Anybody else a member on here? Me and my boyfriend received a letter saying they are closing. I'm so mad, I only joined in January and wouldn't have bothered joining if I knew they were closing.

Also I've phoned them this morning and they've said they won't refund the £15 members have payed for the padlock and swipe card. It's not much use to me now is it?!!

I didn't have to pay a joining fee but just out of interest if anybody on here did, is that being refunded? If not I'm sure they must be doing something illegal? Surely you can't charge somebody £100 joining fee and then a month later close the gym and then not refund them the joining fee?

I'd be interested to hear what others think of this.

If not illegal, it's certainly sharp practice! Why are they closing?

K x

Apparantly not making enough money. Not sure what they are going to do with the space, maybe more flats or another bar/restaurant. I'm assuming they have lost loads of money or don't think they would be taking such drastic action.

I can't say its a great surprise to me - firstly we seem to be suffering from Gym overload at the moment and secondly The Cage just didn't seem to do anything different and was lacking in facilities - no free weights, no swimming pool etc. etc.

Where is it? did it have a different name before?

It's tucked into west one, just below the lil shopping centre. It opened fairly recently and has only been called the cage :)

Its part of the West One complex. And no, it didn't have a different name before. It hasn't been open long, since the end of last summer I think.

thanks, just curious :thumbsup:

Oh Dear!!!

I do believe a 6mths (or something) membership for this club was used as part of a prize for the
Heart in the City competition...

Just goes to show that this could be desperation calling... :?

I'm really annoyed about this. I just joined on February the 7th, a whole 19 days ago. I paid a years membership, joining fee etc. Surely they must have had some idea when I joined that they were going to be closing, I mean, I doubt decisions like that are made overnight.

Can anyone recommend another gym not to far from the city centre?

I really sympathise with you and know how you feel. I'm thinking of joining Greens now but my boyfriend works for a gym in the centre although I've forgotten what it's called! It's near The Graduate pub and Novotel if that's any help.

Is this really true???????? Because I am a member and have heard nothing?

I was thinking how much busier the gym has been the last few weeks - they seem to have taken loads of new members recently

Originally posted by kezza
...they seem to have taken loads of new members recently

Hmmm :suspect: Me wonders if they did have an inkling then...

K x

Yes Kezza this is true. Me and my boyfriend are both members and received letters this morning. Maybe you haven't received one yet. But yes it is true.

How annoying! And how can they take so many new members?? - they must have known it was gonna close.

Think i'll be joining Greens too!!

Only recently they did that Valentine's promotion thing, where if you got a mate to join you got a free towel (or something like that!). In retrospect even since I have been a member they have done loads of promotions but I just thought that was because they were new.

When I spoke to them this morning they claimed they were only told about it 2 days ago. But like has already been said, surely this decision wasn't made overnight? So it does make you wonder why they have carried on letting people join, and then won't refund them certain money.

They have told me any complaints I have need to be put in writing and I would urge anybody else who is unhappy about this to do the same. The more complaints they get the better and I am determined to get my £15 back at least!

do you know when its going to close?

It says on the letter it is going to close on the 31st March

Grrrrr. Very annoyed. Gonna ring them up and tell them what I think. Will send a complaining letter too

Originally posted by kezza
Grrrrr. Very annoyed. Gonna ring them up and tell them what I think. Will send a complaining letter too

Remember the staff are losing their jobs probably; don't go too hard on the person who answers!

K x

Basically marketing for gyms usually involves a little sharp practice - thats just the way it is. I'm always reminded of Timeshare when I get a gym sales pitch....

In fact from what I understood, one of their selling points was supposedly that they didn't have year long contracts.

I joined the place a year before it opened, just because of its convenient location for me. But as part of West One it had a lot of hiccups - they were supposed to have some aromatherapy facilties which didn't materialize - it just wasn't what it said in the brochure. It was obvious to me that it wasn't up to scratch and I pulled the plug on them after the first month.

I think the delays they had in opening enabled Virgin Active to jump in and take a slice of the pie they were hoping for.

That ludicrous lock / padlock thing I never bothered with so I didn't lose anything really, not having paid a joining fee.

Not sure I'd have wanted to pay for an annual membership a week before the place announced that it's closing. Best of luck with getting it back. And yes, bear in mind the staff will be a bit down when you complain - its always a drag when a place closes....

Can you imagine what sort of rent they are paying over there too? Their membership targets must be huuuuge to make it work!

