had a deeply distressing experience at Fitness First Bayside Platinum on Monday 19 January 2026.
The day before, I called the club three times to make a booking, however no one answered. When I later raised this, I was told that bookings are not taken in the morning, which added to the confusion and lack of assistance.
On the day itself, while using the pool, I was approached by staff and spoken to in a derogatory and intimidating manner, then publicly admonished and required to leave the pool, despite complying with instructions. This was humiliating and occurred in front of other members.
This incident did not occur in isolation. On previous occasions, I have experienced rude and dismissive behaviour from staff, including when my phone would not sign on with the new system. Rather than being assisted, I was offered no help and was labelled "impatient", despite the issue being technical. Over time, these interactions have felt bullying rather than supportive.
I am also concerned about inconsistent enforcement of pool capacity rules. I have frequently observed the pool operating with more patrons than permitted without intervention. On this occasion, enforcement felt selective.
Following the incident, my membership was immediately suspended based on allegations of aggressive behaviour and verbal abuse, which I strongly dispute. I was not given an opportunity to provide my account before the suspension was imposed.
A premium gym should manage issues calmly, respectfully, and with fairness. Unfortunately, this experience left me feeling embarrassed, distressed, and unwelcome.
I hope Fitness First reviews its booking systems, staff training, and consistency in policy enforcement so that other members do not experience similar treatment. read more