Information about Virgin Active
Opening hours
- sunday: 7h-19h
- monday: 6h-22h
- tuesday: 6h-22h
- wednesday: 6h-22h
- thursday: 6h-22h
- friday: 6h-22h
- saturday: 7h-19h
Our comment from FitFit UK about Virgin Active:
Virgin Active in Benfleet is a friendly and welcoming gym that offers a great atmosphere and a variety of classes for all fitness levels. Members appreciate the dedicated staff who go above and beyond to provide excellent service, ensuring every visit is enjoyable and supportive. With a clean environment, a well-maintained swimming pool, and a decent spa area, many members have expressed satisfaction with their experiences.
Highlights include:
- Wide range of classes: Members love the variety of classes offered, including yoga and aqua aerobics, which cater to different abilities and interests.
- Excellent staff: The trainers are praised for their professionalism and ability to motivate members.
- Additional amenities: The facility includes a sauna, steam room, and a café, although some areas may require updates.
However, there are some concerns raised by users regarding outdated equipment, maintenance issues, and overcrowding during peak times. While some express dissatisfaction with the gym's price relative to the condition of its facilities, others continue to value the sense of community and the support from staff.
Overall, Virgin Active remains a solid choice for those looking to stay fit and enjoy a welcoming environment, with ongoing improvements expected to enhance the member experience further.
Services, Machines and Guided Classes
Virgin Active: Opinions
Fantastic experience: A friendly gym with good atmosphere and staff who go the extra mile for you
Fantastic experience: I love all the different classes that the gym provides. I attend everyday and I do a range of classes. I also make sure I do a gentle class like Yoga. All the instructors are very good and they make in fun and enjoyable for everyone and they give lots of encouragement when you want to stop.
Fantastic experience: In general I would say that Virgin is good value for money with plenty of different classes for all different abilities. The Gym is clean and has all of the things that you would normally find. I generally go to Aqua aerobics and use the pool and spa area which compared to some other places are better with plenty of classes, although you do need to book well in advance
Fantastic experience: Been using this gym for 5 years. No place I’d rather go
Fantastic experience: Was apprehensive about joining a big gym having been a member at a smaller local gym for years but have to say it’s different class The trainers aren’t just shouty pushing everyone beyond their max they are professional coaches and very good as well Classes galore for all levels Casey (strength & conditioning) Gary (Move Club & Pilates) and Karen (Yoga) all deserve a name check for their ability, professionalism and approach Discounted rates for Blue Light members helps massively to make it more worthwhile BZ guys it’s a great job
Fantastic experience: Great visit at Virgin Thundersley pool temperature was lovely really nice staff & cleaners are so good
Thank you for your lovely review! We’re so glad to hear you had a great visit at Virgin Active Thundersley. It’s fantastic to know you enjoyed the pool temperature and that our staff and cleaners made a positive impression. We look forward to welcoming you again soon!
Fantastic experience: A very nice place
Thank you for your feedback! We're glad to hear you had a positive experience with us. We hope to see you again soon!
Negative experience: I will be moving gyms next month One of the most expensive gyms in the area, they are always trying to increase their prices as well. They charge so much money yet everything is so out dated. The machines and equipment are so old. They need to put some serious investment into the gym. There are gyms that are charging less than half of virgin that have so much more brand new advanced equipment. I don't wanna sound entitled but so many people at the gym is a weirdo. Skinny broccoli heads standing in groups of 5 round machines gooning at everyone whilst staring at their phones. The sauna is nice when it works but its also just a breeding ground for creepy old men to stare at woman which happens on a daily basis. Changing rooms is full of old non*es who get naked in front of young boys and make strange noises. Oh yh i forgot i have found so much black mold everywhere in the spa area
Sorry to hear that your experience hasn’t met your expectations. We value your feedback and take all concerns seriously. If you'd like to discuss this further, please feel free to reach out via our live chat. We're always happy to help!
Negative experience: This gym is actually shocking. First off apart from David Lloyd its one of the most expensive in the area. ALL the machines in the gym are extremely outdated and some are always broken. I actually remember my school gym having better equipment. There is a huge problem with membership numbers, because the place is sometimes packed to the point you cant actually use anything. Yes i know its a gym and it gets busy but sometimes its unusable. There is no actual care about who enters the gym. Literally saw about 4 gypsies jump over the barrier to get in the other day and the staff saw it but didn't even acknowledge it. Gym is full of teenagers who stand in groups of 5 around a machine just staring at their phones and staring at everyone else Spa is pretty decent (when it actually works) It seems like most of the time either the steam room or sauna is broken. You'd think for a multi billion dollar company they could sort out these things but nope.
