World Gym, a major international fitness brand, has abruptly closed its Yeerongpilly location. The popular gym, one of the first three World Gyms in Australia when it opened in 2008, decided on an abrupt “de-branding”, handing the location over to new management and leaving its members in the area mired in uncertainty.
The closure of World Gym Yeerongpilly was accompanied by a message sent via email to some members, announcing that “World Gym Brisbane is rebranding” and promising “exciting changes.”
The specifics of the rebranding and the duration of any disruptions to members’ fitness routines were not disclosed. The email expressed appreciation for the members’ support and assured them that further updates would be provided.
Fitness Passport members, who had access to World Gym through their membership, received a text message from Yeerongpilly management stating that there were no discussions about removing their access. However, they mentioned the possibility of negotiating with Fitness Passport in the coming weeks to secure their continued access. The responsibility for potential access denial was attributed to Fitness Passport rather than the gym itself.
On Facebook, a notice addressed to the World Gym Brisbane community explained that the gym had been de-branded and would no longer be associated with the World Gym Australia brand. However, World Gym passport members were informed that they could still access any World Gym location in Australia.
However, the change came as a shock to many members. Upon arriving at the gym for their usual workout sessions, some members were taken by surprise to find it closed on Friday, 16 June 2023. It was only then that they discovered the facility had been placed under new management.
A number of members, specifically Home Club members, were informed that they could still access the gym located on Station Rd. However, others had to seek alternative options.
With this development, some patrons decided to transfer their membership to the World Gym outlet in Mt Gravatt, while some expressed their intention to switch to the upcoming Goodlife gym at the Yeerongpilly Green urban renewal site.
TotalFusion, a fitness centre, also submitted a development application for a substantial gym, café, wellness center, and day spa in Graceville, providing another potential alternative for displaced World Gym members. Additionally, Snap Fitness Moorooka extended a discounted offer on access keys to former World Gym Yeerongpilly members, reducing the price from $69.95 to $20.
World Gym, originally established in 1976 by Joe Gold during the era of “Muscle Beach” in California, has been expanding in southeast Queensland over the past five years. Recently, it submitted a development application for a new purpose-built two-story facility in Flagstone. Despite these expansion efforts, the closure of the Yeerongpilly gym has left many members frustrated and disappointed.
Members took to social media to express their grievances and share their experiences. One member commended Snap Fitness for warmly welcoming former World Gym members, while expressing frustration at discovering the closure when his Fitness Passport access was deemed invalid. Another member, who had been with the Yeerongpilly facility since its opening in 2014, claimed that the gym’s quality had declined since 2018. A member also voiced concerns about maintenance issues, such as malfunctioning toilets and taps.
Published 21-June-2023
