Fitness First

Negative experience: Would no join this gym, definitely don’t recommend! Was a happy member of this gym for 2 years until the new manager Laura came along… Clearly had a problem with communication and management as I’ve now been permanently banned from the gym with no apparent reason along with other males of my age group. At one time the gym was being mopped at 4pm and I was shouted at for walking on a wet area. The gym is quite run down now and it’s quite clear she is discriminating against a certain group of people. Went into the gym to ask for reasons why I had been banned and her response was “I’m sure you had been warned”. Although I received no official or unofficial warnings I’m now out of pocket 1 months gym membership with no explanation. A friend of mine who also complained about equipment was banned and then also visited by police at his home address when manager made false accusations about him!

Fantastic experience: Very helpful stuff! Clean and comfortable gym Thank you

Positive experience: Gym is fine and well equipped. Staff are welcoming. Main thing is that the Spa area is in bad condition. In the sauna there have been light fixture wires hanging from the ceiling, wood is bent or broken and it’s not very hot. Steam room is often not working at all.

Fantastic experience: Fantastic classes and instructors. Well equipped clean gym.

Fantastic experience: Really love the Strength Class with Laura. So much fun and she's such a good trainer! Really welcoming gym, I feel very comfortable there. Would deffo recommend!

Fantastic experience: Brilliant gym, the classes are excellent, it is a supportive, inclusive and fun environment, great instructors!

Fantastic experience: I’ve been a member for a few years. Good vibe, friendly helpful staff, knowledgeable PTs and members of all ages. Yes it does need TLC but that’s down to Fitness First & head office to make some investment in what is a great location and brilliant value + unpretentious with a good heart.

Fantastic experience: I had Tiff for 1:1 PT and I can honestly say she's the best! Properly tailored programme to fit my goals and limitations. Can also give nutritional advice. Really looked forward to my sessions and seeing the progress I could make. She really knows what she's talking about....check her out doing comps! Will definitely be choosing Tiff again when well enough to return

Fantastic experience: Great location and great range of kit and classes. Very welcoming atmosphere

Negative experience: Rude staff, bad equipment, sauna and steam room always broken or dirty which gave me rashes on my face and body

Negative experience: Smelly bad equipments and rude staff

Negative experience: Managers are very rude, abusive and disrespectful towards me, very rude towards younger members . Kicked me out for complaining how the Gym equipments always broken, never fixed. Sauna and steam always very dirty. Beware of this gym!!!

Fantastic experience: Loving the new Shapes class that's been added!

Fantastic experience: Been a loyal member for 9 years. That is all down to the people; the staff, the teachers and the members. The engagement with customers is excellent, the teaching quality is first rate and the cleaning staff do a great job in difficult circumstances. Collectively they create an atmosphere that fosters friendliness, supportiveness and a sense of community amongst the members. There is no denying this gym needs investment to bring the environment back up to scratch. The staff deserve a space that matches their positivity and capability (and the members do too).

Fantastic experience: Great location. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Good variety of classes

Fantastic experience: Great location, great facilities, sauna and steam room very friendly staff! You should try this one out:)

Fantastic experience: Great classes and lovely people

Fantastic experience: Really friendly and welcoming gym. Great classes offer, through day and evening. The instructors are all really good and take time to make sure your technique is correct. Everyone is made to feel welcome. There are a range of people of all ages, you will feel part of the community whoever you are.

Fantastic experience: Excellent classes. Very high standard of instructor. Friendly and relaxed atmosphere.

Fantastic experience: The Les Mills classes are really good. Lovely instructors. Very welcoming gym with nice community of all ages.

Negative experience: The place is filthy and disgusting. The sauna and steam room are frequently not working. The staff ring you in the evenings to try to sell you pt training. The cleaning staff photograph the changing room to prove they have cleaned it whilst you are naked - this happened to me twice despite talking to Aaron the manager about it. Avoid like the plague.

