Nuffield Health Merton Fitness & Wellbeing Gym

Apr 19th, 2023

Everything is so poorly run here! The swimming pool, sauna, stream room, cleanliness and gym are dirty, don't work to the standard they should do and the place is in dire need of investment. There is black dirt caked into the shower area floor, in fact all over the swimming pool area, men's changing rooms etc. Look at the photo's from a previous review (Sab M). No cleaning is done and if there is any then it's superficial cleaning! Nuffield really are scraping the barrel here. They're saving 25k every week (across their estate) by turning off the spas and yet they can't invest some of this money in the facility to run it properly. This so called money guzzling charity is a joke!
Apr 11th, 2023

Update: 10 months later, still the same as per my original review below. How long can it take to deliver spare parts? The worst Nuffield Ive seen really. A lot of equipment broken, no towels, and just generally very run down. I would also not use those showers - looks dirty. Not a feel-good club like most others. Photos are just some of the broken equipment. There are more.
Mar 29th, 2023

Updated review: Initially I gave one star due to the poorly advertised access times, however since then there are signs everywhere and it is on the website. I would say its an okay gym, only because of the classes. I come to the postnatal class where you can bring your baby into the class, not many gyms offer this and its the only reason I come to this gym. They also offer a huge variety of classes and lots late in the evening. I wouldnt give it more than 3 stars because the cleanliness is really letting it down. I avoid the spa area or showers because its so dirty and the 45 min cut off time is a bit of a nuisance despite being well advertised now. If it was clean, equipment in good shape (the yoga mats are literally ripped) and they had a 30 min last access like other Nuffield gyms I would actually change my home gym to Merton Abbey, but currently I much prefer to drive an extra 10-15 mins to Wandsworth Southside and use the pool/spa facilities. The opening times are misleading. I turned up 40 minutes before the club was going to close, but was told I cant be let in as they last admit 45 minutes prior to closing. I only wanted a 10-15 minute cardio workout. What difference would that be to someone whos already on the gym floor? I complained to management who said thats standard (dont think thats true as other clubs are 30 minutes prior to closing) and she said she will update the website. 4 months on the misleading opening times are still on there. Even though this club is closest to me I prefer to drive an extra 10-15 minutes to go to southside. Funnily enough, I can leave my house at the same time but be refused entry to merton, but be allowed into southside. Edited to reply: Other Nuffield clubs do not close for access as early as Merton - theres no point in having a set closing time if youre going to actually prevent people from using the service theyre paying for nearly an hour before. Its unreasonable. We pay a premium it isnt worth joining this club over the others.
Apr 7th, 2023

** Update, 3 years later: This place has gotten EVEN worse. Multiple broken equipment, disgustingly unhygienic and dirty showers, health and safety breaches the list just goes on check out the latest photos! - BROKEN EQUIPMENT HAS BEEN BROKEN FOR AT LEAST 5 MONTHS - HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS WITH FLOORING (I AM IN THE PROCESS OF REPORTING TO MERTON) - WASHING FACILITIES IN CHANGING ROOM OUT OF USE FOR LAST 3 WKS AT LEAST - LIGHTS IN MENS CHANGING NOT WORKING, LOCKERS BROKEN AND SMELLY LIMESCALE INFESTED SHOWERS ** What has happened to this place since the days of Virgin is truly tragic. Not only have they: 1 - Increased prices 2 - Introduced charges for towels 3 - Removed disabled access to the reception area in favour of coffee machines 4 - Made numerous contracts with local schools, meaning that swimming lessons with loud children are a persistent thing (sometimes making you think you're in a local council leisure facility) They have also: 1 - Ignored MULTIPLE e-mails in which I have raised SERIOUS health and safety concerns 2 - Fired the best cleaners and now, rarely have any cleaners 3 - Stated in their signboards that they issue 'PENALTY CHARGE NOTICES', not 'Parking Charge Notices' (Which is unlawful, as private parking companies are unable to issue 'penalty charge notices') 4 - Cared only about money 5 - Neglected machinery 6 - Evidently neglected staff 7 - Always have things out of order 8 - Had 220V of EXPOSED cabling in a WET changing room area where children are Just look at the images and think for yourself! Sadly, I rely upon using my home centre of Wandsworth SouthSide and this is a nearer centre to me too... Quite frankly, BRING VIRGIN BACK TO OPERATE THIS SORRY MESS!
Feb 27th, 2023