the event of a sale, rival Esporta is believed to be the obvious buyer, after chief executive, Neil Gillis, revealed in October that he had appointed investment bank Citigroup to search for suitable acquisition opportunities in the premium health club sector.

A spokesperson for Esporta today declined to comment on whether the group would bid for Next Generation.

Next Generation was set up by Lloyd and his son Scott – the chain's managing director – in 1996, after he sold David Lloyd Leisure (DLL) to Whitbread.

The group operates 12 racquets, health and fitness clubs, with new openings planned for Leicester next summer, Swindon in winter 2006 and Blackpool in 2007.

It also owns the Harbour Club in Chelsea, London – acquired from Cannons for £16m last year – and has recently opened a second Harbour Club in Notting Hill, west London.

The new club is located on the site of an existing tennis club, The Carlton Club, also owned by Next Generation.

The club features three tennis courts, a 25m swimming pool and a two-floor fitness suite, as well as the Total Health Clinic spa.

In January, the group opened Europe's largest health and fitness club with the launch of a 165,000sq ft (15,300sq m) facility in Hatfield, Hertfordshire.

The club, which has a capacity of up to 8,000, currently only caters for around 4,000 local familes. A spokepserson said that for such a new club however, Hatfield was well ahead of its sales target. Details: www.nextgenerationclubs.co.uk