Virgin Active Stafford

Timeflies

Timeflies

The Weatherman
Not sure whether this fits in here or the sports and activities bit so if you want to move admin...

There are some forum reports on Esporta but wondering if Virgin Active any better/different?

I'm think of joining Virgin Active (Not a cliched new years resolution but down to the fact I'm off on my annual skiing trip in 2 months and need to reclaim my fitness and my time is limited).

The costs involved are understood so please don't start the old "how much/rip off!!" debate. Its not TOO bad too when you start thinking swimming is £4 a pop at riverside, etc... twice a week and you already spending £32 to swim in a overcrowded child infested public pool.. I have no children as you can probably tell and the adult sessions are too late ;)

I am really just looking at honest opinion of people who currently use the facilities and can give some good (or otherwise) constructive feedback:-

What is the pool like and how busy does it get?
What is the cardio kit like and is availability OK? How many machines etc?
Is the spa any good and how busy does it get?
Is it all well maintained and clean?
Are classes included in the membership fee?
Are peak times horrendously busy?
Is the rolling monthly contract easy to get out of (I.e 30 days notice etc?)

You get the kind of opinions I'm looking for...

Thanks in advance
T
 
M

markmh

Well-Known Forumite
Timeflies said:
Its not TOO bad too when you start thinking swimming is £4 a pop at riverside, etc... twice a week and you already spending £32 to swim in a overcrowded child infested public pool.. I have no children as you can probably tell and the adult sessions are too late ;)
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totally agree with this im constantly seeing kids coming in to the swimming lanes - its tempting to go right into them when they do to teach them a lesson and they are always messing about in the changing rooms.

i only ever went in the pool/spa area so couldnt comment on the gym part, providing virgin havent changed the layout/facilities of the pool area since i last went which was a few years ago, it was always well maintained and clean. Spa - by this im guessing you mean sauna/steam room were standard, could fit maybe 7-8 chubby people in and may be 10-12 thin people depending on personal space requirements. i only ever went in late afternoon/before 5 ish so i was not very busy at all.

EDIT - i find if you get into riverside bang on 6 for the public swim then the lanes are more or less empty and you can bash out 40 lengths before it starts getting busy and people start getting stacked up behind those people who go in the fast lane who may be better in the medium/slow lane.
 
Bob

Bob

Well-Known Forumite
Did you join Timeflies, how did you find it?

I signed up last week, so far I have done 2 gym sessions 1 swim alone, 1 swim with a 4 year old, a dip in the Jacuzzi and a Zumba class.

I was a bit nervous about joining as I've never seen myself as gym kind of person, although I've just had child number 2 (and have vowed never to have another) and really felt like it was now or never to shed the extra weight I''ve been hanging onto for far too long. I have never been a member of a gym before so don't have anything to compare it to, but so far I think it's great. Also it never seems to be very busy (except in the car park).
 
A

airbusA346

Well-Known Forumite
Bob said:
Did you join Timeflies, how did you find it?

I signed up last week, so far I have done 2 gym sessions 1 swim alone, 1 swim with a 4 year old, a dip in the Jacuzzi and a Zumba class.
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What did you think of the swimming pool/facilities?
 
Noah

Noah

Well-Known Forumite
My partner and her daughter were members when it was Esporta, but had problems with it when it changed to Virgin. Scruffier & not as nice in a number of respects and whereas you could use youe Esporta membership at any Esporta, Virgin suddenly restricted them to the smaller gyms. So they left, or tried to. When they gave the one month notice required under their contract with Esporta, Virgin prompty told them they now had to give three months notice. Virgin hadn't bothered to tell them that they had taken over, let alone that they were changing the terms of the contract.
 
Bob

Bob

Well-Known Forumite
Noah said:
My partner and her daughter were members when it was Esporta, but had problems with it when it changed to Virgin. Scruffier & not as nice in a number of respects and whereas you could use youe Esporta membership at any Esporta, Virgin suddenly restricted them to the smaller gyms. So they left, or tried to. When they gave the one month notice required under their contract with Esporta, Virgin prompty told them they now had to give three months notice. Virgin hadn't bothered to tell them that they had taken over, let alone that they were changing the terms of the contract.
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I looked into joining Esporta and the 3 month notice was required then, a friend of mine was a member during the change over period and he got a letter notifying her of the change and saying she could cancel if she wanted. At that time she wasn't tied into the 12 month contract so maybe that was the problem with your partner and daughter?

I noticed he restrictions about the other gyms, the Lichfield gym is in the band above Stafford which means it has more facilities and the membership price is higher, under their terms I can use it once per month but any additional visits need to be paid for, I can understand them placing these restrictions other wise there would be nothing stopping someone signing up to a cheaper gym but using a more expensive one on a regular basis.
 
D

Dawz

Well-Known Forumite
I was thinking of signing up here myself, I noticed they have a pruhealth package. Since I'm already using pru health for my insurance cover on my house the virgin active price seems really good.

£32.50, and you get the pool, classes and spa. Been a while since I've been there, what's the weight selection like? how many Olympic bars do they have?
 
Bob

Bob

Well-Known Forumite
adawson said:
Iwhat's the weight selection like? how many Olympic bars do they have?
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No idea, I'm more of a Zumba kind of girl.

Why not book a tour and check the place out for yourself. The sales manager (Kym?) is really nice and if you were felling really nice you could say it was me who refered you and then I get some spa thingy :)
 
Slainte

Slainte

Quizmeister
so 8 months down the line, whats the feelings on Wirgin Active, I feel the same as the OP does about swimming, but I'm looking to go at 630am, does anyone go at that time and is the pool busy etc?
 
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