Forum Topic

Fitness First

HiI am looking to join a gym in the acton/chiswick area and just wondered if anyone had any views on fitness firstThanks

Alison Taylor ● 5560d10 Comments

Bargain basement with basic facilities but OK for that. No pool etc and not always pristine changing facilities. Engaging mix of clientele and ladies' gym available - and quite fun.Tricky bit is the compnay management and policies; when I lodged my card because of ill health and therefore paid a tiny sum to just keep the membership open, they restarted taking the full amount a year later without telling me and in breach of the banking code.Management at Acton and Head Office wholly impossible to deal with: unresponsive, evasive and rude.I got the money back after advice on a forum and through my bank but it was a horrid experience and I would not willingly do business with them again. Like many of the fitness chains, quite tricky when you want to leave or diminish their income in any way...which I suppose is predictable when you think that these operations keep going based on the people who sign up but then never go to the place and may want to leave.

Sara Nathan ● 5560d

I would echo the previous poster. It is basic and the classes are quite good (although often the AC was not working in the studio). The management was terrible when I last went there and there are lots of men 'hanging around' the weights. I left and really enjoy jogging and exercising outdoors instead. I will reassess my gym options once winter hits again though!

Jo Reeve ● 5560d

Hi, I don't have any experience of FF but have been a member for years at Virgin Active in Bromyard Avenue which I find really good, spotlessly clean, lovely big pool, great classes, tennis courts, cafe, spa/sauna, staff are generally excellent. The only thing I'd say, and again it depends what you're looking for, but VA has a lot of families with kids because there are loads of kids lessons, activities, creche etc and its great value. There are designated no kids areas in the changing rooms and cafe but there are always kids around. I go with and without mine and find it excellent. There is no joining fee and you pay monthly by DD so cancellation is easy, you can also freeze your membership so you don't pay when eg on holiday which is handy.

Milena Vincic ● 5559d

Some of us will be refugees come the end of the year when the gym at Acton Swimming Baths closes: any recommendations for local places with reasonable facilities and fees that don't require a mortgage?! The Swimming Baths gym has limited facilities, very reasonable fees and friendly staff, all of which make it ideal for me (I've been a member there for over 10 years) and I shall be very sad when it closes...

Lorna Dodd ● 5559d

I think it's basically fitness first (cheap) virgin (not quite as cheap) or park club (really expensive)But the new facilities - from what I have seen - might be really good when they re-open. Unless that's been reneged on too of course - difficult to believe anything the project team says any more.

Sara Nathan ● 5559d

It may be a bit out of town but have you considered the Revive Health Club at the Crowne Plaza just off the Hanger Lane Giratory? It only opened a couple of years ago and it has state-of-the-art equipment, a steam room and the staff are very friendly and helpful.

David Wright ● 5559d

At the cheaper end Reynolds Sports centre has a gym, I don't know how hi-tech it is but its fairly newly opened and works pay as you go or about £15? A month. There's also energise/energize? gym on gunnersbury lane, that's £20 odd a month, quite small but friendly and does the job.

Milena Vincic ● 5558d

Thanks for the suggestions, all. As for the new facilities: they sound great, but I'm taking into account the proposed timetable for the redevelopment as it is now, and adding a year or two for problems along the way, and unless I keep up the fitness regime in the interim I shall be admiring the facilities with the aid of a zimmer frame!

Lorna Dodd ● 5558d

If it's classes you're after, take a look at Gunnersbury Fitness - www.gunnersbury-fitness.co.uk. They do lots of different types of classes both indoors and in Gunnersbury Park. They're all pay-as-you-go, so no worries about Direct Debits and payments being taken that aren't due!

Stephen Bennett ● 5554d

Sorry, I didn't see this.I belong to Fitness First and...well, it does the job.  I only use the cardio machines, as I find the weights boring and the people who hang around them rather intimidating (lots of muscles, lots of tattoos).  There's also a problem with the "keys" that hold the level of weights you want in place -- they keep going missing and you have to try and find one for yourself.  My main gripe with the place is that it's not very clean, especially the changing rooms.  Apart from people gobbing up or blowing their nose on every available surface, there's also a tendency to abandon underpants or socks as well as just dump any litter (empty soda bottles, used tissues, used gum, etc) all over the place.  The staff have always been very friendly and helpful, (although I've had a couple of personal trainers do the hard sell) but there seems to be quite a staff turnover.  But, yes, it does the job and is reasonably priced. there's also a closed off woman's gym, which is a good idea.

Adam Kimmel ● 5530d