ANDOVER bid farewell to an ‘old school, family gym' after 25 years of serving as a hub for fitness enthusiasts and a support system for many.

Caffrey's Gym in Charlton Road has closed due to the cost-of-living crisis, with owner and driving force Martin Caffrey saying he worked at the gym for 25 years and is “walking away with literally nothing”.

The Covid pandemic also took a toll on the gym's membership, and it became increasingly challenging to sustain the business.

"We lost a lot of members during that period. Even after Covid, people changed their mindset. There were a lot more people training at home," said Martin, 47, who lives in Monxton village.

"So we had a massive drop in membership. I was doing 80 hours a week and taking home no money because I was subsidising members who helped us go through Covid."

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The gym's farewell gathering, held to mark the end of an era, exceeded expectations with over 150 people in attendance, including former members who returned to pay their respects.

Martin’s journey with the gym began in 1998 when he joined as an instructor at the age of 22. It was then called Salto Fitness.

He later took over ownership and transformed it into Caffrey's Gym, which became a testament to his dedication and passion for fitness and wellbeing.

“I started off as an actor. I went to college in Andover and did sports studies. Then I was doing my fitness for a while and got into a dance group called After Dark. After that, I went on to do performing arts and started acting. It was mainly extra work, but I did some fighting on Russell Crowe’s Gladiator. I was a stuntman on that."

His journey into fitness instruction began when he sought a career change.

"I was going for auditions, and to be fair, it was just costing me so much money, so I decided to fall back on my sports diploma," he said.

"And I went to Salto. They'd only been open for about six months. I was looking for a change in career. And luckily enough, one of the instructors had left the day before, so I walked straight in. And that's literally how I got into it."

Caffrey's Gym wasn't just a place to work out; it was a sanctuary for those seeking not only physical fitness but also mental wellbeing.

"A lot of people who train suffer from all types of things, especially from depression," Martin said.

"And it was just a way to be able to give to the community. I wanted the gym to be something where everyone knows everyone’s name. If you're having a bad day, you can come, you can just talk. And I think that's why people got emotionally attached to us."

Over the years, the gym achieved numerous milestones, the most significant being the positive impact it had on the lives of its members.

"I think every single member who has come up to me for the farewell said the gym had changed their lives," Martin proudly said.

"A person said the reason he was still alive was because of us. Because we listened and we helped. And I think that was probably our biggest achievement. We have changed so many lives, and we will be one of the gyms in Andover that will always be mentioned."

Despite its legacy, Caffrey's Gym faced challenges from corporate gyms that offered lower prices, which proved to be a tough competition.

Martin was overwhelmed by the love and support he received for the farewell event.

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"I was really shocked to see the number of people who attended. I think there were more than 150 people. Even old members who haven't been with us for a while came back just to say goodbye.

“Obviously the gym was a bit of a social hub. It was one of those old-school, family gyms. So you find everybody from all walks of life. They were all just chatting to each other. It was really lovely.

"All the members put loads of money together without me knowing. They got me a card. It really touched me actually. I broke down a little bit because it was just something I didn't expect."

Looking to the future, Martin has applied for a new job in a different field, marking a significant change in his career path.

He expressed his heartfelt appreciation for the community that rallied around the gym, and said: "I’m gonna miss them more than I can say."