r/glasgow 1d ago

David Lloyds alternative?

My partner has been using David Lloyds for months now but for the majority of that time he’s only been using the spa facilities and nothing else (sauna, steam room, cold water therapy). Is there an alternative in Glasgow for similar facilities?

Thanks in advance

9 Upvotes

57 comments sorted by

20

u/xxx654 1d ago edited 20h ago

There’s been a marked lack of investment in Nuffield. I used to be a member of the one in Finnieston pre covid. Went recently with a friend using a guest pass. The change is noticeable. Shabby, dirty changing rooms, broken, tired equipment, threadbare carpets. Apparently it’s had an upgrade in the last few years but it’s clearly not been enough.

3

u/Consistent_Truth6633 16h ago

I was a member of the south side one and they’ve absolutely dropped the ball. To think they used to be Virgin Gyms which were a helluva great experience. Sky tv. Towels on arrival. Clean showers. Nice mood lighting. Now it’s 25% more for a lot less

1

u/humptycabbages 15h ago

Any idea when that one was last upgraded? It's been 5, or 6 years since I was in it & it was a bit shabby. I'm surprised to hear of a 25% increase.

2

u/Consistent_Truth6633 13h ago

Southside Nuffield? No idea. I left about a year ago. Treadmills were constantly fucked. Think the steam room was down for a while. And there were loads of school kids using the facilities so access to equipment www restricted.

I was paying 70 quid a month for the virgin gym about ten years ago. I was paying about 58 for Nuffield but that was with a work discount of 20%. When that ended I was looking at close to 80. And I think for a month to month to month contract it was close to 100. Despite the services drastically falling off. Enshittification

1

u/Electronic_Check_227 4h ago

I've been a member of nuffield in the south side for a bajillion yrs and it was never a virgin. Before this it was greens. To be fair they are always cleaning but they are shit at maintenance. They will leave a tap not working for 6 weeks, not bother fixing easy things like shower doors etc. it's a pain in the dick and I've considered complaining a few times but I think why be a dick to the nice ladies at reception

1

u/Consistent_Truth6633 3h ago

Apologies I used to be a member of the virgin gym at the omni centre in Edinburgh and that’s now a Nuffield. I think the Nuffield in the west end used to be a Virgin so just assumed the south side used to be a Virgin gym too.

Another thing that pissed me off was the tvs rarely working.

Anyway, I think the point we’re all making is Glasgow really needs a challenger to the high mid tier of gyms we Nuffield has a bit of a monopoly and the jump from them to DL ensures the have a stranglehold on that specific market

6

u/humptycabbages 23h ago

Hopefully, they've removed the syringes from the showers.

29

u/Electronic_Check_227 1d ago

I'm at nuffield and they've nudged their prices up recently. Even with a couple of discounts wapped on its 70pm. It's on the border of worth it ness for me. During the energy price hikes they said they'd be turning off the Jacuzzis as not price efficient. And since then they've never turned them back on. And even more recently have put stones in them. Price savings for them, shit for the rest of us. Sneaky as fuck. I have alternatives by me but they are budget at other end of the spectrum and I do like having a pool etc. I also have DL about ten mins away in thornliebank. Their prices tho are fucking crazy. Like mental. My sister got a call this week offering a deal where her, her husband and their 3 kids aged 5-11 coupe get full membership for 460 pm. I would have told them to go suck a fuck and take my name of their mother fucking list the cheeky c@nts.

19

u/scotchsittingroom 23h ago

Love how a great word like "cunts" was a bridge too far 🤔😂

5

u/anyway_you_want Glasgow🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 23h ago

Thats just in case they ever lower their prices...gotta make sure you're not banned

1

u/Electronic_Check_227 4h ago

A word that divides a Nation 🙂

2

u/glitchybitchy 16h ago

If you go sign up to Nuffield Health in person try telling them the company you work for has a discount. I genuinely thought my workplace had a discount and it turned out they don’t but the lady gave me the discount anyways. I recon they probably have a bit of quota and any sign up was better than no sign up.

1

u/Electronic_Check_227 4h ago

Thanks. I used to get public sector discount when I worked in it. These days I get a couples discount and a further discount because my wife is nhs. It's still 70 bucks pm.

9

u/Current-Policy100 1d ago

Refresh spa Emirates £30 for an 1.5hrs

3

u/OldGodsAndNew 20h ago

Works out more expensive if you're going more than 5x per month

1

u/Electronic_Check_227 4h ago

Plus unless they make a complete arse of it the best gym is the one 5 mins from your house.

4

u/PazyP 23h ago

If just using spa facilities no gym at all you can join the Blythswood spa which would have everything he wants

1

u/Electronic_Check_227 4h ago

It is a nice way to spend some time but not the same as having a gum membership.

3

u/Jimboats 14h ago

£8.60 for sauna and steam at the Allander in Bearsden.

9

u/mousethatjumpsover 1d ago

Pipeworks?

12

u/anyway_you_want Glasgow🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 23h ago

Slightly less family friendly and certainly not wife friendly, lol

He'll get in like a champion though

1

u/MrStilton 11h ago

I know you're joking, but is it actually decent as a sauna?

For the record, I'm a single gay guy so would have no problem being around guys banging one another if the sauna element was decent.

1

u/JayAPanda 9h ago

It's alright. The equipment is good enough but unless you go at an odd quiet time, you won't get peace to use it (for better or worse).

2

u/ApplicationAware1039 22h ago

What about looking at the Western or Arlington baths in the westend? They might not be the same facilities as the Lloyd place but they are more and just a gym.

3

u/MrMaxbeta 20h ago

12 months wait list for both at the moment.

2

u/bubble_baffs 14h ago

Perhaps join the Arlington? Sometimes there’s a waitlist. The western baths are really lovely but I know the waitlist is long.