Originally posted by PrincessSam
I'm really annoyed about this. I just joined on February the 7th, a whole 19 days ago. I paid a years membership, joining fee etc. Surely they must have had some idea when I joined that they were going to be closing, I mean, I doubt decisions like that are made overnight.

Can anyone recommend another gym not to far from the city centre?

S10 health on northumberland road. About 10 mins walk from the cage. Student gym open to all. Very good but a bit pricey for students(ironic)

I've been with 'The Cage' since it opened. What a shame to see it close!
All who worked there seemed so attached to the place and they really gave individual attention to their members.

I hope all who joined recently get their fees (as well as their motivation to stay fit) back.

I found out today the Cage are definitely NOT refunding joining fees. I have spoken to a lady who joined less than a week ago. They took the joining fee from her and have now told her she won't get it back. How nice of them.

it was doomed from the start as this was not ready in time for the opening in june it had already been delayed by about 2 weeks they kept pushing it thru thats why alot of the stuff they where having done was not done until after it had opened i could go on with more stuff about the company as i worked for the building company who built it and my ex used to work there

sammysowls- Could you PM me with any other info you know about the company? Don't really think you should post it on here but if you have anything I can use against them it would be much appreciated. Aside from all the closing business they took money out of my account in February that they shouldn't have and they are now being very funny about giving it back. I'm getting rather concerned..had a huge argument with the manager yesterday...he keeps telling me he is going to deal with it "in due course"!!!

I the meantime any members reading this I would suggest you cancel your direct debits with the bank ASAP...I know the club have said they aren't going to take any more money but I'm getting a little suspicious. My boyfriend payed a year's membership upfront in September and has yet to receive a penny back!

if they have took money out of your account which they shouldnt have and it was a direct debit they are by law to refund this back to you as governed by the direct debit grauntee also has the cage gone backrupt or in to recviership as it does not state this in the letters they have sent out

I have spoken to some of the staff, and it seems that the parent company has for some unknown reason just decided to pull out the funding, despite the fact that the club was beggining to do well and had picked up a lot of new members recently. The staff, including the manager, all seem a bit confused about the reasons why the plug has been pulled on it, and they only actually found out last friday themselves that it was gonna close (so day before letters were received).

Apparently the space is going to be used for offices.

That's funny...they told me they found out last Wednesday.

Hi - sounds like quite a few people have lost out here. I'm looking into this for Radio Sheffield news - if anyone has information or personal experiences they'd be interested in sharing, on or off record, please get in touch.

dougald.hine@bbc.co.uk

A nice gym at Hillsborough is the Body Care Studio ( opposite Netto) run by lovely lady and ex international athlete Carmen Michalska ! and no Im not a relation ! Very reasonable rates and a huge range of equipment activities and treatments etc.

:)

You will have signed a contract of some nature - if someone emails me a copy I'll go through it and try find you a loophole to get you your money back! :thumbsup:

As requested by the lovely general manager of the Cage, I would love to inform you guys how they are now refunding my unauthorised direct debit, almost three weeks after I wrote to them about it. But suppose late is better than never ;)

Still no sign of the £15 though :mad:

to all members of the cage esporta at abbeydale are doing a recruitment drive for all members of the cage just had a call from them they are giving free taster sessions at there gym you can arrange an appointment and go down and use there facilities to see wot you think of it before joining they also got a swimming pool anyone else had a call yet from them all been down to it yet

Hello Everybody, only just found this forum hence why i havnt commented before. I joined the Cage 4 days before we got the closure letter. I was told by the manager that because i was within my 14 day money back period i would receive a full refund. I have now been waiting almost 5 weeks for the cheque to come through the post and I have phoned them about 4 times throughout this period. Does any body know the head office tel number please as i am concerned that i will not get my £70 back at all. Thanks

The manager wouldn't give me their number...suprise suprise he talked me out of making a complaint about him. He gave my boyfriend the address but can't find it. But sure it's on the internet, the company is called Xpect Leisure. Good luck ;)

Thanks, i'll have a look on the net! Thats really helpful.

Hi Rupini. The company is called Xpect health snd Fitness. The head office is based in Weybridge, Surrey. The other club they own is called Xpect this is based at Springwood Drive, Braintree, Essex. Ask to speak to Mike Page or Andy Bourne they are two of the three directors who are based at the Weybridge head office. Good Luck

HI I DONT KNOW IF ANYONE HAS HEARD FROM THE CAGE BUT IM WAITING FOR MT 80 QUID STILL......HAS ANYONE GOT THERE CASH?

Originally posted by Rupini
Thanks, i'll have a look on the net! Thats really helpful.


HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING?