AIBU to wonder why David Lloyd gyms are so expensive?

[UndertheCedartree]

I go to a DL gym and interested as to the reasons for it being just so expensive? My thoughts are certainly round here there is no competition. We have lots of the basic gyms and a semi-council run leisure centre. The basic gyms are fine but not all the equipment DL has and I do also like the wide range of classes at DL at multiple times. Also there is no pool and my favourite thing is swimming. And of course they are not family friendly. Then the leisure centre I used for a while but myself and my DC couldn't get along with it. The pool was so crowded and noisy, the changing rooms wet and cold with grotty showers. We are all autistic so sensory issues really affect us. The gym is ok, a few classes. Then the spa was ok - basic sauna, steam and jacuzzi but separate to the pool so if I wanted to do swim and spa had to get changed then undressed again in between. It was also small and full of men talking loudly and I never felt comfortable. So with this all in mind David Lloyd became the only option.

Also interested if you think the high price is worth it. I pay over £200 a month for myself and my daughter. Overall I think it is worth it for me as it massively helps my mental health as well as physical of course. I make good use of it using the weights and cardio in the gym a couple of times a week. I do a class and swim 3 times a week. I play netball. Also swim with my daughter, play badminton and pickle ball, sometimes do a family class. We both have friends there. I also go to seminars such as the Female health series they are doing right now. We also enjoy the seasonal parties and activities and my daughter does some kids club activities. I like being able to use the spa and adult lounge when without my daughter but equally enjoy the family friendly spaces with DD. It is a huge stretch financially, though.

That's not on atall.

They were an absolute PITA to be honest and she said their harassment sort of spoiled what was a lovely treat for 3 months, and now even if she had the money she wouldn’t be paying it. She contacted their head office aswell!

Well, exactly. They could have got a customer down the line, but no way now. I'm sorry it spoiled it for her.

No. It is in a town centre, inside a mall. It is one of the lowest tiers they have.

I see. I was just surprised as David Lloyd was a tennis player but as you say they do have so many tiers!

I can't speak for now in 2026, but in 2018 I was looking for a gym primarily with a good pool that was mostly set out for lanes and had decent opening hours.

The two nearest options were a local independent and David Lloyd. Both were more or less identical in what they offered, although the independent had squash courts (DL didn't), DL had a larger number of tennis courts, and DL had a jacuzzi next to their pool (pools were both indoor and same size). They both had lots of classes, bar, WiFi, lots of social events but the independent actually had longer opening hours.

The DL was definitely glitzier/smarter looking but membership was three times the price. I decided a bit of glitz wasn't worth three times the price. Added to which the independent was a month by month arrangement, no contract, cancel any time. I had two very good years at my independent until COVID.

I recently checked them out again although I've moved far away. My independent is £48.99 per month. The David Lloyd is now nearer four times that.

Wow - what a difference!

What an odd thread.
My nearest DL is a 40 min drive so no experience of it.
Someone I followed on IG was ‘gifted’ a membership by them after raving about a free trial and it appears to have changed her whole personality. I actually stopped following her as she is just annoying now.
Is it a cult?

You think that prioritising your fitness and wellbeing is a cult?

I pay £30pm for Pure Gym which is the top membership option so I can use any. Because I just want to use the gym/classes and go home.

My DC had their swimming lessons at DL and the family changing rooms were grim.

@LadyWiddiothethird I didn’t realise some of the DL branches allowed kids in their outside pool, ours is adults only as it’s part of the spa and just presumed they all operated the same way!

We have one opening near us.

Except the location is close to the council dump, we looked at a house just down from the site (further from dump) and it stunk in summer.

I don’t want to pay a premium to smell rubbish!

I was a member years and years ago, stopped when I had my kids as couldn’t afford it. Used to go to local pool and gym but (a) the hours changed after Covid and were rubbish and never changed back. Closed by 8 in the week and 3 on weekends. Also no matter how careful I was with my towel it stank of piss afterwards due to the changing rooms. So I rejoined DL it’s £111 a month and I get £15 subsidy from work. It is expensive but I like the pool apart from the spa always being full of men all the time, the outdoor pool and the classes

What is odd about me wondering why it is so expensive? And other posters have given me answers. So no different to any other thread.

How has it changed their personality?! And why and how would it be a cult?! Those seem the odd comment/questions on this thread.

But in answer it is not a cult. It is just a gym that you are free to choose to attend or not. And there is no guru or philosophy.

It's a bizarre conclusion to me!

Sounds great. And I hate grim changing rooms! Nice changing rooms are massive for me.

We have an outside hydro pool in the spa but the big outdoor pool is separate. It's adult only during colder months, then in the summer DC can use it after school and weekend/holidays between 9-7

Blimey, me neither! Wonder how that will affect membership. I suppose those that would only use the indoor facilities wouldn't mind.

I’ve only just seen your post as you didn’t tag me.

They are actually in the process of building a padel court. It has an indoor pool, spa area with jacuzzi, hydro pool, sauna, heated beds etc. A very nice restaurant I often work from and it’s blissfully child free (as I put in my post). It doesn’t have an outdoor pool but I’ll sacrifice that for the much cheaper membership.

Because you asked why it was so expensive then your first post went on to list all the reasons why you think it’s expensive. So why ask if you already had a good idea?
It just reads like a marketing thread for DL.

Yes. That is exactly what I think.

I’m a DL member and I absolutely love it. I mainly go swimming and what I especially love is that’s it’s open something like 6am to 10 pm. It’s clean and staff are lovely. Today I’ve been at the outdoor pool for a few hours, music playing, barbecue, gorgeous weather, felt like I was in the Caribbean. I guess that’s what I pay for.

It sounds great. Except for lack of outdoor pool and no children it sounds perfect for me. But I must admit the much cheaper price would balance out the outdoor pool. And in a few years adult only would be great for me! I must admit the comment asking about children's facilities did make me chuckle as you'd said it was adult only!

I was giving context to my post. Not really helping people answer if they have no idea what the gym contains! I wasn't listing why I thought it was expensive, just what the facilities were. I have no idea of the exact facilities at all other gyms. For me it is an awful lot of money and I was wondering if it represented value for money. I have come away happy that for us it is good value. But also wishing there were other local gyms like those described here!

Can you tell us why? You said your friend's whole personality changed. I'm curious as to what you meant.