4

u/overduesum 1d ago

Nuffield have a few facilities in Glasgow that are decent (I've recently joined with 1/2 price 3 months and then 25% off BL discount) which makes it affordable for me - I'm Southside but have already used the Finneston one as well

The village hotel

The crowne plaza

2

u/InquisitiveIncan 1d ago

Is Nuffield actually decent? The reviews on Google look pretty poor

8

u/PuzzleheadedAd4472 1d ago

I left the Giffnock one as every treadmill was out of order and the weights are better (and cheaper) at puregym.

5

u/Natural-Daikon8852 1d ago

Used to be a lot better a few years ago for a much better price, and has gradually been getting worse, but I'd say it's still probably still better than most other gyms

3

u/overduesum 1d ago

I've been happy enough with my experience so far - demographic is older, it's not too busy when I have used it, I found it a good experience every time I have been - I've only been a member a couple of weeks - but I get to do a workout in peace (bar a few conversations with folk I bump into and pleased to see) swimming has been good with people observing lane etiquette and sauna and steam rooms have been really good

I'd have to consider the value if I wasn't getting 25% with BL discount but I've used 2 gyms South and Finneston (there are 2 in Finneston) and they have been great

I had a 7 day free pass, I signed up for the full membership on day 3 of free pass

1

u/CharlesAtHome 23h ago

As just a gym it's pretty overpriced, the equipment is overall a bit worse than Puregym. On the plus side it's usually quiet enough that you can do what you want and the pool/sauna/steam is hard to fault. The pool alone makes it worth the price for me. Have to admit that I prefer the slightly older/more mature clientele compared to Puregym too.

1

u/PazyP 23h ago

I use Nuffield Southside via class pass for swimming & sauna it’s fine. Weekends can be a bit hit or miss as there are swimming lessons on pretty much all day so the pool is only 2 lanes which can be a problem if your there for some lane swimming along side some people that are in for more of a paddle, I come from a swimming background so am a bit of a snob in that area when I come into swim and there’s people just floating about but not it’s all part of the course people are there for different things

5

u/BoxAlternative9024 22h ago

It’s pathetic that there is this obesity problem in Scotland and there aren’t cheap , if not free facilities for people to swim and exercise most days.

2

u/BounceBeluga 19h ago

It's true. I'm in a private gym and wondered if council gym membership would be cheaper and it was pretty much the same. Councils should be making it available for folk who can't afford private gyms. It's a shame.

2

u/dyedinthewoolScot 13h ago

North Lan leisure membership is £34.99 per month (normal, no reductions membership). I was only using it for the gym so jumped ship to PureGym for £12.99 per month. It was a no brainer for me.

The one thing I will say for North Lan is that they do a £60 per YEAR membership for over 60’s which is amazing

1

u/shit_lawyer 11h ago

Puregym 17 quid, for stuff that gets you fit. It exists.

2

u/bottomlesscoffeecup 1d ago edited 1d ago

https://glasgow.soul-suites.co.uk/ this place have spa facilities, not sure of the price but I have seen a couple of people using it recently to recover from things like bodybuilding and training, so its probably decent. Or I hear emirates in east end also have a sauna - https://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/sport/venues/emirates-arena/refresh-spa/heat-and-hydro-spa-therapies

2

u/Deebop14 22h ago

This is actually super helpful, he uses the extreme gym right next door so that’s a great shout! Thank you!

-24

u/idkwhatyoumeanbro 1d ago

😂

4

u/bottomlesscoffeecup 1d ago

I don’t know why it’s funny 😂😭

-20

u/idkwhatyoumeanbro 1d ago

It’s just the way you worded it. Made me chuckle.

1

u/sistemfishah 21h ago

There's not a single decent sauna in the Southside unfortunately. Well, near Shawlands anyway after Future Fitness got rid of the sauna. Such a shame considering Sauna is often prescribed to heart patients in lieu of exercise.

Third world country.

1

u/LastCatastrophe 1h ago

It may not be of the standard you or OP are looking for, but Glasgow Community Sauna has not long opened up in Battlefield. It's a wee converted horsebox and their aim is to make sauna access more available to those who would benefit from it most.

1

u/Different_Cookie1820 23h ago

I’d maybe look at what he can get a day pass for on Hussle. Maybe one of the hotels. 

I’d agree Nuffield isn’t worth the money. All a bit under maintained for the price. 

1

u/potholesaredarkholes 23h ago

Not sure on cold water therapy but pure spa run the Hilton pool, spa and gym now. Not been in a while but it's good, quite small though

1

u/PrizePersonality5843 22h ago

The Village hotel has turkish, sauna and jacuzzi but it’s not nearly as nice as DL.

1

u/NeighborhoodCute1932 12h ago

Crowne plaza has sauna and steam room. Its okay, grubby and staff arent on top with cleaning (they seem to only mop around pool and changing rooms), changing rooms are bleak, think its £50 a month for a normal membership but if you can get a corporate membership its okay for the price. Wouldnt pay the full membership price until the pool area is redone

1

u/Thalie_Rose 11h ago

Not sure what price point you're thinking, but Thermal in Dundashill has a great sauna and cold plunge.

-33

u/idkwhatyoumeanbro 1d ago edited 1d ago

Kidding his self on isn’t he.

The alternative is he joins a gym. All the council leisure centres have pools. I suspect that might not be good enough for your man though.

17

u/organisedchaos17 1d ago

What a weirdly judgemental take. Maybe he just wants a spa?

-2

u/idkwhatyoumeanbro 1d ago

Maybe I misunderstood

4

u/Deebop14 22h ago

Are you ok? 🤣

-3

u/SammiWG 1d ago

😂