Negative experience: Love the convince and location, however: - why would you put wooden lockers in a changing room full of moisture? They are rotting and are full of mould. - equipment is often in disrepair. - not enough weights. - Not enough variaty of weights. - full of treadmills, half of which are not even used. This is not the cheapest gym, and it is literally rotting away.

Fantastic experience: Great les mills classes and a sauna and steam room

Fantastic experience: I like it

Positive experience: Great location with nice and friendly staff. However, as many other reviews have mentioned, the changing rooms are damp and in desperate need of renovation. The showers are also quite unclean, so I usually prefer to head home post workout instead.

Fantastic experience: I’ve been a member here for the past 5 years and although yes, it may need a little TLC from HQ, the gym facilities & classes overall are great and it’s never too busy that you stand around waiting for equipment. Most importantly the staff are fantastic, friendly and helpful, (Aaron, Oliver and Cristian to name a few)

Fantastic experience: A great gym , centrally located, friendly team that run it! Great use of space for classes and eauipment if you train solo. Not to mention the app that you download to join offers free online classes.

Negative experience: Somehow me and my boyfriend had a completely different experience cancelling. We tried fitness first for the week, visited 3 times decided it wasn't for us - only ever went together so spent the same amount of time in the gym and somehow I breached their fair use policy and he got a full refund within 2 days. We sent the exact same emails and had the exact same time lines and usage so will let the reader conclude about what would have made them treat us so differently

Negative experience: Unclean facilities, sauna/stram room always broken, poor weight training facilities. Membership has both a minimum term and a one-month cancellation period. There are better gyms with more reasonable membership options in the area, give this one a miss.

Negative experience: After three years, this gym’s quality declined consistently. There’s a scarcity of machines, the changing rooms and toilets are old and malodorous, perpetually humid. Currently, a water leak plagues the men’s changing room with no resolution in sight. Considering the issues, the high price tag doesn’t match the experience. Once my personal training sessions are over, I’m out!

Negative experience: The water fountain has been broken for the last 4 months and has not been fixed. Equipment needs to be maintained and inspected. Staff are nice and friendly but the facilities need some serious improvement. Please fix that water fountain on the second floor we use it daily!

Negative experience: Spare your £ and enrol somewhere else. The club is awful, dirty and smelly. The equipment is old and not worth paying the membership for. And after your membership finishes, you need to cancel yourself, otherwise they will continue to take payments

Negative experience: It's the worst gym in Brighton. Unhelpful staff high prices and always on contract

Negative experience: I have been a member for around a year now, but I've cancelled my membership today. The place isn't being maintained, and in the short time I've been a member, it's deteriorated substantially. Mouldy showers, broken tiles, the steam room is rarely working, the dry heat sauna has a leaking ceiling its benches need repair. On a positive note, the staff have always been friendly and supportive. The gym equipment seems OK but probably could do with updating.

Negative experience: A once great gym let down by head office and the cleaners. As a long term member I have seen lots of great things happen to fitness first Brighton. But right now, it is beyond a shadow of its former self. It is now a disgusting pile of permanently broken gym equipment and some of the dirtiest conditions you will experience in Brighton. Two broken Wattbikes. Assaults bikes persistently falling apart Gym benches with rips. Old equipment and way to many cross trainers of which some clank and groan. Mould in the lockers. Sticky surfaces. Forever disgusting mens changing facilities. The actual staff are great though, I know the manager, Ollie and the Aarons are trying their best but it is clear that headoffice are not interested in servicing this gym. It is very obvious that as maintenance requests are obviously rejected and never fulfilled. Compare then to the image this chain projects on instagram etc and it is clear that they are not investing in this location. This gym use to have some of the best trainers in the city working there, now, I am not sure why I am still paying to be a member.

Negative experience: Mouldy, smelly, disgusting toilets and changing rooms. This place really needs refurbishment. Leaks on the ceiling of the gym. It’s a pity because staff is nice and location is great.

