Bloomsbury Fitness Consultants Ltd Review

I used to be a loyal member of Bloomsbury Fitness ever since I moved to London and actually developed good relationship with some of the staff members who
have always been nice to me and my girlfriend. Unfortunately, today's (11/06/2016) happenings made me change my mind about continuing my membership. One of the male instructors has started making me and my girlfriend feeling uncomfortable with always finding a reason to approach us and criticize something. Today he didn't let us go upstairs to have our training with jumping rope and cattle bell, whereas when we asked another staff member the day before we were allowed to do so without any hesitation. When we told him this, he insisted on his view, not giving informations to ground his statement. I find this a rather personal antipathy and thus take it personally. We felt discriminated by the instructor. To conclude, even tough I enjoyed training in the gym for months, this individual with his unprofessional and negative attitude made two loyal members leave Bloomsbury Fitness for good.

Big gym in a good area in Bloomsbury. The student prices are quite good and they get lower the longer you buy your membership for. It is quite spacious with multiple squat/bench press racks and a few deadlift platforms also. Pretty much every other machine you could need is also present but it does get very busy during peak times so unless you want to work in with someone, you're going to have to wait until the machines you want are free.

Tried a few classes before joining but should have tried it for longer as there are lots of issues with this gym.
The first issue is the smell, the entire gym smells awful most of the time these days, some days its okay but more often then not, its foul and overwhelming. They really need to have their equipment sanitised often, including the equipment in the studios. And they need some sort of ventilation!!
Second problem is that its always overcrowded, the equipment is bunched together really closely and the classes also get crowded.
Third, on paper the classes looked varied and interesting but in reality two classes with different names are actually the same class. eg Zumba and Latin Aerobics are the same, Bodyworks and Body Pump are the same.
The decent classes only run a few times a week and the class duration is never well thought through. Some classes that run for 40 minutes is a max of 40 minutes including warm up and stretching. Yet other classes that run for 60 minutes end up taking about 70 minutes with warm up and stretching.

Pros:
+Friendly and helpful staff
+Lots of machines
+Lots of cardio machines

Cons:
-The weights rack always has dumbbells all over the floor
- The power racks are usually full and difficult to get onto one (especially by the barbell soc)
-In general it is very busy
-About half of the lockers and showers don't work which is super annoying
-The toilet lights don't work
-I don't think anything has been fixed - it just gets left

Overall, you can defo workout here, but it is likely to be busy and a bit messy

Decent gym, just a bit busy. But the staff are friendly.

You get what you pay for. Fine for students. Equipment is decent but it gets very busy and not all areas are equally clean. Men s changing room ceiling has been leaking for what seems like decades

It is rather difficult to leave a review for this gym as some things are brilliant and some are in need of urgent improvement.
The gym seems to be under renovation so there have been areas closed or not in full use during the last couple of months.
Benches have been removed from the changing area for long now,squash courts were closed for a few days,there are not cold drinks anymore...
It seems that they are migrating the reception system too, so me and my friend have encountered some problems with accounts, bookings, etc.
However the gym equipment is excellent, classes are really good and varied and reception staff is superb, always helpful and welcoming.
We did have problems accessing the gym as our memberships were not found. So we had to go to reception a couple of times to check in. First one of the receptionists looked a bit confused as we did show proof of payment but the accounts were not found but still was friendly and helpful, letting us to go in after taking our details. Second time there was a lady with eastern accent (she is on the pictures here)at reception. She did check until when she found our accounts promising to fix the problem on the accounts by the end of the day. We did check with another receptionist on our way out and all was fixed in less than 2 hours!
I recommend the gym as the price is also great and all in all is a good place to workout.

University gym. Cheap day pass if you buy it through a site called "Pay As You Gym". Great equipment. Oddly, gets crowded around 3-5pm. Great vibe.

It s a good place to workout, however, the heavy weight hall is always packed with guys and as a woman, I feel its impossible to enter that section and workout. I got membership for a month but received no entry pass...it s annoying to go to reception and give my details every time I enter. They should have a guest pass or temporary pass... something for short term gym users....otherwise very friendly staff and warm atmosphere...

