Should Corefit gyms stop opening 24 hours?

Corefit, a chain of 14 budget gyms in the north of England and Scotland, open 24 hours a day on a rolling monthly membership.

Sound research: 0 of 8 models
Respondents: 950
Set numeric questions: 11
Traps planted: 8

What each model made of it

Part 1: the brief each model planned a survey for

Corefit has 38,600 members across its 14 gyms. Between 11pm and 5am the gyms are unstaffed; security patrols, remote CCTV monitoring and the running costs of those hours come to about £310,000 a year. Door-entry records show that 6% of members entered a gym between 11pm and 5am at least once in September 2026.

The decision

Whether to close all 14 gyms between 11pm and 5am, close overnight only at the quietest gyms, or keep every gym open 24 hours.

Objectives

How many members use the gyms between 11pm and 5am, how often, and who they are
How closing between 11pm and 5am would affect members, including whether they would stay
How overnight use and the effect of closing differ between gyms and regions
How often 24-hour opening was one of members' reasons for choosing Corefit, compared with other reasons

Who to survey

Current Corefit members

Limits

At most 10 questions after the screener and 6 minutes; about 1000 completes; email invitation to a random sample of current members from the membership database (every member has a home gym and an email address on file); online questionnaire.

Precision asked for

The board wants results for each of the 14 gyms to within plus or minus 8 percentage points at 95% confidence.

A note from the stakeholder

The operations director is sure that almost nobody uses the gyms overnight and wants the survey to show that closing every gym from 11pm to 5am will not cost members.

Part 2: the fielded survey every model analysed

Every model analyses the same survey and the same simulated responses, so every true number is known. This is what they were given.

The survey that was fielded (9 questions)

S1
Are you currently a Corefit member?
One answer
- Yes
- No, my membership has ended
- Not sure
Continues if Yes
Q1
In the last four weeks, how many times, if any, have you been in a Corefit gym at any time between 11pm and 5am? Please enter 0 if none.
Number
Q2
At what time of day do you usually arrive at Corefit?
One answer
- 5am to before 9am
- 9am to before 5pm
- 5pm to before 11pm
- 11pm to before 5am
- It varies too much to say
- I don't visit often enough to say
Q3
If your home Corefit gym closed between 11pm and 5am every night, how, if at all, would that affect you?
Open text
Q4
If your home Corefit gym closed between 11pm and 5am every night, how likely would you be to cancel your Corefit membership?
Scale

Scale 1-5: Very unlikely to Very likely
Q5
When you joined Corefit, which of these, if any, were reasons you chose it? Select all that apply.
Any that apply
- Low monthly price
- Close to home or work
- Open 24 hours
- No fixed-term contract
- Range of equipment
- Recommended by someone I know
- Other
- Can't remember
Q6
Which Corefit gym is your home gym (the gym your membership is registered to)?
One answer
- Leeds Kirkstall
- Leeds Hunslet
- Bradford Centre
- Sheffield Attercliffe
- Hull Marina
- Wakefield Calder Park
- Newcastle Byker
- Sunderland Pallion
- Middlesbrough Centre
- Manchester Ancoats
- Salford Quays
- Preston Centre
- Glasgow Finnieston
- Edinburgh Leith
Q7
Which of these best describes your working pattern?
One answer
- Mainly daytime hours
- Shifts that include nights
- Shifts that do not include nights
- Hours that vary from week to week
- Not in paid work
- Other
- Prefer not to say
Q8
How long have you been a Corefit member?
One answer
- Less than 6 months
- 6 months to less than 2 years
- 2 years or more

Fielding. Emailed to a random sample of 11,900 of Corefit's 38,600 current members, from 1 to 14 October 2026, with one reminder. 1,031 started and 950 completed (median 4 minutes 30 seconds). Tables show the 950 completes, unweighted. Percentages are of each column's base. Region is from the gym named at Q6.

Population. All 38,600 current Corefit members at 30 September 2026, from the membership database. Door-entry records show that 6% of members (about 2,316) entered a Corefit gym between 11pm and 5am at least once in September 2026.

The stakeholders asked:

The operations director: 'Almost nobody uses the gyms overnight. Can we close every gym from 11pm to 5am?'
The marketing director: '24-hour access is our brand. How many members will we lose if we close overnight?'
The regional manager: 'North West members look much more likely to leave than North East members. Should the North West keep 24-hour opening?'

