Don't know about you, but gyms and especially pools open too late for my convenience. I'd happily prefer to go swimming/exercise at 5:30am. Why can't these places be 24 hour opening? I reckon they're missing a market by their limited hours 
24 hour gyms
- Thread starter Dextraneous
- Start date
Sponsored Links
Most of the things you do in a gym, you can do at home. A lot of people join a gym to make a statement.
However, I do agree that keeping fit needs to be interesting if you are to tolerate it on a regular basis. The social element to certain keep fit activities does make staying healthy more attractive.
Sadly, some people only start thinking about keeping in shape when it is too late.
However, I do agree that keeping fit needs to be interesting if you are to tolerate it on a regular basis. The social element to certain keep fit activities does make staying healthy more attractive.
Sadly, some people only start thinking about keeping in shape when it is too late.
Don't know about you, but gyms and especially pools open too late for my convenience. I'd happily prefer to go swimming/exercise at 5:30am. Why can't these places be 24 hour opening? I reckon they're missing a market by their limited hours
There are a few 24 hour chains out there that seem to be growing.
These guys for example
http://www.thegymgroup.com
http://www.puregym.com
They don't have pools yet
- Joined
- 10 Sep 2014
- Messages
- 673
- Reaction score
- 31
- Country
I would imagine that there are some pretty serious legal implication around safety for pools, requiring supervision, thus expenditure.
Sponsored Links
Swimming is the only formal exercise that I do now, so the shortage of pools / available pool hours in the UK is of direct interest to me.
With regard to RN's point about expense of supervision of swimming time, I doubt that is a real consideration - a 25m pool must cost millions to build and run; the virtual pennies that they would pay a guard to sit in a chair pales in comparison. Plus, any cost would be passed onto the consumer anyway.
I'd guess that it is more likely the capital cost vs revenue / square metre (or similar measure) that puts these private enterprises off building them.
That's my gut feeling, though.
With regard to RN's point about expense of supervision of swimming time, I doubt that is a real consideration - a 25m pool must cost millions to build and run; the virtual pennies that they would pay a guard to sit in a chair pales in comparison. Plus, any cost would be passed onto the consumer anyway.
I'd guess that it is more likely the capital cost vs revenue / square metre (or similar measure) that puts these private enterprises off building them.
That's my gut feeling, though.
- Joined
- 10 Sep 2014
- Messages
- 673
- Reaction score
- 31
- Country
I agree with your point about capital outlay, Brigadier.
But I think the OP was suggesting that once a pool is built, why isn't it open 24/7.
I'm assuming that one person is insufficient to sit in a chair.
I would have thought that taking reasonable breaks, natural breaks, etc, if one is not going to close the pool each time. Then £15 per hour would be the absolute minimal cost for 24 hour opening, say bewteen 2100 hr to 0700 hr, that's £150 for staffing alone, for one night operation.
That's over £1k per week, £50k per year.
Then there's sickness/holiday/days off to consider, NI, training, etc.
It might be pennies compared to the initial cost, but my guess is it's the difference between operating solvency or not. And that's just the pool!
Additionallt, if the pool was open 24/7 there would be a salary bill of something like £1.5K per week for normal opening times. That's about £75k per year without the night openings.
I built a gym in my back room, spent about 600 quid on several items so I could try do as many movements as possible, I suppose it depends on the individual but for me I was more motivated when in the gym than I was at home
Now I still go the gym of a night and all my equipment is sold on!!
EFCLee1";p="3309999 said:
Again I'm guessing, but I would say that this something to do with pools not getting built in the first place.
A few years ago, we had a bit of a renaissance, if you will, of private gym building; they we popping up all over the place. Some, with pools.
Many went t!ts up.
Now, I notice that (private, as in not local authority) gyms tend to not have pools; this may well be for the reasons that I speculated upon, earlier.
With regard to your point about pre-existing pools not being open 24/7, that may be because of:
- lack of demand (just 'coz Dex wants a paddle, doesn't mean anyone else wants to join him!)
- inertia ("not been done before, not going to happen now")
- the fact that they are local authority, so can keep slightly more sociable hours for their employees, than the private sector?
It is a fact that pools are open at all sorts of ungodly hours in the UK - 0530 starts are the staple of our championship swimmers, all across the country - whether Dex can get any pool time in one of them though, is another matter entirely.
Here's a thought Dex - join a swimming club. I know that there are ones who will specifically cater for just what you're after (0500 starts, with a coffee and chin-wag after, if that's your thing) - you just have to look for them. And the best thing - guaranteed no nattering sods / width "swimmers", to interrupt your incessant ploughing up-and-down!
http://www.stretfordasc.org.uk/clubinfo/leisurecentredetails.html#City of Manchester
There are quite a few pools around Manchester - I suggest finding one of their websites, and checking their pool timetable.
You might find one where the pool is pre-booked 0600- say, every Thursday, for A.N. Other Swimming Club. Enquire about joining said SC. Job done!
http://www.better.org.uk/leisure/abraham-moss#/
Don't know where you live Dex, but the above is the very first leisure centre that I went on.
0630 starts, open to all.
Another thought - I have stayed in many a hotel with pool, and many have had no lifeguard provision at all (volenti non fit injuria, and all that). SO, perhaps there is no absolute requirement that (for private gyms, at least), any lifeguard provision is provided at all?
Another one - 0630, and lane swimming........http://www.better.org.uk/leisure/manchester-aquatics-centre#/
Don't know where you live Dex, but the above is the very first leisure centre that I went on.
0630 starts, open to all.
Another thought - I have stayed in many a hotel with pool, and many have had no lifeguard provision at all (volenti non fit injuria, and all that). SO, perhaps there is no absolute requirement that (for private gyms, at least), any lifeguard provision is provided at all?
Another one - 0630, and lane swimming........http://www.better.org.uk/leisure/manchester-aquatics-centre#/
Thanks for the replies. Brigadier, you are right that manchester and bolton municipal pools do open at 6.30, as indeed do private ones. But this would mean that i would be hard pushed to swim for 30 mins and get into work for 7.15, which is my preferred start time. Just that extra 30 mins opening time (at 6am) would make all the difference.
I take the point about staffing costs, but i wonder if any of these companies have considered the overnight market which would be useful for early birds like myself, and especially shift workers.
I take the point about staffing costs, but i wonder if any of these companies have considered the overnight market which would be useful for early birds like myself, and especially shift workers.
Thanks for the replies. Brigadier, you are right that manchester and bolton municipal pools do open at 6.30, as indeed do private ones. But this would mean that i would be hard pushed to swim for 30 mins and get into work for 7.15, which is my preferred start time. Just that extra 30 mins opening time (at 6am) would make all the difference.
I take the point about staffing costs, but i wonder if any of these companies have considered the overnight market which would be useful for early birds like myself, and especially shift workers.
No probs, Dex
Why don't you approach some convenient leisure centres, and see if any would open at 0600? No - not you on your own - hear me out.....
IF you find one that is willing to listen, see if you can organise your own "swimming club" for early risers - "marketed" well, you might be surprised at the number of like-minded souls who would willingly spend the dough and get up at sparrow's fart, for a quiet pool.
Good luck
http://www.cityofmanchesteraquatics.co.uk/
Gotta go and have my tea!
This lot cater for "all abilities" (not pre-judging you, Dex!).
See what they can do for you.
Gotta go and have my tea!
This lot cater for "all abilities" (not pre-judging you, Dex!).
See what they can do for you.
Fair point. If you don't ask....
Sponsored Links
