By Ruby Sharkie, Associate News Editor
It was one Thursday evening in early February, and I had gone to the university gym for an evening workout. As I turned the corner, I saw a collection of students huddled outside the entrance.
There were more people inside, standing just before the entrance barrier. They were queuing to use the gym! Confused, I asked a group outside what they are waiting for, not fully believing that people – students – are queueing to work out.
“Yeah, it’s gonna be a while”
Students at Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL) have been calling for a refurbishment of the student gym for a while now. With a growing influx of gym-goers, the building has proven too small and the equipment outdated.
With gym usage rising and student numbers growing, many students say facilities at Royal Holloway have failed to keep pace, raising questions about funding priorities, accessibility, and student wellbeing.
The last known refurbishment of the RHUL gym was in 2014 with the last recorded improvements taking place in 2023 – that only being roof repairs and reception redecorating.
In a survey issued by The Orbital’s News team, 80% of participants voted that they did not think the university gym was being adequately funded. When asked what improvements they would like to see done to the gym, ‘expanded space’ was selected by 80% of voters and ‘new or ungraded equipment’ by 53.3% of voters.
Students have also reported the lack of cleanliness and regular maintenance that the gym receives. One student reporting:
“The male bathrooms have smelt of raw sewage on and off for the last 3 years and nothing concrete has been done to change that fact other than saying it will be redone in 2032. It’s really disgusting to be in there and the fact they’ve never done anything about it is laughable seeing the amount of work done to the rest of campus constantly.”
In an age of increasing isolation, the gym has become a frequent third-space for many students with over 40% of survey-takers going daily, and an extra 33.3% reportedly going multiple times a week.
But this has come into contention with the price of the membership, making the space less accessible for students who may want to hang-out with friends whilst staying active. One student explained:
“In comparison to other commercial [gyms] (like the Staines PureGym) and other university campus gyms, RHUL gym facilities are ridiculously overpriced for it’s dated equipment. Its opening hours are also not student-friendly at all—opening at 7am and closing at 10pm hardly accommodates commuters and those working part-time. Their app is also incredibly difficult to navigate and faulty. There’s been many times where my friends and I have asked for in-person help to renew my membership, just to be directed to use the app.”
With a rising cost-of-living crisis resulting in reduced physical activity in students, membership costs have become a topic of debate. While maintaining fitness facilities is costly, the current pricing structure at RHUL has raised concerns about accessibility for lower-income students.
Another student reported:
“It’s too small and there’s not enough space or equipment available. It can often get overcrowded and the prices they charge for it don’t fall in line with the quality of the gym. To charge such a price, the gym should have adequate room and equipment for a university with thousands of students.”
The quality of equipment is one of the main issues for RHUL gym-goers, with there being lack of pins and clips for the cable machines, an out-of-use stairmaster, and frequently faulty treadmills.
With a full-time student population of around 12,699, Royal Holloway operates a gym with a maximum capacity of just 60 people. Even accounting for varying usage patterns, this imbalance helps explain the regular queues and overcrowding reported by students during peak hours.
In a statement sent by Royal Holloway’s Sports Centre team, they said: “Royal Holloway is committed to providing a safe, well-maintained gym environment for all students, staff and community members, and we welcome student feedback as part of that ongoing commitment. The Active Lifestyle and Sport team has made a number of improvements in recent years and continuously monitors and responds to user needs, always looking at ways to further enhance the experience for our members.”
As a university that prioritises sport and activity, with four outdoor courts and a multi-use sports hall, it raises questions on how the gym’s maintenance, accessibility and development has fallen behind.
Image via Royal Holloway, University of London