To wonder if you would take your business elsewhere in this situation?

[UnacceptableOrNot]

I've been a member of a fitness club for over a year now. It teaches various types of classes, some of which are quite unusual and specialist. It's a nice building and has good facilities.

However, it's just so cliquey! I feel as though I've given it a fair chance having been a member for a year but I feel like taking my business elsewhere at the moment as it's never got any better.

Examples of said cliquey behaviour include:

Teachers in lessons having clear favourites and focussing lessons around the needs/wants of favourites

Teachers not ever saying hello to me or greeting me when get there even though I always say hello to them

Some of the classes are quite specialised and require a certain amount of one to one attention per student from the teacher. In some of these lessons the teacher focusses on one or two favourite pupils and others like me, who's face has never fit, just gets ignored. I do ask for help but it's given grudgingly and huffily, and I'm never shown properly. The favourite pupils are always the more able ones who need the least amount of help yet they always have the instructors flocking around them.

Photos and praise about favourite pupils are always put on the studio's facebook page; the same pupils all the time.

The instructors all come across as quiet bitchy. They've loudly bitched about other pupils in classes, and I just know that as soon as anyone leaves the room, they're bitched about. The instructors (there are usually 2 or 3 in a lesson) often look at each other and roll eyes, or have private jokes in lessons and whisper to each other.

There are many, many new people who come and do a couple of lessons then leave and never come back.

As I said, I feel as though I've given it a fair shot after being there for a year. I don't need validation from them, or particularly want to be in the clique but I'd like a bit of tuition and to be treated fairly. I carried on paying my membership throughout lockdown in order to support the business, and I pay almost £100 per month for this. I like the unique classes they offer and I've made a couple of nice mates there but other than that I often get home from a class and feel like crying.

Would you take your business elsewhere?

Too right I would! I can’t see an appealing factor about the place tbh.

Yes I would. It sounds awful.

Exercise is supposed to make you feel better about yourself, not make you come home in tears.

You have given it more than a fair shot (way longer than I would) so cut your losses and go elsewhere.

Find your people, as these bitches clearly are not!

I would definitely leave and I'd write to the owner to tell them why I was going, too, naming names.

I should have said, I did speak to the owner once about it and things did change a little bit but not much.

Why did you not leave after a few lessons like the other sensible people?
Is there difficulty with getting the more specialist classes?
I had this but it was a place that changed with instructors. Went from being egalitarian and friendly to new instructors having acolytes and not being interested in the earnest triers.
It is very disheartening, but at least when I left I was more solvent as well as being disheartened.

@Sk1nnyB1tch

Why did you not leave after a few lessons like the other sensible people? Is there difficulty with getting the more specialist classes? I had this but it was a place that changed with instructors. Went from being egalitarian and friendly to new instructors having acolytes and not being interested in the earnest triers. It is very disheartening, but at least when I left I was more solvent as well as being disheartened.

Yes, I like the specialist classes they offer. That's the main reason that I've stayed it out.

Of course I would. I wouldn't have stayed a year, either. And would leave truthful reviews whenever possible and tell the truth whenever asked.

Thanks everyone. I will be terminating my membership this week.

Leave and give feedback as to why. That’s an appalling way to run a business, although it sounds like the centre management is in cahoots with the instructors if they don’t care about the way they treat members.

Sounds like my daughters dance studio tbh. If they didn’t love it so much I’d take my business elsewhere! So YANBU

@UnacceptableOrNot

Thanks everyone. I will be terminating my membership this week.

Good. You'd think in this economic climate the business owner would be keen to keep on as many members as possible but perhaps she/he has no need. At any rate, it's not working for you so take your business elsewhere.

I know loads of members left during lockdown. Membership levels are definitely down.

I would, even quicker if there was an alternative not too inconvenient. I think you have made the correct decision.

£100 a month is a far too much money for something that makes you so unhappy.

I used to go to a young and trendy place and the lockdown made me realise how much better off I am without it! They have a couple of specialist classes too but it's really not that exciting any more once you've done a few of them. Exercise videos at home are so much better for my sense of self.

This reminds me of cookery/home economics/domestic science at high school. The head of the department (no longer with us) was far from pleasant to begin with but she effortlessly made it clear in classes who the favourites were, i.e. those with some talent and those who actually NEEDED teaching. She was snappy and impatient with the latter group. Silly woman also expected us to be able to wash up afterwards with lukewarm water and cheap, watered-down washing up liquid.

Definitely go elsewhere.

I would definitely go elsewhere, but I would 100% ensure I left feedback as soon as you can. It can warn others, but also jolt anyone within the business who isn't self aware enough to see how they're driving away custom.

I'd also leave and make sure to review it as accurately and thoroughly as possible everywhere I could. Had you not already addressed it with management then I'd say tell them first and give them a chance, but you did already.
I hope they really miss your overpriced membership fees!
Have you made any friends there who feel as you do? Might be worth mentioning to them that you're bailing and they might go too.

There's a hairdressers in our TINY town (where everyone knows everyone) and it's one of only two. It's a similar thing. All fancy and modern with highly trained local stylists (with the prices to match) but if your face doesn't fit? Don't bother. They leave you standing by the door, ignoring you until they decide to saunter over and give you that up and down look, then when having your hair done, completely ignore you and chat to their colleagues and other, better friends/clients. As much as I would love to get my hair done, not a chance would I give them my money.

Yes I'd go elsewhere and give them feedback as to why

I had the same with a local gym. Eventually I felt it wasn't making me happy as it was so cliquey. Life is too short when you're paying to get fit and not getting what your paying for.

Yes. And I'd tell them why
Also leave an honest review if possible

What is it about fitness classes?
I was laughed at a few times for trying new things in the past ( I know I'm not fit ) and it puts you off going back then.
They do tend to be cliquey and some instructors are a bit off putting.
It seems they only want their friends or relatives to bother going along.
No wonder people prefer to do fitness at home!

@UnacceptableOrNot

Thanks everyone. I will be terminating my membership this week.

I think that's the right decision.

Specialist classes are great and it's good to access but they are meant to be unique and make you feel good not like you are an outsider and sad.

Maybe if there's enough of the others who will also leave you can use the money you've saved to hire your own instructor and have your own class once a week?

So gym membership and specialist class?