PureGym Brierley Hill - Brierley Hill

Jon F.

Cancelled Membership and joined the new XF Gym at Merry Hill. Slightly dearer but closer to me.

I felt Brierley Hill wasn’t catering to me as a disabled person. For months the easy access door hasn’t been working so I’ve had to use the pods (not easy when you have to use a white cane). I’ve had to report several H&S issues including flooding in the disabled toilet (after members couldn’t be bothered to turn the taps off), no toilet paper in the disabled toilet (it’s ok saying you’re 24 hours but you need to provide basic facilities for all those times) thus forcing me to bring my own wipes, and, the worst, on 24 November 2024 finding a dumbbell behind the easy access door so even if it was working, I wouldn’t have been able to gain access, or at least safely without risking tripping over it, It’s ok having your sign on the floor (where visually impaired people like me will definitely see it) saying the door will open in case of a fire alarm, but it’s irrelevant as while that dumbbell is blocking the door, it’s a massive H&S issue, especially for someone like me. “Don’t get trapped in a burning building but you’re free to trip over the hazard blocking the fire door on the way out”. Joke.

I had to report the CCTV team as well last December after they abandoned a disabled member (me) when the easy access door didn’t open one Sunday morning, despite the green light showing, and hung up on me claiming to deal with another “emergency”, and wouldn’t have had the decency to call me back and it was only when I threatened to report them and cited DEI that they let me enter.

Gym constantly messy with weights being left all over the floor by members, I understand PureGym saying they try to stamp it out, but for someone who’s visually impaired, it’s a trip hazard. On 27 May 2024, I pulled a bench out to use for leg stretches and didn’t see someone had left a load of weights on the other end of it and pulled it and I ended up with abdominal pains for the rest of the day due to strain (they shouldn’t have been left there) and I’m sure the female member, who I suspect left them there saw this and saw I was visually impaired and knew I strained myself, then put the myriad of weights she had around her away, probably guilt as she knew she was irresponsible for leaving those weights on a bench instead of putting them away properly. That’s only a supposition on my part but it seems likely. I reported this stuff but nothing seems to get done.

Since the refurb all cardio equipment has been moved to the second floor, making it harder for me to access them as I have limited mobility using stairs (I’m aware there’s a lift but was never shown how to use it) and struggle to find benches on that floor to do leg stretches, whereas XF has everything on one floor. Would’ve been useful if some cardio equipment could’ve been retained downstairs as well for less mobile people, after all isn’t the slogan “everybody welcome”? As a disabled person over the last few months it hasn’t felt like it. I got abused in the gym by a member on 27 January 2023 about my disability and, whilst that was sorted out, I feel since then as a disabled member I’ve felt marginalised and have less access due to easy access door not working, made all the more galling by women being pandered to whilst I, as a disabled member, couldn’t have a fully functioning easy access door, and appropriate facilities in the disabled toilet and playing Russian roulette as to whether I’d find it flooded or not.

Emailed manager and member services informing them of my decision to cancel and cancelled direct debit so hoping cancellation goes smoothly, but the fact none of them responded to find out why I cancelled just reinforces their attitude of not caring.

After a decade I feel it’s time to try something new, but I hope should I need to return in future, the aforementioned issues are sorted because without a easy access door, how can wheelchair users access Brierley Hill PureGym? XF may not be open 24 hours, but they have access to toilets at all times with toilet paper, and easy entry.

Claire N.

Lots of cardio equipment on the top floor with the weights on the ground floor.
Special women's only sections with a few little areas out the way with weights in as well to use.
Plenty of things to use in busy times.

Holly S.

Love Guiseppes Sunday mind class! Perfect flow of relaxation, mobility and flexibility

Ben S.

Nicest PureGym I’ve visited. I bought the multi-gym access while visiting family in the midlands and this is by far the nicest gym. Brand new equipment, great layout.

Rich R.

Is the air conditioning broken? Just signed up and had a workout, my god before I had finished half a set I was dripping in sweat, really warm in the gym. Almost had to quit my session half way to go take a shower and return to the workout. Just moved here from JD gym up the road, never had an issue trained there for months. Even after I took my shower and walked to the exit I felt like I needed to shower again. The relief I felt when the cool air hit me from outside. If it is this warm again next time I'm going to straight up quit and ask for a refund. 1 leg extension machine for the whole gym.

David W.

Great gym ....plenty of equipment..... Great for young and old alike

Jessie R.

Started going a couple of days ago and got a get start3d session from Charlie I think it was? Was great and made me feel really at ease being in a gym for the first time ever!
Love the equipment there and have been excited to try out different machines.
Also the cycle class is hard work but fun! Would recommend 🙂

Devon V.

Gym was to hot for my liking and everything on the vending machines was overpriced, however I'm giving it a 4 due to the quality of the equipment other than the cable machines which had inaccurate weight readings