Positive experience: This is a good gym. I will mostly review the classes which is what I do. The infrastructure for the Les Mills classes is on point, they have enough equipment to fit the 20 people that are allowed in the class. There are some very good instructors and others that seem to be beginners, which is not terrible as they need to start somewhere. The online booking system is really easy and smooth, and the staff in reception is super friendly. I just think that for a gym in such a central location, it is too small. This is especially visible in the Main Studio where you get two enormous pillars in the middle of the room where people move around to do the class. The free weights and the Spin studio are located on the lower floor and it just feels very claustrophobic (despite having windows!).

Fantastic experience: After trying every gym in brighton, I can truly say that this is my favourite with the friendliest and most helpful staff. The equipment and classes are great, and be sure to try body combat!

Positive experience: Good gym friendly staff

Fantastic experience: Has everything you need. Very nice space and all staff and PT’s are lovely and supportive as well as friendly

Negative experience: I've been using this gym since before COVID and the last few years have seen the facilities rapidly deteriorating. Whilst the gym is good given the size, the sauna, steam, changing areas and showers are in a state. The constantly smell, there are cracked tiles with mould and mildew grewing in the men's shower. The benches in the sauna are constantly broken and despite continued reporting over the last year nothing has been done. After speaking to a member of staff about why nothing has been done, I received the reply 'its been escalated, but they never do anything about it.' Pull your finger out head office. Do better Fitness First.

Negative experience: Grotty, dirty showers, grotty toilets, told them about these problems and nothing happened. Pity cos the gym itself and the people who work there are nice. Presumably the owners are not bothered about complaints. Such a pity as it’s one of the few bigger gyms in Brighton.

Negative experience: Just wanted to share my bad experience with that gym. I signed up for a 6-month contract and as many people would think that after that time they will contact you and ask to renew or remind you that the contract is coming to an end soon. Have not received anything from them. So I cancel my direct debit after my 6-month contract and since then they have been harassing me with emails that I have an outstanding balance to pay. After many emails looking for an explanation, the conversation ends up that I didn't give the one-month notice and I have to pay one month extra, which doesn't make any sense. 6 months contract it's a 6-month contract which allows you to leave when the contract will end. Do not recommend you to join as they are very disingenuous! The gym overall it's ok but there is a serious issue with the cleanliness and maintenance. The toilets are pretty disgusting! Fitness First is very unclear about the terms of the condition of the contract. And very unhelpful with any explanation or help. Be aware of joining that gym!

Negative experience: For the price point you'd expect the quality of equipment and facilities to be in a decent condition but unfortunately not. Though the staff are lovely and accommodating, and the location is perfect for the train station, the machines and equipment are old and tired, the showers don't have locks on the doors, and one of the female toilets doesn't even have a toilet seat on it with the other stall having toilet paper on the door hook instead of the toilet paper holder. This is only the cusp of the problems. The bathrooms and changing rooms look as though they are rarely cleaned and there appears to be an over abundance of cardio machines in comparison to squat racks (only 3!). I could go on, but at the end of the day I think it's clear I wouldn't recommend this gym. It needs a massive overhaul in terms of renovation, cleaning schedule and new machines.

Negative experience: PTs who vape in the gym while working with clients, a water fountain where the water comes out hot (not room temperature, HOT), a changing room where half the showers don't work and the toilet leaks perpetually and staff (most but not all) who don't understand the meaning of the words 'customer service'. Save yourself the money. Can't wait for my contract to end and would've left months ago if I hadn't been tied in. It gets one star only because the kit is decent and it's not too busy depending on the time you go (and because there wasn't a zero stars option).

Fantastic experience: Superb vegan sushi options. A classy takeout!

Negative experience: Oversubscribed and always too busy to plan workouts

Positive experience: It’s not that big compared to other gyms around so imagine it gets busy at peak times. It does have a sauna though which none of the over commercial gyms have in town, which is great

Negative experience: Being a member here is a bit like playing Russian roulette; you never know what nasty surprise you’re going to get. Will the changing rooms and toilets be even filthier than last time? Will a chunk of ceiling or wall fall off? Will the foul smell around the sauna knock you clean out? Who wants to pay to feel nauseous when going to the gym. Fitness First please spend some money on proper, regular deep cleaning and a refurb.

