HOW do you spend your lunch break — grabbing a quick bite to eat, working at your desk or spending money in the shops?

A Bolton town centre health studio is offering people the chance to do an exercise class in their lunch hour, including spinning, circuits and yoga which last about 35 minutes each.

Founded by health and fitness enthusiasts Gareth Price and Ian Harrison, V1ntage Health and Wellness Studio, Knowsley Street, it is billed as a place “for those who don’t do gyms”.

Gareth, aged 57, from Walkden, said: “It can get your exercise for the day out of the way.

“You’re not shopping or going in the pie shop or McDonald’s.

“I think people going back to work energised and buzzing, they’re going to be a better worker than somebody sitting at their desk eating a pie.

“Someone who is on an hour lunch and works in the town centre, there are classes designed for the 12 to 1pm slot and 1pm to 2pm.”

About 15 people took part in Thursday’s spintervals class, which started at 1.15pm and by 2pm they were showered, suited and booted and heading back to the office.

There are also 7am classes for people to attend before work, as well as evening ones including core, kombat and metafit.

As well as exercise helping people lose weight, boost mood and reduce risk of developing chronic diseases, Gareth says V1ntage is also a friendly and sociable place to go.

He said: “Everything we do is exercise to music.

“We think that putting fun into exercise is the best way to get people to do it.

“Sure lots of people want to do their sport and treadmills and running, we understand that, but what group exercise does is bring people together.

“We’re an alternative to what’s available.

“There’s a fantastic bunch of people come here.They are making friends for life.”

He also encourages people to take up a challenge, be it climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, completing an Ironman Triathlon or scaling the heights of Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon in the Three Peaks Challenge.

He said: “That gives people a little bit more structure to look after themselves.”

It was while Gareth was working in the construction industry for 25 years that he began thinking about the effect people’s health had on their working life.

The company he worked for had a £¼million-year absence bill and the managing director asked him to look at ways to reduce absence from work.

Gareth and Ian, from Horwich, initially set up V1ntage with the intention of offering the service to businesses to improve the health of their staff.

Due to the economic climate of recent years, it did not take off in the way they hoped but instead has struck a chord with individuals who want to look after their own health and well-being.

Tucked up the stairs of a building in Knowsley Street, V1ntage has been running for three years and the pair are also working on a project called Livelong which is centred around the advice that a person’s body mass index (BMI) should be between 19 and 25.

Gareth said: “Obesity is a huge issue, That’s what we are focusing on with Livelong and 1925.”

The cost is £5 for lunchtime classes, £6 for evenings or membership deals are available but with no contract or joining fee and there is also a not-for-profit company attached to V1ntage called F1rst Step

The pair work with schools across Bolton to develop group exercise, particularly with year 10 and 11 girls.

Gareth said: “Some of them are getting really inactive. 

“We go in and do streetdance and Zumba, something like that, and they’re buzzing.”

People can try their first class for £1, for more information visit v1ntage.co.uk.