New members signing up for Isle of Wight council gym services will soon have to pay more than existing users — after a price rise.
Fees at 1Leisure Centres are going up an average of 10 per cent, in line with inflation, the council said, as energy prices rise.
Footfall has also not reached pre-pandemic levels, it said.
Annual gold one card membership
An annual gold one card membership, allowing full access to all services at Medina, The Heights and Westridge centres, will cost an adult £440 a year, up from £399.50, or £44 a month if paying by direct debit.
‘Price for life’ scheme
If you are an existing 1Leisure member, prices will not increase, after the authority recently introduced a ‘price for life’ scheme.
It means when prices go up on 1st April to the new tariff, current members will stay at their existing rate.
New monthly rates
The new monthly rates for new users will be:
Gold: £44 (adults) / £28.60 (16 to 25-year-olds) / £18.70 (juniors)
Silver: £29.20 (adults) / £18.70 (16 to 25-year-olds) / £11.50 (juniors)
The scheme ran as a promotion in the last month to attract new members, which the council said saw an increase in sign-ups ‘beyond the number typically expected over the same period’.
At the end of December, 1Leisure membership levels had not recovered since before the Covid pandemic although they have been steadily increasing.
Membership only at 75 per cent of pre-Covid
Compared to December 2019, membership levels were only at 75 per cent of what they had been, but were above target.
The council has said the price increase has been fully evaluated but One Cards continue to be competitively priced and represents ‘excellent’ value for money when compared to casual prices.
Rise in prices
As an adult, to use the facilities on a one-off occasion, from 1st April, prices will rise to:
- £9.25 gym
- £7.25 fitness classes
- £5.80 swimming
- £7.15 health suite
Compared to national chain
A basic membership to the national chain, The Gym Group, in Newport, starts at £21.99 a month.
The price increases were not part of the budget papers recently approved by full council — which saw a near five per cent council tax rise — but were signed off under officer delegated powers.
A review of the leisure centres is still ongoing, despite hopes it would be finished by the end of last year and influence budget discussions.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
Image: © Isle of Wight Council
