The California Fitness Saga

California Fitness has always had a bad reputation for hard-selling and poor customer service. However, the fees were really affordable compared to other gyms and being approached bugged by a salesperson/Personal Trainer every once in awhile was a tradeoff I was willing to make in exchange for cheap membership fees.

I enjoyed using the gym for the past 2 years without any major issues, but here’s how it all went downhill this year.

15 Feb – Taka branch closes, giving members a 10 days advance notice.

12 Jul – All 12 California Fitness branches in HK closes. Worried members, including myself, started texting our Sales Consultant and they assured us that California Fitness SG operates separately and independently. The company issued a statement to The Straits Times stating the exact same thing.

16 Jul –

The Raffles branch “closed till further notice”. Bugis branch was out of towels. Accusations were coming in so fast on their Facebook page that they did not have time to delete all of them.

17 Jul - A Facebook Group was created to discuss alternate gyms. From there, a Whatsapp group chat with currently more than 40 pax was initiated on how to get refunds. Finally, another Facebook Group was created on what we should do IF the gym closes.

18 Jul – I went to Bugis for Bodycombat. Saying that it was packed would be an understatement. I didn't get a good photo but another member did.

I could barely squeeze in and it was suffocating. I am not joking when I say that I felt breathless many times during the session even though they left the doors open. The aircon did not seem to be working well also. BUT I really must say that the trainers (Toshi, Christina and a guy) were commendable! They didn't know what was gonna happen but they all seemed very upset and everyone was hugging and taking photos. I was surprised that I actually felt a little sad about the impending doom of the place. In usual BC style, they motivated all the way till the end, with the trainer saying,"When we fall down, we'll get up again! That's the BC spirit!". I assumed he was talking about the closure.

They were out of toiletries and towels too.

19 Jul - Members grew more frenzied. Reporters asked to speak to us. Speculations were flying all around till 11.30pm when most of us got the news that they were closing. It was officially announced at midnight. 

Today, more discussions were made on how to get a refund or at least get the gym running again. One of the members explained that provisional liquidation meant there's still a shot for someone to buy over the company. It's a long shot but if all of us agree to fork out a little extra a month, it may be possible. 

I'm trying to do whatever is possible to get my money's worth but if nothing can be done, I'll just take it as I paid a higher monthly premium for the fees. Let it go~

But seriously, this guy though. 

He listed this on Carousell TODAY. Not sure if he was trying to be funny but he got exposed almost immediately. 

Nice try, bro.