David Lloyd

Follow up with threats, the more voices the better

I reported an individual incident and it was completely ignored. No response to my email.

Good work OP - this reads like they will leave it until members report individual incidents (which means harm is already done) rather than proactively publicise and enforce their changed policy. As you say it’s not good enough.

Tbf if they do that there will probably be some unpleasant trans protest (although hopefully not as disgusting as the ‘pour bottles of urine over myself in a dress’ bloke at the EHRC offices) but that’s on them.

the last response I got was:

"Thank you for your patience.

We maintain that we always aim to carefully balance the needs and concerns of all our members at club level and consider our legal responsibilities when it comes to changing room access.

Our Clubs and Team Members are informed of this approach, and in keeping with our usual processes, we don’t typically issue wider member communications on individual matters of this nature or share the detail of any training that’s taken place with Teams.

All Clubs have a separate changing room for Male and Female as a minimum, with a further separate family and/or disabled changing room in selected clubs.

Please note that boys aged 8 and below may use the Male, Family, and Female changing rooms.

We understand and respect that you feel strongly about this. While we won’t be offering any further comment beyond what has already been shared, please be assured that your concerns have been noted and are appreciated.

Best regards,

David Knight
General Manager
David Lloyd Brighton
"

I have responded saying this is not good enough and escalating to a formal complaint to head office

Has anyone had any joy from emailing their club direct?

Watching this with interest and thanks so much for challenging this with DL.

I’m a member and often go with my kids (male & female). It clearly says on the door to the women’s changing that only boys up to 8 years old can use it, they could easily add a similar sign saying that they are for biological sex. Not sure if it says on the men’s changing that girls up to a certain age only can use it as haven’t ever been in…

Allowing breeches risks causing breaches.

breeches are trousers
breaches is what DL is doing if they let men in.

Interested in this having had to challenge a man in the women's changing rooms last year.

'Breaches' isn't it? I always forget which one means trousers.

Doesn't matter they'll know what you mean.

it did rather. I replied last night:

"Thanks for coming back to me, and I hope you had a good break.

I really appreciate you putting your response in writing, and I’m very glad to hear that David Lloyd Clubs are now aligning with the Supreme Court judgment and the interim guidance from the EHRC.

To clarify — my concern wasn’t about any specific incident at the Brighton club. I raised this following the Emma Hardy legal case, which highlighted that David Lloyd Clubs had previously allowed individuals born male to access female changing rooms. This raised serious questions around privacy, dignity, and legal compliance, especially for families like mine, where my daughter uses the facilities independently. As a man, I obviously don’t go into the female spaces myself and so have not seen any breeches personally, but as a parent I have a direct interest in ensuring they remain single-sex.

I’m encouraged to hear that members are now expected to use the changing rooms aligned to their biological sex, with private alternatives available. However, I’d like to understand how this will be proactively enforced. As you know, the Equality Act (as clarified by the Supreme Court and EHRC) isn’t optional or subject to internal policy interpretation, it’s binding. Relying solely on member complaints is unlikely to offer adequate protection, especially when breaches may not be easily reported or noticed until after harm is done.

Could you please confirm what steps are being taken to:

1. Ensure staff are aware of and trained on this legal obligation;
2. Proactively monitor or manage access to female spaces in line with the law; and
3. Prevent any recurrence of the legal issues that led to the Hardy case.

I want to reiterate that I appreciate your time and the progress that’s been made so far — it’s good to see steps being taken in the right direction, and I’m glad we’re having this conversation. These are serious issues, and getting it right protects everyone — women, children, staff, and the Club itself.

I’m sure you may need to escalate this for further guidance so no rush at all, I am very happy and assured now that single sex really does mean single sex.

Thanks again and best wishes,
"

Also it reads as if they pretend that you have made a complaint about a specific incident or person, rather than pulling them up on their unlawful policy.

Good point. They have to publish the changes otherwise….

Good work cell 8941b!

Thanks for posting the reply @TangenitalContrivences .

They seem to have missed the part where they publish, what is in fact a change, to their actual members.

I have had no issues at my nearest DL , but they did make a thing about saying members should use the facilities appropriate to their gender identity.