We're sorry to hear that you’ve been disappointed with your experience at the club. We understand that January can be a particularly busy time, and we encourage members to check the app for real-time club capacity and to make use of the waitlist for classes. Our maintenance team works hard to keep equipment in top condition, and any reported issues are addressed as quickly as possible. If you’ve noticed specific machines that aren’t working, please do let us know so we can ensure they are being looked into. Regarding club access, we take security very seriously and have measures in place to ensure that only active members are using the facilities. If you ever have concerns about unauthorised entry, please flag it with the team at the time so we can address it immediately. Thank you for sharing your feedback. We take your concerns seriously and are always looking for ways to improve. If there’s anything else we can do to enhance your experience, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Negative experience: Shocking for anyone who actually wants to work out - at times it’s impossible. The same equipment has been here for 16 years, I used to come here in college. So I know exactly what it was like and it’s barely changed. Always broken too. Very expensive compared to other gyms locally. Not the cleanest. Waaaaay over subscribed and let a load of idiots join who just sit on their phone with their hoods up. Staff are alright but they have pathetic rules like: you can’t use the equipment near the classes if the classes are on. So say goodbye to rowers and ski erg if a class is on because even if they aren’t using that equipment - I was told by the person taking the class I can’t use it. Prices go up every year. And they justify it by telling you they’ve built a restaurant … that you have to pay for. Honestly… for £90+ a month it’s a waste of money if you actually work out or have any fitness goals… this isn’t the gym for you. Classes are rubbish too nowhere near as intense as you need to see any kind of meaningful change. All brand . No substance.
We're sorry to hear you feel this way. We’re always looking to improve and appreciate your feedback. If there’s anything we can do to enhance your experience, our team is happy to help via live chat.
Positive experience: Only go coz can't afford D Lloyd any more. Swimming pool always busy. Spa area quite good. Really tight with passes and no lowered sub for people having medical treatment
Thank you for your feedback! We’re sorry to hear about the challenges with pool availability. Just a reminder, we do offer a medical freeze option for those undergoing medical treatment. We also provide guest passes upon sign-up and every year on your birthday. We hope this helps, and we look forward to seeing you again soon!
Positive experience: Virgin Thundersley is so much more than a gym. The crèche is outstanding and has been a god send for me whilst on maternity leave. The swimming pool and spa area are basic but good. The changing room facilities could do with being updated, particularly the family room where there is limited space and changing facilities. Probably best not to get me started on the limited child parking spaces which are also no larger than a normal space! The cafe has a vast menu and is a lovely place to unwind. That said the coffee is ridiculously expensive and does taste like it’s come from a vending machine (although it is proper barista coffee you just wouldn’t think it!). The staff throughout the gym are excellent, super helpful and always a joyous.
Thank you for your thoughtful review! We’re thrilled to hear that the crèche has been such a helpful resource for you during maternity leave and that you've been enjoying the gym and spa facilities. We truly appreciate your kind words about our staff—they work hard to make every visit a positive experience. We also appreciate your feedback on the changing rooms and parking spaces, and will keep that in mind for future improvements. Thanks again for your feedback, and we look forward to welcoming you back to the club soon!
Negative experience: They never answer the phone, I sent an email over a month or two ago to enquire about the crèche and was ignored. Now you want to say it’s centralised calls. Okay It’s all good tho somewhere else got the business ♀️
Thank you for your feedback! Our phone lines have been centralised to allow our in-club teams to focus on assisting members directly. For the fastest response, please reach out via our live chat. Our agents are available Monday to Friday from 9 AM to 6 PM, and on weekends from 9 AM to 2 PM. We look forward to helping you!
Negative experience: Awful gym customer service is non existent the sauna area is over crowded and dirty the gym itself has no where near enough equipment and during busy times you can't use hardly anything total waste of money AVOID
We’re sorry to hear about your experience. Providing a great member experience is important to us, and we appreciate your feedback. If you have any specific concerns regarding the sauna or equipment, please reach out to us via live chat so we can assist you further. We’re committed to improving and ensuring a better experience moving forward.
Fantastic experience: Great service and amazing facilities.
Thank you for your fantastic review! We're so pleased to hear you're enjoying the service and facilities. We look forward to continuing to provide you with an excellent experience. See you in the gym!
Positive experience: A lovely wellness centre with Steam room,sauna, jacuzzi etc. Has a cafe, a warm swimming pool 1.2m the entire length,a well kitted out kiddie pool, studios and gym floor, all very spacious and a beautiful crèche. Loses one star because to use the crèche your baby needs a membership at £13pm plus an additional £5.65 per hour. So, If you wanted to use the gym 5 days a week for 1hr, you would pay roughly £133pm for your child on top of your own membership. At the very least, a mother who wants to get fit during off-peak times would pay £192pm thereabouts. Definitely not universally affordable.
Positive experience: I have been going to this gym regularly for 3 years. The trainers and staff are all lovely. However since it has changed hands I have had nothing but trouble with the new app. The booking system needs to be addressed as if you are on the waitlist you can suddenly be in a class in the middle of the night or early hours and this is not accounted for if a class is missed. Also since the changeover and new membership card the app has not registered my visits. For weeks now I have been getting one attendance tick instead of 4! hence no rewards and now I seem to be blocked for non attendance when I have not missed all the classes I've been told I have missed. A lot of classes have been cancelled early morning and therefore it is impossible to actually get in a class! Hence I have been told I cannot book anything until 21st December which mean there is no chance of getting anything for the following week either, I have tried speaking to someone to get the blocked removed but all I'm told is the blocking cannot be removed. I do not pay a membership for just a pool and some weights I could get this way cheaper elsewhere!. It is a shame that it has come to this I feel that I now have to look for another gym.
