Gym Fees

[Felix125]

I'm a male who is a member of a local gym. Open to all genders & ages and we pay a monthly fee. Its quite a nice gym and has a pool, steam room, sauna etc

They are now suggesting that the afternoon sessions at the gym/pool will be female only. Now, as I work shifts I can only go to the gym at certain times which will make things awkward as you can imagine.

As the availability of the gym is now restricted for me I have inquired if my fees will be reduced as a male - as I have less opportunity to attend. They response i got was 'No - they will stay the same for both men & women'.

Surly this can't be correct?

Op are you sure it’s the whole afternoon and not just an hour?

@Itsnotover

So you've started a thread about something which hasn't even happened yet? 🤔

I go to David Lloyd and there's no suggestion of this at my gym.

Its Lloyds Gym by the way, so quite a big chain, but I think individual premises are classed as a franchise. Other changes to the gym organisation were done via the members (locker changes etc)

Do you go to the OPs specific gym?? probably not

Which David lloyd is it? Sounds something lots of mumsnetters would be interested in.

I wonder if they’d consider maybe one afternoon women only, and one afternoon men only, or something like that? I’d agree that gender (and everything else aside!) that it should be a fee based on how much accessibility there is.

I am a member at Bannatynes, and there are adult only times (I think kids are only allowed in 3-5 on weekdays, and maybe a Saturday?) - but obviously a child membership is less. They also offer weekday/weekend/9-4 only memberships; and those are also obviously less expensive too.

I’d be surprised if David Lloyd get away with cutting availability, and not changing the fee.

Love to have a link to this as I’m struggling to believe it really.

If the op is real change gyms. There are many.

Love to have a link to this as I’m struggling to believe it really.

Can't speak for the David Lloyd but several years ago my local authority gym/pool rolled out women's only pool sessions for four days a week including one day over the weekend. These sessions were scheduled for late afternoon and did encroach on the post work busy slot. The pool was the only non private affordable one in the borough so the 'just join another gym' solution was not an option for many. Membership fees were not changed to reflect the limited access. Needless to say it created quite a bit of bad publicity and the women only sessions were reduced to two sessions a week at an earlier time slot.

David Lloyd’s messaging is all about how it’s inclusive for all the family. No way one club will make the pool and gym every afternoon women only.

Its the Teesside one

And as I said at the start, it was a suggestion - I didn't realise I could only post once the decision has been made. I was merely seeing if this had been done at any other gyms and what the outcome was. From a couple of posts above it appears it has been done, but got changed back again; so this might be the conclusion here too.

I possibly will change gyms if need be, but i quite like this gym as it has all the things i need/enjoy there - but as i said before it might not come into fruition, it could be the people at the gym who started the suggestion have been misinformed.

@FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop

Woooah - where's all this coming from.

From women who are fucking sick of whiny men stopping them having spaces for themselves.

This was not a debate on which gender is more oppressed - that's an entirely different argument to have.

It's women. HTH

And challenging everyday sexism - is that not what I am doing here by challenging this possible decision by the gym management?

Everyday sexism against women. Seeing as it's sexism again women which is what had led to things like demands for women-only sessions.

And its not a case of 'swimming sessions' - they mention the whole gym being women only on afternoons. My question was that i don't believe that would be fair if I am paying the same fees.

Ah I missed the gym bit 🤦🏼‍♀️ it's only whisperings though at this stage I really wouldn't even give it a second thought until the gym tells you something, though my first post still stands - women at your gym want to be away from men. Are you one of the men who are part of them feeling this way?

I think the consensus of opinion on here is to change gyms if they do pursue this - and I thank all those who have replied.

Well, regardless of wether you agree with what they doing or not and if they do it, it's never a bad idea to vote with your feet and your wallet

Sorry - I'm not biting

This thread was just a simple query about a gym membership issue.
If you want to start another thread for this, as it is a different issue.

Leaving the women only thing to one side - as it's irrelevant.

You've signed up for something on the promise of being to access it (for example) 9am to 9pm, Monday to Sunday. They are now changing that and saying you can only have access (for example) 11am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

So you're not getting what you signed up for. I would speak to the membership team at your gym about it. And would expect them to let you leave immediately, without giving 3 months notice or whatever they demand.