With the news that gym membership fees are on the increase - including at council-run leisure centres - putting high-quality gym furniture in place could help venues to underpin any increase in their own fees.
According to a report from the Labour Party, two thirds of councils have increased the cost of their leisure centre gym memberships in the past three years.
In some cases, the cost increase is as much as £100, leading Labour to claim councils are using leisure centres to claw back funds lost to the age of austerity.
Since 2010, the average rise in annual gym membership fees at council-run leisure centres is £15, although 48 councils have reportedly increased their costs by more than that.
In areas where the increase has been greater, there is a one-off opportunity for privately owned gyms and sports clubs to attract new customers, who might for the first time be considering the relative benefits of non-council fitness centres.
Luciana Berger, Labour shadow public health minister, said: "Millions of people across the country will want to kick start 2014 by getting fitter and more active.
"There is a real risk, however, that many people will be put off from keeping to their New Year's resolutions by soaring gym charges."
While this represents a clear public health concern, sports clubs and fitness centres can do their own part to help make sure people stick to their New Year's resolutions, by making their facilities as attractive as possible, while also ensuring that they offer clear value for money on membership fees.
Potentially the easiest way to do this is simply by putting in place some high-quality gym furniture in your reception area, or in any relaxation rooms you make available for members to cool down after their workout.
This could be as simple as a single leather sofa or chair if relatively few people have reason to wait in your reception area for any length of time, to a whole room set aside for use as a post-workout lounge.
You might even consider opening a bar - serving fresh smoothies if you want to steer clear of the health implications of alcohol - and create a new revenue stream from a currently underused space within your premises.