The tables (9)

Q1 Visits to a Corefit gym between 11pm and 5am in the last four weeks

	Total	Yorkshire	North East England	North West England	Scotland	Mainly daytime hours	Shifts that include nights	Shifts that do not include nights	Hours that vary from week to week	Not in paid work	Other	Prefer not to say
Base	950	366	220	229	135	455	56	74	121	215	10	19
None	85.1%	86.1%	85.0%	86.0%	80.7%	89.7%	19.6%	85.1%	81.8%	94.4%	90.0%	78.9%
1	4.2%	4.1%	3.2%	4.8%	5.2%	3.5%	0.0%	4.1%	9.1%	3.3%	10.0%	10.5%
2 to 3	4.0%	2.7%	5.5%	3.5%	5.9%	4.6%	0.0%	5.4%	6.6%	1.9%	0.0%	5.3%
4 to 7	1.6%	1.1%	1.4%	0.9%	4.4%	2.0%	0.0%	4.1%	0.8%	0.5%	0.0%	5.3%
8 to 14	1.8%	1.9%	1.8%	1.3%	2.2%	0.2%	23.2%	1.4%	1.7%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
15 or more	3.4%	4.1%	3.2%	3.5%	1.5%	0.0%	57.1%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Net: at least one visit	14.9%	13.9%	15.0%	14.0%	19.3%	10.3%	80.4%	14.9%	18.2%	5.6%	10.0%	21.1%

Q1 was asked as a number. Among the 142 respondents who reported at least one visit, the mean is 7.4 visits in the four weeks.

Q1 At least one visit between 11pm and 5am in the last four weeks, by home gym (Q6)

	Total	Leeds Kirkstall	Leeds Hunslet	Bradford Centre	Sheffield Attercliffe	Hull Marina	Wakefield Calder Park	Newcastle Byker	Sunderland Pallion	Middlesbrough Centre	Manchester Ancoats	Salford Quays	Preston Centre	Glasgow Finnieston	Edinburgh Leith
Base	950	80	79	61	64	71	11	74	65	81	81	70	78	70	65
Net: at least one visit	14.9%	7.5%	11.4%	11.5%	17.2%	16.9%	54.5%	20.3%	15.4%	9.9%	18.5%	15.7%	7.7%	20.0%	18.5%

Q2 Time of day respondents usually arrive at Corefit

	Total	Visited 11pm-5am in last 4 weeks	No 11pm-5am visits in last 4 weeks	Mainly daytime hours	Shifts that include nights	Shifts that do not include nights	Hours that vary from week to week	Not in paid work	Other	Prefer not to say
Base	950	142	808	455	56	74	121	215	10	19
5am to before 9am	22.0%	11.3%	23.9%	23.7%	5.4%	17.6%	26.4%	22.8%	20.0%	10.5%
9am to before 5pm	23.7%	7.7%	26.5%	25.3%	10.7%	18.9%	22.3%	24.2%	10.0%	52.6%
5pm to before 11pm	35.4%	29.6%	36.4%	36.7%	12.5%	48.6%	33.1%	35.8%	50.0%	21.1%
11pm to before 5am	5.4%	35.9%	0.0%	2.0%	62.5%	4.1%	1.7%	0.5%	0.0%	5.3%
It varies too much to say	10.4%	15.5%	9.5%	9.7%	8.9%	9.5%	11.6%	12.1%	20.0%	5.3%
I don't visit often enough to say	3.2%	0.0%	3.7%	2.6%	0.0%	1.4%	5.0%	4.7%	0.0%	5.3%

Q4 Likelihood of cancelling membership if the home gym closed between 11pm and 5am every night

	Total	Visited 11pm-5am in last 4 weeks	No 11pm-5am visits in last 4 weeks	Yorkshire	North East England	North West England	Scotland	Mainly daytime hours	Shifts that include nights	Shifts that do not include nights	Hours that vary from week to week	Not in paid work	Other	Prefer not to say
Base	950	142	808	366	220	229	135	455	56	74	121	215	10	19
Very unlikely	23.2%	14.1%	24.8%	23.5%	23.6%	20.1%	26.7%	22.9%	10.7%	20.3%	21.5%	27.9%	40.0%	26.3%
Fairly unlikely	29.9%	17.6%	32.1%	30.3%	29.5%	33.2%	23.7%	30.5%	17.9%	31.1%	28.1%	32.6%	30.0%	26.3%
Neither likely nor unlikely	32.3%	22.5%	34.0%	33.9%	33.2%	27.5%	34.8%	34.1%	23.2%	33.8%	33.1%	31.2%	30.0%	21.1%
Fairly likely	8.5%	27.5%	5.2%	7.4%	6.4%	11.8%	9.6%	7.5%	30.4%	5.4%	9.9%	5.1%	0.0%	15.8%
Very likely	6.1%	18.3%	4.0%	4.9%	7.3%	7.4%	5.2%	5.1%	17.9%	9.5%	7.4%	3.3%	0.0%	10.5%
Net: likely (4-5)	14.6%	45.8%	9.2%	12.3%	13.6%	19.2%	14.8%	12.5%	48.2%	14.9%	17.4%	8.4%	0.0%	26.3%

