Start outdoor fitness classes in your local park

Local adults who want a friendly alternative to the gym, including parents, beginners and people returning to exercise.

Monthly memberships, block bookings or pay-as-you-go sessions. Income grows by adding more class times and locations.

• Recognised fitness instructor qualification
• Confident group coaching
• Planning safe, varied sessions
• Local marketing and social media

• Permission to run paid classes in parks: many councils require a permit or fee, so check with yours
• Public liability insurance and professional indemnity for instructors
• Health screening for clients, such as a PAR-Q form, and keeping records
• Bad weather affecting attendance and income, so have a cancellation policy
• Music playback in classes may need a licence, so check what applies

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around £500 to £2,500, depending on your qualification, insurance, equipment and any park permit or fee. Check with your council what it requires before you take payments for classes.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around £400 to £3,000, depending on class numbers, pricing and how many sessions you run. Bad weather can affect attendance and income, so a clear cancellation policy is worth having.

Check whether your council requires a permit or fee for paid classes in parks. Also check public liability and professional indemnity insurance, health screening such as a PAR-Q form with records kept, and whether you need a licence for music playback.