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Ben Dunne Gym Reopening: No Swimming Pool and 50% Price Increase!

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    #32
    thegetawaycar
    Registered Users Posts: 280 ✭✭thegetawaycar


    Dubdude wrote: »
    Where does it say they are banned from opening? Swimming pools are now allowed back open how can you arrive and leave from your swim without the use of a changing room???

    Well as I said above I know of a gym beside me and changing room and showers and pool are open and always have been.

    The showers are allowed open Ben Dunne are just closing theirs for good

    "Showers are gone full-time - in most gyms, I would think showers won’t be open for a while anyway, but we’re doing away with showers. 60% of the people who used our facilities never used our showers.

    He said the main difficultly around shower facilities was asking staff to clean them, something he did not feel was fair - particularly when they had to wear PPE to do so."

    https://www.newstalk.com/news/more-space-no-showers-and-higher-prices-ben-dunne-gyms-undergo-massive-changes-for-reopening-1206811

    Seems mad to be closing showers permanently, surely people should be showering post exercise for sanitary reasons. I'm surprised there isn't some sort of minimal requirement to provide showers for gyms, next he'll be taking out the toilets as few people use them FFS.


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    #33
    j@utis
    Registered Users Posts: 3,064 ✭✭✭j@utis


    Maybe they should go with some easy to clean version, e.g. :D

    Open_Bay_Showers_-_panoramio.jpg

    I don't need to shower in the gym because I don't work out before work and always head home after, 5mins drive. Even when the showers were open they weren't used that much from what I had noticed.


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    #34
    shesty
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,893 Mod ✭✭✭✭shesty


    I will be back to the pool I use in the airport this week.Same setup as last year, pool and changing rooms open, no showers.I was in a local shopping centre this morning and some shops had 1 or 2 changing rooms open.It obviously depends on how much use they expect as much as anything else..
    Not having changing rooms open at all at a pool is pointless.


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    #35
    The Davestator
    Registered Users Posts: 3,395 ✭✭✭The Davestator


    Changing rooms and showers CAN open in gyms. Some are just choosing not to open them and hiding behind Covid as an excuse.


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    #36
    punisher5112
    Registered Users Posts: 24,647 ✭✭✭✭punisher5112


    Can you imagine the savings on heat, water and electricity....


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    #37
    markmoto
    Registered Users Posts: 788 ✭✭✭markmoto


    thegetawaycar wrote: »

    "Showers are gone full-time - in most gyms, I would think showers won’t be open for a while anyway, but we’re doing away with showers. 60% of the people who used our facilities never used our showers.

    60% don't use showers ??? : ) how made that up lol


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    #38
    el Fenomeno
    Registered Users Posts: 3,106 ✭✭✭el Fenomeno


    Surely closing showers will have a big impact on membership numbers? Not everyone has access to a shower at work, and id say a lot of people use the gym immediately before work or at lunch time.

    Hard to see the savings they make offsetting those numbers, but maybe they've done some number crunching....?


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    #39
    caviardreams
    Registered Users Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭caviardreams


    Even if it is 60% who don't use them, that still leaves 40% who do - a not insignificant amount! I would not have thought the savings would compensate for a potential 40% drop in membership.


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    #40
    The Davestator
    Registered Users Posts: 3,395 ✭✭✭The Davestator


    It's a baffling decision that could result in the closure of some of his sites in my opinion.

    His sites in Cherrywood and sandyford especially are used by lots of people who work close by. So the choice for them is to either to be smelly for the whole day, just smelly after lunch, drive home sweaty or get on the luas sweaty. Not great options!


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    #41
    Comment_below
    Registered Users Posts: 221 ✭✭Comment_below


    The Davestator wrote: »
    Changing rooms and showers CAN open in gyms. Some are just choosing not to open them and hiding behind Covid as an excuse.

    I stayed in a hotel this week with a swimming pool.

    To use the swimming pool, I had to get into my speedos in my room, then do the walk of shame among other hotel guests down the corridor, then into the pool.

    After then, I had to go dripping wet back up the public corridor, with children wondering why that man is almost naked and soaking wet, back into my room to change!

    In this hotel the changing rooms are in cubicles so it's more socially distanced.


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    #42
    strongback
    Registered Users Posts: 466 ✭✭strongback


    Speedo's.........I thought budgie smuggling was illegal nowadays


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    #43
    punisher5112
    Registered Users Posts: 24,647 ✭✭✭✭punisher5112


    Comment_below wrote: »
    I stayed in a hotel this week with a swimming pool.

