Fitness First is the largest privately owned health club group in the world with over 540 Fitness First clubs worldwide reaching over 1.4 million members in 19 countries. In the UK alone there are 161 Fitness First clubs with over 425,000 members.
In 2005 the company was acquired by BC Partners, a European private equity group.
In Australia, Fitness First took over a number of Living Well Lady locations owned by the Hilton Group. Also they bought the 11-gym Healthland chain from an administrator, and now own over 80 gyms across Australia.
In late 2006, Fitness First reached the milestone of 500 clubs worldwide, marked by the opening of the fourth club in Sydney, Australia.
Products and Services
Fitness First has a range of different products and services including BodyFirst, group exercise classes, cardio machines, and operates annual New You Achievement Awards to recognise the progress of members. Fitness First is also the company behind International Fitness Week which takes place each February. Initiatives in 2009 have included the launch of Strictly Fit in conjunction with BBC Worldwide - a low impact aerobics group class open to members and non-members. Fitness First also announced that former Spice Girl Mel B will be the face of International Fitness Week in 2010.
Membership plans
Because Fitness First operates in so many different countries it has many different membership options around the world.
Fitness First (Australia) offers a number of membership plans on different terms. Some membership contracts have a minimum term of one year and incur a cancellation fee on exit. Others are billed on a fortnightly basis and can be cancelled with 4 week notice. On the "home" plan, members can access one Fitness First location. Other plans allow members access to any standard Fitness First gym within Australia. Limitations apply on access to international Fitness First gyms. Fees range from around $70 to $110 per month.
Controversies
Fitness First has used high-pressure aggressive sales pitches. Other common complaints relate to overcharging and creating legally binding contracts that are hard to break or receive a refund.
Cases also exist where direct debit accounts are still debited after the member has cancelled their membership.
In a July 2004 study comparing Fitness First with other Australian gyms, Fitness First respondents were less likely to have been shown how to use equipment by a qualified staff member, offered a fitness assessment or advised on an appropriate exercise routine.
In August 2008, Fitness First took a club member to the Australian New South Wales (NSW) Supreme Court to recover a $200 cancellation fee. The court ruled in favor of Fitness First, although she could not afford to pay and was no longer able to use the gym on medical grounds. The patient explained her medical condition before signing up and was instructed to sign the contract. Fitness First sought action to ensure that gym contracts with clients were still legally valid even if the court were to find that the client did not understand what he or she had signed. Fitness First's victory on appeal overturned a prior decision against the company by the NSW Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal, which had found that a contract required a "meeting of the minds, in that they each fully know and understand the terms and conditions of the agreement". The Supreme Court found that the Tribunal had erred in a matter of law.
The company also hit most members in Australia with significant fee increases in August 2008, in the range of 20% - 30% increase, depending on membership type. The reasons provided for the increases were the number of new clubs opened and "increased general costs".
In March 2009, a Fitness First trainer allegedly attacked a member after a dispute about closing times, pushing him down a flight of stairs. The member spent the night in hospital with a broken nose and seven stitches to the forehead from a deep gash. Police are investigating.In May 2009, the Australian Consumer magazine Choice found Fitness First to have the most aggressive psychological techniques in getting customers to sign complicated contracts and not explaining what the cancellation policy is, in a test involving "shadow shoppers" visiting two gyms run by Fitness First, Contours, Fernwood, Curves and Virgin Active.
Fitness First worked with the Plain English Campaign to further refine its terms and conditions in January 08 to ensure they are both simple to understand and straightforward.
References
- ^ fitnessfirst Australia FAQ
- ^ http://au.todaytonight.yahoo.com/article/4969096/consumer/gym-membership-deals
- ^ http://fitnessfirstsucks.com/news/576.htm
- ^ http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/byour-storiesb/2008/08/07/1217702222654.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
- ^ http://www.choice.com.au/viewArticleAsOnePage.aspx?id=104348
- ^ NSW: Gym wins court appeal for fee from sick member. AAP General News Wire. Sydney: Aug 7, 2008.
- ^ a b http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/fitness-first-sick-win/2008/08/07/1217702208957.html
- ^ http://www.smh.com.au/national/gymgoer-allegedly-hit-by-trainer-20090405-9tbp.html
- ^ http://www.smh.com.au/national/gym-chain-slammed-for-putting-itself-first-20090502-aqsw.html
External links
- Official Fitness First Site
- Choice magazine:Gyms It’s a jungle out there .... and our gym survey discovered plenty of pitfalls for the unwary. accessed 9/11/2008
- Survey of Gym Chains: Fitness first and Fernwood
- Consumer Affairs Victoria:
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