Total Fitness, Sandyford

fartyarse

Hi there

Sorry to drag up old news but as we are all aware, Total Fitness closed all their branches over two years ago. I was a very dedicated member there and as a Westwood member now, I can categorically state that it does not compare to TF!

Was anyone here also a member in the Sandyford branch? Been up to have a goo lately? All the machines are still in there, exactly the way they were left the day the doors were locked up. I'm shocked an entrepreneur hasn't stepped in and set up a new gym there, that building was purpose-built as a gym!

Anyone know the story with it, what's going to happen with it, the machines, etc?

The Guvnor

AFAIK the equipment was the first thing out the door - it went back to the UK.

fartyarse

The Guvnor wrote: »

AFAIK the equipment was the first thing out the door - it went back to the UK.

Not from Sandyford it wasn't. I was up there this afternoon, everything is still exactly where it was when the gym was running.

ted1

Gyms have changed. Ben Dunne has taken the mass market and smaller specialist gyms have taken the remainder. TF is to large for a non chain to take on

Transform

Agreed

Sangre

Contact Kavanagh Fennell, liquidator if you're interested in purchasing some items perhaps?

username123

Its the rent on the site is the issue. A business cant make a profit with the rent so high on a building built during silly money times that has a huge mortgage.

fartyarse

Would love to buy everything (gym junkie) but not an option, unfortunately.

It just kills me that it's all sitting there idle for the last 2 years (more actually) and that nobody has stepped in to take it over. I would have thought that if someone marched in with a decent rental offer, the liquidator would snap it up.

I miss TF... *sigh*

username123

fartyarse wrote: »

Would love to buy everything (gym junkie) but not an option, unfortunately.

It just kills me that it's all sitting there idle for the last 2 years (more actually) and that nobody has stepped in to take it over. I would have thought that if someone marched in with a decent rental offer, the liquidator would snap it up.

I miss TF... *sigh*

I agree with you, I hate to see the waste of a lovely purpose built facility like that going to waste. There is similar happening in a lot of places. In my own area there is a beautiful facility that was built for millions and now in receivership, gates locked, left to go to rack and ruin.

The big issue is that no one has the money to make a go of any of these places.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Seem to me that there are two markets in fitness. Gym membership which bd has chased to now ridiculously low levels. I don't know that there is money together made unless you have loads of gyms and can work the economy of scale. People simply will not pay much for gym membership. The second is personal training. But here the pt earns the money, if the pt owned te gym he/she would have problems thats why most pt places are small boutique paces.

A lot of these unused gyms like the one in sandyford are not in great locations

Transform

there isnt a single thing in there that i would buy as a trainer

well maybe a concept 2 if there was any left.

Big box gyms in the typical sense are dead

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Transform wrote: »

there isnt a single thing in there that i would buy as a trainer

well maybe a concept 2 if there was any left.

Big box gyms in the typical sense are dead

What....ever gym need 4 of these

Sheep Shagger

Mad to think the landlord wouldn't renegotiate the rent (downwards) that may have let TF contine to trade, the place is empty with no rent coming in.

Agree Ben Dunne is pitching gym membership at ridiculously low levels, to think a fee years back peope (myself included) would pay €700 a year for what could now be €180

gavindublin

The gym itself isnt the high price. Theres 5 retail units with the gym. Its priced as a whole lot.Until its split up it'll never be filled

The Davestator

I've a little knowledge of this from prior involvement. The landlord is Albert Gubay, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Gubay) and he doesnt need the rent! He's waiting for the property prices to go back up, as he knows that in order to succesfully let it as a gym, he'd need to offer a long term lease. He's banking on the price of the land increasing so it can be sold for housing.

Hanley

The Davestator wrote: »

I've a little knowledge of this from prior involvement. The landlord is Albert Gubay, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Gubay) and he doesnt need the rent! He's waiting for the property prices to go back up, as he knows that in order to succesfully let it as a gym, he'd need to offer a long term lease. He's banking on the price of the land increasing so it can be sold for housing.

Dave knows what's up.

