HOTELS and leisure group Whitbread plans to double the size of its David Lloyd health and fitness business over the next five years.

And according to a spokesman for the company that could be good news for the region's towns and cities, including Middlesbrough and Sunderland.

Newcastle and Stockton already have David Lloyd leisure facilities.

Whitbread aims to open 52 clubs across the country, including sites this year in Manchester, Fulham, Bromsgrove, Epsom and Kingston-upon-Thames.

The spokesman said: "Although we have only named the clubs that will open within the next year, it is safe to say that with the size of this expansion, other major cities in the North-East, including Middlesbrough and Sunderland, would be likely to get a David Lloyd club.

"We are targeting major cities across the UK for this current expansion, and I am sure cities like Sunderland and Middlesbrough would regard themselves as major cities."

More than 250,000 people are members of David Lloyd Leisure clubs, where the average adult monthly subscription can be as much as £80.

Whitbread bought the business, founded by the former Davis Cup tennis star, in 1995 as part of its move away from brewing and pubs.

The group used to brew Boddingtons and own 3,000 pubs.

It now focuses on Pizza Hut, Costa Coffee and the Travel Inn hotels business.

Stewart Miller, David Lloyd Leisure's managing director, said the expansion programme meant there would be 100 clubs in the UK by the end of 2006.

He said: "We will strengthen our position in the market by delivering our winning formula to a truly national audience, creating the first household name brand in health and fitness."