Swift Fitness in Layerthorpe is one of 10 finalists in the contest after readers nominated hundreds of favourites on an online voting platform.
Starting from Monday, January 20, voting slips are appearing in The Press newspaper for 12 consecutive days – allowing readers to pick their winner before voting closes on February 1.
Each copy of The Press has been featuring a short profile on each business and why it thinks it deserves to be voted number one in York.
Readers can vote for the Best Gym 2025 by picking up a voting slip, found in copies of The Press newspaper every day, with the winner set to be announced in the coming weeks.
Swift Fitness York is our second finalist in The Press Best Gym (Image: Newsquest)
Founded in 2014, owner Marcus Allan said the Swift Fitness team “chose to build our gym in York because it’s home to our entire family”. He added: “We couldn’t imagine a better place to open our doors.
“At the time, there was a noticeable lack of quality gyms in the area, and we saw an opportunity to make a difference.”
The four-person family team makes up the staff at Swift Fitness. Marcus said: “There’s myself, my brother Danny, who is a skilled personal trainer, and our mam, who takes care of the cleaning and general upkeep of the gym.
“Our dad, affectionately known as ‘The Boss’, ensures everything runs smoothly and keeps us all on track. Additionally, we have another fantastic personal trainer and a qualified physiotherapist, rounding out our team to provide comprehensive support for our members.”
Marcus went on to credit his “loyal members”, adding: “Many of our members have been with us for years and stood by us even during the challenges of lockdown, which we’re incredibly grateful for to this day.
“Our members come from all walks of life, representing all shapes and sizes, and we’re proud of the supportive and welcoming environment we’ve built. A lot of our members are on a first name basis, which really speaks to the sense of community we’ve created. We’re excited to keep growing and adding to our Swift Fitness family.”
He then said that Swift Fitness is “the only independent, family run gym in the city”, adding that they are becoming “increasingly rare”.
“We believe that personal touch sets us apart. At Swift Fitness, you’re not just a number you become part of something bigger,” he said.
“Over the past 11 years, we’ve seen gyms around us come and go, but our resilience, hard work, and dedication have kept us going strong. Our success is built on results, a sense of community, and the loyalty of our members. That’s why we believe we’ve earned this recognition.”