Negative experience: I use it because it’s close by. Good gym with friendly staff but the changing rooms are filthy as is the spa with mould on the ceilings. The cleaner doesn’t clean and it’s been getting worse for years

Fantastic experience: Good facilities, very friendly staff. Musics very loud though

Negative experience: No hot water for 4 days in a row now, add this to the multitude of issues listed in the reviews. This place is in dire need of some care, it really brings down the FF brand. EDIT 31/12 - the sauna and steam rooms have not been working for about a week now UPDATE 19/6 - the place is getting very dirty it is like the cleaners are on strike. Mirrors are rarely cleaned now and the machines are filthy. The air con is not fit for purpose for the summer months

Negative experience: Constantly disgusting changing rooms, the steam room is ALWAYS broken and the entire spa area smells musty.

Positive experience: Gym itself is good: friendly and helpful staff, clean enough facilities (needs refurbishing here and there, but not enough to "cost" another star when compared to what gyms there are for similar price point), classes are good, definitely enough room and equipment when coming during off peak hours. Now... What happened to the steamroom? Takes a while to get fixed aparently... App: has alot of room for improvement. Could use a good redesign for more intuitive use focused on what users want and not what the venue wants to promote. Updated review: reading your latest reviews here, I am taking away a star because of how unattentive responses to reviews are. Generic message copy-pasted on every slightly negative comment. Not cool!

Negative experience: The gym its self is lovely but the toilets and steam room and showers are DISCUSSING!!! It’s a very basic this to keep the Facilities clean and tidy amount of germs and bacteria They’ve even had to put mats on the floor so you won’t slip over because of the water overflow and out of the toilet Can you please sort this out instead of copy and pasting the same reply to everyone On here.

Negative experience: No preacher curl or hyperextension and the changing room has a smell of urine / puddle of urine all the time as other reviewers are saying. This hygiene issue means it can't ever be more then one star.

Positive experience: Lots of space and equipment available but it looked dirty. I went in the sauna and the smell was awful, I know that it is expected to be some smell from the sweat, but this was another level… does this ever get cleaned?

Negative experience: Come on just get the overflowing unrinal in the men’s fixed! The constant puddle of ‘water’ on the floor makes It stink of urine daily and has for months and months. It’s pretty obvious. A ‘please contact us at blahblah@‘ standard response is pathetic so please don’t leave me one. You clearly know about the issue. It’s vile. Get. It. Sorted. Maybe then you can get the hairdryers fixed but I won’t hold my breath on that one. The place has been falling apart for a long time now. Some effort on these basic things should be standard for a brand like yours.

Fantastic experience: Ich bin nur für mehrere Tage in Brighton und wurde als deutscher herzlichst empfangen. Das Training war umsonst und ich habe mich gut aufgehoben gefühlt. Das Gym machte einen ordentlichen Eindruck und die Mitarbeiter sind sehr bemüht, alles ordentlich zu halten. Gerne wieder und Grüße aus Deutschland! Best wishes, Ben

Fantastic experience: Really friendly staff, good balance of free weight and resistance machines, and plenty of equipment to slam, throw, pull and push!

Negative experience: Dirty and uncared for facility, especially in showers, toilets and around water dispensers. Dirty toilet brushes in all toilets. Air conditioning is ineffective and there is often a smell of damp in the stairway areas. Only using this facility because my trainer works exclusively from this. I do not think it is worth the monthly membership price given the unkept environment. Pure Gym and The Gym offer a much better product for less money.

