smelly but (dys)functional gym (Fitness First (Manchester))

Member Name: alcyone

Product:	Fitness First (Manchester)
Date:	28/06/09 (37 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: good location

Disadvantages: smelly, tired equipment, no swimming pool, too much out of order

Having recently moved and as a keen gym user I arranged a look around and trial with this gym with my boyfriend. From the outside it looks good, in fact I would go so far as saying it looks rather impressive. How wrong can first impressions be?

Parking up outside the manager was outside having a cigarette - not a major crime perhaps - I am a smoker- but it did not give me a good initial feeling.

However, the manager had been friendly and very accommodating in setting up the trial so I felt assured enough to continue. I had been told all my requirements would be met but it quickly transpired that Fitness First has no swimming pool: oh dear.

I was quickly shown the ladies changing rooms and left to my own devices which was not entirely what I expected. The lockers had a credit card key which was most awkward - where do you keep it while exercising with no pockets?

The equipment is crammed in and whilst they have most cardio 'machines' they are a little tired. The TVs are old and too small for the size of room so you are either bang underneath them and cramping your neck or too far away to see what is on. More modern equipment has small individual screens.

The weight area is geared up for the serious body builder; nothing wrong with that at all as we all have different requirements from a gym, but my lighter weights were located upstairs with limited seating and no mirror - watching one's form in the mirror whilst weight training is de rigeur to my mind - so I was not impressed.

The staff: no one introduced themselves other than the manager. One young lady who was in the upstairs weight area and was more interested in being on her mobile phone than assisting a new customer!

Facilities: good number of CV machines, weight area, boxing room, gym area (classes are offered), sauna, aromatherapy room.

Standards: this gym was smelly from the moment we walked in. There was water on the wooden stairs! Of three toilets in the ladies one was labeled as out of order, the one I used would not flush and the third was blocked with unmentionables on investigation: apparently the men's were worse and the showers were largely out of order - that may account for the prevailing eau de BO! The sauna and aroma steam room area were damp and smelt of stagnant water; so off putting that we did not use these two rooms. Broken tiles and missing grouting gave an over whelming sense of low hygiene.

To be fair to the manager he did tell me he has been in the role for a few months and has changes planned. He asked that we pop back in a couple months when his improvements are in place. If we do I will update this review.

I took a trial at another Fitness First about a year ago and found no such problems so this is not a reflection on the chain as a whole: I wish the manager well as he has his work cut out.

Summary: Eau de B O!