Strong figures were unveiled by the sports and leisure club operator in the six months to 30 June following a major transformation of the company at the end of last year. Back in June 2000, the group was known as Golf Club Holdings and was listed on Aim. Since then it has changed its name to Crown Sports, bought Dragons Health Clubs, moved to the Full List and made numerous acquisitions. Interims included a first full six months from Dragons and showed pre-tax profits of £1.3m compared to £97,000, on sales boosted to £12.9m (£1.8m). Acquisitions provided £10.5m of revenue, with £9.1m coming from Dragons, where like-for-like sales hardened by 10.5%. In July, it snapped up an operator of three clubs in the North West, 'Trainstation' for £8.4m, taking total membership up to more than 75,000 and its clubs up to 45. Its Axis and Trainstation clubs have been rebranded as Dragons, the Fitness Express clubs are performing well and its racing club, The Winning Line, has recovered well after a slow summer. Finally, its publishing business Crown Content will be selling books by Sally Gunnell and Jack Nicklaus by the end of the year.