A husband and wife team are building communities as well as muscle at their Highland gyms.
Jim and Ruth Gagan are the brains and the brawn behind Silverback Gym, which has facilities in Tain and Dornoch, as well as a new location in Brora.
It’s been eight years since their 24-hour gym opened on Blarliath Industrial Estate, after spotting a gap in the area for “serious lifting” facilities.
Stress quickly turned to success for the pair, who believe they proved there was a need for better facilities in Ross-shire and Sutherland.
Where the idea all began
When Jim and Ruth moved up to the area, they had already been training for a long time.
And while searching for a facility which had the equipment and facilities they were after, they struggled.
Jim said: “Things were okay but there wasn’t much on offer for serious lifting.
“We wanted something better and so we put an idea together — and we were sure if we wanted it then others would too.
“Why shouldn’t we have access to decent facilities just because we stay in a remote area?”
After exercising their brains, the Gagans came up with Silverback Gym and opened their first spot in Tain.
Ruth said: “When we were building the place, we were really nervous. But we had this mentality of ‘if you build it, they will come’.
“It’s brilliant for locals but we also see a lot of people who are up here for work and they’re much happier now there are proper facilities.
“The way the business has grown is a special feeling and the behaviour of our customers has been phenomenal — it’s definitely a community of its own.”
New Brora gym
Earlier this month, Jim and Ruth launched their third Silverback location, this time in Brora.
The new facilities sit inside Highland Coast Hotels’ Royal Marine Hotel and can be accessed 24 hours a day.
Ruth said: “There hadn’t been a gym in Brora for about six or seven years. Even before that, it was only a typical hotel gym at that time.
“There has been a lot of chatter and demand on social media since we announced the Brora gym.
“What we’ve put in there has already delighted a lot of people. At the moment we’re spending a lot of time going through our personal programme with people.
“A lot of people want to go to the gym but aren’t sure where to start and so we built a training programme which can help guide them.”
A range of memberships are available at the gyms with day, week and month passes as well as monthly subscriptions.
Ruth added: “What we have seen from those who are coming through the doors so far is that people are getting more for their money than they anticipated.
“We want to get to know each and every person who comes through the door, spend time together and strengthen the gym community.”
Silverback Gym community
Jim and Ruth were keen to make sure there was a positive vibe in the gym right from the get go.
Jim said: “One of the things we invested a lot of time in when we opened was how people felt walking in.
“We don’t need staff in our gyms but we do have them and every day we have someone behind the desk in Tain.
“It might be someone’s only social activity that day and we genuinely care and are interested.
“Our clients range from 16 to 80 and there’s nowhere else where that age range crosses.
“But everyone gets on really well and we’re really proud of that.”
The Tain gym will undergo an extension in the near future and Jim and Ruth say they’re “open for discussions” on any new opportunities.
Ruth added: “We don’t know what’s next, we have three now and need to make sure they’re all healthy.
“Never say never, but for now we’re focusing on what we do have.”
Conversation