Whitby Folk – Fitness Machine owner and fitness instructor

Whitby is full of interesting people. Through their daily work they help keep the town ticking and help make it a great town to visit.

Shoreline Cottages has interviewed a number of these ‘Whitby folk’ to find out why they love the town so much and how they think it’s changed. Today we meet Claire Fowler, the owner and fitness instructor at Fitness Machine – an affordable gym that caters for everyone from the dedicated weight trainer to the casual fitness enthusiast.

What is your name?

Claire Fowler

What is you job title?

I’m one of the owners as well as fitness instructor at Fitness Machine. I own the gym with Ian who is a friend of mine. I’ve been doing this for 20 years. The job gives me a nice lifestyle. I manage the gym, talk to people and encourage and help motivate our customers. We have some lovely members and we have a great time. Many of our members have been coming here for years and have become good friends. We do the Boxing Day dip every year. We all dress up in fancy dress on Boxing Day and we go in the sea. We’ve won the event for the last few years so we’re currently champions of Whitby! We take part in charity events such as Children in Need and The Great North Run!

Do you mind telling us how old you are?

I’m 41

Have you lived in Whitby all your life?

Yes – my family have lived her for a few generations. My Mum and Dad had their own electrical business in Whitby

What do you love most about Whitby?

Whitby is a lovely place and is so beautiful. It’s also full of nice people!

What do you like least about Whitby?

We like everything about Whitby.

What has changed in the town over the past 10 years or so?

It’s a lot busier these days due to things like the Goth Weekend. When the Endeavour came to Whitby tourism increased. Whitby has become a very popular summer destination and the town sometimes has trouble coping with the demand for parking.

Do you have any children?

No, I don’t.

In your spare time what do you like to do?

I enjoy running, biking, swimming and doing triathlons.

Will you ever leave Whitby?

Probably not. We’ve got family and friends here and its a nice place to live.