to think that council-run leisure centres should be more affordable than private health clubs?

[FartyMcTarty]

While pregnant I've rejoined my old health club. The gym helps and the pool is blissful! Nearing my due date though, I've been looking around for affordable exercise options for the whole family.

What I've found is that it would cost at least as much, for much less (reduced pool availability; colder temperatures; shorter opening hours; no fitness classes; grotty changing facilities) to go to the local leisure centre as staying where we are and enjoying a huge, air-conditioned gym; 5 hours' pool availability a day; plenty of different exercise classes, including some for slightly older DCs and private family changing facilities. There's no joining fee as we're lapsed members, and for the same reason we wouldn't be tied into a 12 month contract.

Obviously the benefit of a leisure centre is that you have the option to PAYG, but even so, if you ended up using the gym 3x week and both adults swimming with 2 DCs twice a week, you would end up paying twice as much as the health club membership. This includes locker fees of £1 a go which are non-fefundable So although you would definitely be using what you pay for on PAYG, you wouldn't be losing out by paying up-front for the month at the health club, IYSWIM. In addition to all this, the rates I'm basing my calculations on include membership of a discount scheme, which would cost £20pa per family in the first instance.

Is this unusual for council-run facilities? I do know that in the county neighbouring ours, there is a much better range of classes, the pool is available more often and locker fees are much cheaper, but you still pay a lot per session compared to monthly health club membership. AIBU to think that this shouldn't be the case? Makes a bit of a mockery of the 'Inspire a Generation' bullshit if families can't afford to take formal exercise.

Yanbu, just started going back to local leisure centre and even with a third off because I work for the local authority it is still more expensive if I use more than twice a week than the private gym. It has less facilities and you often have to queue for equipment. I know they must have massive running costs but am starting to wonder if I can afford it

YANBU. My old local council facility was grim and the private was the cheaper option. I reckon if you're just starting out on exercise go to the council one first to make sure you're not going to join, feel good about joining and then not actually go.

In your case it sounds like the private one might be the better option. I can't see how it costs more for less though. You do wonder where the money goes.

I pay about £35 for my monthly council run leisure centre and have access to the gym, fitness classes and the pool. I could add children on for an extra £5 per child per month. It would be £68 for a couples membership but dh uses a different gym. Our lockers take £1 but you get the £1 back

The local authority one will appeal more to casual users.

The private one will have a reasonable percentage of people paying to not use the facilities.

Less efficient - I'll say! Can't get a response to anything via the website, and of you phone the reception staff are clueless.

I don't know why I expected better value for public rather than private facilities. I just think it's so integral to public health for people to exercise!

My private gym sounds like a bargain.
Its £40 pm for me £10 per month for dd (8 years) and £10 a year for ds (18 months)
It has 3 pools, kids can go swimming as much as we want and for kids over 4 there is a free 2 hour kids club everyday during the holidays and a one hour one at 5ish every weekday during the holidays and term time.
I get free classes as well.

Of course a private health club is cheaper if you use it several times a week. You're being subsidised by everyone who pays for membership but doesn't go near the place from one month to the next.

We have one like that in the area, AGilchrist. Problem is it's 7 miles each way so would cost more in fuel than staying where we are (£54/mth + £15 when DD turns 3).

Of course, Casper, but my question was why council leisure centres are so expensive.

Casper is right. I go 5 times a week and know most people don't, they are paying for my facilities. 2 friends joined around the same time as me and we planned on going together, one has gone once and the other for 1 month and that's it.
I don't get it myself, the paying for it is my motivation. I want my moneys worth. Which with the swimming with the kids, the classes for dd and my classes its a bargain.

If there is an option to join your local council run leisure facilities it is usually cheaper - ours is £35 per month as opposed to £59 per month for David Lloyd. You would need to go to the council one twice a week to get your moneys worth.

I think the OPe issue is that its more expensive and crapper.
Lets be fair, it should cheaper. Its council run And pretty poor.

If you want value and no frills check out www.thegymgroup.com/

I go to my council run leisure club and have to say its really rather lovely.

Me and dp pay about £62 a month, which is slightly reduced due to a discount negotiated by my (non LA) work.

That includes unlimited gym, swimming and classes and use of the creche. The gym is far better equipped than the one at the local 4* hotel where I take DD swimming. The class list is extensive and varied and the swimming pool is warm, with clean family friendly changing rooms.

15mo DD seems to prefer the creche and its lovely staff to her nursery and its consistently fully booked so I don't think she's alone there!

We can also take DD swimming for free until she's 5, so we often take advantage of the parents and under 5s session they run on a Sunday morning.

Oh and they're linked with 4 other local clubs so if you're a member of one you can use any, including going to different classes, going to an alternative gym on the way home from work etc.

I love my leisure club, can you tell?!

Oh and they're linked with 4 other local clubs so if you're a member of one you can use any, including going to different classes, going to an alternative gym on the way home from work etc.

You would expect that with a council gym wouldn't you? Here, membership of the new, bigger centre with a few classes but no pool (quite a distance from us) allows you use of the pool at our local centre. However, membership of the local centre doesn't incude use of the newer facilities at the other gym!

Our council run centre is very cheap for me but I have to admit I'm on a concessionary rate. I suspect full-cost members have to subsidise that to an extent, which obviously isn't necessary for the private clubs.

I pay 25pm for unlimited use of any leisure facilities/classes in the area (there are loads)

over 60s and U16s swim for free.

I think this is cheaper than private? And is the way it should be.

Fair point farty! I suppose I've never been a member anywhere else so hadn't considered it but yes I guess it probably is to be expected.

Your local one is definitely sounding rather rubbish though!

Over 60s get it for free, kids get free swimming, classes are subsidised for those on benefits - someone has to pay more to cover that, and it's you!

My private gym is 40 quid a month and lovely and clean, classes galore, 3 pools, and free parking

Over 60s get it for free, kids get free swimming, classes are subsidised for those on benefits - someone has to pay more to cover that, and it's you!

My private gym is 40 quid a month and lovely and clean, classes galore, 3 pools, and free parking

I pay £25 per month for my local council run gym and the nearest private one would cost me just under three times that amount.

Granted, I get it cheaper (£15 off) because my work has a deal with them, but I think the facilities are comparible. For my £25, I have access to the gym, swimming pool, classes and the creche. The gym has recently been redone and membership costs have not gone up.

So to answer the OP, YANBU to think that, as in some areas this is already the case. I honestly fail to see why it would be any other way though.

Well I am in the US and am just about to get family membership to my local YMCA.
Pool, gym, all classes for four of us, but the best bit......
Free child care for up to two kids for up to two hours whilst you use the facilities.as many times a week as you like.
All for about 55 quid a month.
I do remember paying a huge amount for my gym in the UK.
The UK has many great things but the cost of life there is kind of harrowing.

We'd need £15 for the three of us to go swimming, and parking costs on top of that. We don't have that spare.

YABU on the basis of my local ones. Membership for 30pm single, 52 couple, 60 family gets you swimming, sauna and steam room, gym use and some classes too. Less for just gym and swim or swim only. Kids free to swim. Can use any of the dozen centres in the area.

I suspect this varies widely from area to area. Funny how people assume all public sector organisations are alike whereas it's accepted that private sector ones will differ.