    To use the swimming pool, I had to get into my speedos in my room, then do the walk of shame among other hotel guests down the corridor, then into the pool.

    After then, I had to go dripping wet back up the public corridor, with children wondering why that man is almost naked and soaking wet, back into my room to change!

    In this hotel the changing rooms are in cubicles so it's more socially distanced.

    You would have been aware of this I'm sure, get yourself a dressing gown, oversized beach towel or a pair of shorts to throw on on way back up, so what if they get wet as you say only going back to your room....

    That isn't bad to be honest, I'd rather have the privacy of the room.


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    #44
    Rosita
    Registered Users Posts: 3,876 ✭✭✭Rosita


    Comment_below wrote: »
    I stayed in a hotel this week with a swimming pool.

    To use the swimming pool, I had to get into my speedos in my room, then do the walk of shame among other hotel guests down the corridor, then into the pool.

    After then, I had to go dripping wet back up the public corridor, with children wondering why that man is almost naked and soaking wet, back into my room to change!

    In this hotel the changing rooms are in cubicles so it's more socially distanced.

    Sorry, I don't understand this - you say the changing rooms are in cubicles...........so there are changing rooms in operation then? As in, did you have to change in your hotel room or was that by choice?


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    #45
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Comment_below wrote: »
    I stayed in a hotel this week with a swimming pool.

    To use the swimming pool, I had to get into my speedos in my room, then do the walk of shame among other hotel guests down the corridor, then into the pool.

    After then, I had to go dripping wet back up the public corridor, with children wondering why that man is almost naked and soaking wet, back into my room to change!

    In this hotel the changing rooms are in cubicles so it's more socially distanced.

    Clearly you enjoyed this or you would have taken a bathrobe


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    #46
    Comment_below
    Registered Users Posts: 221 ✭✭Comment_below


    Rosita wrote: »
    Sorry, I don't understand this - you say the changing rooms are in cubicles...........so there are changing rooms in operation then? As in, did you have to change in your hotel room or was that by choice?

    No, my whole point was that the changing rooms and showers were closed even if they were in cubicles.

    I did not enjoy it one bit, than you very much !


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    #47
    el Fenomeno
    Registered Users Posts: 3,106 ✭✭✭el Fenomeno


    Comment_below wrote: »
    No, my whole point was that the changing rooms and showers were closed even if they were in cubicles.

    I did not enjoy it one bit, than you very much !

    Why didn't you wear a robe? I've never been in a hotel - especially one with a pool - that didn't supply a robe.


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    #48
    Comment_below
    Registered Users Posts: 221 ✭✭Comment_below


    el Fenomeno wrote: »
    Why didn't you wear a robe? I've never been in a hotel - especially one with a pool - that didn't supply a robe.

    Before everyone says that I stayed in a less than 4 star hotel, god forbid!

    There's no robes in the room, so I presume you request one if required. However, when you realise this as you're about to go out the door to your scheduled swimming pool time slot, you tend to not bother!

    Thank god, I'm blessed with an in shape body, I could understand if others that were on the unfit size bailed on their exercise!

    My point again is that this hotel I think is just using Covid as an excuse to save money in not opening the showers and cubicles changing rooms.


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    #49
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    hOEeo-.gif


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    #50
    Qgirl
    Registered Users Posts: 28 ✭Qgirl


    Look like Ben Dunne wants to sell gym asset


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    #51
    punisher5112
    Registered Users Posts: 24,647 ✭✭✭✭punisher5112


    Qgirl wrote: »
    Look like Ben Dunne wants to sell gym asset

    Land sale possible as that's where the money is, building apartments


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    #52
    strongback
    Registered Users Posts: 466 ✭✭strongback


    Qgirl wrote: »
    Look like Ben Dunne wants to sell gym asset


    It could be an explanation for why he is no longer accepting annual subscriptions.


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    #53
    Raoul
    Registered Users Posts: 7,687 ✭✭✭Raoul


    Just got an email that my annual membership is up at the end of the month and I have to pay a 29 euro joining fee to sign up to the monthly membership, that's a bit sh1t.


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    #54
    AssaultedPeanut
    Registered Users Posts: 806 ✭✭✭AssaultedPeanut


    I joined Northwood at the start of February 2020. Paid joining fee and one month membership. March's fee came out by DD. Then the closures happened.

    I went in the other day and they said my membership had been cancelled and I'd need to pay a joining fee again. They advised I email their customer service. Who have come back saying it was automatically cancelled as per T&Cs. But my partners wasn't cancelled...

