Virgin Active

Reviews

• NA

  Natalya Aversa

  May 17, 2026
  3.0
  I live in Media City, so location is very convenient for me. But the gym and pool are needing some repairs. For example, in lady’s changing room is more than one month missing tumble dryer for swimsuits! My opinion it is a not big deal to buy a new one, but there is the sign that tumble dryer was sent for repair! How long it would take? Also a lot of little things like this one makes uncomfortable use the facilities in this gym.
• SS

  Shahana Shajahan

  Apr 12, 2026
  1.0
  Be very careful with your money and session calculations here. If you make any changes like freezing/unfreezing your membership or adding and then removing PT sessions the billing becomes incredibly complicated and prone to errors. In my experience, they applied additional charges within just a few days of making changes ( The clauses or rules are like that). Their data doesn't always match the actual sessions scheduled, and since communication often happens over the phone rather than email, its hard to prove their mistakes. My advice: Check your bank accounts properly and keep your own strict log of every date and payment. Don't rely on them to get the math right! I never felt supported by the managment for the clarifications
• AD

  Adam Day

  Apr 9, 2026
  2.0
  I go to Virgin Northampton Riverside which gets me free access to this gym Honestly, this feels like a £30/month gym. The equipment is like several generations behind the stuff at my home gym The spa area is pretty meh. Needs a lot of work in general. Nice views over media city and trafford, but that's the only thing I like about this gym
• KJ

  Katalin Jackson

  Mar 26, 2026
  2.0
  Cleanliness is a massive issue, and I don’t think it’s acceptable when the prices are so high for a monthly pass. Reported numerous incidents regarding dirty charging cubicles, and no changes.
• JJ

  Jay

  Mar 10, 2026
  2.0
  I joined Virgin Active Salford in Spring 2025 with high expectations given the brand’s reputation, but unfortunately the experience has been quite disappointing. One of the main issues is the condition of the equipment. Much of it feels outdated, and there have been multiple occasions where machines are broken or entire sections of the gym have been unavailable. For example, the cable area was closed for around a week due to a leak, which significantly reduced the available equipment available to members. Compared to other Virgin Active gyms, the Salford branch clearly feels like an afterthought. Cleanliness is also a recurring problem, particularly in the changing rooms. The male toilets are frequently left in a poor state, often with urine on the seat and floor and tissue paper left around. Bins are regularly overflowing, and there is frequently hair on the floor in the shower area. For a premium gym brand, the standards here fall well below what you would expect. The gym floor itself also isn’t really adequate for the number of members. During peak hours it becomes extremely crowded and difficult to use equipment without waiting. Realistically, if you want to get a proper workout without long waits, you need to attend during normal working hours. There are also basic hygiene and etiquette issues that don’t seem to be addressed. On several occasions I’ve seen members using cardio machines without shoes or even socks on, which is unpleasant and unhygienic for other members. Facilities outside of the gym floor are also lacking. There is no café, and even the vending machines that are available are frequently out of order. For a gym that markets itself as a premium health club, the lack of even basic refreshment options is surprising. Parking has also become a major problem over the past four months. While this is often blamed on the car park being owned by a separate company, free parking is still used as a selling point when joining the gym. In reality, it has recently become extremely difficult to find a space anywhere near the gym itself. Another frustration is that when joining in Spring 2025 we were sold a 12-month membership with the promise that the gym floor would be updated during the summer. That upgrade never materialised. Around the same time, the temperature of the hot tub was noticeably reduced during the summer months, which gave the impression that cost-cutting measures were being prioritised over member experience. While some of the classes are good, they are very limited. Popular classes such as reformer pilates are almost impossible to book unless you set an alarm and book the moment the slots open. It feels like more instructors should be hired to run additional sessions, especially as the reformer studio often sits empty outside of the scheduled classes because it can’t be used independently. The spa facilities are also quite small for the number of members. The sauna and steam room are tiny, which makes them difficult to access during busy periods, and lanes in the pool are frequently closed for swimming lessons at peak times. Other smaller issues also add up. Guest passes are very limited compared with other gyms that allow you to bring friends more regularly, which makes the membership feel less flexible. Overall, the experience doesn’t match the premium image Virgin Active promotes. The club would benefit from investment in equipment, improved cleanliness standards, better parking arrangements and more class availability. With a new Everlast gym opening at the Trafford Centre offering similar classes at a comparable price point, that would currently be my recommendation for anyone considering a new gym in the area.

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