Positive experience: I had to freeze my membership due to a fall. My physio says I can now use the gym. Tried calling to unfreeze, not able to speak to anyone. Went to membership support on website, wrote what I need to happen but the return messages just keep referring to me freezing the membership. Wasted 20 minutes trying to resolve!!!! Not impressed. The fall happened just after I joined so I haven't even used the gym yet!!!!! Is this what communication is going to be like moving forwards?
Thank you for your feedback, and we’re sorry to hear about the challenges you’ve experienced. We understand how frustrating this situation must be, especially after your fall. Please reach out to us via live chat, and we’ll work quickly to resolve your membership issue. We’re committed to providing better communication and ensuring you have a positive experience moving forward.
Fantastic experience: Good gym with a swimming pool and sauna.
Thank you Diana
Negative experience: In desperate need of a refresh and to give back to the members with some decent equipment
Negative experience: Sauna was closed for 2 weeks (the only real reason i have a membership) and customer service weren’t interested in making even a token gesture by way of apology/compensation except for free guest passes. It feels really complacent and I don’t feel valued as a customer. I’ve frozen my membership and am not sure yet whether i’ll return.
Fantastic experience: I have bean a member for 18 months and joined to use the pool as I am extremely overweight and have to force myself to exercise .. due to a recent injury I have not been able to use the pool for 2 months so I finally plucked up the courage to face the gym .. last week I had my induction with Sophie and today I had my first PT session with her, a discounted gift from Virgin Active that I had not used till now … I had a good intro and first session with Sophie today, who has taken the time to understand my weight and health issues and my nerves in entering a gym at 23 stone to face my fears .. the session was hard but I did it and many people don’t understand the battle overweight people deal with on a daily basis, it’s not about just being lazy and greedy .. it’s a mental and physical thing/block as well as a food addiction and it’s hard to actually face your demons and take steps to change your life… my review is to thank the staff on my ‘journey’ so far at Virgin Active Thundersley, Maisie for helping me register with the new App today as I was even struggling with that! Sophie for being an absolute delight, very endearing and sincere about wanting to help me through my mental and fitness barriers .. and Will on reception for being so kind to me as I left, congratulating me on just turning up and getting through the session .. .. your team are a credit to you … I am so grateful for the welcome I have received into the gym that I was so fearful of .. Thankyou Virgin Active Thundersley .. from a very grateful member
Positive experience: Will use again and again, I am a member
Fantastic experience: Friendly staff, great classes, gym good, pool very good. Wish there was an outside pool but very happy with everything else. Feel really comfortable attending
Thank you Julie!
Fantastic experience: Lots of different classes to choose from. Friendly staff
Negative experience: Shocking Gym old equipment overcrowded do not recommend needs a complete refurbishment absolute shocking dirty place
We're really sorry to hear about your experience, and we truly appreciate your feedback. We’re always working to improve and ensure our members have the best experience possible. If you'd like to share more details, please feel free to reach out to us directly via our Live Chat. We value your input and are committed to making improvements.
Negative experience: £70 a month for a gross dirty run down gym and pool area. You must be joking! There are SO many other gyms nearby at literally half the price for way better equipment AVOID
Negative experience: Most disrespectful rude staff members i have met in my life. Facilitys are also rundown dirty and broken worst experience ever.DO NOT GO TO THIS GYM!! Waste of money
Fantastic experience: The new restaurant Kauai is excellent. My kids just had the cheeseburger and the avocado and steak salad. They were really healthy and delicious.
Fantastic experience: Very helpful and understanding
Hi Paul, Thank you :)
Fantastic experience: Joined yesterday
Negative experience: Extremely grubby, needs a major refurb. Charging top dollar for a local gym with outdated equipment in a completely run down environment - there was a used sanitary towel left in the shower a few weeks ago! You come out feeling dirtier than before you went in which completely defeats the object of a refreshing sauna, steam and swim. Recently cancelled my entire family’s membership!
Negative experience: After being told day passes were available and the website saying I’d be able to I was told on arrival I could not use a day pass unless with a current member. (I don’t know any members) How am I supposed to know if I want to pay £70 a month for facilities I don’t know are any good. As someone who suffers with anxiety and social anxiety Id have liked to see if I felt comfortable using the facilities before being charged 70 quid to use them. No alternative presented and staff couldn’t have been less helpful.
Hi B Thank you for your feedback. As we are a members only facilities we do not offer day passes to non members, all members receive 2x passes when joining and 3x on their birthday. These are valid for period of 3 months. However we do offer a 14 x day cooling off if you join online/in person.
