To think a David Lloyd membership isn't worth the money?

[cactusdog]

Just that really. I have been looking at it for my family (myself, husband, toddler) and other than the pool and 10 free tennis lessons then access to courts, it doesn't really seem worth the massive amount of money?
Like if you were paying that in America I think the service would be so much better but they don't seem particularly friendly at my local one anyway 🤷‍♀️
And the kids classes/lessons aren't even included in the price!

YANBU - I cancelled my membership after lockdown. Maybe it's worth it if you treat it like a club and spend a lot of time there socialising. Otherwise, it's just very expensive for a very average gym IMO.

I joined up before the pandemic. Loved going swimming and my husband and son loves the gym. But. We have been back to paying this month but I don’t feel happy going there yet. So I feel like the money is being wasted.

Before lock down dh and I would go sometimes just to have lunch. I miss that. And feel that I will have wasted months on a place I enjoy going

I may add that any of the pools round here are just not nice. And the one at our club is amazing. The changing rooms are good to. I also don’t have to pay for parking. If we added it all up with gym membership for three of us. And me paying separately to go swimming it works out about the same

it is a rip off. I hate the way they charge different prices according according to where you live too! It's over £150 a month in my leafy part of sw london but a mate of mine in the north only pays £80! For £150 a month it's really nothing special

We are with DL, and whilst it is good, it is certainly not the luxury experience it purports to be. It is a bit grimy in places, there are always out of order machines and so forth, but the little things are irritating as well - eg the TVs on the treadmill not working, all the clocks telling different times, hours slashed but still charging the same fee etc.

If you want it and you use it then yes it's worth the money.

If you don't, then it isn't.

Like pretty much everything...

I love mine, particularly for the café and the outdoor pool so it's worth it, but that doesn't really say anything about whether it's worth it for you!

@BananaPop2020 I have heard this. It seems to be each one is of a different standard and lots of people complain about rude staff.
Ours is very well maintained and the staff have been wonderful ( so far ). But I do think that if u paid all that money and it looks awful and run down I would be unhappy as well

Staff are lovely at mine too.

@Paranoidmarvin let me put it this way...I emailed DL in AUGUST to enquire when open hours would return to normal - I still have not got a reply! That sums it up really.

Our local one (which I went to for a while) always felt expensive for what it was ie that there were cheaper gyms which weren't much worse and much nicer ones which weren't that much more expensive.

Ours said it was very family friendly but charged a huge amount for children - fine if they used it lots but to take them twice a month for a family swim was either an expensive membership or expensive day passes so we all ended up ditching it.

It's awful,don't bother joining.

I absolutely love mine, I pay for premium membership and go swimming most mornings then use the spa. Classes are amazing, gym is great, staff are lovely, crèche is fab. The outdoor pool and outdoor jacuzzi are gorgeous. Feels like a slice of happiness/ escapism to me.

It's the lack of transparency re price that really pisses me off. And the harassment to sign up. I went for a trial day (admittedly a few years ago now) and only at the end would they tell me how much the charges were. It felt very high-pressure sales tactics so I said no.

I was delighted when PureGym opened up. I don't need any tennis lessons or towels washed for me. Only £21/month and you can cancel with the click of a button. "No frills" suits me just fine, thanks.

Perhaps it would be different if I were a SAHM or retired and used the spa/coffee facilities.

I cancelled mine. £90 quid a month and they don't even give you a towel for swimming.

We joined just as lockdown ended and it’s been a real lifesaver for us, one of the few things that are open round here. I take the kids swimming 3 x a week and do a couple of classes myself at the weekend. If circumstances were normal I’d think it was a ripoff, I was also a PureGym fan before lockdown and I love that. This has just worked out really well as a regular activity for the kids. I also love the outdoor pool, it felt like we were on holiday in the summer.

The main draw for me would be the pool but for the kids to use it they have to get memberships?
It just seems really overpriced for what it is.

Mine seems nice, it's fairly clean, the cafe seems nice, and the pool and changing rooms do look lovely, but if I go regularly for the coffee then I'm just paying even more on top!

I like mine, after four years membership I left in February but went back as soon as it reopened.

I love the pools and do a lot of swimming.

Both my kids have swimming lessons, max three in a class and they cost £6.30 each. My son has had private one to one lessons for nearly three months at this fee. Yes they have their membership on top but it still works out cheaper than other lessons running locally - and the children can also swim at weekends. The instructor is incredible.

I enjoy tennis so like to do that weekly.

I really like the yoga instructor and her classes are the best yoga ones I’ve done.

I work full time and it’s a bit of a haven for me! I’ve tried other local gyms and they don’t stack up.

We have a super expensive DL where we are, £100 pm base price. Kids lessons on top, tennis classes (not individual tuition, but group sessions, with pro on phone at side) on top.

Basic kids membership £35 pm. Tennis lessons (weekly - no holidays additional £8 or so a lesson, swimming the same and certainly, where they could squeeze them in more than 3 per lesson).

DH cancelled his membership at the start of lockdown, by September they had written off his 3 month cancellation fee to debt collectors including 3 months of kids lessons that were no longer on the timetable.

Bearing in mind our club at this point has limited opening (shuts by 8pm, many classes not running, limited food options and ability to socialise) - it was quite a stunning move really!

We moved DS lessons to a local tennis club and swimming club and would say that the lessons are better quality and value for money at this point.

There was a very tragic incident at a DL in Leeds a few years ago, a child drowned. The parents are prosecuting.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-england-leeds-51536308

Well mine has come into its own since lockdown as it’s the only place I can now take DD to swim. All the local council pools are adult lane swimming only. Been a member for years, never really used it enough to justify the expense (£90/month off-peak) and was thinking of cancelling... then Covid happened!

No, it’s not especially luxurious, there’s plenty to dislike about the way it’s managed - but it’s clean and friendly and, more importantly, open, so for the time being we’re sticking with it. Lots of our friends with small children have joined recently too, as there is literally nowhere else to go.

There are other options with DL, bit they try and up-sell so they don’t offer - you have to know and ask, for example you don’t have to have the tennis option, ther is also an off-peak option.

The lack of pricing transparency irks me hugely (member for 13 years)....always interesting comparing notes with everyone in the sauna 😂

Silverlining
David Lloyd were found not culpable.

Cactus
Nobody forces you to go to DLL.
If PureGym is more your thing, enjoy it.

YANBU
Used to be a member. I flitted between 2, as both were equal distance. For the money I was paying, I expected a lot more and got thoroughly sick of the creche it became in their mission to be family friendly.