Bit woolly…

I got a response today from David Lloyd:

"Apologies for the delayed response, I have been on annual leave and as I had been the one previously communicated with you this had filtered back to my inbox.

We do indeed follow the EHRC guidance and supreme court ruling. Apologies but I may have misunderstood, are you saying there are members in breach of these rules, as that has not been reported?

You have stated on your previous email that we have breached this and are non compliant however in your previous emails to me this was not mentioned, you were just questioning the definition. The definition is not set out by us but by the government and most recently, their supreme court ruling.

Members should now use the changing room assigned to their biological sex or we have two private change/shower areas that are not assigned to either sex, with access showers.

If you could give me more detail on incidents that are breaching with these rules I would be more than happy to help and discuss with any member in question.

Best wishes,"

If your writing again I'd remind them that they may also fall under workplace regulations unless they have separate staff M / F changing, particularly the pool staff and swimming instructors.

What on earth does 'gendered appearance' mean? Considering that stereotypes sound like all they care about, Are they suggesting that a butch lesbian might be ordered to use the men's?!

What next: would they try to force an adult with dwarfism to attend children's sessions?!

And it should be ‘sex’ and not ‘gender’.

They don't care about women. But they'll care about money. And if a women suffers any detriment now in the single-sex changing room as a result of their policy ignoring the Supreme Court...

(It is SO NICE to be able to type that. The Supreme Court!)

I think you'll find that insurance is why the sports bodies folded.

funnily enough that is the line I used on my kids school - it;s a very good one. and I think puts the wind up them far far more than anything else

@TangenitalContrivance
And when you haven't heard from them by Tuesday, you could ask them whether they have informed their insurers that, notwithstanding the Supreme Court's confirmation of the law, they are continuing to allow biological males into the female changing rooms (that's assuming the rooms are marked as female/women's).

And I followed up today as it has been 6 days:

Dear xxx,

It has now been six days — a full working week — since I wrote requesting urgent confirmation that David Lloyd Clubs are complying with the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s interim guidance following the UK Supreme Court’s ruling on the definition of “sex” under the Equality Act 2010.

As of today, I have received no response.

Let me be absolutely clear: single-sex services, including changing rooms, must be provided on the basis of biological sex, not self-identified gender. This is not a matter of interpretation or internal discretion — it is the confirmed legal position under the Equality Act, as clarified by the UK Supreme Court and by the EHRC.

David Lloyd Clubs are, at present, not in compliance with this legal requirement.

This is a very serious issue. Your failure to respond — and the continued operation of changing spaces in breach of the law — creates substantial legal and reputational risk. It disregards the privacy, dignity, and safety of members, particularly women and girls, and exposes the organisation to formal complaint, legal challenge, and wider public scrutiny.

I am now asking once more for confirmation that:

• Female changing spaces are, with immediate effect, restricted to biological females; and
• Your policy has been updated to reflect the EHRC’s guidance and the binding Supreme Court judgment.

Please treat this as a matter of the highest priority. I expect your written response by close of business Tuesday.

Sincerely,
xxxx

This was my email to my local club last week:

xxxx
Thank you for your previous response.

Following the publication of the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) interim update regarding the recent UK Supreme Court judgment on the definition of “sex” under the Equality Act 2010, I am writing to seek urgent confirmation regarding David Lloyd Clubs’ compliance.

The legal position is now absolutely clear:
• “Sex” means biological sex, not self-identified gender.
• Single-sex services, including changing rooms, must be operated on the basis of biological sex.
• There is no discretion or flexibility to include individuals of the opposite biological sex in spaces reserved for women or men.

Maintaining the integrity of single-sex provision is a legal requirement under the Equality Act, as clarified by the Supreme Court and the EHRC. Allowing access based on self-identified gender rather than biological sex would breach the Act, exposing the Club to legal action, significant financial penalties, and reputational damage.

Accordingly, the female changing rooms at David Lloyd Brighton — and nationally — must now be restricted solely to biological females.

Given the seriousness and urgency of this matter, I require confirmation that the club's policies will be brought fully into compliance with the law and the EHRC’s guidance, and that single-sex facilities will remain single-sex without exception.

Please respond by return confirming the club's position.

Kind regards,
xxxxx