Fitness First Clubs

[megg]

I've had a leaflet through the door from these people as they're opening up a new club here. Has anyone ever joined and if so is it worth the money? The leaflet says join for free (saving £100) but doesn't say anything about how much it is thereafter. Appreciate it if someone knew something about them as I'm very tempted.

Megg - has the club actually opened yet? Be very cautious as where I used to live a club did this (not sure if it was FF or not) & went bust before it even opened!! Do not commit your money until you are absolutely sure that you will use the club regularly. In my 'working' days, I joined numerous 'trendy' clubs but never really used them, now I just go to the local council run facility (which is very good) on a pay as I go basis. I am sure FF is good - my DH joined a local one near his office but only ever got to go about once a week so value for money was poor.

Megg I am actually a member of a branch near my work. I go in my lunch hour 3 days a week (ie every work day) and so have the off-peak membership. Before DS I had full membership because I used to go after work.

It is a fairly widespread chain so I would have thought the chances of it going bust are minimal. It depends on what you are after. I think it is towards the cheaper end of the market (£24/pm for off peak - I think 30odd for full)and so this reflects in the facilities - eg my branch has no pool. It is heavily used and so the machines etc can appear worn. However for the amount of time I get to spend there I didn't want to be forking out loads and since I go in my lunch hour a luxurious post workout swim is pretty much out of the question. Also has creche, variety of classes and beauty salon.

For me the main selling point is proximity to work.

HTH.

There's a report on BBC Watchdog about Fitness First - that there clubs are going non-reciprocal soon so even if you belong to one you won't be able to use others in the chain, at least in London.

Bozza, Fitness First issued a profits warning in October - see here and their shares plummeted although they have recovered a little now.

I used to belong to a Fitness First, and in my opinion they are not all that great. Their gyms are cramped and small, they have way too many members for their facilities and the changing rooms/showers were not kept clean enough for my liking. They are a lot cheaper than other clubs though. I don't think any of their clubs have pools, that is part of the reason that their fees are so much cheaper. The other bugbear that I had with them is that they didn't fix or upgrade things quickly enough that were wornout/broken/looking tired. I changed to Cannons which is twice as expensive, but so much better value in my opinion.

I just recently finished paying off a contract for one yr which I only attended the place for 2 months of the year. One thing is I hated it. I started out ok for the first 2 days but then it was horrible. I was suppose to have help learning the machines for the first 2 weeks (policy) and after the first 2 days the workers acted as if I didnt exist. They just wanted me to sign that contract and after that "who cares if she gets help". I thought because this place was an all ladies fitness center they would be quite helpful. They were the opposite. To busy talking and hanging out with their co workers to do their job. I tried to get out of the contract but I couldnt and it was being deducted out of our account. Just another way how they get you. I think if I persued this with the hire ups I could of gotten my 450 back because they really didiny fullfil their part of the contract with training me.

I would always recommend to try and do the pay as you go thing rather then commit to a contract. As far as me going and sticking with it I did the first few weeks but then I got so bored and never felt like getting dressed to go especially since I have 3 kids and it was winter. My mom told me I would probally not want to drag the 2 younger ones out when its frezzing cold (I had joined in Oct). She ended up being right.

Well I've decided to never commit to a contractual fitness place ever again and plan on buying a tredmill.

Didn't know that about the non-reciprocal bit Sue. Not that I in practice use any of the other gyms. Paula is right that my gym is overcrowded at peak times but not when I go but much as I would like to I cannot afford Cannons prices for 3 lunch hours a week - my only reasonably priced alternative I assume would be a council run gym.

Good luck with the tread mill ThreeAngels - it wouldn't work for me. Paying up front works for me!

This is an old thread - I was hoping to restart the thread as I am having problems with Fitness First. I joined the month I fell pregnant. I then had a couple of early bleeds and was advized by healthcare providers not to take part in strenous excercise such as gym. I attended about 3 times and never recieved even the membership card or personal training sessions i had paid up front for ( despite several attempts to get these). Since then I have been harassed by credit agencies (never by Fitness First - they seem to like to get someone else to do their dirty work) and have left regular messages with branch and hq to sort it out but they don't call back. Anyone had similar problem? This has gone so far now that it has really upset me and I am thinking of going to the press!!