By M10News UK Desk | 13 July 2025
A UK gym is facing growing criticism after introducing a controversial new policy that restricts access for women over the age of 24 during weekday peak hours.
The change came to light after a 36-year-old woman shared her experience on Mumsnet, a popular online forum used by UK parents and women to seek advice and discuss current issues.
In a post titled “Am I being unreasonable to think this is unfair?”, the woman explained that she recently received a text from her gym informing her of the updated policy.
She included a screenshot of the message, which stated that the gym would be “reserved exclusively for females aged 12 to 24” between 4 pm and 7 pm, Monday to Friday.
According to the gym’s message, the change was made “in response to feedback and to better cater to our younger female members who require a dedicated, comfortable space during peak after-school and early evening hours.”
The gym added that all female members would still have full access to the women’s section outside of those restricted hours.
“We appreciate your understanding and support as we continue to improve the experience for all our members,” the message concluded.
“I will be cancelling my membership. But this is ridiculous, right?” she wrote, asking fellow users for their opinions.
The overwhelming majority of commenters agreed with her. A poll attached to the thread showed that 93% of users believed the gym’s policy was unreasonable.
“That’s ridiculous! Why exclude women of a certain age?” one commenter wrote. “I’d feel furious, OP.”
Others described the move as “wild” and “mental,” with several users saying they would cancel their memberships if faced with the same policy.
“I’d understand if it were just school-aged girls, but university students don’t need the same type of protection or space,” said one user.
Others speculated that the gym was trying to rebrand or appeal to younger influencers as a marketing strategy.
“I suspect someone in management wants a trendy, youthful image and isn’t worried about alienating middle-aged women,” one commenter suggested.
Another speculated that the move was designed to protect younger women from unwanted attention in mixed-gender settings.
“Is it because that age group can’t exercise at the same time as men without being hit on?” they asked.
A few defended the gym’s decision, suggesting that offering a space for younger women was valid and may even support their long-term fitness habits.
“Teenage girls are a high-risk group for dropping out of exercise,” one user argued. “If the gym thinks this works as a business strategy, let’s see. If not, they’ll lose members and rethink it.”
Editing by M10News UK Desk | Contact: info@m10news.com
© 2025 M10News. All rights reserved. Unauthorised reproduction is prohibited