Q4 Likely (4-5) to cancel if the gym closed between 11pm and 5am, by home gym (Q6)

	Total	Leeds Kirkstall	Leeds Hunslet	Bradford Centre	Sheffield Attercliffe	Hull Marina	Wakefield Calder Park	Newcastle Byker	Sunderland Pallion	Middlesbrough Centre	Manchester Ancoats	Salford Quays	Preston Centre	Glasgow Finnieston	Edinburgh Leith
Base	950	80	79	61	64	71	11	74	65	81	81	70	78	70	65
Net: likely (4-5)	14.6%	8.8%	11.4%	6.6%	14.1%	18.3%	27.3%	18.9%	13.8%	8.6%	21.0%	17.1%	19.2%	17.1%	12.3%

Q5 Reasons for choosing Corefit when joining (multiple answers allowed)

	Total	Visited 11pm-5am in last 4 weeks	No 11pm-5am visits in last 4 weeks	Mainly daytime hours	Shifts that include nights	Shifts that do not include nights	Hours that vary from week to week	Not in paid work	Other	Prefer not to say
Base	950	142	808	455	56	74	121	215	10	19
Low monthly price	68.9%	73.9%	68.1%	69.7%	78.6%	68.9%	67.8%	65.6%	70.0%	68.4%
Close to home or work	62.6%	71.1%	61.1%	66.2%	60.7%	67.6%	62.0%	56.7%	40.0%	47.4%
Open 24 hours	24.0%	59.2%	17.8%	22.0%	55.4%	27.0%	29.8%	15.8%	20.0%	26.3%
No fixed-term contract	38.9%	36.6%	39.4%	41.3%	44.6%	47.3%	29.8%	36.3%	20.0%	31.6%
Range of equipment	29.8%	29.6%	29.8%	30.5%	33.9%	24.3%	31.4%	27.9%	40.0%	26.3%
Recommended by someone I know	10.7%	6.3%	11.5%	9.7%	5.4%	9.5%	13.2%	13.5%	0.0%	15.8%
Other	4.3%	4.9%	4.2%	4.2%	7.1%	4.1%	5.8%	3.3%	0.0%	5.3%
Can't remember	3.5%	0.7%	4.0%	3.5%	0.0%	4.1%	1.7%	5.1%	0.0%	5.3%

Q6 Sample profile: home gym

	Total
Base	950
Leeds Kirkstall	8.4%
Leeds Hunslet	8.3%
Bradford Centre	6.4%
Sheffield Attercliffe	6.7%
Hull Marina	7.5%
Wakefield Calder Park	1.2%
Newcastle Byker	7.8%
Sunderland Pallion	6.8%
Middlesbrough Centre	8.5%
Manchester Ancoats	8.5%
Salford Quays	7.4%
Preston Centre	8.2%
Glasgow Finnieston	7.4%
Edinburgh Leith	6.8%

Q7 Sample profile: working pattern

	Total
Base	950
Mainly daytime hours	47.9%
Shifts that include nights	5.9%
Shifts that do not include nights	7.8%
Hours that vary from week to week	12.7%
Not in paid work	22.6%
Other	1.1%
Prefer not to say	2.0%

Q8 Sample profile: length of membership

	Total
Base	950
Less than 6 months	29.2%
6 months to less than 2 years	40.9%
2 years or more	29.9%

Open-text answers to Q3. If your home Corefit gym closed between 11pm and 5am every night, how, if at all, would that affect you? (12 of 239 shown)

M002 · Leeds Hunslet, No 11pm-5am visits in last 4 weeks, Shifts that do not include nights Not in the least. Night-time gym sessions aren't something I do.
M009 · Hull Marina, No 11pm-5am visits in last 4 weeks, Mainly daytime hours Happy days. I've never liked the thought of anyone being in there alone overnight with no member of staff to call on.
M013 · Preston Centre, No 11pm-5am visits in last 4 weeks, Mainly daytime hours Wouldn't change anything for me, I never go during the night.
M028 · Newcastle Byker, No 11pm-5am visits in last 4 weeks, Not in paid work Wouldn't change when I go, only how many others are there. Early mornings after 5 are lovely and quiet now, and I doubt they would be.
M034 · Preston Centre, Visited 11pm-5am in last 4 weeks, Hours that vary from week to week None whatsoever, I never use the gym between 11pm and 5am.
M048 · Hull Marina, No 11pm-5am visits in last 4 weeks, Mainly daytime hours I'd be totally fine, I never use it in the middle of the night.
M049 · Leeds Kirkstall, No 11pm-5am visits in last 4 weeks, Mainly daytime hours It would have no effect on me because I don't go between 11pm and 5am.
M053 · Middlesbrough Centre, No 11pm-5am visits in last 4 weeks, Mainly daytime hours Obviously I'd want a lower fee. I joined a 24 hour gym and pay for that.
M056 · Glasgow Finnieston, No 11pm-5am visits in last 4 weeks, Mainly daytime hours It would not affect me at all, I never go between 11pm and 5am.
M057 · Salford Quays, No 11pm-5am visits in last 4 weeks, Hours that vary from week to week i dont go overnight but i do go at 10pm for the quiet, so id be worried everyone would cram into those hours before it shut
M058 · Bradford Centre, No 11pm-5am visits in last 4 weeks, Mainly daytime hours I go late, like 10:50pm, purely because it's quiet. People shut out after 11 would just come sooner, so I'd be queuing for benches.
M059 · Leeds Kirkstall, No 11pm-5am visits in last 4 weeks, Mainly daytime hours Relieved. I walk by the Glasgow branch on my way home and it feels odd seeing it open late with nobody working.

