Virgin Active Nottingham

Could do with a renovation of the locker/changing facilities/showers but the gym equipment is brilliant, and never too busy.

I recently joined virgin active after not being a member of a gym for around 10 years. The staff are so helpful and friendly and for someone who was worried about joining a gym that is really great! The classes are fab and booking is fairly easy and even if they are full you can get on a wait list. My kids (2 and 5) absolutely love club v and request to have longer in there or are disappointed when I go to pick them up. My 5 year old has started swimming lessons and I cannot explain how much he has improved in 3 lessons. Bex his instructor is amazing and he is learning so much so quickly! I had my initial pt/induction session, for me I would of liked this in the first week of joining but I realise it was around the Xmas/new year and they were off but when I did have this it was good. The only reasons I have not given 5 stars is because it would be really helpful if the crèche opened 5 mins before classes started (another big gym does this and it works really well). A number of times I have missed classes because I can’t get the kids in slightly earlier and then the class door is closed. For example 9.30 classes on a Sunday morning and the crèche doesn’t open until 9.30 or classes that start on the hour or at half past I cannot do as I can’t get the kids checked in and get to the class in time and some instructors are very strict with the door being closed at bang on the start time. Also booking the crèche online through the app would be a lot easier. the family changing could do with some work or somehow extending to include toilets. I don’t think I would feel safe when my 8 year old has to use the male changing rooms/toilets on his own. Lastly and only for my benefit it would be great if the cafe stocked more food, maybe pastries or warm sandwich options. If I have 10 mins from the kids it would be great to grab a coffee and cake! I’m not a protein shake type of girl haha! But overall I highly recommend virgin and rave about it to all my friends!... (Show more)

I used to really like the gym. Good, friendly and helpful staff, swimming pool, good space. After the renovation much turned around. New setup is ridiculously unfriendly for users. Cages are just impossible to use. Setting them up require a lot of time and people are constantly getting in a way of each other. Just nonsense. Whoever was responsible for that idea should be fired. On top of that in rush hours there is 'lift club' in the middle of the gym, which means that most of the gym is taken by classess. I understand that gym wants to maximize their profits but it cannot be at cost of regulars who just want to do their routine. Few times I was bothered by trainers who wanted to push me out of lift area. Locker rooms require renovation too. I cut my finger on on of the lockers. For all that treatment you have to pay the highest price in Nottingham.... (Show more)

Lovely staff, building & facilities and superb range of classes with some great instructors. However they have just imposed a new forced contract membership policy whereby you have no choice but to sign up to a 12 months membership plan despite being members for many years and long out of contract. As a result we're leaving, out of contract membership rates escalate monthly rapidly up to £95 from the usual £55- £60 to force you to rejoin on contract. This may not suit people like myself in industries where job security is currently hard to predict due to the state of the economy. Update - the reply below indicates flexibility- there is none, I've spoken to multiple staff about it and I have to commit to 12 months (which is 14 in reality with the 1 month free initially a d 1 month after 12 months) The insane part is I don't want the £100 credit or free passes as I stated to the staff, I simply want to keep the flexibility to be able to cancel without paying £95 per month!... (Show more)

Used to be a really great gym, since the renovation it has really gone downhill. The gym is cramped with little room, they clearly have sold too many memberships as the gym is always way too busy. Entrance staff are nice but staff on the gym floor seem to be in a mood constantly. The only saving grace is the pool. Sadly this gym is no longer a premium gym and I will be cancelling my membership. The changing rooms are dirty and old, there is no where near enough equipment to what there used to be. During the renovation we couldn’t use half the gym and they still made us pay full price. To add insult to injury they are increasing memberships by 50%. Real shame as management has nose dived a great gym.... (Show more)

Reformer Pilates studio is always filthy, hairs and balls of dusts everywhere. The water fountains are a joke…don’t even bother trying to fill up your bottle in them as your water will pour right out once you start filling it. Considering they spend £1 million on renovations they could at least make it possible to fill up bottles. However the worst part is that my monthly membership is increasing from £52 to £94. I thought it was a spam email when I saw the email. How is that ethical?!... (Show more)

Usual Gym has a good combination of equipment, classes PT sessions swimming pool. Due to the lack of space and peak times you may need to wait a little to get some training equipment.

