Sidcup High Street is a step closer to gaining a round-the-clock gym, after Bexley Council signed off plans to turn the long-empty former Poundland store into an Anytime Fitness Sidcup branch.
The council approved a lawful development certificate on September 25, confirming that the proposed gym use is lawful at 35-37 High Street. Because the switch from a shop to a gym falls within the same planning use class – Class E – no full planning permission was required.
Since the decision, the fitness chain has lodged two further applications with the council: one to replace the shopfront and another seeking advertising consent for new signage at the site.
The signage plans feature an aluminium panel running across the top of the building, carrying the chain’s name and logo, alongside a projecting sign fixed to the side of the building. The shopfront replacement would bring new aluminium doors and windows, an illuminated entrance frame and a fresh coat of paint – part of a wider wave of high street refits across the capital, with a McDonald’s in Barking recently unveiling a fresh new look after a major refit.
The unit has stood empty since Poundland closed its doors last November. The Sidcup Partners business improvement district claimed at the time that high levels of shoplifting had partly contributed to the store shutting, while Poundland’s retail director Darren MacDonald described the closure as “disappointing”. The building is no stranger to big high street names, having previously housed Woolworths and 99p Stores.
The fresh applications signal that the project is moving forward, with the shopfront and signage designs now under consideration by council officers. Once approved, work could begin on transforming one of the largest vacant retail units on the high street into a modern fitness facility open around the clock.
What a 24-hour gym would bring
Anytime Fitness is among the brands that have driven the rapid growth of round-the-clock fitness in Britain. The 24-hour gym model, which has spread quickly across London in recent years, gives members secure access to train at any hour of the day or night – an arrangement that suits shift workers, early risers and anyone squeezing a workout around an unpredictable schedule.
The growth of round-the-clock fitness reflects broader changes in how – and when – people exercise, with demand rising for flexible options outside traditional peak hours. Londoners’ appetite for keeping fit shows little sign of fading: research recently named the London Marathon among Britain’s easiest marathons, while boutique studios, outdoor bootcamps and budget gyms continue to multiply across the capital’s boroughs.
A high street reinventing itself
The arrival of a gym would mark another step in the evolution of Sidcup High Street, where – as in town centres across outer London – vacant retail units are increasingly being repurposed for leisure, hospitality and services. Business improvement districts and councils have been pushing to fill empty shops and bring more footfall back to high streets reshaped by changing shopping habits.
Sidcup has seen a string of efforts to revive its town centre in recent years, from markets and events to public realm improvements, as local leaders try to turn the high street into a destination rather than simply a row of shops. Elsewhere in the capital, competing visions for landmark sites have sparked lively debate – including the four rival visions unveiled for the Ladywell Playtower in Lewisham, where residents were given the final say.
With the lawful use of the former Poundland now confirmed and applications for the new shopfront and signage lodged, a 24-hour gym on Sidcup High Street looks increasingly likely. No opening date has been announced. Residents will be watching closely to see when work begins.