Negative experience: I am extremely disappointed with virgin. Members were informed in December 2023 that Zumba was changing to Dance. I was open to a change as I would still be able to dance. After the first class, i spoke to the teacher and the group exercise manager with a few other members. I said she was a fantastic dancer, but the majority of the members in the class were not at her level of experience and were visibly struggling in the class. During this class I witnessed at least 3 people walk out and 1 crying because of the difficulty. I suggested that she start by making the dances and moves simpler and once people started to pick this up she could gradually increase the difficulty. I pointed out that the members had gone from 1 style of dance to being shown 5-6 different styles of dance in 1 x 45 minute session which, in addition to the difficulty of the moves, was causing them to become overwhelmed. The manager was defensive in her comments but the teacher listened to my feedback which was evident in her future classes. Following some more negative feedback from members, a meeting was arranged with Anthony Thompson on 17/02/24. This meeting took place and lasted 3 hours with a number of members present. They took all of our names for their records and to email us after the meeting to keep us informed. During the meeting it was explained that the reason for the change from Zumba to Dance was that it was under the umbrella of Les Mills (something I have researched and have still found nothing to support this), that they were also planning to change Body Pump and Boxing and the plan was to invest in Pilates with the eventual aim of offering Reformer Pilates as it is what is "current and popular". We were assured on several occasions that this was not a tick box exercise and that we would be emailed in a few weeks. We were also assured that this was not a money making scheme, but to be able to bring DANCE under the "virgin umbrella to have more ownership of the product". Assurances were given that they were actively recruiting candidates to teach dance. It was also explained during the meeting that virgin would be changing the music licence and that the Zumba instructors had been given the opportunity to pay for and attend the DANCE course so that they could continue to teach with virgin. After a number of instructors had attended this course, the music was changed, meaning that for some of the instructors, this course was once again just a tick-box and money-making scheme, as they were no longer able to perform their normal routines to the current very questionable music. It's now almost 4 months later and to date there has been no noticeable progress: no evening or weekend classes and still no contact from management after the meeting. On 12/03/2024, while dance was still running, and with the latest assurances from Anthony, an email was sent out to all members saying to sign up for 12 months and get £100 credit and lock in our current memberships or risk the price going up by over 20%. At this stage I locked in. Shortly after this, all dance classes except 1 day time class were cancelled. I joined for the variety of classes on offer, but particularly for dance. This was expressed on my first visit when the membership was discussed with the sales assistant, having visited and compared 5 gyms and chose virgin because of the amount and variety of classes. My first year at virgin due to the Zumba classes were the highlight of my week. I feel completely lied to and betrayed, tricked into signing up for a 12 month membership when the cost of living means I cannot afford to pay for additional dance classes outside of my membership. When my 12 month membership runs out I will cancel. I am aware of a number of people who have cancelled due to these changes. It's a shame that the happiness of its members is not a consideration for the Virgin Active and although they said it's not a money making scheme, actions speak louder than words.
Hi Lauren Thank you for the review. I am sorry to hear about your experience please get in touch with our customer services team on 0207 717 9000 or email us at ([email protected]).
Fantastic experience: Friendly great place to exercise
Thanks Paul :)
Positive experience: All the staff are great always willing to help and listen the gym is spacious enough with all equipment you would need, swimming pool and spa are good and locker room/showers are ok unfortunately my only real downside is actually down to a minority of club members/non members with cleanliness leaving used earbuds on floor empty bottles sometimes not empty even underwear just a lack of respect and pure laziness there is bins provided so no reason for it I understand the staff cleaners can’t be everywhere and Toby i believe is one of the cleaning team is a great guy always bang on with his duties maybe a generic email to all members reminding them of basic house rules would be an advantage… also the app is quite good lots of info etc,
We're delighted with the experience you've shared about our staff and facilities, Kevin. We always strive to keep on top of the club's cleanliness but we're grateful for your understanding when at times we may fall short of expectations and that you recognise our hard work & dedication. Thank you again for your support and your valued membership. - Elliot
Positive experience: It's ok. The space is good, the pool is nice but so many of the machines are as old as the gym itself. Every visit lots the treads etc are out of action and the fans, TV etc c in most of them don't work at all. If you are paying for a premium gym those things need to be much better. Ok but could be much better.
Thanks for your feedback, Neil. We're sorry that we're not meeting your expectations and we will pass this back to the club so that they can work to address these issues. - Elliot
Positive experience: I'm a member and the gym and facilities are "ok" A few things falling off the walls and looking a little tired. Sauna is out of action too often and the steam room is hit and miss. They need to stop big groups of non members coming in and totally disregarding any rules they try to have in place. However, the staff are always welcoming and generally the gym is clean.
Thanks for your feedback, Darren. We're glad you find our staff welcoming and the gym generally clean. We're actively working on addressing the maintenance issues you mentioned, including the sauna and steam room reliability. Regarding non-member groups, we'll review our policies to ensure everyone respects our rules and facilities. Your input helps us improve, and we appreciate your membership. - Elliot
Fantastic experience: Great place for gym lovers and people who just want to relax in a separate SPA room!
It's wonderful to hear that you've had a positive experience at the gym, Virginija! The combination of great gym facilities and a separate spa room sounds like a fantastic offering for both fitness enthusiasts and those seeking relaxation. Thank you for sharing your feedback! - Elliot
Fantastic experience: Love this gym - my happy place :) great swim classes for kids and available crèche gives me freedom to work out
It's wonderful to hear that you love our gym, Anna! We're thrilled to be your happy place and to provide swim classes for kids and a crèche facility that allows you the freedom to work out. Thank you for sharing your positive experience with us! If there's anything else we can do to make your gym experience even better, please don't hesitate to let us know. - Elliot
Negative experience: DO NOT HAVE A MEMBERSHIP WITH THIS GYM!!!!! Openly letting criminals register to the gym and allowing them to break into lockers resulting in car/airpods/laptop/money and belongings all being stolen on their premises and refusing to give these thieves details so the police can get involved!!! Absolutely disgusting and incredibly unsafe!!!!!!
