to think this is pretty poor on the part of my gym?

[gymgoer]

Member of a local gym. Quite a big well known chain, at the budget end of the market.

Haven't been back since it reopened a couple of months ago as have been trying to exercise at home, outside etc but with the cold and wet weather setting in I thought I'd make a return.

So you have to book a slot (fine), opening hours have been reduced (again, understandable) can only stay for under an hour and no more than 15 mins on any equipment (bit frustrating as I like to do 5-10k on the treadmill but ok that's what they have to do).

Got there and people were social distancing, equipment being cleaned etc. So far so good.

However, they have closed the changing rooms and showers completely - meaning I had to get changed in the loo, and then carry my bag round with me. Not only that but they have turned the hot water off (clearly to save money!) so when I came to wash my hands I had to use cold water. I commented on it to another lady in the loo - thinking maybe it was a one off - and she said no, there hadn't been any hot water since they reopened and that clearly they just won't switch this on now they don't need to have the showers working either!

Despite reduced facilities, opening times and access I'm still paying exactly the same for my membership - AIBU to think it's a bit poor that despite that the gym can't provide anywhere to change or shower, or even hot water to wash our hands with after using the loo?

I don't understand why changing in the toilets is ok but changing in the changing room isn't

No hot water is just bonkers and I would definitely be complaining about that

I'm not always going straight home after the gym. Plus even when I am, I prefer (when I have the choice) to not sit my damp, sweaty self in my nice clean car.

As for the toilets, they're not open specifically to use for changing but I had no choice but to change there. I guess they felt they had to open the loos at least (although it wouldn't have surprised me that they closed them too - last year there was a major leak at the gym and although it stayed open the loos were closed for a week or so!)

That’s the same as my gym. You also can’t shower after a swim or use any lockers, so you have to carry all your stuff around with you.

The most annoying thing is the toilet situation. There’s only one open in the lobby and the gym is upstairs. If you’re in the gym and want to use it, you have to exit the leisure centre and go back through the one way system to get to it 😑

No showers at my gym. Changing room/ lockers for swimmers only.
You arrive in your gym kit- then go straight home to shower. Then you won't need to cart a big bag of clothes round with you.

There should be hot water for hand washing though- (covid is zapped by handgel but other types of virus e.g. Norovirus require soap and water) and I wouldn't be impressed by reduced opening hours, especially when bookings are limited.

I have suspended my membership til Christmas (which luckily my gym is letting me do) as I could not be bothered with the hassle of booking etc and not being able to shower, especially after swimming. I don't want to cycle home in the cold with wet hair and then have to shower.

I have always done most of my exercise at home anyway so I am just going out running and cycling and doing some kettle bells in my living room.

The showers and changing facilities are open in our gym, although that has a pool etc so you do need to get changed for that. The saunas and squash courts are shut but everything else is open. Yoga classes have dots marked out for where you can put your mat and class sizes are reduced. You only need to book classes and the pool, or one of the free weight areas that have been put in place (and need to scan the covid qr on entry) . There are cleaning teams around constantly and apart from the extra precautions it's pretty much business as usual. I feel like your gym isnt handling this well at all - those measures sounded normal when they first reopened but surely by now they would have found their feet!

Focus on the hot water issue with them.

No hot water is rubbish. I wonder if it costs a fortune to fire up a boiler? But yeah, not on. Hand washing is better than gel - we know this.
Mine has shut off the water fountain 'on government advice'. I checked the generic advice and it says shut off the ones you drink from, tap type are fine.
The no bag thing I can't see the logic of. No one is going to catch covid from a bag being placed on the floor! I go to my bag and use hand gel if I've blown my nose so I'd argue it's making things safer!

I don't go to a gym but if I did I would assume that the 15 minute limit was meant for when other people were wanting to use the equipment, I certainly wouldnt be coming off if no one was waiting, that's mad surely no one does that do they?

What is it was only you there, would you still stick to 15 minutes?

What's frustrating is there's no way to contact them. They don't reply on social media, they have no live chat facility and you can't get through on the phone. I've sent an email of complaint but that hasn't even had a 'you'll hear from us in 5 working days' type acknowledgment!

Seriously considering switching to another gym locally which has a half price/ no joining fee offer at the moment, but it will take me nearly an hour with traffic to get there and back. It's annoying my current one is the closest to home but it's so crap.

It's tricky, I can see why people don't feel as if they are getting value from their membership because of the restrictions that gyms are subjected to, but if everyone cancels their membership gyms will all go out of business ☹️

I have my first session at my gym in an hour - it's a pre-booked 1.5 hours, turn up in your kit, bring very little, the showers are shut apparently.

My main concern is the aircon; they have confirmed it's a fresh air system but as the gym doesn't have opening windows, I'm heading straight back out if it doesn't feel right.

No hot water is grim. Our showers and changing rooms are open though some lockers have been decommissioned to encourage distancing. We clean lockers before and after use. Hairdryers have been taken away and hot air hand dryers have been turned off.

The changing rooms in my gym are shut. Usually I get ready at home or work into gym gear and gave a shower at home or work depending what's going on.
The only time its a struggle us uf I'm coming from a house visit or a meeting not in my work building.
I just get changed in the loo at the gym quickly if that is the case. Ive not used the loo but there is hand sanitising gel everywhere.
I think the booking sessions are working well. There us a 15 min rule on cardio but if there's several if the same pieces of the same equipment and no one is waiting it isn't an issue.

Its good to be doing a mix if classes, swimming and gym again!