Sheep Shagger

gavindublin wrote: »

The gym itself isnt the high price. Theres 5 retail units with the gym. Its priced as a whole lot.Until its split up it'll never be filled

True... Think of the units is still being used?

ted1

Sheep Shagger wrote: »

True... Think of the units is still being used?

Fun fitness is still open.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

ted1 wrote: »

Fun fitness is still open.

And its a great place for Kid parties of to entertain kid when it rains. Good exercise for them too.

ROAAAR

With the economy supposedly picking up you'd think there might be a few rumblings happening with this. It really was quite a fantastic gym.

Transform

well if Raw gym opens another branch in sandyford in aug/sept then even if this reopened i think they would be very much late to the party and really struggle as there are now about 10-12 gyms within 2miles of that old facility

RacoonQueen

Transform wrote: »

well if Raw gym opens another branch in sandyford in aug/sept then even if this reopened i think they would be very much late to the party and really struggle as there are now about 10-12 gyms within 2miles of that old facility

But Total Fitness have a pool

Would love to see Total Fitness reopen, only other options for me in the area for swimming are UCD, David Lloyd and Westwood (expensive). Council gyms with their 45 min swim windows and little lane swimming are of no use to me.

The Davestator

Transform wrote: »

well if Raw gym opens another branch in sandyford in aug/sept then even if this reopened i think they would be very much late to the party and really struggle as there are now about 10-12 gyms within 2miles of that old facility

Very true - ultra competitive area. Where would it position itself would be another problem. 2 x Ben Dunne cater for the lower end, WW & Cross Fit cater for the higher end, and places like southside, RAW and all the other specialised facilities cater for pretty much everything else! Hot yoga, PT, Ladies Pilates etc. That's not even including UCD, David Lloyd, Energie, and DLR places.

caviardreams

The Davestator wrote: »

Very true - ultra competitive area. Where would it position itself would be another problem. 2 x Ben Dunne cater for the lower end, WW & Cross Fit cater for the higher end, and places like southside, RAW and all the other specialised facilities cater for pretty much everything else! Hot yoga, PT, Ladies Pilates etc. That's not even including UCD, David Lloyd, Energie, and DLR places.

Are Raw opening there in the autumn? There are loads of great facilities in Sandyford already, it must be the fittest suburb in Dublin! So much choice that I wish I lived there.

Southside S&F, 3(?) Crossfits, BHAF, Ben Dunne etc. Wish they would open in Blackrock / Booterstown instead!

Transform

caviardreams wrote: »

Are Raw opening there in the autumn? There are loads of great facilities in Sandyford already, it must be the fittest suburb in Dublin! So much choice that I wish I lived there.

Southside S&F, 3(?) Crossfits, BHAF, Ben Dunne etc. Wish they would open in Blackrock / Booterstown instead!

come on blackrock is a cycle away from any of those facilities

Transform

The Davestator wrote: »

Very true - ultra competitive area. Where would it position itself would be another problem. 2 x Ben Dunne cater for the lower end, WW & Cross Fit cater for the higher end, and places like southside, RAW and all the other specialised facilities cater for pretty much everything else! Hot yoga, PT, Ladies Pilates etc. That's not even including UCD, David Lloyd, Energie, and DLR places.

yup let the market dictate things

caviardreams

Transform wrote: »

come on blackrock is a cycle away from any of those facilities

That's true - would save on the cardio!

btkm8unsl0w5r4

With the new development in cherrywood and 3800 new houses being built, I think that there are still opportunities in the area. As for WW & Cross Fit catering for the higher end, the high end is in small personal training facilities. Easy spend 4k a year in those places if your on a 3-4 times a week PT program. Synergise and befit are two and there are a few others in the area.

shutup

caviardreams wrote: »

Southside S&F, 3(?) Crossfits, BHAF, Ben Dunne etc. Wish they would open in Blackrock / Booterstown instead!

4 crossfits and another place that is crossfit in all but name! It's incredible there are so many that close together.

There is also b fit 4 life, and not far away in Dundrum Rock fitness and educo gym.

cmyk

shutup wrote: »

4 crossfits and another place that is crossfit in all but name! It's incredible there are so many that close together.

