That new gym that's opening on Lordship Lane

[edenial]

*bump*

Still looking for feedback from anyone...

I now know they take children from 3 months, but I am worried about availability of spaces at the creche as it only runs 2 mornings a week and has only spaces for 3 children. I could only use the gym if I can avail of the creche, so I'm debating whether it is even worth joining now as it would be a right waste of money if the creche is consistently full/overbooked.

Thanks in advance.

[Dean]

Hi, i think JAGS is still the best or try Hamlet Health in Dog Kennel Hill > http://www.gymsinlondon.com/index.php/central-london/southwark

they seem to have some facilities for kids aswell:)

[sofaRunner]

I disagree with your comment about JAGs. it is phenomenally badly organised, far too much equipment in a tiny space. at the moment it's not been too busy but they do over recruit clients & if you want to play squash with a friend who isn;t a member it costs them ?8!!!

what are they thinking with the new express gym aka the sweatbox???

[jimmy two times]

I agree about Jags. They definitely oversubscribe as there are new faces there all the time and they're always showing people around. The car park is a nightmare at times, and they have launched an initiative to encourage members to cycle to the gym. I don't think this is for environmental reasons but simply to alleviate the car park problems. A more simple way of solving this problem would be to go back to the old system of actually having the entrance gates shut and only able to be opened by a member swiping membership card. Most of the problems with the car park are caused by non members using the football pitches and parents who bring kids to swimming galas. Also, I wonder how secure the facilities are if the gates are open permanently? Some of the staff at the reception don't appear to check if you are a member when you enter. One girl in particular doesn't even look up from the computer screen when anyone walks in. The men's showers are very poor as at least two of them have the shower head missing. The lockers are poor as many seem to be damaged. The sprinkler system on entering the pool doesn't work and hasn't for ages. These may sound like minor inconviniences but collectively they damage the experience of using the facilities and it also makes you wonder what Jags are doing with all the money they must be making with new memberships and guest fees.

[Dean]

hmmm, i haven't actually been to JAGS for a few months now, so i hear what you say. Will take a wonder down to Sweatbox and see what thats like - THANKS!

[sofaRunner]

Dean, have you been back to JAGS or are you still recovering?!! if not best wait until the weather breaks - bit blooming hot in there for exercising!

[globalreach]

Stay well away from Elizabeth Sharpe Physical Therapy Health !

This place is now under new management and are destroying this once loved practice. Do not get me wrong, Elizabeth Sharpe is fantastic, but she now has nothing to do with the business as she mistakenly things that her children can run it, oh what a mistake.

The new management are so horrible that the decent staff have left Elizabeth Sharpe Physical Therapy Health.

Existing staff are just frustrated, discerning customers have gone elsewhere and it is just an awful and frustrating experience for customers and all concerned !

Elizabeth Sharpe Physical Therapy Health is just a mess.

The founder has taken a back seat even though evidently aware that the business is now a horrible shadow of what it once was. Everyone knows the horrible new management are just disguisting.

If you have any doubts about the authenticity of this review please do contact me through this website for evidence that this is so.

Here is the history of Elizabeth Sharpe Physical Therapy Health

This place was known to most as Elizabeth Sharpe Physical Therapy was originally a small Harley Street practice. The founder practiced from Harley Street and from her home in Dulwich.

Up until about 2005 it was probably the most respected place in London for physiotherapy.

Most of their staff were South African. Elizabeth Sharpe Physical Therapy Health clients understood that this was a good thing because physiotherapists from South Africa need to have full degrees to practice and also

due to South Africa?s keen interest in rugby and other physical sports they have great respect for and need of physiotherapy.

Clients appreciated that the founder knew her stuff and this was reflected in the great work that was done there.

So how did it go wrong ?

New management came in, the changes were first noticeable when the 'marketing? stuff came in to Elizabeth Sharpe Physical Therapy Health.

There was a new website and they re branded as ES physical Health, as opposed to their old name of ES Physical Therapy. The ES stands for Elixabeth Sharpe who was the much respected owner, in the same way as Bill Gates is the respected person in Microsoft. Elizabeth Sharpe was the brand.

The new management thought it was very clever and it was all marketing. It seems like they knew nothing about physiotherapy, I am not saying that they don?t but that is the perception their customers have.

Instead of being a place that specialised in medical physiotherapy they started also offering the more pleasurable physical stuff like regular massages and so on. It was all like a bit of an upsell where practicioners were encouraged to sell more to customers.

They re branded from being called ES Physical Therapy to being called ES Physical Health to signify their new diversified offerings.

In 2007 customers noticed that thigns started to go wrong and word started to go around. It just became dis organised, it was run like a large arrogant machine despite the reality of it still being a small business. It was all based on marketing and not the fact that it?s loyalty was from the founder who is a first class physiotherapist.

One customer has said to me 'the wheel is still turning but he hampster is not present any more? and that sums it up pretty well.

By 2008 the much loved way that the founder of Elizabeth Sharpe Physical Therapy Health saw clients from home in Dulwich changed. Dulwich changed into a super flashy marketing place that must have cost a fortune to do.

This is now almost like going to a health spa, and you just feel like it is being run by marketing people who do not care.

The new management do not care that customers are not happy, the bad word is getting out about Elizabeth Sharpe Physical Therapy Health as they only see clever swish marketing and have no practical experience.

The saddest thing is that when you ask for the founder of Elizabeth Sharpe Physical Therapy Health you are told that she is not interested in seeing clients any more. When there is a problem she just will not get involved.

If there is a serious problem then the new management almost tell you off for bringing it to their attention as you should have gone to junior staff to get it sorted. However junior staff are powerless and frustrated because the mistakes are with the new management.

Now for the most upsetting thing of all, the bit which is the story that most of us have seen before with other companies. The same old story that sees great things destroyed in very little time at all.

the new managemetn are the children of the founder and the founder will not wake up to the fact that her children are destroying Elizabeth Sharpe Physical Therapy Health

It is quite evident that as they did not put in the years of work of building the thing up from nothing and establishing a reputation that they do not value it. Also sadly they are just really really nasty people to work with.

Again if you have any doubts that this is a totaly accurate review based on tangible experiences then please do contact me.

In the meantime we all hope the founder faces what is happening to this once amazing practice before it is too late.

If she does face facts I am sure she can return it to it?s former glory of being an amazing practice, literally one of the best in London, but she will have to get back into the driving seat !

There are rhumours that are very strong that Elizabeth Sharpe Physical Therapy Health is going out of business. This is due to dis satisfied customers and the huge cost of their 'clever and swanky? massage/sauna type place in Dulwich and the fact that their good staff have left because it is just too frustrating and upsetting to be involved with this practice any more.

I take no pleasure in writing this, but the truth about Elizabeth Sharpe Physical Therapy Health needs to be said.

I have no doubt though that if she faces up to the fact that her children cannot run this, probably because they did not go through the experience of building up this practice for themselves, this practice will return to it's former amazing glory, the word will get around and hopefully the damage can be repaired.

Sorry if this posting does ramble a bit, but this whole subject is uupsetting.

[cdonline]

There, there. You've got it off your chest now.

Take a few deep breaths.

Thank you for letting us know what has been vexxing you.

[suniil]

Very expensive IMO, my FF black label membership cost me only ?27 with corporate discount (otherwise ?57), that includes access to all FF branches across UK [access to all facilities including pools, free daily mail, DVD rentals etc)

[Bozza]

Rather than joining a gym I would recommend:

British Military Fitness

They will in the next few weeks alos offer sessions on Peckham Rye.

I attended my first session today and it was great (first session is free - see details on the web site)