    I'm really f**cked off over it. I know its not much money but I didn't cancel it so why should I be giving them my money. Also I didn't get to use the gym for more than half of March last year so there's that too.


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    #55
    Rosita
    Registered Users Posts: 3,876 ✭✭✭Rosita


    AssaultedPeanut wrote: »
    I joined Northwood at the start of February 2020. Paid joining fee and one month membership. March's fee came out by DD. Then the closures happened.

    I went in the other day and they said my membership had been cancelled and I'd need to pay a joining fee again. They advised I email their customer service. Who have come back saying it was automatically cancelled as per T&Cs. But my partners wasn't cancelled...

    I'm really f**cked off over it. I know its not much money but I didn't cancel it so why should I be giving them my money. Also I didn't get to use the gym for more than half of March last year so there's that too.

    That's really bad. Was your partner's membership also by monthly direct debit or an annual membership? Just trying to think why one might have been cancelled while the other was (not that that would justify it either).


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    #56
    italodisco
    Registered Users Posts: 1,426 ✭✭✭italodisco


    With the popularity of gyms and fitness these days, and given the pandemic and the reality that it will haunt us for some years ahead, even if minor stuff, the most realistic option is a return to the big warehouse style gyms with tons of space and big doors for ventilation...

    Good luck finding property in Dublin though


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    #57
    Raoul
    Registered Users Posts: 7,687 ✭✭✭Raoul


    italodisco wrote: »
    With the popularity of gyms and fitness these days, and given the pandemic and the reality that it will haunt us for some years ahead, even if minor stuff, the most realistic option is a return to the big warehouse style gyms with tons of space and big doors for ventilation...

    Good luck finding property in Dublin though

    To be fair, Ben Dunne in Northwood is like this. Huge open space and loads of equipment everywhere and reasonably spaced out and lots of sanitisation stations. Not everyone is using them though. :mad:


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    #58
    El Guapo!
    Registered Users Posts: 12,427 ✭✭✭✭El Guapo!


    BainMarie wrote: »
    I was previously going to Gym plus gyms in Dublin. It was hell to get out of the contract during the pandemic and the various lockdowns. I called to cancel my monthly membership in April 2020 and they “froze” my membership but I had to keep paying 10€ per month. As they said I had to go in physically to cancel. After three months they re opened my membership meaning I had to pay full amount although I was not using due to covid 19. I finally got a cancellation form from them beginning November 2020. I filled it in and sent it to them. They had already taken the November full membership fee knowing I haven’t been to the gym since March 2020. In December I got a long email saying they will not close my membership as I had to pay December fee as well. I cancelled my direct debit but haven’t heard from them since. Gyms are complete money rackets. Customer service had been dire during the pandemic. Gym plus hire the cheapest of the cheap for classes and most equipment closed due to covid 19 anyway and still. I would be very very slow in ever joining one again.

    Bit late now but you should have just cancelled the direct debit through your bank.


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    #59
    BainMarie
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭BainMarie


    El Guapo! wrote: »
    Bit late now but you should have just cancelled the direct debit through your bank.

    I cancelled the direct debit in November after emailing them at the start of the month. They are saying I must pay them for December as I didn’t give over a months notice. I just ignored it for the holidays and meant to get back to them but then they went into lockdown from January. So I guess I can just ignore it at this stage even if they write me as a bad debtor... I won’t be going back. I got foot fungus from the pool there and took months to clear up. Very uncomfortable.


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    #60
    Nate--IRL--
    Registered Users Posts: 2,219 ✭✭✭Nate--IRL--


    First day back in the Gym (Northwood) in a year and a half. Place is huge now with the pool gone, and a great selections of new equipment and new racks. Very Impressed.

    One thing though I'd assumed that once Covid is behind us that there would be showers to use again, but it looks like they have been removed entirely. Has anyone heard if no showers onsite is permanent? It will make hitting the Gym before work impossible.

    Nate


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    #61
    Raoul
    Registered Users Posts: 7,687 ✭✭✭Raoul


    Nate--IRL-- wrote: »
    First day back in the Gym (Northwood) in a year and a half. Place is huge now with the pool gone, and a great selections of new equipment and new racks. Very Impressed.

    One thing though I'd assumed that once Covid is behind us that there would be showers to use again, but it looks like they have been removed entirely. Has anyone heard if no showers onsite is permanent? It will make hitting the Gym before work impossible.

    Nate

    I don't think there will be any showers at all. I actually hadn't thought of the going to the gym before work. That's a disaster actually. Have to shower at work.

    There are no changing room facilities on site now and it isn't a temporary thing


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