Brother-sister founders Hannah and Jonathan Moore talk of the ‘positive impact of Muay Thai and dance’
“Gyms like ours bring a sense of camaraderie to the community”, says the founder of MGM Gym, Jonathan Moore, who launched the space with his sister Hannah.
At the gym, they offer a blend of Muay Thai, dance classes and fitness training all under one roof, and cater to all age groups with classes for children aged 6-12, teenagers aged 13-18, and adults.
Opening MGM Gym was something Jonathan and Hannah had always dreamed of, and in November 2023, they took the plunge. It is also “to honour our father, Milton George Moore – a professional table tennis player – which is where the name comes from”.
Hannah is a professional dancer and has toured the UK and internationally with the West End – “that’s her passion”, says Jonathan. Adding: “Both of us have always been passionate about staying active.”
Jonathan began Muay Thai at a young age and continues to be enamoured with the sport. He set up Muay Thai classes while working at gym company David Lloyd, as well as the running club, which Hannah still leads today.
During that time, “Hannah and I also decided to set up a dance club for kids at Kidbrooke Village, funded by Berkeley, called Kidbrooke Kollective, which allows children in the area to learn dance from a young age”, explains Jonathan.
Their expertise in these areas has become their niche at MGM Gym, and “we’ve seen first-hand the positive impact that Muay Thai and dance has on people of all ages”.
Jonathan says: “It’s no secret that physical movement does so much for your mental health and helps clear the mind, but running MGM Gym has allowed us to witness this first-hand, which has been such an amazing part of the experience.
“Recently, one of our members shared how Muay Thai helped her overcome anxiety and gain confidence back in the workplace.
“Another member was able to quit smoking and cut back on alcohol, making them feel happier. The positive impact on mental health is truly invaluable.”
He says that MGM Gym attracts a wide range of people, of diverse backgrounds, genders, ethnicities and ages. He says this is because “it’s a unique offering, so many are trying something new for the first time. The sense of community empowerment is so special.”
Near the start of the MGM Gym journey, they won Kidbrooke Village’s first Dragons’ Den event in January 2024.
The Berkeley programme “gave local entrepreneurs like me the opportunity to develop their pitching skills and present their business to a panel of judges from local enterprises and members of Greenwich council, with the winner receiving a £3,000 grant to enable them to take their business to the next level”, Jonathan explains.
MGM Gym won the £3,000 grant and Jonathan says it has been a “game-changer for us”. The money has supported the gym with branding, marketing and mentoring, and “significantly increasing our visibility in the local area”.
He adds: “The Berkeley event held at Kidbrooke Village also introduced us to our business adviser at Southeast Enterprise, who has been invaluable to us for guidance.”
They were also introduced to a fellow resident and photographer Olga, who did a shoot with the pair for their website and they are currently developing some merchandise to launch in the new year.
Looking further into the future, Jonathan says that they would like to set up a professional dance floor, complete the Muay Thai ring, introduce an official shop front, and add showers and changing rooms.
“We know these things take time and investment,” he says, “but we are enjoying our journey and working hard to grow MGM Gym to fulfil our visions.”
Jonathan adds: “We also currently work with Lewisham Council and local charity groups, offering Muay Thai classes to children with special needs, those out of education, in care, in foster homes and prison inmates – helping to boost confidence.
“We believe it’s our duty to help others so going forward we will continue this aspect of our work as it’s extremely important to us and our business. Next year, we hope to help thousands of people get back into employment, education and apprenticeships.”
