To eat a box of chicken wings immediately before pumping those quads on an exercise bike might not appeal, yet curiously, that is exactly what Morley’s and Gymbox are proposing to Londoners.
In what is surely one of the unlikeliest of collaborations in food, the cult south London-born chicken shop, known for its affordability, has agreed to team up with one of the capital’s most moneyed fitness brands, first transforming a takeaway into a gym, then releasing a series of Wonka-style golden tickets.
Between January 24-31, Morley’s is hiding 200 free Gymbox day passes in its boxes of chicken wings in a bid to promote a healthy food-exercise balance.
It’s the Morley’s on Brick Lane that will be turned into a makeshift gym. On Thursday night, fans of crispy chicken and die-hard cyclists alike — we would like to see the Venn diagram on this one — are then invited to take on an “assault bike challenge” with the promise of a year’s free Gymbox membership to the winner.
Much like any PR stunt in town, there will be a DJ on hand and plenty of free chicken wings knocking about.
Is Morley’s trying to encourage their clientele to get fit? Perhaps.
Oddly, existing Gymboxes are running the same promotion, but in reverse: existing members now qualify for free wings when they buy a meal in any branch of Morley’s with the code, “bossmangymbox101”.
“From smashing wings to smashing the gym, we’re here to celebrate the balance in everyday life,” said Gymbox’s Rory McEntee, who is leading on the company’s 'Made for London Life' campaign, designed to highlight the “highs and lows” of London life.
Morley’s managing director Shan Selvendran said: “Collaborating this season — when the mantra should be balance, not beating yourself up — makes so much sense.”