We are deeply sorry to hear about your experience and the security incident at our gym, Sophie. The safety and security of our members are our utmost priority, and we take such matters very seriously. We understand your concerns and would like to work with you to resolve this matter. Please contact your club management directly so we can assist you further. - Elliot
Negative experience: Wot a dump
We're sorry to hear that you did not have a positive experience during your visit, Peter. At Virgin Active, we strive to provide a clean and welcoming environment for all our members, and it's disappointing to learn that your visit did not meet your expectations. If you would like to discuss your experience further, please don't hesitate to contact our customer service team. - Elliot
Fantastic experience: One off the best around it has it all
We're thrilled to hear you're enjoying your experience at our facility, Danny! Providing our members with top-notch amenities and services is our priority. Thank you for your kind words and for being a part of our community. We look forward to continuing to meet and exceed your expectations in the future. - Elliot
Fantastic experience: So far, so very good. Very happy with Maisie who showed me around the facility and even more so with Gary Hobbs with whom I had a trial PT session. So much so, I've signed up for six sessions. So pleased that I've joined.
Thank you for your positive feedback, Andy! We're delighted to hear about your positive experience with Maisie during the facility tour and Gary Hobbs during your trial PT session. We're thrilled that you've decided to sign up for six sessions and become a part of our community. We aim to provide exceptional service and support throughout your fitness journey. If you ever need assistance or have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out. Welcome aboard! - Elliot
Negative experience: The Gym is dirty the place desperately needs A refurb the machines are never cleaned properly. The steam room is regularly out of action.
We apologise for the inconvenience you've experienced. Maintaining cleanliness and functionality is a priority for us. We'll address the issues with machine cleanliness and the steam room's functionality promptly. Thank you for bringing these matters to our attention. - Elliot
Fantastic experience: Nice spa Sunday
We're glad you enjoyed your spa experience, Neil! Sundays are perfect for unwinding and rejuvenating. If there's anything specific you loved or any suggestions for improvement, feel free to share. We're committed to making every visit exceptional. - Elliot
Fantastic experience: Loved it went as guest felt so much better
Thank you for your wonderful review!
Positive experience: I have been a member since the gym opened and could do with a it of tlc bit overall a decent gym with good weights, plenty of classes, a pool and spa area.
Thank you for your feedback! We're delighted to hear that you've been with us since the beginning and appreciate your loyalty. We'll certainly take your comments into consideration as we strive to continuously improve our facilities. We expect renovations at Thundersley to happen in the near future. We will notify members via email once we have everything confirmed.
Fantastic experience: Thundersley Virgin Active is a wonderful place, well run club, great facilities and staff, highly recommend
Hi James, Thank you for taking the time to share your positive feedback about our gym, pool, and classes. We are delighted to hear that you have had a great experience and that you find our facilities and offerings to be excellent. At Virgin Active, we strive to provide a top-notch fitness experience, and it's always rewarding to receive positive comments from satisfied members like yourself. Your feedback motivates us to continue delivering high-quality services and maintaining a positive and enjoyable environment for our members. If you ever have any suggestions or if there's anything specific you love about our gym that you'd like to share, please feel free to let us know. We appreciate your support, and we look forward to continuing to exceed your expectations. Thank you for being a valued member of Virgin Active! - Elliot
Positive experience: Needs a decent clean, steam room needs a deep clean and aromas replenished regularly. Good facilities in general.
Negative experience: Very poor. I left PureGym in Rayleigh and now I’m stuck here for the next 12 months. How are the facilities more aesthetically pleasing in a 29.99p/m PureGym than this Virgin Active one which 61.99 per month. This gym needs a serious refurbishment and fast. Looking at the Virgin Active Instagram, the London gyms look up to date… but why not this one? After browsing through the other reviews and seeing how some of the spa equipment sometimes isn’t in use is making me regret moving to this Virgin Active already. In hindsight I should’ve done a better job of going and having a look at the current quality of the gym because if I had, I would’ve just stayed at PureGym and went Runnymede Leisure Centre when I wanted a swim. All in all… VERY POOR!
Positive experience: I don't know if it's sure?
Negative experience: Meh- going downhill fast. Cleanliness, facilities, politics around the gym- steam room is constantly out of commission and smells like urine. The place is basically run by teenagers who don't really care about much. I had brand new towels stolen 3 times in a row at the spa and they couldn't care less.
Negative experience: Their customer service is none existent. They are very busy and it is rare to get on the equipment you want to use. After your contract agreement has finished you still can’t change it or sign up for any of the new deals they are doing.
Positive experience:
Fantastic experience: Been a member since it opened and although I think it’s time for an update in certain areas, I still think it’s the best local gym around for all the services it provides.
Fantastic experience: Virgin Active fitness center in Rayleigh is top notch. They have Gym, Swimming Pool, Sauna, Spa pool which in my opinion is my favorite.
Negative experience: One working Wattbike in the gym, loads of unused cross trainers and treadmills. I asked the team on reception if they have plans to get some more Wattbike's, or at least fix the broken one. Was told depending on funds, then they will purchase. So why the expensive monthly membership when the equipment is either broken or you have just one bike? Gym does have a tired feeling about it. One week later, both bikes are now broken. How many complaints by members does it take for Virgin to actually fix the 2 broken Wattbikes? Was told by another unhappy punter that there is actually 3 bikes, but 1 has been taken away to be fixed. Absolute shambles Swimming pool is very good
Fantastic experience: The classes alone are worth the membership, let alone the rest of the gym, pool and spa. Highly recommend
Fantastic experience: Good
Fantastic experience: Love the place.
