Money Moral Dilemma: Should I renew my gym membership even though it's currently closed?

20SmthngSver

Pure Gym and Energie Fitness asked this, with all sorts of 'benefits' after lockdown ends. I chose to freeze it. If they go bust I lose that money.

meknowalot-51

KxMx said:

meknowalot-51 said:

Do not renew as your going to be paying for a service that your not going to be able to use.Your over seventy,as i'm sure your aware this age group are classed as vulnerable and need to stay indoors,self isolate(shielding)for those with underlying conditions.Things could change for the better within a year(hopefully)or they could remain the same,possibly get a lot worse.As for know i would say don't renew and wait for the guidelines to change.The big plus for you is when the time's right you can eventually rejoin and potentially get a discount or cut price for new clients.If your one of the more healthier low risk 70's then keep active and go for a walk and keep your distance.

The current advice for over 70s, classed as Vunerable, is stringent social distancing. I take that to mean be more careful when going out, aim to go out less than non vulnerable. 

As someone also classed as Vunerable I too expect it'll be longer before it's been deemed safe, but I know a 63yo with multiple auto immune diseases whose consultant has approved a return to work.

Provided they are as careful as possible on the bus and ask for help at work when faced with more than a few customers at once. 

As for the OP if you can afford it and want the gym to keep going then I would renew. 

Over 70's vulnerable means stay indoors,not be careful when going out,do not go out and self isolate.You say a 63 year old vulnerable person has been instructed to go back to work and use a bus........REALLY?How can anyone be safe on a bus?,any more than 6 or 7 on a deck then your not 2 metres apart.Public transport is not very good which is why the gov. advise to walk or cycle,failing that,roll the dice.Please pay attention to the basic guidelines or the second more serious wave is going to be here.

KxMx

The current basic guidelines are here and *I* have paid attention to them:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/staying-alert-and-safe-social-distancing/staying-alert-and-safe-social-distancing

[gov.uk text] 

8. Clinically vulnerable people

If you have any of the following health conditions, you are clinically vulnerable, meaning you are at higher risk of severe illness from coronavirus. You are advised to stay at home as much as possible and, if you do go out, take particular care to minimise contact with others outside your household.

Clinically vulnerable people are those who are:

• aged 70 or older (regardless of medical conditions)

[List continues ] 

The only people who need to self isolate are the Extremely Vunerable (over 70 alone is NOT counted as EV) or those with symptoms/ living in a household with someone symptomatic. 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

[gov.uk text] 

Who is ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’?

Expert doctors in England have identified specific medical conditions that, based on what we know about the virus so far, place someone at greatest risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

Clinically extremely vulnerable people may include the following people. Disease severity, history or treatment levels will also affect who is in this group.

1. Solid organ transplant recipients.

2. People with specific cancers:
   • people with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy
   • people with lung cancer who are undergoing radical radiotherapy
   • people with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma who are at any stage of treatment
   • people having immunotherapy or other continuing antibody treatments for cancer
   • people having other targeted cancer treatments which can affect the immune system, such as protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors
   • people who have had bone marrow or stem cell transplants in the last 6 months, or who are still taking immunosuppression drugs

3. People with severe respiratory conditions including all cystic fibrosis, severe asthma and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary (COPD).

4. People with rare diseases that significantly increase the risk of infections (such as severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), homozygous sickle cell).

5. People on immunosuppression therapies sufficient to significantly increase risk of infection.

6. Women who are pregnant with significant heart disease, congenital or acquired.

People in this group should have been contacted to tell them they are clinically extremely vulnerable.

If you’re still concerned, you should discuss your concerns with your GP or hospital clinician. 

Staying at home and shielding

If you’re clinically extremely vulnerable, you’re strongly advised to stay at home at all times and avoid any face-to-face contact to protect yourself.

[end] 

The 63yo I mentioned has taken medical advice re work and travel, aware of mask recommendations & avoiding public transport where possible guidance but has no other way of getting to work.

_nate

Why not join my online gym as well? For only £100 a month, I will direct you to a chat room where you can exercise online. It is currently closed but is still accepting subscriptions and may reopen in the future. PM for details.

sudokulover

Certainly not! THEY should be refunding YOU for the months you haven't been able to go!

ginger_chocolate

I don't think this is really a "moral" dilemma. I doubt a single person would think badly of you if you chose not to keep your membership going. That said, if it's a small independent gym, and you think there's a genuine risk they might not reopen due to their losses over the pandemic period (which will happen to a lot of businesses), AND you can comfortably afford it - it would be a nice thing to do, and might benefit you in the long run if it's a gym you really like.
As others have said though, I'm surprised they aren't offering some kind of incentive. My yoga studio (which I love, and would be gutted if they closed), have asked people to voluntarily keep their memberships going at a reduced rate, but they are also offering access to live online classes and are running competitions to win free classes, new mats, water bottles etc when they re-open. This seems like a pretty fair deal to me - it means they can keep paying their teachers and covering their costs but reflects that customers are getting a reduced service. Maybe you could ask the gym what they're willing to offer in return if you keep paying?

Thrugelmir

REJP said:

No.  They will be claiming small business support from tax payers, and their staff will be furloughed at 80% wages.  If they are charging people while closed, they should not be getting tax payers money.  People forget these business loans have to be repaid ( the word loans is important here) so if they are getting a loan as well as subscriptions from members how can they go bust?

Insufficient revenue once the facility reopens. To repay debt a business needs not only to be profitable but generate cash. Many a profitable business has become insolvent. 

thedr

We’re entering a period of mass unemployment. Maybe as much as a tenth of the population (6 million) will be out of work. I suspect gyms will become a thing of the past in the UK. People will be concentrating on keeping a roof over their head and food on the table as the UK plummets into mass poverty. I would save every penny you have. 

diggingdude

Does anyone remember a few years ago when you might be let off your gym contract but not if you had a life changing accident or something.......just remember what gyms used to do before they were forced to change their cancellation terms before deciding whether to help them out now

omendata

I am only 50 and was going to rejoin my gym to restart bodybuilding after 10 years away just before this disaster.
The thought of all that sweat and heavy breathing in the gym and the already unhygienic practices in my gym - people regularly defecate in the swimming pool (mainly children with diarrhea) but there have been incidences of people masturbating in the saunas and jacuzzi and someone actually defecated at the main bar female toilet doors; dont ask me how or why even the staff hadn't a clue how they were not seen or reported, a child was even caught urinating on the coals in the sauna and there are loads of other stories and more but i digress...
This is also not a public gym but a private one and one of the top ones in Scotland and at £80 per month for the cheapest membership its not exactly affordable either! It was closed by the local council for Cryptospiridium for months as well before this!
How do I know? Well my best pal at the gym has been working there for 7 years so he tells me all the gossip and if you truly knew what goes on in some gyms you would never go back so my advice to you being over 70 is you are literally taking your life in your hands going back - I am desperate to go but just cannot risk it as over 50 you are more vulnerable to this virus!