Positive experience: After having trained in a budget gym for 4 years this is a nice switch up. The general vibe Is definitely more serious, serious meaning, quality kit , well thought out layout and great staff as well as great members all add up to a more premium training experience. The gym isn’t large but as I mentioned the layout is pretty good and isn’t packed as other gyms at least not at the times I usually go which is early afternoon. Specifically for me the hammer strength machines, assault bikes and punch bags are my favourites. What really justifies the premium price for me is all of the above + the sauna Which also brings me to where it needs improvement. There is a mold issue in the changing rooms which can be unnoticeable for most but as for I I’m really sensitive to mold and pick up the smell form a mile. This also ties in with the regular leakages in the bathroom area and the lack of proper air vents which would decrease the humidity and mold. This an actual low humming health hazard which needs immediate attention. With that said the changing rooms and the sauna area is in need of refurbishment and solutions for the problems mentioned. Other than that it’s a great gym , with great people!!!

Positive experience: Very friendly and highly approachable staff. Good overall facilities for exercise in a prime location. Sauna and Steam-room need some maintenance. Men's changing rooms are 3/5 with the men's toilets usually in poor condition. Later closing time at weekends would be appreciated.

Positive experience: Great gym and staff. However the facilities and aircon let’s it down :( it desperately needs a refurb

Fantastic experience: A great urban gym with most everything you need to train your body. The manager and all the staff go out of their way to make you feel welcome. Perhaps an abdominal crunch machine could add value. The powerful shower pressure is a terrific post-workout experience and greatly appreciated.

Negative experience: Update. Still no higher than a 1 star after over another year’s membership. I keep telling myself I’m going to leave but this is so convenient for where I live. The changing rooms and sauna & steam area are rotten. Literally. Mould and rotting wood, broken tiles, bad smells, non functioning showers. It’s like something from a horror film. This has the potential to be a much better club, but Fitness First has run it into the ground and will not invest in maintenance or repairs. It needs a complete refit from the ground up. From speaking to other members, having sauna and steam facilities is the main reason they picked this gym over others locally so it’s important that they are maintained to a high standard. I really would not recommend the club the way things are still.

Fantastic experience: Amazing Gym, lovely staff with a great sense of Humour, especially Christian All the PTs are great and specialised as well, so theres something for everyone. 10/10 would recommend

Negative experience: It is overpriced for the equipment provided, it gets quite busy in rush hours plus they put you in a tricky contract that overcharges you once you try to cancel

Fantastic experience: This is our gym of choice whenever we visit Brighton. Excellent in every aspect with wonderful staff who always make us feel welcome.

Fantastic experience: Well equipped gym with friendly , knowledgeable instructors.it’s always very clean and has a great atmosphere

Fantastic experience: Best place in town and it's locater by the station staff member always welcoming especially the last 10 years each time I forget my gym key Mr Quaeck is always willing to help by manually logging me in and letting me go straight to do my work out!!!!! Once again Best gym in town with the best sauna as well fitness first brighton come check it out

Fantastic experience: Amazing gym in Brighton, close to the Train Station. Equipment is very good but, more important, the staff is excellent. If you need a PT, I recommend Oliver Higgins. He motivates, suggests and checks everything to let you enjoy the training and reach your targets. If you want any further information I am happy to support

Fantastic experience: Great gym with very friendly and knowledgeable staff. Great location in town next to the station also. Has a good gym floor with all the free weights, machines, and space you'd need for strength training. Lots of cardio machines as well. Loads of classes, which I haven't taken advantage of, but I always see the people enjoying them. Great gym.

Fantastic experience: Great gym, great facilities, great trainers. Ollie runs fantastic classes and is always friendly and helpful!

Fantastic experience: Best club for years. Great and friendly staff. Beatrice and Roko always bring positive energy to club.

Fantastic experience: Good variety of equipment, classes, the staff are really friendly and just an all round good experience.

