A FORMER teacher has launched York's only city centre personal training studio.

Podfit was launched in Market Street, above the former Early Learning Centre, in April last year, and has now entered for New Business of the Year in the Press Business Awards.

Founded by Neil Owens, Podfit offers three separate personal training zones, each with its only equipment, and is already expecting to outgrow its current premises by the end of next year.

Mr Owens said: "It was very clear from the outset that was a sizeable gap in the market. There are no private personal training studios in the city centre and only a few within the York district.

"Personal Training sometimes gets a bad reputation, and I understand why. Gym personal trainers are poorly paid, disaffected and take little or no notice of client goals. We are different for many reasons.

"The first comes down to careful staff selection. As an ex teacher, I would undergo full day interviews, with a lesson delivery, lunch at the school and a tough interview process. I have followed these protocols in hiring all training staff.

"Furthermore, we went to local universities to advertise for new staff and our latest female recruit was a graduate.

"We look for that extra bit of dedication."

As a lower back specialist, and with an exercise referral qualification, Mr Owens is putting senior staff through additional training to ensure they can work with clients with a range of conditions from, diabetes, to obesity, to arthritis, to people with high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

Mr Owens said: "We are currently looking at a new location but we believe to be able to include five Pods and a massage room, small office, three showers, client seating and a staff room; at our current rate of growth, we will outgrow our current space in 2016."