Giving 5*'s because Kim on reception is so incredibly personable, lovely and just amazing at her job. Myself and two other friends are getting memberships mainly because of her- she's definitely convinced us 😂 Thanks Kim & the rest of the people who we've met because you've all been great!

*Update - April 2023* Slowly but surely becoming an overpriced leisure centre. Swimming pool timetable is now Hague’s towards families and lessons.meaning everyone else is crammed into 3 lanes, especially difficult when everyone is different speeds despite lane segregation. Seeing more and more kids coming into the gym floor with their parents and p*ssing about. Changing rooms are falling apart, hooks missing, coat hangers missing, bottom plinth of the locker broken or missing. Showers are something you’d expect in bargin basement B&Q. Generally virgin has dropped massively. As I e said before becoming more of a leisure centre than a health club. ~~~~~~~~~~ Really good gym, really open and not crammed in. Lots of equipment to choose from and available. Staff are always about for help. Changing rooms are clean and safe. Showers are good and have recently been upgraded/new.... (Show more)

Regarding staff, nice, prompt,ready to help anyone... atmosphere wise, I am enjoying it...and I am a fan of classes which makes the most of it.

Used to love this gym I’ve been a member for years however the new refit has been a complete disaster. Whoever decided to put all the squat racks at the bottom so close together, facing each other and not any mirrors, should be sacked. One smith machine for the entire gym is ridiculous it’s now impossible to get on. The huge middle section is filled with flimsy squat racks, again no mirrors around, that it’s not really possible to lift heavy on as there’s no supports or anything doesn’t feel safe. Not enough cable machines now either and the ones there are, are ridiculously positioned. It seems whoever planned this refit is a CrossFit fan, and that’s the only people who will like this gym now. I will be joining another gym, along it seems with many other disappointed members.... (Show more)

Really enjoying training at this club. I can't believe they have invested in Eleiko competition grade bars plates and racks, really looking forward to my next visit and thank you virgin active! The new classes are very interesting too 10/10

New layout sucks and another price increase. Adds more equipment but then closes whole sections for classes. Fantastic for kids swimming lessons but I wouldn’t remain here if my kids weren’t having lessons and I’m certainly not the only one.

As soon as you walk through the door, there is always a friendly face to welcome you, especially Suzie who knows me by name and it makes the experience so much more personal. I’ve been coming here for nearly 3 years. I have a personal trainer, Ros, she is absolutely fantastic. She knows my limits physically and always pushes me to strive that little bit harder to achieve my goals. She is always very engaging and genuinely cares about my progress. The very recent refurb is fab! All the new equipment is well organised and gives you more than adequate space to exercise. The classes always look busy and lots of fun.. The crèche is also amazing, my children love it! The staff there are very involved in the children’s activities and they take wonderful care of the children. Genuinely can not fault this gym! (I haven’t used the pool facilities but it looks great).... (Show more)

I am really disappointed with Virgin Active. I joined with my partner back in June to get ourselves in good shapes. I heard news that they are investigating £1m which was great. However, the amount of work is being done while trying to use the gym is overwhelming. There are limited machines available to use and noise level is very high even with earphones on you can still hear building works. The gym has turned into a building site.it. I started my routine a few month back but now can hardly do it because there are no equipments. I approached VA and was told they can freeze my account! Thats really appalling Are you expecting us to go elsewhere while you are doing the work? Or you are expecting us to pay full membership with limited access? The management is poor and someone needs to take on responsibility for this. Its a ripoff! Very disappointed 😞... (Show more)

The new gym layout and equipment is like a IKEA furniture store. Not only do you have to walk past everything to get what to the equipment you want, when you get there you have to assemble it or disassemble it depending on how it was left. The resistence equipment is furthest away from freeweight area, supersetting is now virtually impossible. Inbetween it look likes a children's playground with hanging things and cartoon weights, the 5kg the size of averange tyres (is this to make you feel strong?) And like most playgrounds is rarly used. Someone please review this whole layout and the ladies gym is it really necessary?. Ask a few gym users for advice, people who sit in offices should not design gym layouts. Please rethink.... (Show more)