Fantastic experience: Haven't quite joined up yet, but I probably will, very reasonable prices
Hello Nick, thank you for sharing your feedback. Please do reach out to us on 020 7717 9000 or [email protected] if you'd like any support. Thank you.
Negative experience: After paying double what my local PureGym cost me, I expected a decent and modern gym, but the actual gym floor (weight training area) is full of old equipment that is either dirty or doesn't work properly. There is a lack of basic things like barbells clips (at busy times, which would be very cheap to buy more). Even the small plates (2.5kg especially) can be hard to get hold of. Needs more benches by the dumbbells, and the 3 or 4 that they have are always all in use even at the less busy times, but if you go on a busy evening it's basically impossible to get one! Lots of waiting around to use equipment. Could do with an additional one or two squat racks because these are always busy too. Couldn't find matching handles for the cable machine last time I went (again, such a cheap thing to buy more of), and the T-bar row section is damaged and closed off. Tried to use the Boditrax machine but that was broken too. As for cardio, there are a more than sufficient number of treadmills, bikes, etc., so this is good. The only positive is the pool area, spa and the changing room/showers. These are kept reasonably clean and are sufficiently large enough to accommodate everyone, and the sauna and steam room are good. Showers are also nice and warm and soap is provided, plus a cool machine to dry your swimming costume. Overall however I would not recommend as a serious gym for anyone doing weight training. It's more of a leisure centre, and all the money clearly goes towards the pool and cardio stuff only. It wouldn't cost much to make basic improvements the weights section, but it seems to be a low priority for Virgin Active. Happy to be contacted and share my feedback if management read this review.
Hello Kaspar, thank you for sharing your feedback. We've popped your review over to club's Exercise team and asked that somebody be in touch with you to discuss. In the meantime, you can reach us on 020 7717 9000 or [email protected] if you need more support. Thank you.
Fantastic experience: Have just recently joined and so far so good great selection of machines in the gym and things to do Enjoy the swimming pool, steamroom and Jacuzzi staff friendly and a good atmosphere overall.
Hello Simon, thank you for taking the time to share your review. So glad you're enjoying your membership! We hope you live happily ever active with us.
Positive experience: Parking with kids is not easy in the spaces provided.
Hello Rob, thank you for taking the time to share your review. Your feedback has been noted.. So glad you're enjoying your membership & we hope you continue to live happily ever active with us.
Negative experience: This gym is seriously in need of a renovation! Charge the earth for a membership and the place is in total disrepair and filthy. The changing rooms are just horrid, always at least 1 toilet and sink broken, tiles falling off the wall. And not to mention all of the people that vape in the changing rooms. New up to date equipment is needed on the gym floor, as it’s either outdated or always broken. And I don’t even bother using the spa anymore as you will probably catch something in that water! Absolutely filthy! And at least one room in the spa is out of order at some point. Yet if you go to the Chelmsford virgin active it is a totally different experience! Nothing bad to say about Chelmsford, Virgin need to make an investment into renovating thundersley. Staff are really friendly and the place has everything you could need and always somewhere to park. Just needs investment :)
Hello Niamh, thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback. So sorry to hear you've had this experience. We have just escalated your concerns to our Senior Membership team at the club, who will review and be in touch with you. If there is anything at all we can help with in the meantime, please do not hesitate to get in touch. We look forward to speaking with you soon.
Fantastic experience: Just recently started at Virgin Active and all the staff are really friendly! As a beginner at the gym the instructors have been so patient with me and helped me work towards my goals! The classes are amazing and would recommend!!
Hello Nadia, thank you for taking the time to share your review. So glad you're enjoying your membership! We hope you continue to live happily ever active with us.
Fantastic experience: Good Gym and good pool, staff and members also friendly
Hello Stefan, thank you for taking the time to share your review. So glad you're enjoying your membership! We hope you continue to live happily ever active with us.
Fantastic experience: It has everything I need to focus on my fitness and well-being journey.
Hello Jonny, thank you for taking the time to share your review. So glad you're enjoying your membership! We hope you continue to live happily ever active with us.
Negative experience: Been a member for the last 6 years and I can honestly say the whole place is getting to a point is disrepair. Everything needs a deep clean as the whole gym floor is dirty! The equipment needs to be updated as it’s heavily used and some is held together to tape. I did hear that this is one the most profitable Virgin gyms due to the amount of members, if this is the case you would think updates would be plenty. So a year after this review was left nothing has happened and the place has only got worse. Since this review was left the members have been told that the gym would be getting a complete refit, this date has now been pushed back indefinitely.
Hello Wes, thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback on our kit. We are currently reviewing the equipment we have at our Thundersley club, assessing what kit is due for repair and whether we have all the equipment necessary to meet the needs of our members. Please let us know if there's anything else we can support with.
Negative experience: Rejoined after a couple years away. Really disappointed, its a state. Towel hooks fallen off the walls, door handles fallen off, electric doors not working for weeks (fixed now) sauna constantly "taking a break" broken. Its not been updated since day 1. Sky sports used to be on tv screens, so could watch football or sport whilst working out, the cafe doesnt stay open as much as it used to so cant always get a coffee after. The whole place needs an upgrade.
