David Lloyd - WTAF?
Discussion
About ten years back my wife and I were members at DL. We just looked at rejoining. For full use of the facilities including racquet sports they want £4500 a year for the two of us. That is ridiculous. I can’t recall what we were paying back then but I think it was more like £1500 (which seemed a lot).
Are people really paying that? I think I would want to live there for that amount!
Are people really paying that? I think I would want to live there for that amount!
My manager is a member of David Lloyd, he is on a friends and family deal as his nephew used to work there, I can't remember the cost but it is still well into the hundreds per month, he is always moaning about the facilities and when it is the school holidays all the kids there, however he does get to tell people he is a member of David Lloyd!
Seems to me you can get more elsewhere for a fraction of the cost, my wife loves Surrey Sports Park, the facilities are top notch, she has no issues with booking classes, it is never rammed, it has an Olympic size pool, hell athletes train there, it's £60 per month.
Seems to me you can get more elsewhere for a fraction of the cost, my wife loves Surrey Sports Park, the facilities are top notch, she has no issues with booking classes, it is never rammed, it has an Olympic size pool, hell athletes train there, it's £60 per month.
Countdown said:
I pay £27 for our local council gym. That includes swimming. IIRC badminton courts/squash courts are £5 an hour for members, all classes are free.
Yeah, but then you can't tuck the membership card in your wallet next to the Waitrose card. Shopkeepers simply won't know how middle-class you are!Never quite worked out the point of a place like David Lloyd. Unless you're some tonked beast who wants to run through the local posh MILFs then crack on.
I spent years paying £40 a month for a really well run council one in Notting Hill and it wasn't really any worse than the £90 a month I was paying up until recently for Virgin Active in Chiswick. They're all absolutely rammed when you most need/want to go and the equipment is mostly the same brands across the gyms. What are you getting at DL for double the price of a Virgin Active - which bearing in mind already has a pool, sauna, massive gym area, climbing wall, etc?
I spent years paying £40 a month for a really well run council one in Notting Hill and it wasn't really any worse than the £90 a month I was paying up until recently for Virgin Active in Chiswick. They're all absolutely rammed when you most need/want to go and the equipment is mostly the same brands across the gyms. What are you getting at DL for double the price of a Virgin Active - which bearing in mind already has a pool, sauna, massive gym area, climbing wall, etc?
David Lloyd is for posers; the one closest to where I am is at a marina location and has all the treadmills lined up in front of full length windows on the first floor, ideally located so that all those passing by below can gasp in awe.
It’s a deliberately expensive gym - sorry, “health club” - for those who want to tart about and spend their income on something that is intentionally overpriced in order that they can feel superior. It has a market and fills a niche, and the vast majority of us who all think it’s comedically pricey are clearly not it!
It’s a deliberately expensive gym - sorry, “health club” - for those who want to tart about and spend their income on something that is intentionally overpriced in order that they can feel superior. It has a market and fills a niche, and the vast majority of us who all think it’s comedically pricey are clearly not it!
P-Jay said:
Countdown said:
I pay £27 for our local council gym. That includes swimming. IIRC badminton courts/squash courts are £5 an hour for members, all classes are free.
Yeah, but then you can't tuck the membership card in your wallet next to the Waitrose card. Shopkeepers simply won't know how middle-class you are!
My youngest is a member of the Gym Group and she took me once on a guest pass. That was really nice (and I'd probably join if it was more local)
She joined in Accrington where the membership is £17 per month but that lets her use ANY Gym Group venue including the ones in London where she lives (except they charge £23pcm) ,
P-Jay said:
Yeah, but then you can't tuck the membership card in your wallet next to the Waitrose card. Shopkeepers simply won't know how middle-class you are!
It's on a app these days so can't even do that!Wife and I are members at David Lloyd, think it's £140 a month for the two of us but we're in Norwich and it's the only gym with a pool that isn't a 30 minute drive when the roads are busier... Hot spa pool helps my wife's joints too.
Countdown said:
I pay £27 for our local council gym. That includes swimming. IIRC badminton courts/squash courts are £5 an hour for members, all classes are free.
£21 quids here, staff discount - double council = council?£185 a month is obscene, both that they charge that and there's people who can afford it, just to do stuff that in all reality you can do for very little if you really had to.
We are DL members (family of 4) and all in pay ~£4300PA (including paid schooling/classes)
Before you fall over, here are some figures for the (for us) alternatives that we were paying:
Swimming lessons for both kids - £1500PA
Gymnastics for both kids - £850PA
Taking them swimming most weekends - £20PW so £1000PA
So straight away the 'cost' to us is only about a grand more than we were already paying with the benefit that DL is easily walkable from mine whereas all of the above are a car job. We also absolutely rinse the kids clubs over the school holidays where the alternative would again cost. A big bonus is that 'ours' has an outdoor pool which over the summer is just great for everyone.
