The Story Behind Capitol Gym
For more than 10 years, Tamara “Tammie” Tirzīte dreamed of owning a gym. As a personal trainer with a passion for fitness, she had spent years helping others work towards their goals. She never imagined that her own ambition would lead her to one of Coventry’s longest standing gyms.
Capitol Gym is approaching its 40th anniversary. It has become a familiar and much loved part of the local fitness community, with a history that Tammie wanted to respect as she took the business forward.
“I’ve wanted to own a gym for over 10 years. I just never in my wildest dreams expected it to be one of the oldest gyms in Coventry. It has such a colourful history and is considered a loved fixture in the community.”
Tamara “Tammie” Tirzīte, Owner of Capitol Gym
When the opportunity to buy Capitol Gym arose, CWRT provided a £150,000 loan to help Tammie acquire the business and begin putting her plans for its future into action.
Her ambition goes beyond owning a gym. Tammie wants to help more people get moving, give young people a positive place to spend their time and build a community where members can train, develop and support one another.
Making the Opportunity Possible
Despite holding onto her dream for more than a decade, Tammie was unsure whether she could secure the finance needed to purchase an established business. As a personal trainer, she did not expect a lender to provide the level of funding the acquisition required.
She needed a lender willing to understand her experience in fitness, listen to her plans and recognise what she wanted to achieve with a gym that had served Coventry for decades. She also needed access to funding within the required timeframe and clear repayment terms so she could plan confidently as its new owner.
For Tammie, the opportunity was about more than a change of ownership. She wanted to protect what people loved about Capitol Gym while giving it a strong future.
How We Supported Tammie
Tammie had not worked with CWRT before. Throughout the funding process, she worked closely with our Loans Officer Alexander, who took the time to understand her story, her experience and her plans for Capitol Gym.
With the wider CWRT team, Alexander considered the opportunity as a whole: Tammie’s vision for the gym and the potential of an established business with deep roots in the Coventry community. CWRT provided a £150,000 loan to support the acquisition, helping Tammie move from personal trainer to business owner.
Our support has continued after the purchase. Tammie now receives post loan business support from Rob, CWRT’s Commercial Relationship Manager, as she develops the business.
“The support given when applying for the loan made CWRT different. I’m also receiving business aftercare support now from Rob, CWRT Commercial Relationship Manager”
Tamara “Tammie” Tirzīte
Breathing New Life into Capitol Gym
With the purchase complete, Tammie can focus on the part she had imagined for so long: owning the gym and making it better for the people who use it. Her takeover is helping to bring new energy to a longstanding local business while creating jobs and opportunities for local people.
She wants members to have a place where they can improve their fitness, get advice and feel part of a community. At the same time, she is building on the character and history that have made Capitol Gym a fixture in Coventry.
“It’s given me the opportunity to do something good in the local community and to build on a dream.”
Tamara “Tammie” Tirzīte
Walking the Walk: Becoming an IFBB Pro
Since taking ownership of Capitol Gym, Tammie has also achieved a major personal milestone: earning her IFBB Pro status. Running the gym gave her even more motivation to pursue her own goal while encouraging members to work towards theirs.
“I don't just see the gym as a money making scheme. I see it as an opportunity to help members and give exercise advice. I wouldn't be a good advocate of that if I wasn't walking the walk myself.”
Tamara “Tammie” Tirzīte
Achieving professional status while taking on the challenge of running a business makes that commitment visible. Tammie is part of the community she wants to build, training alongside members and sharing what she has learned.
The Broader Picture
Tammie’s story began with a dream she held onto for more than 10 years. Today, she owns a gym approaching four decades at the heart of Coventry’s fitness community and has achieved IFBB Pro status along the way.
For Capitol Gym, it is the beginning of a new chapter in a story that started nearly 40 years ago. For Tammie, it is the chance to build something of her own and make a positive difference to the people who walk through its doors.
At CWRT, understanding the person behind a business is central to how we lend. Supporting Tammie meant seeing both her ambition and the opportunity to give a much loved local gym a strong future.