Duncan Bannatyne established Bannatyne Group in 1997 before appearing as a dragon on the British TV series Dragons' Den.
The Bannatyne Group developed into a major health-club and spa business under Bannatyne’s ownership. Its expansion made the entrepreneur closely associated with the UK fitness industry, although his earlier working life included several different businesses.
Bannatyne Group is sometimes mixed up with PureGym or David Lloyd Clubs because all operate in the UK health and fitness market. They are different companies with different ownership histories. The group’s name comes directly from its founder rather than from a separate fitness brand.
Bannatyne joined Dragons' Den as an investor and became known for direct questioning about sales, valuation and the practical route to profitability. His television appearances followed a long period of business activity rather than creating the group itself.