Virgin Active

Reviews

• PC

  Patrick Crowley

  5 days ago
  5.0
  Very good local gym, all amenities , love the treadmills with screens and modern equipment. Nice sauna jacuzzi area and cafe. Ample changing room. Not cheap but then you get what you pay for.
• BO

  Bing O'Toole

  Jun 11, 2026
  1.0
  In the 6 months since I joined, I have lost a lock, a towel, and yesterday a full bag of toiletries. I checked this morning and none were handed in to reception. These items are not valuable, but losing them is very inconvenient. Please respect others’ property—do not take what does not belong to you. This is a decent gym; please respect yourselves.
• GV

  Gunay Vlogs

  May 28, 2026
  4.0
  I like their swimming but the bubbles make my eyes hurt , and I’m sad because usually there is meant to be straightnerners but there is not (from my gf) the gym is clean and brand new , spa area is relaxing and the food and smoothies are really nice too it’s just sometimes the sauna can be very very packed and I have to wait atleast 20mins to get inside as the other sauna is not hot and don’t know the point of that Sauna
• DD

  dj-andy-bee

  May 26, 2026
  2.0
  I have been a member of Virgin Active for some time, and I feel the overall value of the membership has significantly declined compared to competitors. My first concern is the gym equipment itself. The gym lacks specialist and modern core-focused machines. For example, there are no proper oblique or dedicated stomach/core exercise machines, and the range of strength equipment feels outdated and limited. Competitor gyms such as JD Gyms have recently refurbished their facilities with the latest technology, modern core machines, and a much larger free weights area. Considering the premium membership cost at Virgin Active, the gym floor no longer feels competitive. My second major issue is how classes take over the weights area during peak hours, especially early mornings and evenings. The bench press and barbell area — which is essential for chest and strength training — regularly gets closed off or disrupted because classes are held there. This is extremely frustrating for members who come specifically to train with barbells and benches, as there is no alternative area to complete these exercises properly. What makes this even more confusing is that the club already has three indoor studios available for classes, yet instructors continue to use the main free weights section instead. It gives the impression that regular gym users are treated as less important than classes. My third concern relates to the swimming pool management. I normally swim between 3:30pm and 3:55pm. Historically, staff would begin preparing lanes for family swimming around 3:55pm, which I accepted. However, staff have now started moving lane ropes and changing lane signage as early as 3:50pm, despite the scheduled family swim session not starting until 4pm. On one occasion, children were allowed into the fast lane around 3:50pm while I was still swimming. This made it impossible to continue properly due to splashing and obstruction in the lane. When I raised this concern with a staff member, I initially felt ignored, and the response given was simply that they were “preparing the lanes.” Preparing lanes 10 minutes early at the expense of paying swimmers is unfair and reduces the time members are actually paying for. I want to make clear that I do not blame the children or parents. The issue is entirely with how the sessions are managed by staff and how early transitions are being allowed to disrupt swimmers. Overall, I feel that the gym and swimming members are not being listened to seriously enough. Many regular gym users are becoming increasingly frustrated with the current setup and planning decisions. Classes may attract temporary visitors, but loyal gym members who consistently use the facilities are the ones who stay long-term — provided they feel valued and respected. Virgin Active is a premium-priced gym, and members expect premium service, equipment, organisation, and fairness. At the moment, I do not feel that standard is being delivered.
• FK

  Fin K

  May 16, 2026
  2.0
  I’ve been a member of Virgin Active for over 20 years. It used to be great but it has declined in the last few years. I very much agree with reviewers who suggest that Virgin are far more interested in packing in as many new members as they can rather than looking after existing members. It’s so overcrowded it’s ridiculous, and there are almost no gym staff to police members’ . No body wipes down or cleans equipment and people (almost always men!) sit on weight machines for ages scrolling on their phones. One guy sat for 20 minutes the other day to do about 60 seconds of lifting! The changing rooms are packed, grubby and outdated, not much helped by swim lesson mums saving showers with towels for when their little darlings finish the class. Employ more staff and do better 😡

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