AGM Statement / Trading Update

21 May 2002

At today's AGM, John Grieves, the Chairman of Esporta plc, a leading operator
of health and fitness clubs in the UK, will be making the following statement:

'The good start which we made in the first quarter of the current year, as
announced in our trading statement on 16 April, has continued into April and
May. In addition, the cost saving and outsourcing initiatives that we announced
at the time of our preliminary results two months ago are being delivered
successfully. Our review of Esporta's Continental European strategy is nearing
completion and we expect to announce the outcome of that exercise by the end of
June.

The Board is confident that the Company's trading results for the year will be
in line with its expectations and is increasingly optimistic about the
prospects for the longer term.

As we announced yesterday, the Board is aware of Duke Street Capital's interest
in making an offer for Esporta at, or around, 80 pence per share. The Board is
of the view that, given the above, an offer at this level would materially
undervalue the Company and its prospects and therefore could not recommend it
as being in the best interests of all shareholders.

Membership

At the end of April, total membership stood at 209,000, including 161,000
adults, an increase of 35% against the April 2001 closing number, and an
increase of 16% in the current year alone. Adult membership for our UK clubs
opened in 2000 and prior years has grown by 7% in the last 4 months on a
like-for-like basis.

Joiner numbers have continued to benefit from the decision to adopt a more
flexible approach to joining fees in response to local market conditions and to
the increased use of direct marketing techniques. In the first four months of
the year, the number of new members joining our UK clubs opened in 2000 and
prior years has increased by 20% on a like-for-like basis. In addition, the
nine UK clubs that opened in 2001 have continued to grow strongly to almost
27,000 adult members as at the end of April. The full profit benefit of
improved membership performance of these clubs will be evident in 2003.

The four Continental European clubs that were open at the end of 2001 have
continued to attract new joiners and now have over 12,000 adult members. Direct
marketing techniques, similar to those employed successfully in the UK since
January, have recently been introduced both for existing clubs and for those
clubs in pre-opening.

Revenue

Total revenue for the first four months was £38.2m, 25% higher than in 2001
(adjusted for the Espree disposal).

Total revenue for the four months for the UK clubs opened in 2000 and prior
years has grown by over 7% on a like-for-like basis, despite the reduction in
joining fee income. Membership income alone for these clubs has grown by 11%
reflecting the benefits of the level of new joiners attracted and the overall
improvement in membership levels at those clubs.

Update on the Chief Executive's Review

At the time of the preliminary results in March, details of Maurice Kelly's
review of the business were announced.

Annualised pre-tax cost savings of £4.2m have now been secured and will yield
savings of £3.7m this year, as originally envisaged.

In addition, agreement has now been reached with Compass plc to provide the
food and beverage facilities for all our clubs in the UK on a phased basis from
1 June. The Board is confident that the outsourcing of this non-core activity
will both be a more profitable arrangement for Esporta and will deliver
improved service to members. As previously announced, further annualised
pre-tax cost savings of £0.5m are expected to be achieved as a result of the
outsourcing .

Continental Europe

Our fourth Esporta club in Spain, at Paterna, Valencia, opened on 14 May with
over 2, 300 adult members, ahead of our original expectations. Pre-opening
sales for the fifth Spanish club, at Vistahermosa, Alicante, scheduled to open
on 1 July, have also been encouraging. There will be one further opening in
Spain in 2002 , at Très Aguas, Madrid, in October . The second Valencia site,
at Bonaire, is now not expected to open until 2003.

The review of our Continental European operations is nearing completion and we
expect the outcome to be announced by the end of June. In the meantime, the
significant managerial and operational changes implemented in Continental
Europe since January have improved the performance of the existing businesses
and are expected to shorten the time taken for new clubs to reach
profitability.

Outlook

The Board is confident that the recent improvement in trading will be sustained
and that the results for 2002 , underpinned by the cost saving and outsourcing
initiatives announced in March, will be in line with its expectations . On this
basis, the Board is increasingly optimistic about the prospects for the longer
term.'

The directors accept responsibility for the information contained in this
document and, to the best of their knowledge and belief (having taken all
reasonable care to ensure that such is the case), the information contained in
this document is in accordance with the facts and does not omit anything likely
to affect the import of such information.

