While most people spend the time between Christmas and New Year not knowing what day it is, four new owners of a mid Suffolk gym spent seven days renovating to reopen with a new look.

The four best friends who run Needham Gym and Fitness, in the Lion Barn Industrial Estate in Needham Market, decided to spend the holidays giving the gym a much-needed renovation.

Izzy Clarke, 26, with partner Josh Palmer, 26, his sister Millie, 24, and her partner Mike Spurling, 26, took over the gym in April last year.

They decided to take the plunge after the previous owner approached them to offer them the opportunity, as Mike and Josh had been members for years and had always wanted to own their own business.

East Anglian Daily Times: Izzy Clarke, Mike Spurling, Josh and Millie Palmer, owners of Needham Gym and Fitness.Izzy Clarke, Mike Spurling, Josh and Millie Palmer, owners of Needham Gym and Fitness. (Image: Needham Gym and Fitness)

The friends then planned and saved for several months to bring their vision to life.

Along with three receptionists, the couples share the running of the gym alongside their full-time jobs - Izzy as an administrator, Josh as a plumbing and heating engineer, Millie as a hairdresser, and Mike in shift work - meaning they have their "hands full".

East Anglian Daily Times: The gym before renovations.The gym before renovations. (Image: Needham Gym and Fitness)

Izzy said: "We had Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to rest, and then started renovations on Boxing Day and finished on New Year's Day. We were flat-out the entire time, ready to open on Tuesday (January 2).

"When we took it over in April last year, we knew we needed to bring the gym alive. We repainted the walls, replaced the flooring, and put quotes on the walls.

"We definitely have our hands full with our jobs but we share the load."


East Anglian Daily Times: A new look for the gym.A new look for the gym. (Image: Needham Gym and Fitness)

Ms Clarke added that they have created a gym with a community feel: "We are a smaller gym and I think we offer something that larger, corporate gyms don't. We are friends with our members.

"We get messages from people who have never been to the gym before and don't know where to start. We take those people under our wing.

"It has more of a community feel rather than turning up in a gym and not speaking to anyone."