Whelan said he plans to re-brand the 52-strong chain of gyms as DW Fitness, and is expected to buy up more than 50 adjoining stores brand them under the name DW Sports.
‘I was getting a bit fed up of being retired. The original plan was for 100 health clubs and stores and that's still the target,' said Whelan, who first founded Wigan-based JJB Sports in the 1970s.
JJB Sports was forced to place fashion retailer Original Shoe Company and footwear store Qube into administration last month, at a cost of 400 jobs.
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