Hello Darren, thank you so much for taking the time to share your review of our club. So sorry you haven't enjoyed your rejoining experience so far. We've passed along your feedback to club management and we will prepare a response for you here. We'd normally give you a call to discuss any concerns, however you did not leave your membership details. Look forward to speaking with you soon. Thanks again Darren.
Fantastic experience: Great facilities
Hello Lorna, thank you so much for taking the time to share your review of our Thundersley club. So glad you're enjoying your membership! We hope you continue to live happily ever active with us.
Positive experience: Unfortunately the spa is extremely cool and has been for the last 2 weeks yesterday spa was empty as too cold to sit in despite repeated complaints to staff the spa remains COLD the solarium has been out of order for 2 weeks no indication as to when this might be rectified or what the problem with this actually is
Hello Paulene, thanks for getting in touch. We've reached out to the Club and will provide a response for you shortly.
Fantastic experience: Recently joined this gym and I’m really enjoying it. The classes/instructors are all great, I haven’t had a bad experience with any of them. Gym and pool seem well maintained and it suits my needs.
Hello Jade, thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. So glad you're enjoying your membership! We hope you continue to live happily ever active with us.
Negative experience: Went last month with my boyfriend and told us that his membership would be cancelled after 1month because he didn’t want to pay after that. Now he’s been charged £50 again because he signed a contract which was monthly when they explained it would only be for 1 month. And they can’t even give the money back.
Hello Rosie, thank you so much for taking the time to get in touch. Unfortunately, we would not be able to speak with you on behalf of your boyfriend. Can you ask that he please get in touch on 020 7717 9000 or [email protected]? We can then look into this. Thank you.
Fantastic experience: Huge pool and spa area. Plenty if space.
Hello Paul, thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. So glad you're enjoying your membership! We hope you continue to live happily ever active with us.
Positive experience: Expensive for no real reason...
Hello Lélé, thank you for taking the time to share a review. Memberships start from £59.99 and this includes access to group exercise classes, all facilities, usage of some other Virgin Active Clubs as well as our overseas locations. We also currently have a two-months-free offer, as well as offering age-related discounts and discounts for Vitality members.
Fantastic experience: Everything you need in a gym.
Hello Andy, thank you so much for taking the time to share your review. We're so glad you're enjoying your Virgin Active experience.
Negative experience: so dirty and old
Hello, I hope you're well. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review. I'd like to give you a phone call to discuss, but I'm afraid I'm unable to find your membership info. Please could you kindly get in touch on 020 7717 9000 or [email protected] so we can try to help? Thank you. Look forward to speaking with you soon.
Fantastic experience: Nice atmosphere could do with a revamp for what I pay a month but it's helped me get in shape
Hello John, thank you so much for taking the time to share your review. We're so glad you're enjoying your Virgin Active experience.
Positive experience: It’s ok but ……
Negative experience: Not happy Especially from the girl in the reception name Ella she's a very rude to customer
Hello Ferhan, thank you so much for taking the time to share your review. What is it we could have done better? Please reach out to us on 020 7717 9000 and [email protected] so we can hear more about your experience and help you.
Positive experience: Really need to update the sauna area looking very tired.
Hello Kathleen, thank you so much for taking the time to share your review. Have passed along your feedback to our Thundersley team. Once we have a refurbishment, members will be the first to know.
Positive experience: New member here, staff very polite, gym clean but just desperately needs modernisation, facility upgrades and decent A/C.
Hello Ryan, thank you so much for taking the time to share your review. Welcome to Virgin Active! I have passed on your review to our team at Thundersley and we hope you continue to live happily ever active with us.
Positive experience: Great venue but getting tired around the edges
Hello Aaron, thank you so much for taking the time to share your review, which I've passed along to the Club. We're so glad you're enjoying your Virgin Active experience.
Negative experience: Reiterate the pool situation. On top of our memberships I cannot afford swimming lessons for our children as well so whenever I take them swimming we have a tiny section of pool to move around in. Club V never has any spaces for when I'm working out and currently I've been trying to book my sons on to holiday camp for next week for the last 24 hrs and nobody ever answers the phone. When I asked if there was any normal availability for next week, just so I could use the gym, the lady laughed and said "no" like it was a stupid question. Remind me what I'm actually paying for??
Hello Alexis, thank you for your review. I've reached out to the club for more information related to the points you've raised. Once I have a response, I will provide an update here. Thank you and speak with you soon. UPDATE: Thanks Alexis. We are changing the pool layout for September to accommodate for the growing swim school. We will have 1 adult lane and 1 family swim lane during peak swim lesson times. I can see the Club tried calling you back a few times but there was no answer, unfortunately. We are much busier in the school holidays and advise members to use the 10 day booking system where possible. We can now see you managed to get hold of someone and made some bookings. Please let us know if there's anything else we can support with.
Fantastic experience: An excellent gym and leisure centre. Very approachable and friendly staff. The spa is amazing but it is with huge regret and shame about the steam room which is constantly breaking down and even when it does work it is not very steamy at all. Lots of improvement is needed on the steam room - more steam is needed
Hello Robert, thank you so much for taking the time to share your review. We're so glad you're enjoying your Virgin Active experience. Have popped over your feedback about the steam room to the team.