You'd have to pay me a whole lot of money to use this dire facility. Useless staff, poor atmosphere, not to mention the low life detritus that frequents the place. Lots of trouble makers, 'big fish in small ponds' pushing their weight around (usually in groups) and actually looking for fights with gym users.

Good and cheap for it's location, it is usually crowded.

A wide variety of weights and cardio equipment, but the music is typically played so loud I can't hear music in my headphones.

Good number of cardio machines and average weights but very crowded a lot of the time. Would reccomend.

Bad gym.The staff here are part of the problem, more like high school kids with a chip on their shoulder. The facility would do well to find some better representatives.

Girls do not seem to be able to train here without being 'hit on' by sleazy spotty teenagers. Not pleasant for the girls but completely acceptable to the equally sleazy staff.

The male changing rooms should be better monitored as I have observed 'petting' taking place between certain student members in there which is very distressing.

Unfriendly gym with an extremely bad vibe. Would definitely not recommend to anyone who is serious about training.

Poor staff, poor patrons, poor atmosphere and a grotty sweat pit to boot.
I'd suggest you turn the place into a library or something useful.
Close this dump down

Join a commercial gym for the equivalent price. This place is nowhere near equipped for the number of regular users.

Cheap for students, well equipped, certainly worth the cost.

As most other reviewers have pointed out, you can expect this gym to start out at a base level of "overcrowded" and work up from there. I would typically head there first thing in the morning as it is barely worth it to go there in the evening time. It really is a tiny facility for what is supposed to be one of the top universities in the world.
To add to this, the showers are regularly out of order (gym staff never notify members in advance if this happens, causing people to turn up and have no option of a shower facility). The customer service is shoddy at best, any complaints would typically fall on deaf ears. The weights area is pretty pathetic, with a bare minimum of free weights while a dis-proportionally large area is given to bar weights/benches etc. Space for stretching and core work is minimal also.
The only relatively positive aspect of the gym comes from the classes which are quite good and varied but, even then, their booking system is a shambles with many classes being overbooked and nothing being done about it.

All in all, I'll be making sure to join the new branch of "The Gym" in this area as soon as it opens

EDIT: updated review to say that I have now left this gym. The staff's indifference to any of the above issues is pretty insulting. The Gym Bloomsbury is a far better option in every sense

EDIT #2: Visited the gym as a guest in March 2019 and I was absolutely amazed to see that, not only, had they not fixed the lockers or showers that had been out of order but now over 50% of the showers were out of order, even more lockers broken and, in a brand new addition, several of the benches in the male changing room have been smashed and are unusable. Embarrassing stuff.

Very cheap. BUT! It gets really busy, equipment is decent, not great. Can only be worth it if you're a student very nearby, personally I hate nothing more than queuing for a machine

Wide range of equipment and best gym I've been to. Great for students and inspiring place to be, always come out feeling refreshed.

Good gym but don t bother signing up now cause slots fill up a weekend in advance 5 mins after they re released.

I went there at 3 pm and it was very very crowded, I couldn't even read the free weights zone.
Talking about free weights, there were a lot of them everywhere on the floor. It was a big mess. It took me a very long time to find the weights I was looking for.
The equipment is a bit old compared to other gyms that are CHEAPER than Bloomsbury Fitness.
The diversity of equipment is very limited. I couldn't do my usual workouts because of the lack of equipment.
There is almost no space to work out.

It's only worth it only if you are a UCL student. Overcrowded. Machines are always out of service. The bathroom last year has been closed for one month for renovation. Result? The showers are still always out of service.

Know what you're in for..



The bad - Only a relative handful of cardio machines. Absolutely packed between 4pm and 9.30pm on weekdays to the point where it's difficult to get your workout done (unless you're prepared to have it take double the time it would otherwise).

The ugly - The staff used to be really good with Baz, Tristan and Adrian etc. Now you find staff on reception are almost insulted should you dare speak to them. Headphones in, on the computer (usually watching YouTube because they haven't realised you can see the screen reflected in the glass behind), we get its a student gym but some basic standards need to be upheld.

Conclusion - if you want to do your weights and a bit of cardio or class and can avoid peak times its good. Otherwise go elsewhere.