There is also b fit 4 life, and not far away in Dundrum Rock fitness and educo gym.

I heard someone mention that there are 16 gyms within a 5 mile radius of Sandyford, I don't think that includes Dundrum.

Zymurgist

Are RAW actually opening in Sandyford?

Transform

Zymurgist wrote: »

Are RAW actually opening in Sandyford?

emm yup thats what i said

Transform

cmyk wrote: »

I heard someone mention that there are 16 gyms within a 5 mile radius of Sandyford, I don't think that includes Dundrum.

overall standard of instruction varies wildly in all though

More people are now coming to terms with the fact that if they want help they will need to do way more research themselves or simple get a trainer that actually knows his or her (massive lack of good female trainers out there) stuff

summit2summit

Hi all, old thread I know, but does anyone have any update on the TF gym in Sandyford? Is there any plans in the pipeline for it to be sold or rented any time soon? Thanks

Alf Veedersane

The land has been rezone in the county development plan and apparently it's going to be developed as a transitional care centre.

It's been sold relatively recently anyway, it appears.

summit2summit

After I had posted my question, I received the below from a Senator in FG:

[font=Arial","sans-serif]"During the last County Development Plan, the site was rezoned for medical use so that it can be transformed from a derelict gym to a physical rehabilitation facility. The site has yet to be officially purchased by those seeking to develop it so it remains in limbo at the moment."[/font]

[font=Arial","sans-serif]Thanks,[/font]

[font=Arial","sans-serif]S2S[/font]

Alf Veedersane

Just to clarify, I'm not a Fine Gael senator...

COH

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Just to clarify, I'm not a Fine Gael senator...

That's what they all say

Alf Veedersane

COH wrote: »

That's what they all say

No, what they all say is "where's my free All Ireland final tickets? '

RacoonQueen

Was checking this out recently myself, still in the vein hope they'll re-open the pool for my convenience Everything I could find was all about what they hoped to do with the land - nothing concrete.
Was never a member but such a waste it seems.

summit2summit

This has now been sold. Not sure what the owners have in store for it though....

ted1

summit2summit wrote: »

This has now been sold. Not sure what the owners have in store for it though....

Any idea for how much , might have a better deal for the council than redeveloping Glenalbyn pool.

summit2summit

I have no clue for how much it went for

The Davestator

Well folks, in case anyone misses the equipment too much...

http://www.wilsonsauctions.com/auctions/liquidations-disposals/AuctionEvent?saleCode=179052&lotPageNo=1#event-details

Transform

I posted this 4 yrs ago.

"there isnt a single thing in there that i would buy as a trainer

well maybe a concept 2 if there was any left.

Big box gyms in the typical sense are dead"

Nothing has changed and I'd defo pick up a C2 for home use at right price

The Davestator

Transform wrote: »

I posted this 4 yrs ago.

"there isnt a single thing in there that i would buy as a trainer

well maybe a concept 2 if there was any left.

Big box gyms in the typical sense are dead"

Nothing has changed and I'd defo pick up a C2 for home use at right price

Agreed, although I'd also pick up the grappler!

ted1

Do you think the water is included in the swimming pools? Seriously how do you sell a hole in the ground?

Alf Veedersane

ted1 wrote: »

Seriously how do you sell a hole in the ground?

At an auction!

Mr. CooL ICE

ted1 wrote: »

Do you think the water is included in the swimming pools? Seriously how do you sell a hole in the ground?

If I was rich, I'd buy it, fill it with lava and hang around it wearing a suit of armor and pretend I was the final boss in a computer game.

The Davestator

ted1 wrote: »

Do you think the water is included in the swimming pools? Seriously how do you sell a hole in the ground?

Probably means the ladders, pool grating & maybe even some of the plant room?

I reckon they're about 5 years (at least) too late - none of the powered cardio is worth anything imo. And the Zest kit was never great to begin with!

Alf Veedersane

Nicolas Cage wrote: »

If I was rich, I'd buy it, fill it with lava and hang around it wearing a suit of armor and pretend I was the final boss in a computer game.

Looks like zero craic...