Enquiries:

Maurice Kelly  Chief Executive       Esporta plc          0118 912 3503        
                                                                               
Michael Ball   Finance Director      Esporta plc          0118 912 350 4       
                                                                               
William Cullum                       Brunswick            020 7404 5959        



END



21 May 2002

At today's AGM, John Grieves, the Chairman of Esporta plc, a leading operator
of health and fitness clubs in the UK, will be making the following statement:

'The good start which we made in the first quarter of the current year, as
announced in our trading statement on 16 April, has continued into April and
May. In addition, the cost saving and outsourcing initiatives that we announced
at the time of our preliminary results two months ago are being delivered
successfully. Our review of Esporta's Continental European strategy is nearing
completion and we expect to announce the outcome of that exercise by the end of
June.

The Board is confident that the Company's trading results for the year will be
in line with its expectations and is increasingly optimistic about the
prospects for the longer term.

As we announced yesterday, the Board is aware of Duke Street Capital's interest
in making an offer for Esporta at, or around, 80 pence per share. The Board is
of the view that, given the above, an offer at this level would materially
undervalue the Company and its prospects and therefore could not recommend it
as being in the best interests of all shareholders.

Membership

At the end of April, total membership stood at 209,000, including 161,000
adults, an increase of 35% against the April 2001 closing number, and an
increase of 16% in the current year alone. Adult membership for our UK clubs
opened in 2000 and prior years has grown by 7% in the last 4 months on a
like-for-like basis.

Joiner numbers have continued to benefit from the decision to adopt a more
flexible approach to joining fees in response to local market conditions and to
the increased use of direct marketing techniques. In the first four months of
the year, the number of new members joining our UK clubs opened in 2000 and
prior years has increased by 20% on a like-for-like basis. In addition, the
nine UK clubs that opened in 2001 have continued to grow strongly to almost
27,000 adult members as at the end of April. The full profit benefit of
improved membership performance of these clubs will be evident in 2003.

The four Continental European clubs that were open at the end of 2001 have
continued to attract new joiners and now have over 12,000 adult members. Direct
marketing techniques, similar to those employed successfully in the UK since
January, have recently been introduced both for existing clubs and for those
clubs in pre-opening.

Revenue

Total revenue for the first four months was £38.2m, 25% higher than in 2001
(adjusted for the Espree disposal).

Total revenue for the four months for the UK clubs opened in 2000 and prior
years has grown by over 7% on a like-for-like basis, despite the reduction in
joining fee income. Membership income alone for these clubs has grown by 11%
reflecting the benefits of the level of new joiners attracted and the overall
improvement in membership levels at those clubs.

Update on the Chief Executive's Review

At the time of the preliminary results in March, details of Maurice Kelly's
review of the business were announced.

Annualised pre-tax cost savings of £4.2m have now been secured and will yield
savings of £3.7m this year, as originally envisaged.

In addition, agreement has now been reached with Compass plc to provide the
food and beverage facilities for all our clubs in the UK on a phased basis from
1 June. The Board is confident that the outsourcing of this non-core activity
will both be a more profitable arrangement for Esporta and will deliver
improved service to members. As previously announced, further annualised
pre-tax cost savings of £0.5m are expected to be achieved as a result of the
outsourcing .

Continental Europe

Our fourth Esporta club in Spain, at Paterna, Valencia, opened on 14 May with
over 2, 300 adult members, ahead of our original expectations. Pre-opening
sales for the fifth Spanish club, at Vistahermosa, Alicante, scheduled to open
on 1 July, have also been encouraging. There will be one further opening in
Spain in 2002 , at Très Aguas, Madrid, in October . The second Valencia site,
at Bonaire, is now not expected to open until 2003.

The review of our Continental European operations is nearing completion and we
expect the outcome to be announced by the end of June. In the meantime, the
significant managerial and operational changes implemented in Continental
Europe since January have improved the performance of the existing businesses
and are expected to shorten the time taken for new clubs to reach
profitability.

Outlook

The Board is confident that the recent improvement in trading will be sustained
and that the results for 2002 , underpinned by the cost saving and outsourcing
initiatives announced in March, will be in line with its expectations . On this
basis, the Board is increasingly optimistic about the prospects for the longer
term.'

The directors accept responsibility for the information contained in this
document and, to the best of their knowledge and belief (having taken all
reasonable care to ensure that such is the case), the information contained in
this document is in accordance with the facts and does not omit anything likely
to affect the import of such information.

Enquiries:

Maurice Kelly  Chief Executive       Esporta plc          0118 912 3503        
                                                                               
Michael Ball   Finance Director      Esporta plc          0118 912 350 4       
                                                                               
William Cullum                       Brunswick            020 7404 5959