Negative experience: I signed up purely for the kids club which I told them before joining as I have a young child. Go to book in- and there are no spaces. Completely pointless as cant work out with a five year old can I? There are swimming classes which mean you only get a fraction of the pool to swim in. Refused to cancel my membership and feel duped big time. Would not recommend.
Hello S, thank you for taking the time to share your review. We'd like to hear more about your experience, but I am afraid we cannot locate your membership info. Please reach out to us on 020 7717 9000 and [email protected] so we can hear more about your experience and help you.
Negative experience: Needs a thorough clean
Hello Wendy, thank you for taking the time to speak with me on the phone just now. Rest assured I've passed on feedback to the club. As discussed, we will arrange for you to visit the club on a complimentary guest pass, so you can enjoy a much more positive visit next time.
Fantastic experience: Very nice and have a lot of equipment and areas and the staff and trainers are really nice and can help you with any problems or your workout
Hello Corey, thank you so much for taking the time to share your review. We're glad you're enjoying your Virgin Active experience.
Negative experience: Rang new member number half a dozen times over a week , left hanging on phone for 20 mins plus , how can you run a business when you don’t talk to possible new members? , signed up to Pure Gym instead , no wonder they’re going bust
Hello Aceface, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We're sorry if calls to the club were taking longer than normal. You can also phone our Head Office on 020 7717 9000 and we can pop you straight through to our new member team.
Positive experience: Felt quite confident here no real egos to deal with !
Hello Amanda, thank you for taking the time to share your review. We're glad you're enjoying your Virgin Active experience.
Positive experience: Facilities are well laid out and has everything you would want in a gym and leisure complex. It is in need of renovation which is long over due for the price of the membership.
Hello Robert, thank you for taking time out to write a review. Happy to say you'll start seeing some changes to equipment at Thundersley. We'll also be freshening up the reception area and changing room decor.
Positive experience: Could do with a refurbish
Hello Sean, thank you for taking the time to leave your review. The good news is we're investing in Thundersley! We recently completed a changing room flooring refurbishment. We'll also be bringing in new Eleiko kit to take your Grid Training classes to the next level, as well as freshening up the reception area and changing room decor.
Fantastic experience: Fabulous gym. Worth every penny. Great staff too.
Hello Michael, thank you for taking time out of your day to share your review. Delighted you're enjoying your Virgin Active experience!
Negative experience: The staff are very good but very disappointed when I joined 3 months ago was sold to on the idea of being able to use clearview gym Then getting a email to say you can only use the one gym now (mis-sold) told to talk to customer services did but they did not care
Hi Ian, thanks for taking your time to leave us a review. We're sorry to hear you're not happy with the recent multi access changes. We’ve spent many years working on our pricing to ensure that all of our clubs provide excellent value for money in their own marketplace, therefore we recently reviewed our multi access proposition and changed it so now access is based on pricing structure. If these changes affect your usual workout routine and you no longer have access as you used with the old tier system, please provide your member ID so we can look into it further.
Negative experience: Pools always closed for maintenance. Beware that when you cancel Virgin active will continue to take your money and getting a refund is difficult. I am still chasing a refund for six weeks overcharged.
Hi Zara, thanks for taking your time to leave us a review. We're sorry to hear this has been your experience. We appreciate it's not ideal when something is not working in your club. However, we're doing our best to notify our members straight way and working really hard to fix any issues when they do arise and get the club up and running as soon as possible. We're sorry for any frustration caused. In regard the cancellation, if you have cancelled and received a confirmation, but still got charged, please get back to us with your member ID and we'll look into it. Alternatively, please give our Central support Team a call on 020 7717 9000 so they can help you with your query.
Fantastic experience: Very nice relaxing friendly
Hi Danielle, thanks so much for your feedback, we are really pleased you're enjoying your Virgin Active experience.
Positive experience: I received a text message on the evening of Tuesday, 5th October 2021, to say the showers at Thundersley Virgin Active were closed due to a boiler issue and there was no heating / hot water. The message did not mention the pools, though in hindsight I can see how they may have been affected to. Having heard nothing more and checking the app - which currently doesn't flag up / give notice of any problems with the pools - I walked down to the gym today (two days later) for a swim, only to find out that everything is still closed, including the pools, due to the ongoing boiler issue. A totally wasted journey and what do I pay my membership fee for, when no one can be bothered to update customers of an ongoing problem. How long will it take to fix this issue? Who knows as Virgin Active don't seem to care about keeping their customers updated. I appreciate that equipment breaks, but it's the lack of communication that's unacceptable, especially when the membership fees aren't cheap. A simple notice on the app would really help with an expectation of when this issue will be fixed. Sort it out Virgin Active Thundersley!
Hi Maria, We appreciate it's not ideal when something is not working in your club. However, we're doing our best to notify our members straight way and working really hard to fix any issues when they do arise. We always send a follow up message once the issues are fixed and the club is and running. We're sorry for any frustration caused.
Fantastic experience: Really like going here. Very good value for money and they know what they're doing
Thanks so much for your feedback, Steve. We are really pleased you're enjoying your Virgin Active experience.
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