Gwyneth Paltrow’s new chain of fitness gyms with personal trainer to the stars Tracy Anderson has fallen victim to the global economic downturn, with the New York flagship facility, which is set to open later this year, already struggling to pull in members.

According to the New York Post’s PageSix, gym employees are hard at work cold-calling people to try and persuade them to join.

“It’s ridiculous. Membership is like $4,500 to join and then hundreds of dollars a month. Who can afford that right now?” said one local resident contact by the gym.