'I quit my £50,000 9-to-5 and spent my life's savings opening a gym in a railway arch'
The 36-year-old did personal training in the morning before heading to her 9-to-5, earning £50,000, and then spent the evenings planning the gym project. Her hard work eventually paid off in February when she left her former job and opened Après London.
Lewisham Council granted planning permission for the project a month earlier in January. Ms Mansell told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that she wanted to create something for the community where she lives.
READ MORE: 'I went to the European city just like Istanbul but much cheaper and I have to go back'
READ MORE: Police hunt moped rider wearing distinctive Just Eat jacket over South London boy's fatal shooting
She said: 'The thing with Deptford is, we know it's up and coming. But I live here. It's my local community. I love the fact I built this here, on my doorstep, where I'm already part of the community.
"I had £10,000 in savings: [that's] wiped out completely, gone. That was my only buffer. I have no family that I can go stay with. It's just me. It's a massive risk. If it doesn't work, I lose everything. It's all or nothing.'
In 2022, Deptford High Street was named one of the coolest 33 streets in the world following a vote by Time Out magazine. The southern half of the high street has undergone a £2.1 million refurbishment in recent years, according to Lewisham Council.
Membership prices at Après London begin at £125 for nine classes per month. While the cost comes in a lot higher than the average monthly gym membership, Ms Mansell said she thought the small class sizes (six people to one personal trainer) and community aspect of group training made the extra price well worth it.
She added: 'If you're someone that's not very good at sticking to their goals, being part of a fitness community is the best way for you to stay motivated and committed to your goals.'
If the gym is a success, Ms Mansell hopes to also eventually open a coffee shop in the arch on Resolution Way. But her ambitions extend beyond South East London.
She said: 'I want to be able to make it work here for the next couple of years and then say to investors: 'this is the big idea to take Central London, to take abroad' and make a huge impact on the fitness sector.'
Got a story? Email robert.firth@reachplc.com
Don't miss out on the biggest local stories. Sign up to our MySouthLondon newsletter HERE for all the latest daily news and more.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Qantas set to face huge fine in court, rush hour chaos after crash on major bridge, leaders 'very afraid' of Trump meeting
Hello and welcome to Yahoo's live news blog this Monday. Qantas is set to learn its fate after illegally sacking 1,800 workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. The airline is set to face a hefty fine, with the union behind the workers calling for it to surpass $100 million. A crash on Sydney's Anzac Bridge has caused traffic chaos this morning. The five-vehicle crash left thre lanes heading into the city closed as traffic backed up several kilometres. Follow along as we bring you regular updates throughout the day. Treasurer admits 'a lot of work to do' for productivity Treasurer Jim Chalmers is warning there is no quick fix for productivity as the government is set to commence its much-hyped round table. "Productivity has been elusive over the last couple of decade, but it will be essential to the couple of decades ahead. That's what motivates and drives us in this economic reform round table," he told reporters on Monday. "This productivity challenge has been bedevilling our economy for a couple of decades. The weakest decade for productivity growth in the last 60 years was the Coalition decade. That is the situation we inherited. It will take some time to turn around. "We have a lot of work to do." 'Boring' Aussie dad's first move after winning lottery A self-described "boring guy" headed straight to Google after landing $1.6 million as one of four division one winners in the Saturday Lotto. The Armidale father went through all the questions in his head via the search engine, admitting he was unable to sleep after the huge win. 'It's all a bit surreal. When I checked my ticket on my online account, my first reaction was 'Holy dooly!'. It was crazy to see right in front of me," he told lottery officials. 'A thousand thoughts started going through my mind. I was wondering whether it was real or not, and what I needed to do now." World leaders move to avoid unwanted Trump scenario European and NATO leaders announced they will join Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House to present a united front in talks with Donald Trump on ending Russia's war in Ukraine. Leaders from Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Finland are rallying around the Ukrainian president after his exclusion from Trump's summit on Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Their pledge to be at Zelensky's side at the White House on Monday is an apparent effort to ensure the meeting goes better than the last one in February, when Trump berated Zelenskyy in a heated Oval Office encounter. 