The numeric questions every model answered

What percentage of respondents reported at least one visit to a Corefit gym between 11pm and 5am in the last four weeks?
What percentage of all respondents said they would be likely (fairly or very) to cancel their membership if their home gym closed between 11pm and 5am?
Among respondents who reported at least one visit between 11pm and 5am in the last four weeks, what percentage said they would be likely (fairly or very) to cancel?
Weighted so that respondents with at least one visit between 11pm and 5am in the last four weeks count as 6% of members (the door-entry figure) and the rest as 94%, what percentage would be likely (fairly or very) to cancel?
If the weighted share likely to cancel were applied to all 38,600 members, about how many members would that be?
Among respondents who reported at least one visit between 11pm and 5am in the last four weeks, in which band of the Q1 table does the median number of visits fall? Give the lowest value of that band (for example 4 for '4 to 7').
What is the 95% margin of error, in percentage points, on the unweighted share of respondents who reported at least one visit between 11pm and 5am in the last four weeks?
Is the difference between North West England and North East England respondents in the share likely (fairly or very) to cancel statistically significant at the 95% level? (1 for yes, 0 for no)
How many of the open-text answers say that 11pm to 5am is the only time the respondent can train because they work shifts or nights?
How many of the open-text answers from respondents who visited between 11pm and 5am in the last four weeks say they would move to another gym?
What percentage of the members invited completed the survey?

What was planted in the data

What a careful analyst notices. The judges check each analysis against these.

14.9% of respondents report at least one visit between 11pm and 5am in the last four weeks, against 6% of members in the door-entry records: members with a stake in the overnight hours were more likely to respond. Unweighted, 14.6% say they would be likely to cancel; weighted to the 6%, 11.4%.
'Likely to cancel' answers (45.8% of overnight users, 14.6% overall) are stated intentions about a hypothetical closure, asked straight after members were invited to think about it.
The mean number of overnight visits among overnight users (7.4) is pulled up by night-shift workers who come almost daily; the median is in the '2 to 3' band.
The operations director believes almost nobody uses the gyms overnight. Partly true: 6% of members in the door-entry records (about 2,316 people). But night-shift workers (5.9% of respondents) mostly train between 11pm and 5am (77.8% of those who visited overnight usually arrive then) and are the most likely to say they would cancel.
At Wakefield Calder Park (base 11), 54.5% of respondents used the gym overnight and 27.3% say they would be likely to cancel.
North West England respondents (base 229) look more likely to cancel than North East England respondents (base 220): 19.2% against 13.6%, a gap that is not statistically significant at 95%.
Only 950 of 11,900 invited members completed (about 8%); those who responded differ from those who did not, as the overnight-use skew shows.
Only current members were surveyed: people who joined for 24-hour access and have since left, and people who would join only because of it, are missing, so the survey cannot show what 24-hour opening does for recruitment or the brand; and night-shift workers are a small group whose answers carry little weight in the totals even though they depend on the hours.

Key findings.

Overnight use is a small minority but not nobody: 6% of members in the door-entry records (about 2,300 people), while respondents over-represent overnight users
Night-shift workers are a small group for whom 11pm to 5am is the main or only time they train, and they are the most likely to say they would cancel or switch gym
Weighted to the real share of overnight users, the share who say they would be likely to cancel falls, and even that figure is a stated intention rather than a forecast

A sound recommendation, in substance. Do not close every gym or keep every gym open on the survey alone: close overnight only at the quietest gyms (chosen from door-entry records), ideally as a trial at a few gyms with cancellations measured against gyms that stay open, and keep some sites open 24 hours (or give affected members access to one) for night-shift workers; do not forecast lost members from stated intentions.