Fantastic experience: Clean and plenty of stuff ,friendly staff, i would place it top 3 around Sussex area

Fantastic experience: I've been on a major weight loss and fitness drive the last 5 months, had piled on the pounds during lockdown and got quite unfit. Before deciding on the right gym for me, I tried some cheaper 'student' gyms closer to home, but they used to be packed like sardines at peak times. FF Brighton is a lot better in that respect, has all the equipment I need and all the other members are quite serious about exercise. There's a huge choice of cardio and resistance machines, as well as a good sized free weights section. The squat racks can get occupied quickly at peak times, but that's unavoidable due to work commitments. All the staff are friendly and helpful. Highly recommend Sam as a personal trainer for those who are new to gyms, or in my case to strength training. She's very detail oriented, helping newbies like myself to develop the right form and technique that prevent injuries to the muscles and joints. 5 months later and 17 kg lighter, I am happy to recommend FF Brighton.

Fantastic experience: Brilliant facilities and classes. Aaron and beatriss went above and beyond :)

Fantastic experience: Good gym. Everyone is lovely. Been here for years. And i got a free padlock

Fantastic experience: Great location and equipment, the gym is always tidy and clean plus staff are always super friendly and make you feel welcome. Big shout out to Vernice for being super helpful and kind!

Fantastic experience: Good no kids

Fantastic experience: Fantastic gym, fantastic instructors. I’ve been really impressed by the environment in Fitness First. Big shout out to Oliver for his great classes and continuous motivation!!

Negative experience: I never saw the steam room working since the last December (when I joined). Toilets are unusable!

Fantastic experience: Great gym right in the centre of town. It's got good equipment and friendly staff. One of very few gyms in brighton that has sauna and steam rooms. If you love a good sauna and steam, then this is your gym!!! Nice, clean showers and changing rooms with secure lockers. Real good value for money. Definitely have to try this gym out!

Positive experience: Friendly staff. Lots of equipment, such as free weights , multi gym, treadmills, cross trainers etc… The main exercise area is clean, air conditioned and has plenty of natural daylight. The big downside for me has been the change from an 8pm close at weekends to 6pm. When I emailed to ask when the closing time was changing back to 8pm there was no response. I find myself having to cut short whatever I’m doing in the daytime on Sundays now in order to get to the gym before it closes.

Positive experience: Staff are very friendly. The facility itself needs refurbishment. Showers have cracked tiles and mildew in the grouting.

Fantastic experience: Best gym I've ever been to! These days I am used to the very big gym groups with very cheap memberships, hundreds of members and no staff or help around. This one is so different. Everyone is so chilled and friendly, there is staff and trainers everywhere at all times so you always feel like you are in good professional hands if you need anything. The equipment is awesome, there is everything you could need. Overall this place feels like training and fitness are taken much more seriously, and the friendliness and family-like feeling of all the staff and trainers makes it a great place to go work out. And - as a friend joked, but it's true - it's so nice that it makes you want to go more often and stay longer, which is great for fitness :p

Negative experience: Are there women’s only classes?

Positive experience: Where is ST4

Fantastic experience: Very nice staff, some pretty good equipment, sometimes a bit crowded but there is a sauna and steam room here which is usually not too busy...

Positive experience: Decent gym. Good range of equipment and close to the station. A bit pricier than the competition but also means people who go there are predominantly workers on lunch breaks over students (student gyms can be incredibly over populated)

Fantastic experience: Great place to train friendly and helpful staff

Fantastic experience: Great facilities, helpful staff, friendly atmosphere

Fantastic experience: First class customer care and equipment. Helpful and friendly staff. Best gym I've found in Brighton. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for an accessible and well functioning gym.

Fantastic experience: The staff are very welcoming and friendly as soon as you step in and the gym and overall vibe is brilliant to say the least

Fantastic experience: Aaron is an amazing trainer, 10/10 gym, staff really helpful

Fantastic experience: Very good gym, always clean and staff are always really friendly and helpful.

Fantastic experience: Very Clean!! Well run and managed . Good equipment. Polite and friendly staff.

Fantastic experience: I visited on three different occasions, the staff are friendly, helpful and have great banter to boot. A great selection of equipment and plenty of space, full marks from me!