Nuffield Health Can Suck It.

So it’s January and usually I’d complain about the January whales (Thanks Tony, royalty check is in the post) and how crowded it is, etc but something new has got in my craw this year.

Nuffield Health in Reading took it in their infinite wisdom to jack up the price of my already pricey gym membership. Without any form of written indication that they were doing this. Come to think of it, I’m there 3-5 times a week is that not ample opportunity to inform me of this nugget of information?

Anyway...

I only found this out by logging into my online banking at work to see how much I’ve fucked myself over the Christmas period (not as hard as I’d thought) and I noticed they’ve increased my rate from £55 to £57.

I decided to ring up and enquire and I got a girl answer who didn’t seem to have any real authority, and then explained my predicament, and having been a member for two years how I didn’t feel increasing the price was adequate treatment for a loyal customer. She then went away for a minute or so and came back with what can at best be described as a lacklustre offer. £51 a month if I signed up for a year. Which in my book (and this is my book so to speak) sucks hairy wang.

Whilst the amount is not that huge of an increase, it’s the principal of the increase without telling me. That and I don’t think Nuffield Health in Reading actually provides a nearly £60 a month service.

For instance a lot of equipment is frayed and in various states of disrepair and not what I would call in premium condition for a premium price.

If you check out the website for Nuffield Health they paint a very good picture however if you look a little closer you will notice it’s not as swish as they’d have you believe.

Broken floor!

Heavily frayed and probably dangerous

Blue roll that staff couldn't be bothered to put in the
dispenser, it's the same on the other one too!

Botch job of covering up where the toilet roll
dispenser came off of the wall.

Leaking water fountain that is often running
onto the floor.

Some very sexy well used dilapidated mats 

Held together by duct tape!

AND dirty!

So overall these chip away at the illusion of a premium end gym leaving you feeling a little shafted.

In my two years with Nuffield Health I was never given an induction or shown how to use the equipment safely, never once given any kind of plan to get the results I wanted. I have also never had a member of staff walk up to me and point out that I was doing something wrong, something other members have had the courtesy to come and point out!

It has been my observation that some of the female staff are primarily interested in talking to the guys in the weights area and the guys seem to only want to talk to their friends which aren’t working.

There are exclusions to this however, if I am to be fair there are a couple of good personal trainers / class instructors who make things fun and know their onions when it comes to gyming but they are few and far between.

Even taking the lack of courtesy and the decline in quality, the nearly £60 a month simply isn’t competitive. Within a stone’s throw of Nuffield Health you have the LivingWell gym within the Hilton on Kennet Island, as well as a cheap and cheerful gym in the corner of the main Piazza the name escapes me now but I will update this when I go down and have a look.

You also have numerous others (check out the map!) and even on the higher end of the spectrum you have Pulse8 which is less than Nuffield Health and is far, far nicer. Nuffield, step up your game or drop your price!


Overall my opinion right now of Nuffield Health is that it is overpriced with subpar quality and has real holes in their administration department / customer service if they can’t let members know in advance that they are about to increase the price in advance.

Anyone have any good gym recommendations (that aren't total wallet rape)? Leave a comment and let me know, or don’t.

Tweet