In fact DL is the only club locally that really provides / caters for kids and the staff are really good with them. Of course this means both of us grownups actually get the chance to take a class, play a game of something etc which otherwise would be far more thought to arrange.
So theres no two ways about it - it IS a whole load of money - but for us it works. If we didnt have children, would we be members there? Probably not, but we do, so we are.
Before you fall over, here are some figures for the (for us) alternatives that we were paying:
Swimming lessons for both kids - £1500PA
Gymnastics for both kids - £850PA
Taking them swimming most weekends - £20PW so £1000PA
So straight away the 'cost' to us is only about a grand more than we were already paying with the benefit that DL is easily walkable from mine whereas all of the above are a car job. We also absolutely rinse the kids clubs over the school holidays where the alternative would again cost. A big bonus is that 'ours' has an outdoor pool which over the summer is just great for everyone.
In fact DL is the only club locally that really provides / caters for kids and the staff are really good with them. Of course this means both of us grownups actually get the chance to take a class, play a game of something etc which otherwise would be far more thought to arrange.
So theres no two ways about it - it IS a whole load of money - but for us it works. If we didnt have children, would we be members there? Probably not, but we do, so we are.
Edited by paolow on Thursday 2nd May 11:40
I was a member for quite a few years till moving away (abroad) in 2019.
I can’t recall exactly I think I was paying around £130pm but that was over four years ago so I expect the OPs figures are about right.
Expensive and yes a bit posy but I was using it at least five times a week… tennis, gym, Spa, bar/restuarant…and as a contractor not always working I could use it during the day, so made sure I got my monies worth. Sort of..
In the summer it was a nice placed to be. Do a workout or tennis, then go have lunch n beer on the sunny terrace overlooking the outside courts and ruin your efforts…
I can’t recall exactly I think I was paying around £130pm but that was over four years ago so I expect the OPs figures are about right.
Expensive and yes a bit posy but I was using it at least five times a week… tennis, gym, Spa, bar/restuarant…and as a contractor not always working I could use it during the day, so made sure I got my monies worth. Sort of..
In the summer it was a nice placed to be. Do a workout or tennis, then go have lunch n beer on the sunny terrace overlooking the outside courts and ruin your efforts…
Edited by languagetimothy on Thursday 2nd May 13:08
Clearly some people are happy to pay that and probably more.
I know of someone who pays around 200PM for a gym, it doesn't have 1/2 facilities you would find at DL.
I get that it's a culture etc, but would going to a Puregym be that much different etc?
I tend to only do circuit classes now as I just cannot motivate myself to go from machine to machine and I pay £5 per class 2-3 times per week.
I know of someone who pays around 200PM for a gym, it doesn't have 1/2 facilities you would find at DL.
I get that it's a culture etc, but would going to a Puregym be that much different etc?
I tend to only do circuit classes now as I just cannot motivate myself to go from machine to machine and I pay £5 per class 2-3 times per week.
A mate is a member at the Cheadle one, he is always telling me he saw someone there and looks dissapointed when I dont know who they are, its usually either someone who was/is in Hollyoaks, a Footaballer or someone "Insta Famous", not seen Hollyoaks since the 1990s when it had the curly haired girl in it who was later in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, no clue with footballers beyond the really famous ones and no idea who influencers are usually.
We got to Total Fitness, its 60 odd quid a month, too busy a lot of time and stuff is always broken, but overall its convenient and has what you need.
We got to Total Fitness, its 60 odd quid a month, too busy a lot of time and stuff is always broken, but overall its convenient and has what you need.
DL are in a difficult segment of the market. Luxury Gyms like Equinox (£250ish a month - bonkers) are really struggling. Those at the more budget side such as Pure Gym are seeing stronger profits - possibly a response to belt tightening, but a population that still values health and fitness.
For me my local DL is convenient with everything under one premises but expensive and lacking any kind of community. Indie gyms and racket sport clubs seem to be much better on this front and cheaper in my area - council pool is pretty dire though it has to be said.
For me my local DL is convenient with everything under one premises but expensive and lacking any kind of community. Indie gyms and racket sport clubs seem to be much better on this front and cheaper in my area - council pool is pretty dire though it has to be said.
Southerner said:
David Lloyd is for posers; the one closest to where I am is at a marina location and has all the treadmills lined up in front of full length windows on the first floor, ideally located so that all those passing by below can gasp in awe.
It’s quite normal to put the treadmills in front of the windows, it’s to give people running a nice view, not so that people can watch them.Gassing Station | The Lounge | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff