Virgin Active UK Reviews 6,024

I’ve had a mixed experience with Virgin Active’s customer service overall — at times it’s been quite frustrating dealing with unhelpful or unresponsive staff. However, I want to take a moment to recognise two people at the head office who truly stood out: Omar and Bilal.

Despite the challenges I faced, both Omar and Bilal went above and beyond to actually listen, understand my concerns, and help resolve my issue. They were professional, patient, and genuinely cared about finding a solution — something I can’t say about many of their colleagues.

It’s easy to focus on the negatives, but credit where it’s due — Omar and Bilal are excellent representatives of what good customer service should look like. I really appreciate their efforts and hope Virgin Active recognises the value they bring to the team.

I’ve been a huge fan of Virginactive over the years….Unfortunately this has changed recently and I have been left gobsmacked by the customer service team who informed me that I’m unable to cancel membership. I’ve just completed the 12 month contract that I signed for. Informed that I can freeze / or provide evidence of a move / or financial situation that would affect my payments or keep paying for the next year as it’s auto renewed???

The chat bot was more use and friendlier than customer service team! I’m shocked in this day and age with an app that I can upgrade my membership but not cancel? Left feeling disappointed and scratching my head about the seemingly “eternal membership contract” that I’ve signed up to?! Anyone who can shed light on how I might leave the gym and not have to pay monthly for the rest of my life???

Gym itself was great. Friendly, helpful staff (if rushed off their feet). Great creche. It was often too busy to do the workouts I wanted at off peak times however the overall experience was worth it.

Awful centralised customer service, however. Rude staff who lie. No welcome pack etc with your membership number, contracts etc. I work in digital marketing and this should be automated.. Took weeks to get app access to book classes etc, everything about starting was an uphill struggle to get info out of staff in their call centres. Hours spent trying to get sorted.

I ended up on a creche waiting list, unaware they could email me right up to the point we were due in. Again, this should be in a welcome pack of some sort.. Missed the email and given a 'no show'. Was told I would have to cancel 7pm the day before.. for an email sent at 9am the next day - e.g if they don't email you until it's too late to leave the house they'll not only not call or text you to make sure you're aware, there's no app notification for it - and then they'll penalise you for it but also won't tell you beforehand that's what happens. They make it sound like you will receive a notification that you are off the waiting list the day before so you have no idea you should be refreshing emails and make sure you're near the club in case you make the spot.

Customer service lied and said it was in my contract.

I think I wouldn't have been particularly bothered about the charge for the session but the customer service from this central team is so upsetting I've decided to leave. Can't see the business sense behind losing a customer worth hundreds if not thousands of pounds long term over what, £6.50? Really upset about the whole experience as both my daughter and myself loved going.

I like the gym but why isn't there an option for having access to all the branches of Virgin Active, I don know if I'm doing something wrong but I could not find that option to access all branches across the UK, I'm a man that travel a lot so this will be useful to me.

I don't not think that thong bikinis with small triangles are appropriate wear for a public pool.

Keep them for the beach. And use the shower before you get in the pool !

staff attacking me trying to stealing my phone i have cctv and pics as proof

I’m a member at Virgin Active Collingtree Park. Last Friday night in the ladies changing room, another member racially abused me. I reported it the next day to the acting manager, and the way it was handled was shocking!

During my conversation with him, we were rudely interrupted by a PT who’s client was on a machine that broke but no injuries to the client. The acting manager was bending over backwards for that client even though she wasn’t even hurt. He offered her free stuff from the café and made a big show of looking after her.

When it came to me, all I got was, “we’ll investigate” and that the member would just get a verbal warning. A slap on the wrist for blatant racism. I called this absurd and only then he asked what would I like to happen, I said a total ban from all VA gyms, to which he replied the regional manager maybe able to do this. MAYBE!
Since then, he’s called and emailed me, to cover himself instead of making me feel like a valued member regardless of the colour of my skin.

And what’s even worse? Not a single regional manager has reached out to me. Nothing. The complete lack of care is disgusting. It honestly shows exactly where Virgin Active management’s priorities are and clearly, it’s not with the people experiencing racism in their clubs.

This gym is oversold and there aren’t enough pilates, reformer or yoga classes for members. Beginners can’t access Reformer Foundations easily, and I injured myself after joining Reformer Align as the app doesn’t warn you. With only one studio for reformer and one for yoga/pilates, slots disappear instantly and the app often glitches. Annual membership feels like poor value if you can’t use the gym itself.

Cancelled my membership and had e mail saying that’s fine after a month
Then hounded by arc europe collections for 3 months money
Don’t believe anything they say
Now wanting my details and getting very stressed

disgusting practice, upon renewal, despite me signing the £99 renewal, they've silently placed me on a £162 / month plan hoping I wouldn't notice. Am now fighting this in tribunal.

Virgin Active was created as an inclusive gym where everyone was welcome. Now, after a legal threat from GB News presenter Michelle Dewberry, they’ve turned their back on trans people and enacted a changing room and bathroom ban.

Virgin says it’s because they’re following the law. But they’re not following the law, they’re just following transphobes. They’re falling into line behind Michelle Dewberry and Sex Matters

Following this I will now also be moving away from Virgin media as I will not support a bigot company

It's a great gym, but they make is absolutely impossible to contact them if you have any queries at all. At the club, they have no authority to do anything. It's almost like they are purposefully making it difficult to contact them (imagine that...) . You are fobbed off to their useless webchat at any opportunity and you need strong phone menu-fu to get to the option that allows you to speak to someone, then you need to wait for a ridiculous amount of time. Really, really poor.

My son was a member but needed to leave as he is going to university. His contract had finished so I went in person to the club and arranged 2 more monthly payments (increasing in price each month, as no option to extend by 2 months). The person said it was all done. What do Virgin do, charge for 4 months (circa £200 additional) and what an absolute nightmare getting in touch to find help…. Massive wait times on phone, pushed to hopeless chatbot, visit club again- they have to email head office…. Terrible service.

Virgin Active has been the worst customer experience I’ve ever had. After I complained about a rude staff member (at Strand), he retaliated by getting my brand new membership at Chiswick Riverside cancelled behind my back. I was never told — I only found out when I was blocked at the door. They kept my £125 joining fee, left me without access for a week, and have dragged me through over a month of back-and-forth lies and contradictions. They’re now even emailing me from Mill Hill saying I “haven’t cancelled” when I clearly have.

As a disabled person, I find this not only retaliatory but also discriminatory. For a company charging nearly £300/month, to treat members this way — silencing complaints, cancelling memberships without notice, keeping money, and refusing accountability — is beyond disgraceful. Avoid at all costs.

Virgina Repton Park is amazing. And Bobby my PT is even more amazing!

It was all good until i paid,no induction,struggling to find places and now that i'm unable to attend gym and swimming due to work and the baby,they dont want to cancel my membership despite promising me that i can cancel any time.what a dissapointment

I had high expectations joining Virgin Active, but my experience has been frustrating. Firstly, cancellation is extremely inconvenient — I requested to cancel on 1st September, but I was informed I would still have to pay for the entire month of September plus October 1st. This feels unnecessarily strict and inflexible.

Additionally, the facilities fall short of basic convenience. Members are provided with only one towel, which is impractical. If you work out and sweat, you have to wipe yourself before the shower and then wipe again after, which is uncomfortable and unhygienic

I asked for my families accounts to be cancelled (confirmed by their account support). Everyone’s except mine was cancelled for some reason and I was charged for another two months. I contact support and they explain it with me and read through the email thread. He states that he’s cancelled it now but there’s a 30 day cancellation policy so I’ll be charged another month on top (even though he can see that I requested it to be cancelled). I didn’t have the energy to argue, but surely if you know you’re at fault, you would refund?

I have known & taken Kissu’s Zumba, Barre & Pilates classes at Virgin Active Chiswick Park for over 2 yrs & Zissu is a big part of why I have lost almost a third of my body weight. You can tell that Zissu loves movement, she makes it fun to work out. She will always give you special attention if you need it & she is one of the most kind and giving people I have ever met. She works you hard in her classes but you leave feeling invigorated & smiling

It’s not very clean for paying £90 a month some members seem to pay less or more it’s just a random price game at this gym & the hygiene levels are disturbing men are just not showering before the pool area ! & people be shaving in the changing rooms ! This is not your house I don’t want see your nasty hairs blocking the sinks people put signs up saying not to do this or your membership will be revoked as this is not acceptable