'The Europeans are very afraid of the Oval Office scene being repeated and so they want to support Mr Zelensky to the hilt,' said retired French Gen. Dominique Trinquand, a former head of France's military mission at the United Nations. 'It's a power struggle and a position of strength that might work with Trump,' he said. Read more from Associated Press here. Rush hour chaos as city-bound lanes closed Sydney has been plunged into traffic chaos after a five-vehicle crash on the Anzac Bridge, with cars backed all the way up to Leichhardt. The crash happened in the eastbound lanes about 6.30am on Monday. Live traffic cameras show three of the four eastbound lanes are blocked, and the gridlock stretches back almost 3km down the A44. The right-hand westbound lane is also blocked by emergency response vehicles. An Ambulance NSW spokesman said five vehicles were involved in the crash; three cars, a motorbike and a truck. All people who needed to be checked by paramedics had minor injuries, the spokesman said. The male motorbike rider was still however taken to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Images show at least four police vehicles and two road crews are on scene. A damaged dark-coloured sedan stopped sideways across two lanes was put onto a tow truck about 7am. There is also a cement truck which appears to have been involved in the crash. Live Traffic NSW are advising motorists to slow down to 40km/h and plan for their commute to take extra time. - NewsWire Qantas set for big fine after illegally sacking workers Australia's largest airline is staring down the barrel of another nine-figure fine for illegally sacking more than 1800 workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Federal Court will hand down a hefty penalty to Qantas on Monday in what will be the latest court blow for the airline after a scandal-plagued recent tenure. Qantas outsourced its baggage handlers, cleaners and ground staff in 2020, in a move the court ruled was designed to curb union bargaining power in wage negotiations. It appealed the ruling to the High Court but the decision was not overturned, paving the way for Monday's penalty. The Transport Workers Union has sought the maximum penalty of $121 million, while Qantas has urged Justice Michael Lee to impose a "mid-range" penalty between $40 million and $80 million. Qantas will cop the fine on top of a $120 million compensation payment it has made to the ground staff for their economic loss, pain and suffering since their jobs were outsourced during the pandemic. It has argued the actions were a mistake, not a deliberate breach of the law. Qantas also sold tickets to cancelled flights for several years, triggering more legal turmoil and a $100 million fine after it was sued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. The carrier, which was under the control of Alan Joyce at the time of the illegal sacking, lost billions of dollars during the pandemic, which decimated the aviation sector. But the former CEO did not address the scandal when he spoke at an aviation conference on Thursday, instead spruiking his ability to keep the airline afloat in unprecedented times. "But here's the real insight: resilience isn't a reaction … it's a decision made years in advance, often when it's uncomfortable, even unpopular," he said. "Qantas was the only major Australian airline not to go bankrupt during or after the pandemic … that wasn't luck. That was resilience." Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. Treasurer admits 'a lot of work to do' for productivity Treasurer Jim Chalmers is warning there is no quick fix for productivity as the government is set to commence its much-hyped round table. "Productivity has been elusive over the last couple of decade, but it will be essential to the couple of decades ahead. That's what motivates and drives us in this economic reform round table," he told reporters on Monday. "This productivity challenge has been bedevilling our economy for a couple of decades. The weakest decade for productivity growth in the last 60 years was the Coalition decade. That is the situation we inherited. It will take some time to turn around. "We have a lot of work to do." Treasurer Jim Chalmers is warning there is no quick fix for productivity as the government is set to commence its much-hyped round table. "Productivity has been elusive over the last couple of decade, but it will be essential to the couple of decades ahead. That's what motivates and drives us in this economic reform round table," he told reporters on Monday. "This productivity challenge has been bedevilling our economy for a couple of decades. The weakest decade for productivity growth in the last 60 years was the Coalition decade. That is the situation we inherited. It will take some time to turn around. "We have a lot of work to do." 