David Lloyd members outraged by ‘mice-infested’ and ‘mouldy’ gyms ‘swarming with flies’ – and accuse staff of posting ‘fake’ Google reviews to cover it up

Upmarket fitness center model David Lloyd has been accused of posting ‘pretend’ opinions of the golf equipment’ amenities on-line with the intention to cowl up prospects’ scathing testimonies that expose unsanitary circumstances — together with mice-infested restaurant and eating places ‘coated’ in flies.

Scores of members of the health membership, which expenses as much as £219 a month, have claimed that opinions describing amenities as ‘glorious’, ‘superb’ and ‘fabulous’ are written by employees members.

MailOnline has found at the least 5 employees members have penned a diversified assortment of glowing Google opinions for a number of completely different branches, with out disclosing their employer. 

It’s a apply of promotion that the UK’s promoting watchdog has lambasted. 

‘Companies mustn’t pose as reviewers,’ the Promoting Requirements Authority instructed MailOnline. ‘In addition they must clarify any business pursuits with any related testimonials.’

Greater than 80 per cent of customers depend on Google opinions to assist inform buying choices, in response to the brightlocal’s Native Client Evaluation Survey 2024, making them important to enterprise popularity. 

Anybody can depart a evaluate on a companies’ official Google web page, in addition to a ranking of their expertise out of 5. Google makes use of this knowledge to compute a median star ranking for every institution. 

Regardless of being an worker of the health model for greater than two years, in response to her LinkedIn profile, gross sales supervisor Stacey Jasiewicz wrote of the Kingston department: ‘Noticed the refurb on Instagram so thought I’d test it out and I signed up on the spot.

 ‘Superb membership & the crew listed below are unbelievable! What a fitness center!!’ The membership has a 4.2 out of 5 ranking, total.

David Winch, a senior gross sales supervisor for the model, posted five-star opinions for 11 David Lloyd Golf equipment, together with the Purley, Cheam and Raynes Park places.

He praised the ‘excellent crèche’, ‘nice environment’ and spa that is ‘an superior place to sit back’.

Molly Stringer, a gross sales marketing consultant at David Lloyd, wrote that she ‘loves’ the Purley department.

‘It is extremely handy to have someplace to work then end for the day and luxuriate in a session within the fitness center and spa,’ she mentioned, including that ‘workers are welcoming too.’

Disgruntled members responded to the string of shining opinions on some branches’ Google pages, highlighting the battle of curiosity. 

Final week, Daniel Mensah prompt that some opinions on the Purley department’s Google web page had been mysteriously deleted, which he prompt was because of ’employees being known as out for posting pretend opinions’. 

He highlighted mouldy bathrooms and showers, a leaking roof, flies within the clubroom, untidy altering rooms, broken tennis courtroom flooring and damaged water fountains. 

Members have posted photos of worm-like creatures noticed within the showers of the Purley department. One buyer wrote on Google: ‘In all probability about 987 flies on the restaurant ceiling. This place is disgusting, they need to put the entire place within the bin and begin once more. DON’T be a part of, EXPENSIVE and NASTY!!!’ 

Two months a go, prospects complained of issues with amenities equivalent to damaged showers and bathroom in addition to an absence of scorching water. 

A lady named Lucy W, who left a two-star evaluate for the Purley membership, which has an total ranking of 4.1 out of 5, wrote: ‘Workers including 5 star pretend opinions claiming to have joined DL golf equipment and had excursions up and down the nation — disingenuous to say the least!’

Lucy’s expertise of the Purley membership is way from the ‘nice membership and environment’ that gross sales supervisor suggests, in response to her Google opinions.

The altering rooms and bathrooms are ‘continually smelly and filthy’, she wrote.

 ‘Showers and bathroom doorways lacking staple items like hooks. Outside pool is all the time stuffed with leaves, sand, and grime. Water outages occur each different week which means no bathroom, bathe or water fountain amenities.’

Different members have shared photos of mice mentioned to be noticed within the restaurant of David Lloyd Purley, in addition to worm-like creepy crawlies and mouldy ceilings. 

Three prospects have instructed of a fly infestation on the Purley department, with the bugs mentioned to be ‘everywhere in the lounge space’, with ‘about 987 on the restaurant ceiling’. 

Different branches have obtained their justifiable share of equally scathing critiques on-line, in the meantime.

Greater than 15,000 members have joined the Fb group, David LLoyd Golf equipment Complaints, the place they share their disappointment within the expertise of the dear golf equipment.    

A member of the Chorley department — which boasts an total Google ranking of 4.5 — posted a evaluate in April that described her membership as ‘completely filthy’, with the ground of the ladies’s altering rooms affected by ‘soiled nappies’ and ‘hair balls’. 

MailOnline have found at the least 5 David Lloyd employees members who’ve left glowing opinions on Google of varied branches, with out disclosing their battle of curiosity. 

And those that pay for the membership amenities in Dudley and Chigwell (with scores of 4.2 and 4.5, respectively) instructed of bathrooms with ‘one urinal on provide however full to the brim with urine’ and ‘frequently damaged, foul smelling and flooding’.

David Lloyd, which has 133 golf equipment throughout the UK and Europe, gives high-spec gyms, heated swimming swimming pools, racket sports activities with ‘championship high quality’ courts, ‘restorative’ spa amenities, children’ actions and play areas. 

Members may also take pleasure in comfy and welcoming clubrooms for a restaurant-quality meal. Membership costs vary from roughly £94 a month to £219, relying on the membership and chosen amenities. 

It’s thought of a dearer alternative than different upmarket fitness center manufacturers, equivalent to Virgin Lively, the place the highest tier charge is £148 monthly.  

Final 12 months it was reported that the personal fairness agency that owns David Lloyd, TDL Capital, was getting ready to promote the enterprise for an eye-watering £2billion. 

A David Lloyd spokesperson mentioned: ‘We have now made vital funding in Purley since we took possession together with the addition of an out of doors pool, spa retreat and terrace and proceed to enhance the expertise for all our members. 

‘We put money into our golf equipment to make sure they function on the highest requirements doable and take member satisfaction very critically. We have now not too long ago had an Environmental Well being Officer evaluate, and so they have been happy we must always retain our 5 star ranking for the best stage of hygiene. We urge members with considerations to contact us straight in order that we will resolve them as shortly as doable.’