Virgin Active??

[jimmyt101 10]

Hi All

 

I'm thinking of joining Virgin Active on Broadfield Rd and just wondered if there is anyone who either goes or used to go and tell me your opinions of it?

 

Thanks

 

Ditch the pool, go Pure Gym all the way.

[Confudler 10]

Gym membership is mostly a premium service for those with disposable income. It probably costs me 50% more to be a member than to PAYG in a council facility, but I like the slightly nicer facilities so it's worth it.

 

It's probably great value for a few individuals who train a lot. For example, I was training for a run a few years back and for a few months this would have averaged less than £1.50 per visit.

 

I don't think there's anything naughty about the 12 month membership, especially as shorter membership options are available. It's just like anything else that can be bought in bulk for a discount. Also, they will normally allow you to break the contract if circumstances mean you can't use the service (e.g. moving miles away from any club in the chain). The horror stories normally relate to 'grayer' situations (e.g. where the member finds they can no longer afford what they signed up for). In these situations, they have every right to resist (otherwise, how could they justify the discount for 12 months membership).

[DerbyTup 10]

It was nicer and very family-oriented when it was Esporta. Now it's been virginated with tacky logos and branding, and I think they are deliberately trying to drive families away, particularly with all the new restrictions on children in the pool (even thought they have increased the lifeguard coverage).

 

I'd recommend using a public leisure centre instead (the only problem with those is that the pool hours tend to me more restricted).

 

 

It's never been Esporta mate. The gym that used to be Esporta is the Virgin Active off Archer Road. The OP is talking about Virgin Active on Broadfield Road.

 

I've got a membership with Virgin Active and have been to both - used to be with Esporta years ago before Virgin came on the Sheffield scene.

 

I think both the Virgin gyms are very good. Depends what you want to join a gym for. If you want a wide range of equipment, including free weights, and like the idea of a pool and sauna and options to do loads of classes then Virgin Active offers that. If, like me, you travel around the country a lot then Virgin is also good in so much as they have gyms all over the place and you can go and train wherever.

 

The Virgin Active at Broadfield road is not quite so upmarket as the old Esporta Virgin Active off Archer Road imo. The Archer Road one is a bit more expensive too, which might have got something to do with it?

 

If you just want a regular fitness workout and aren't bothered about all the trimmings then there are much cheaper options of course.

[Jimmy Lasers 10]

Why the hell would anybody need to sign up for a contract to a gym other than to fleece the people who give up on it after a few weeks?

 

It's their fault for giving up really. It's exactly the same as paying a fortune for a new bike and only taking it out a couple of times a year.

[Eater Sundae 12]

Gym membership is mostly a premium service for those with disposable income. It probably costs me 50% more to be a member than to PAYG in a council facility, but I like the slightly nicer facilities so it's worth it.

 

It's probably great value for a few individuals who train a lot. For example, I was training for a run a few years back and for a few months this would have averaged less than £1.50 per visit.

 

I don't think there's anything naughty about the 12 month membership, especially as shorter membership options are available. It's just like anything else that can be bought in bulk for a discount. Also, they will normally allow you to break the contract if circumstances mean you can't use the service (e.g. moving miles away from any club in the chain). The horror stories normally relate to 'grayer' situations (e.g. where the member finds they can no longer afford what they signed up for). In these situations, they have every right to resist (otherwise, how could they justify the discount for 12 months membership).

 

I go regularly, typically 5 to 6 times per week, so feel I get good value out of my membership. I'm lucky enough to have Pru Health health cover from work, and this gets me a discount on memebership (although not as big a discount as it was a couple of years ago).

 

I know some people who have family membership, and barely use it - ie 2 or 3 times a month, if that. This makes it very expensive per visit, but they seem to be happy with this. I would never stay a member if I was only using it that occasionally, but its their money, so it's no skin off my nose how they spend it.

 

I generally use the gym and swimming pool. My wife attends classes and uses the Spa type stuff. Our daughter (7 y.o.) uses the pool. She used to go to club V, but rarely does now.

 

Overall i don't think it's cheap, but it forms a large part of our leisure, so we are getting good value. It is by far our biggest luxury, and would be the first to go if really hard times hit. We are lucky to have enough disposable income to do it, and on that basis it is worthwhile (to us),

[Eater Sundae 12]

I used to be a memeber at Greens. As I am over 55, I was able to join at wrinkly rate, which only allows off peak access, but was a lot cheaper. As it happened the off peak access suited me fine, but wouldn't work for me at Virgin as their off peak periods are different.

 

Greens was good for me, as a gym and pool user, but is not geared up for kids and does not have the classes that my wife wants (or at least didn't when I was a member). Also, it was a bit drab compared with the more cheerful style of Virgin.

 

I only changed from Greens to Virgin because it suited the family membership, and at the time I got a good discount. Since then I've not looked back.

 

If you can afford it, and make good use of it, i'd have no reservations about recommeding Virgin - but of course, like others have said, it would be worth asking to try it out.

[BarryRiley 10]

Ditch the pool, go Pure Gym all the way.

 

The equipment is generally of a higher quality in more expensive gyms, there are staff on hand, things are fixed faster when they go wrong and and the class of clientèle is higher. You get what you pay for

[dizzy_chick 10]

I have just rejoined after a year away from Virgin at Broadfield. I really like the club, it has lovely, friendly, atmosphere. I use the pool & go to a few of the classes. The class instructors are excellent and there is always plenty of space in the gym area. The pool gets very busy though, but you just have to pick your times...

 

In the year I wasn't a member, I did join SIV, and use the Ponds Forge facilities. I didn't like it as much, for a number of reasons.

[adamf 10]

And another thing: they have spent a small fortune rebranding it as (tacky) Virgin Active but still not fixed the one thing that was wrong when it was Esporta, the poor quality of the cycle parking (wheel-benders).

 

Just realized I got the wrong one. The OP was talking about the original Virgin Active on Broadfield Road; I was talking about the ex-Esporta one on Archer Road. Ooops!

 

(One good thing about the one on Broadfield Road is that it does actually have a good number of standards-compliant cycle stands.)

[adamf 10]

The equipment is generally of a higher quality in more expensive gyms, there are staff on hand, things are fixed faster when they go wrong and and the class of clientèle is higher. You get what you pay for

 

Maybe things there have changed, but when I was (a few years ago, I admit) a member of Virgin Active (I've got the right location in mind this time), the equipment maintenance was appalling. There were always several treadmills out of order, often the same ones for a week at a time, with no staff free upstairs to report them to.

[adamf 10]

It's never been Esporta mate. The gym that used to be Esporta is the Virgin Active off Archer Road. The OP is talking about Virgin Active on Broadfield Road.

 

You're right!

[clarebear80 10]

Sorry I haven't replied for a bit, didn't realise I had so many response's, reckon the notification emails went to my junk folder....grrrrrrr.

 

I am lucky in the sense I work for Virgin Media so I do get staff discount for me and my hubby. We're going to have a look this afternoon and will defo see if we can have a free day pass to try it out.

 

Will probably also go and have a nosey at Pure Gym as well and see what that's like.

 

Thanks guys for all your comments though :-)