'Boring' Aussie dad's first move after winning lottery A self-described "boring guy" headed straight to Google after landing $1.6 million as one of four division one winners in the Saturday Lotto. The Armidale father went through all the questions in his head via the search engine, admitting he was unable to sleep after the huge win. 'It's all a bit surreal. When I checked my ticket on my online account, my first reaction was 'Holy dooly!'. It was crazy to see right in front of me," he told lottery officials. 'A thousand thoughts started going through my mind. I was wondering whether it was real or not, and what I needed to do now." A self-described "boring guy" headed straight to Google after landing $1.6 million as one of four division one winners in the Saturday Lotto. The Armidale father went through all the questions in his head via the search engine, admitting he was unable to sleep after the huge win. 'It's all a bit surreal. When I checked my ticket on my online account, my first reaction was 'Holy dooly!'. It was crazy to see right in front of me," he told lottery officials. 'A thousand thoughts started going through my mind. I was wondering whether it was real or not, and what I needed to do now." World leaders move to avoid unwanted Trump scenario European and NATO leaders announced they will join Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House to present a united front in talks with Donald Trump on ending Russia's war in Ukraine. Leaders from Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Finland are rallying around the Ukrainian president after his exclusion from Trump's summit on Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Their pledge to be at Zelensky's side at the White House on Monday is an apparent effort to ensure the meeting goes better than the last one in February, when Trump berated Zelenskyy in a heated Oval Office encounter. 'The Europeans are very afraid of the Oval Office scene being repeated and so they want to support Mr Zelensky to the hilt,' said retired French Gen. Dominique Trinquand, a former head of France's military mission at the United Nations. 'It's a power struggle and a position of strength that might work with Trump,' he said. Read more from Associated Press here. European and NATO leaders announced they will join Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House to present a united front in talks with Donald Trump on ending Russia's war in Ukraine. Leaders from Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Finland are rallying around the Ukrainian president after his exclusion from Trump's summit on Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Their pledge to be at Zelensky's side at the White House on Monday is an apparent effort to ensure the meeting goes better than the last one in February, when Trump berated Zelenskyy in a heated Oval Office encounter. 'The Europeans are very afraid of the Oval Office scene being repeated and so they want to support Mr Zelensky to the hilt,' said retired French Gen. Dominique Trinquand, a former head of France's military mission at the United Nations. 'It's a power struggle and a position of strength that might work with Trump,' he said. Read more from Associated Press here. Rush hour chaos as city-bound lanes closed Sydney has been plunged into traffic chaos after a five-vehicle crash on the Anzac Bridge, with cars backed all the way up to Leichhardt. The crash happened in the eastbound lanes about 6.30am on Monday. Live traffic cameras show three of the four eastbound lanes are blocked, and the gridlock stretches back almost 3km down the A44. The right-hand westbound lane is also blocked by emergency response vehicles. An Ambulance NSW spokesman said five vehicles were involved in the crash; three cars, a motorbike and a truck. All people who needed to be checked by paramedics had minor injuries, the spokesman said. The male motorbike rider was still however taken to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Images show at least four police vehicles and two road crews are on scene. A damaged dark-coloured sedan stopped sideways across two lanes was put onto a tow truck about 7am. There is also a cement truck which appears to have been involved in the crash. Live Traffic NSW are advising motorists to slow down to 40km/h and plan for their commute to take extra time. - NewsWire Sydney has been plunged into traffic chaos after a five-vehicle crash on the Anzac Bridge, with cars backed all the way up to Leichhardt. The crash happened in the eastbound lanes about 6.30am on Monday. Live traffic cameras show three of the four eastbound lanes are blocked, and the gridlock stretches back almost 3km down the A44. The right-hand westbound lane is also blocked by emergency response vehicles. An Ambulance NSW spokesman said five vehicles were involved in the crash; three cars, a motorbike and a truck. All people who needed to be checked by paramedics had minor injuries, the spokesman said. The male motorbike rider was still however taken to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Images show at least four police vehicles and two road crews are on scene. A damaged dark-coloured sedan stopped sideways across two lanes was put onto a tow truck about 7am. There is also a cement truck which appears to have been involved in the crash. Live Traffic NSW are advising motorists to slow down to 40km/h and plan for their commute to take extra time. - NewsWire Qantas set for big fine after illegally sacking workers Australia's largest airline is staring down the barrel of another nine-figure fine for illegally sacking more than 1800 workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Federal Court will hand down a hefty penalty to Qantas on Monday in what will be the latest court blow for the airline after a scandal-plagued recent tenure. Qantas outsourced its baggage handlers, cleaners and ground staff in 2020, in a move the court ruled was designed to curb union bargaining power in wage negotiations. It appealed the ruling to the High Court but the decision was not overturned, paving the way for Monday's penalty. The Transport Workers Union has sought the maximum penalty of $121 million, while Qantas has urged Justice Michael Lee to impose a "mid-range" penalty between $40 million and $80 million. Qantas will cop the fine on top of a $120 million compensation payment it has made to the ground staff for their economic loss, pain and suffering since their jobs were outsourced during the pandemic. It has argued the actions were a mistake, not a deliberate breach of the law. Qantas also sold tickets to cancelled flights for several years, triggering more legal turmoil and a $100 million fine after it was sued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. The carrier, which was under the control of Alan Joyce at the time of the illegal sacking, lost billions of dollars during the pandemic, which decimated the aviation sector. But the former CEO did not address the scandal when he spoke at an aviation conference on Thursday, instead spruiking his ability to keep the airline afloat in unprecedented times. "But here's the real insight: resilience isn't a reaction … it's a decision made years in advance, often when it's uncomfortable, even unpopular," he said. "Qantas was the only major Australian airline not to go bankrupt during or after the pandemic … that wasn't luck. That was resilience." Australia's largest airline is staring down the barrel of another nine-figure fine for illegally sacking more than 1800 workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Federal Court will hand down a hefty penalty to Qantas on Monday in what will be the latest court blow for the airline after a scandal-plagued recent tenure. Qantas outsourced its baggage handlers, cleaners and ground staff in 2020, in a move the court ruled was designed to curb union bargaining power in wage negotiations. It appealed the ruling to the High Court but the decision was not overturned, paving the way for Monday's penalty. The Transport Workers Union has sought the maximum penalty of $121 million, while Qantas has urged Justice Michael Lee to impose a "mid-range" penalty between $40 million and $80 million. Qantas will cop the fine on top of a $120 million compensation payment it has made to the ground staff for their economic loss, pain and suffering since their jobs were outsourced during the pandemic. It has argued the actions were a mistake, not a deliberate breach of the law. Qantas also sold tickets to cancelled flights for several years, triggering more legal turmoil and a $100 million fine after it was sued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. The carrier, which was under the control of Alan Joyce at the time of the illegal sacking, lost billions of dollars during the pandemic, which decimated the aviation sector. But the former CEO did not address the scandal when he spoke at an aviation conference on Thursday, instead spruiking his ability to keep the airline afloat in unprecedented times. "But here's the real insight: resilience isn't a reaction … it's a decision made years in advance, often when it's uncomfortable, even unpopular," he said. "Qantas was the only major Australian airline not to go bankrupt during or after the pandemic … that wasn't luck. That was resilience."
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Shares nudge higher in Asia, oil slips on truce talks
By Wayne Cole SYDNEY (Reuters) -Share markets edged higher in Asia on Monday ahead of what is likely to be an eventful week for U.S. interest rate policy, while oil prices slipped as risks to Russian supplies seemed to fade a little. U.S. President Donald Trump now seemed more aligned with Moscow on seeking a peace deal with Ukraine instead of a ceasefire first, after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. Trump will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and European leaders later on Monday to discuss the next steps, though actual proposals are vague as yet. The major economic event of the week will be the Kansas City Federal Reserve's August 21-23 Jackson Hole symposium, where Chair Jerome Powell is due to speak on the economic outlook and the central bank's policy framework. "Chair Powell will likely signal that risks to the employment and inflation mandates are coming into balance, setting up the Fed to resume returning policy rate to neutral," said Andrew Hollenhorst, chief economist at Citi Research. "But Powell will stop short of explicitly signalling a September rate cut, awaiting the August jobs and inflation reports," he added. "This would be fairly neutral for markets already fully pricing a September cut." Markets imply around an 85% chance of a quarter-point rate cut at the Fed's meeting on September 17, and are priced for a further easing by December. The prospect of lower borrowing costs globally have underpinned stock markets and Japan's Nikkei firmed 0.5% to a fresh record high. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was a fraction lower, having hit a four-year top last week. EUROSTOXX 50 futures rose 0.3%, while FTSE futures and DAX futures gained 0.2%. SOLID EARNINGS S&P 500 futures nudged up 0.1%, while Nasdaq futures added 0.2% with both near all-time highs. Valuations have been underpinned by a solid earnings season as S&P 500 EPS grew 11% on the year and 58% of companies raised their full-year guidance. "Earnings results have continued to be exceptional for the mega-cap tech companies," noted analysts at Goldman Sachs. "While Nvidia has yet to report, the Magnificent 7 apparently grew EPS by 26% year/year in 2Q, a 12% beat relative to consensus expectation coming into earnings season." This week's results will provide some colour on the health of consumer spending with Home Depot, Target, Lowe's and Walmart all reporting. In bond markets, the chance of Fed easing is keeping down short term Treasury yields while the longer end is pressured by the risk of stagflation and giant budget deficits, leading to the steepest yield curve since 2021. European bonds also have been pressured by the prospect of increased borrowing to fund defence spending, pushing German long-term yields to 14-year highs. Wagers on more Fed easing has weighed on the dollar, which dropped 0.4% against a basket of currencies last week to last stand at 97.851. The dollar was a fraction firmer on the yen at 147.33, while the euro held at $1.1704 after adding 0.5% last week. The dollar has fared better against its New Zealand counterpart as the country's central bank is widely expected to cut rates to 3.0% on Wednesday. In commodity markets, gold was stuck at $3,328 an ounce after losing 1.9% last week. [GOL/] Oil prices struggled as Trump backed away from threats to place more restrictions on Russian oil exports. [O/R] Brent dropped 0.4% to $65.61 a barrel, while U.S. crude eased 0.2% to $62.67 per barrel. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Oil falls on easing Russia supply concerns after Trump-Putin meet
By Florence Tan SINGAPORE (Reuters) -Oil prices slipped on Monday as the U.S. did not exert more pressure on Russia to end the Ukraine war by implementing further measures to disrupt Russian oil exports after the presidents from both countries met on Friday. Brent crude futures dropped 26 cents, or 0.39%, to $65.59 a barrel by 0028 GMT while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was at $62.62 a barrel, down 18 cents, or 0.29%. U.S. President Donald Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday and emerged more aligned with Moscow on seeking a peace deal instead of a ceasefire first. Trump will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and European leaders on Monday to strike a quick peace deal to end Europe's deadliest war in 80 years. The U.S. president said on Friday he did not immediately need to consider retaliatory tariffs on countries such as China for buying Russian oil but might have to "in two or three weeks", cooling concerns about a disruption in Russian supply. China, the world's biggest oil importer is the largest Russian oil buyer followed by India. "What was primarily in play were the secondary tariffs targeting the key importers of Russian energy, and President Trump has indeed indicated that he will pause pursuing incremental action on this front, at least for China," RBC Capital analyst Helima Croft said in a note. "The status quo remains largely intact for now," Croft said, adding that Moscow will not walk back on territorial demands while Ukraine and some European leaders will balk at the land-for-peace deal. Investors are also watching Federal Reserve Chairman Colin Powell's comments at the Jackson Hole meeting this week to search for clues on the path of interest rate cuts that could boost stocks to more record highs. "It's likely he will remain non-committal and data-dependent, especially with one more payroll and CPI (Consumer Price Index) report before the September 17th FOMC meeting," IG market analyst Tony Sycamore said in a note. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
