CrossFit Braze and Gönn Café open a new community gym on Ecclesall Road

Ecclesall Road has a new place to sweat, work and catch up over coffee. CrossFit Braze, founded in 2022 by brothers Oli and James Copping, has moved into a new home at 863 Ecclesall Road, and it has brought a café with it.

The building was previously a Thai boxing gym and had stood empty before Braze moved in. "The gym was growing, the community was getting bigger and it felt like the time to make the move," Oli told Exposed Magazine in October 2026.

The new space includes an open gym, an upstairs co-working area and a planned physio room. Downstairs is Gönn Café, run by Oli's partner Vicki Reif-Breitwieser, a speciality coffee shop with an Austrian-inspired menu of breakfasts such as yoghurt bowls and overnight oats, plus Austrian bakes. The name comes from the German verb gönnen, meaning to treat or look after yourself, and walk-ins are welcome.

"People can come during the day, do some work, stay in the café for a coffee and spend their day with us," said Vicki.

The gym runs coached group classes seven days a week, including CrossFit, Hyrox, gymnastics, Olympic weightlifting and its strength-focused Braze Strong sessions, with more than 40 hours of coached classes each week. Classes are capped at 14 people, and newcomers can start with a monthly four-week beginners' course, a six-week Couch to CrossFit course or a one-to-one induction with a coach.

The team is keen to stress that experience is not required. "You don't have to be experienced to jump in," said Vicki, while Oli added: "This isn't elitist; it's a welcoming community for anyone interested in getting involved."

That community spirit extends beyond the gym floor, with in-house competitions, a social calendar and group trips to competitions in Sheffield and further afield. The coaching team puts its aim simply: "We want each session to be the best hour of your day." As Oli says, "People are the priority," adding: "We don't want anyone to feel like they're just another number."

For anyone who has been looking for a friendly way to get stronger, or simply a good coffee on Ecclesall Road, it is well worth popping in.

Timetables, taster sessions and beginners' courses are listed on the CrossFit Braze website.