Nuffield Fitness & Wellbeing vs Hartham Leisure Centre
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jackanapes
- Posts:64
- Joined:Mon 02 Dec, 2013 11:21 am
Thinking of joining a gym, cost aside, what's your opinion on our local gyms, both the places themselves, quality of equipment etc but also the membership "experience" ambience etc? Is the extra £20/month worth it for Nuffield?
Re: Nuffield Fitness & Wellbeing vs Hartham Leisure Centre
In my opinion yes it is having been a member of both at some time - but then for me it is a little closer to home too and is open far longer per day. The sauna/steam room are a bonus, there are more machines and weights plus the showering facilities are far better than Hartham. Also if you are interested there is a full programme of classes at Nuffield. You need to use it 2-3 times a week to get that extra money back though and unless you're using a variety of equipment you're probably not going to get your money's worth.
Re: Nuffield Fitness & Wellbeing vs Hartham Leisure Centre
I've been a member of both and just switched back from Nuffield to Hartham.
Opening hours at Hartham are much better unless you want to go Saturday or Sunday evenings. They extended them recently. See the times below. Hartham open earlier and hence is the only one of the two I can go to before work.
Nuffield have a sauna and steam room and the pool is better. They also have high prices and play on the fact that, quote, they are a "private members club". This means you get a towel when you go in, only they issued an email recently saying they'd run out.
Showers and changing are smaller at Hartham but, hang on, it's a gym. You're sweaty and just need a shower and I've never encountered more than two others in there.
Hartham have just revamped their equipment. They have classes just as Nuffield do.
My advice is to go down and speak to both. Say you are choosing between the two. Approach one gym at a time and ask for a week pass to see if the facilities are right for you. Then the next week go to the other gym and do the same.
Nuffield opening times are:
Monday 06:30 - 22:00
Tuesday 06:30 - 22:00
Wednesday 06:30 - 22:00
Thursday 06:30 - 22:00
Friday 06:30 - 22:00
Saturday 08:00 - 20:00
Sunday 08:00 - 20:00
Hartham opening times:
Monday – Thursday: 06:00 – 22:00
Friday: 06:00 – 21:00
Saturday: 07:00 – 17:00
Sunday: 07:00 – 17:00
Opening hours at Hartham are much better unless you want to go Saturday or Sunday evenings. They extended them recently. See the times below. Hartham open earlier and hence is the only one of the two I can go to before work.
Nuffield have a sauna and steam room and the pool is better. They also have high prices and play on the fact that, quote, they are a "private members club". This means you get a towel when you go in, only they issued an email recently saying they'd run out.
Showers and changing are smaller at Hartham but, hang on, it's a gym. You're sweaty and just need a shower and I've never encountered more than two others in there.
Hartham have just revamped their equipment. They have classes just as Nuffield do.
My advice is to go down and speak to both. Say you are choosing between the two. Approach one gym at a time and ask for a week pass to see if the facilities are right for you. Then the next week go to the other gym and do the same.
Nuffield opening times are:
Monday 06:30 - 22:00
Tuesday 06:30 - 22:00
Wednesday 06:30 - 22:00
Thursday 06:30 - 22:00
Friday 06:30 - 22:00
Saturday 08:00 - 20:00
Sunday 08:00 - 20:00
Hartham opening times:
Monday – Thursday: 06:00 – 22:00
Friday: 06:00 – 21:00
Saturday: 07:00 – 17:00
Sunday: 07:00 – 17:00
-
TupennyRush
- Posts:36
- Joined:Thu 02 Jan, 2014 4:03 pm
Re: Nuffield Fitness & Wellbeing vs Hartham Leisure Centre
I've used both and wish there was another option.
Nuffield: trainers good and classes are of a high quality, management poor (classes appear to be arranged to suit staff rather than catering for a need so you get turned away from popular classes unless you arrive 20 -30 mins early and they don't listen to requests for additional classes), they don't seem to limit numbers effectively so it's really difficult at some times as even the gym is really overcrowded, facilities are ok but the much vaunted towels are about as much use as a tea towel. Changing rooms are reasonable although if you're female and under 5'3'' you'll struggle to reach the towel hooks near the shower (as a taller lady even I think they must have been put up by someone over 6' who didn't consider that this is not average height for British women).
Hartham: if you want to use the pool there is a very limited window midday during the week, changing facilities can be dirty and if you swim at the end of lunchtime you will be changing amidst a cacophony of under controlled children. There is the bonus that teachers will knock on the cubicle door and demand that you come out immediately which is a bit of nostalgia for those of us that thought that was a number of years in the past. I haven't tried the classes at Hartham so can't comment
Good luck
Nuffield: trainers good and classes are of a high quality, management poor (classes appear to be arranged to suit staff rather than catering for a need so you get turned away from popular classes unless you arrive 20 -30 mins early and they don't listen to requests for additional classes), they don't seem to limit numbers effectively so it's really difficult at some times as even the gym is really overcrowded, facilities are ok but the much vaunted towels are about as much use as a tea towel. Changing rooms are reasonable although if you're female and under 5'3'' you'll struggle to reach the towel hooks near the shower (as a taller lady even I think they must have been put up by someone over 6' who didn't consider that this is not average height for British women).
Hartham: if you want to use the pool there is a very limited window midday during the week, changing facilities can be dirty and if you swim at the end of lunchtime you will be changing amidst a cacophony of under controlled children. There is the bonus that teachers will knock on the cubicle door and demand that you come out immediately which is a bit of nostalgia for those of us that thought that was a number of years in the past. I haven't tried the classes at Hartham so can't comment
Good luck