Good equipment like bikes with monitors so you can watch Netflix, but unfortunately often very crowded

This gym is the shiz! Easy sign-up process (less than 10 minutes). Brand spanking new equipment, ample changing/shower space and it's next door to UCL. The best gym I've ever been to.

Extortionate cost to use squash court, despite attending with a member and the fact that courts are in disrepair. Unhelpful reception staff also failed to share this information with me, prior to using the facility.

Plenty of knowledgeable guys round here; definitely some kind of scientists and stuff, super smart but you wouldn't even guess that they lift!

Don't pay for a day pass with them, use Hussle (formerly PayasUGym) as it's substantially cheaper. Busy gym that's messy and rude staff and broken lockers and showers. Cheap and it shows. Ok range of equipment

Good gym, can get busy but good atmosphere and clean changing rooms

SWOLE IS THE GOAL.
SIZE IS THE PRICE.
ITS TIME TO GET RIPED MF.

Cheap membership and decent squash courts, just ridiculously busy all the time

Good fitness center with all needed facilities and helping staff.

Complete waste of my money because my purpose was to do weight liftings. and making mascules. I ended up registering another gym before experation.

1. Very good :)
New fancy quipments, Large spacious studios, squash studio, many rowing machines and various programs. Best place for you if your exercise purpose is one of these and doing cardio exercises
2. Terrible :(
Someone left a review that 'this place is crowded'. It not true. It's crowded, overcrowded, and super overcrowded. It is very hard for you to get a chance to do deadlifts, benchs and pull ups.

Awful. Signed up for a month membership to use classes. On the first day went to a class - which was in a dark squash court and the teacher didn't turn up. Went downstairs to reception and asked what happened and I was told to go back and wait (not even an apology). I waited for another 15 minutes and no one showed up. I was then told that the teacher 'probably looked at the booking system a couple of days ago and so didn't show up'. Awful. They then agreed to refund my membership, but said they could not instantly process it, so to leave my email address and they would refund me on the following Monday. I have still heard nothing and this was a month ago. I have trie d calling and sending emails but no response. Do not waste your money!

The gym seems to have a pretty serious funding/management issue. A large number of the lockers don't work at any one time. There are holes in the ceiling that drip mysterious water on you while you're changing and several of the showers are frequently out of order. It's been like this since I joined in October (photos taken 8/2/18). I'd join student central across the road.

Booked to play squash here, arrived and was told that my booking had been cancelled because of a fault with their system and that I should have been called (I wasn't) and that there are now no courts available.

Basic incompetence.

Not too much people in the morning. Feeling good there.

Quite packed with inexperienced visitors during peak times. As with most gyms.

It s home of UCL Team. It has a range of equipments and usually not that busy (I never go during rush hour 5-7pm). They have great deals for students just ask at the reception. The range of classes they offer are great too including boxing, spinning and yoga and many more. I love it.

Always Always crowded with too many people! Please seek for another gym.

Good value for the price. Especially if you don't like swimming as there's no pool. The classes are fun and new equipment has just been installed.

Very Very unrecommendable because the facility is always full of people

great place for students. The people working out around you will inspire you

Overcrowded, understaffed, poorly managed, broken lockers and it took me 2 and a half months to get a refund. Appalling.

Good student gym with nice new equipment and a decent selection of classes. The area with mats (for stretching and floor exercises) is very small though and the gym itself is really busy from midday onwards.

Best gym in central London hands down.
Awesome people, great equipment, no need for yearly contracts.
This is my home from home :)

Super crowded, there seems to be no ventilation and the equipment is very old.

It's a great gym and very well priced. Good selection of cardio, free weights, and machines. Locker area is generally clean. It can get really busy at peak times.

It's a low cost gym, so as you would imagine it's often overcrowded. To add to that even tho it was renovated not so long ago, the machinery often is out of order. And as for the free weights, there are only two sets of the most popular weights (10, 12.5, 15, 17.5, 20, 22.5). A massive pro is that the instructors are always there to help you out and they do a pretty good job in my opinion. There are plenty of lockers and the enough shower cabins. It's really a 3.5 star