Fury as popular Doncaster gym closes spa pool to save energy over winter

Customers of the Nuffield Health centre off White Rose Way have received emails telling them that the spa pool will be temporarily closed – to help conserve energy throughout the autumn and winter months.

But customers have reacted with anger at the news, with many saying the pool was their only reason for attending and have threatened to take their custom elsewhere.

One upset user said: “I've cancelled my membership after 17 years. I will find elsewhere that has full facilities on offer for which I am happy to pay for. Bad move Nuffield.”

The email to customers, from general manager Pete Marsden, said: “I’m writing to let you know that we will be temporarily closing our spa pool from Monday 3 October for the autumn and winter months.

"This is to ensure that we can conserve energy and allows us to keep our swimming pool, sauna and steam room open as we know that our members highly value and benefit from these facilities.

"Our fitness and wellbeing centres use a significant amount of energy and like you, we’ve been faced with considerable rising utilities costs throughout this year. Our spa pools are expensive to heat and run and simply switching these off across our nationwide network of centres goes a long way towards reducing our overall energy consumption.

"We’re committed to helping you achieve your health and wellbeing goals and we have this front of mind when we’re making difficult decisions about how we conserve our energy to keep costs down. Alongside reducing costs, we also have ambitious carbon net zero targets, and we are working hard to be more energy efficient in the long-term by investing in initiatives that will reduce our consumption.

“As the energy crisis unfolds, we may need to consider other measures, but we will keep you informed. Thank you for your understanding."

Another upset customer said: “We will all have to vote with our feet, I’m cancelling membership tomorrow, the swimming pool is always cold - wouldn’t surprise me if they turned that down even further as well. And now no jacuzzi absolute joke!

Another added: “Instead of cancelling my membership I am thinking of freezing it until the spa pool reopens whenever that is . As they haven’t mentioned a reopening date .

Another posted: “You have stopped the use of the jacuzzi in your gyms. Also our fees are not reducing but we are getting a worse service. Your company makes a lot of money.”

Another added: “An appalling decision and one which will cost you members.”

“Perhaps Nuffield can learn from the Tories abd backtrack from an ill conceived ridiculous decision concerning the turning off of the spas,” wrote another. “Tax cuts for millionaires is wrong, so too is turning off the spas and causing deliberate negative affect to the welfare of many. Shame on Nuffield!”