Fitness has never been more fashionable thanks to a company based in Radcliffe, as Jane Watson reports

Great British Life: Gym and dance wear designed in RadcliffeGym and dance wear designed in Radcliffe (Image: Phil Melia)

Leggings and a t-shirt used to be enough for a visit to the gym but wearing gear that makes you look good and feel good can help you reach your fitness goals.

For 30 years a company based at Radcliffe near Bury has been manufacturing kit for people heading to an exercise class or a dance studio.

Radcliffe-based Tappers & Pointers is now run by Fiona Walker and her husband Michael. Fiona was made redundant from her job in banking and found a new lease of life in creating dance wear.

'I found myself loving the world of dance, exercise and fashion clothing,' she said. 'I design all new garments myself, supported by a fantastic small team.

Great British Life: Gym and dance wear designed in RadcliffeGym and dance wear designed in Radcliffe (Image: Phil Melia)

'We've always supplied high street shops, but have been faced with cheap copies flooding the market and our competitors were selling online to the customer, not just to retailers. Our strategy going forward is to come up with more bespoke fabric designs, on a regular basis, making it more difficult for copies to appear, ensuring as much as possible, what we produce is unique.'

The fabrics are designed and manufactured in the North West using a nylon/lycra base, with a digital pattern, and different types of foiling or perhaps velvet, to add a touch of glamour.

'We're approaching our new customer base from a fashion angle,' Fiona added. 'People are always wanting things that are new and fresh; so we're looking at making smaller numbers, so it feels a bit more exclusive - you're not going to see everyone in our outfits.'

The outfits they design and create range from ages 2-3 up to a ladies size14-16, and are suitable for all dance disciplines, gymnastics, yoga and the gym. They are sold through the company's website and also through Facebook and Amazon.

Great British Life: Gym and dance wear designed in RadcliffeGym and dance wear designed in Radcliffe (Image: Phil Melia)

The company recently marked its 30th anniversary and Fiona, who took over in 2016, said: 'Moving into direct sales to be customer facing, not just selling via wholesale as we have done before seemed a good way to mark the milestone. It also means we can provide good prices and fast turnaround and build a new group of customers, getting to know their personal stock preferences and meet changing trends, such as fabric and colours. It's an exciting time for us and the whole team.'

To see more, go online to tappersandpointersdirect.com.