The Gym Group - Watford Anmeldelser 224

Very disappointing experience with The Gym Group Watford.

The issue was never just the cancellation of a class, but the way regular paying members were treated afterwards. Multiple members raised reasonable concerns regarding timetable changes and lack of variety, yet communication from management was dismissive and inconsistent throughout.

Despite being directly affected and included in complaint correspondence, I received no response or acknowledgement personally. Customer service felt almost nonexistent, with little transparency and no genuine attempt to engage with member concerns.

It is frustrating because Watford is actually one of the better maintained branches I’ve used, but the handling of complaints and general attitude towards members has seriously let it down.

I have been a member at The Gym Group Watford on and off since the gym opened. Over the years I have seen a steady decline in how members are treated, and have watched people leave permanently because of it.
The Thursday 10:30 AM class was recently cancelled with no prior notice or member consultation. A group of us regular attendees wrote a formal email to the branch manager requesting reconsideration — we received no reply whatsoever, and the class was cancelled anyway.
I then escalated to head office, who responded by simply redirecting me back to the same branch management that had already ignored us. This is not a resolution.
Cancelling classes without consulting members has become a pattern at this branch. Loyal, long-standing members deserve better than to be ignored and passed around. I genuinely hope head office takes this seriously, because the Watford branch is losing good members who have been there from the beginning.

I rarely leave 1 star reviews, but I feel compelled to share my experience in the hope that it encourages meaningful change at this location.

Unfortunately, this gym falls far below even basic expectations, which explains its consistently low 1-star rating. The most concerning issue is hygiene. Equipment is often left uncleaned, with visible sweat marks and grime lingering long after use. Sanitizing stations are either empty or poorly maintained, and there seems to be little to no enforcement of cleaning etiquette among members. Regardless of which management need to do something about having a cleaner deployed daily to deep clean all equipment- it’s well overdue!. For a space that should promote health and wellbeing, the lack of cleanliness is genuinely off-putting.

Beyond hygiene, the equipment situation is equally disappointing. Many machines are outdated, worn down, or frequently out of order. Repairs, when they do happen, are slow and often temporary fixes rather than proper replacements. There is a noticeable lack of investment in newer, more efficient equipment that you would expect from a modern fitness facility. This not only limits workout variety but also raises concerns about safety and usability.

The overall atmosphere reflects these issues—there’s a sense of neglect, as though the facility is being maintained at the bare minimum rather than striving to provide a quality experience for its members.

In contrast, there are newer gyms available that, while slightly more expensive, offer a vastly superior experience. Cleaner environments, modern equipment, and better maintenance standards make a significant difference not just in comfort, but in motivation and consistency. Paying a bit more for those benefits is, in my opinion, absolutely worth it. I visited the gym location whilst the gym groups do their annual 2 day closure for maintenance and whatever else they ‘claim’ to be doing which isn’t notable by many members for years.

I genuinely hope management takes reviews like this seriously and invests in proper deep cleaning, regular maintenance, and updated equipment. This location has potential, but without meaningful improvements, it will continue to disappoint and lose.

I’ve just signed up for my new gym and will be reclaiming a full refund for my annual paid membership.

Always clean. Staff are lovely! Just a little busy with floor space and parking around rush hour times but can’t really be helped!

I thoroughly enjoy all my classes.
Big shout out to Fay and Matt!!
Great gym

Great gym and personal trainer Matt has really good knowledge and explains the exercises in a way that is easy to understand.

Had wonderful workout session with Matt! The class was enjoyable with clear instructions. The session was very motivating and engaging. Coach guided us well! Big thanks to Matt! Hope you can keep up the work!

I was curious upon the boxing facilities watford had to offer, i had a pt named Matt Stewart, he was super friendly and helped us all for the boxing class.

The best gym I’ve ever been to, and I definitely recommend. The coaches are really nice or encouraging l, pushing us to our very best. I absolutely love the hyrox, it’s just amazing and I always leave with a smile on my face ready for the next day.

Great gym, worked with gabriel who is an amazing PT

Great gym. Easy access & friendly staff. Gabriel is an excellent trainer, very helpful as well.
There is a great array of equipment available to use at the gym & there is never a shortfall.
Good thing would be to have a spa & pool.

Like the new look after the renovation. Could have higher free weights than 50kg

Great session with Gabriel. Would recommend!

Gabriel the best PT
I actually enjoy my time as the members here are so helpful and polite. I’m looking forward to forward to seeing net and modernized equipment.