David Lloyd Clubs has begun excluding men from parts of its gyms to accommodate women who feel uncomfortable using shared spaces, including for “religious reasons”.
The gym has introduced weekly women-only spa sessions in a number of branches following “significant feedback” from female members who said they felt unable to use the shared spa facilities while men were present.
Correspondence from the gym group to customers said this could be “for religious reasons, because of past experiences or because they feel more comfortable”, adding that it made the difference between “feeling able to use the spa or avoiding it altogether”.
Some female members have lauded the scheme in videos on social media, saying it would make going to the spa more enjoyable without “sleazy men” present. One woman dressed in a “burkini” – a full-body swimsuit designed for female modesty – said it “means a lot for Muslim women”.
But it has caused a row, with the upmarket gym now facing accusations of “banning” men in defiance of equality laws that prohibit discrimination – including indirect discrimination caused by rules and policies – against an individual or group of a certain sex, age, race or other protected characteristic.
The gym has received a number of complaints from customers saying the two-hour sessions would be unfair because they would stop men being able to use the facilities at peak times, with no reduction in fees nor an equivalent men-only session being offered.
Others who have couples’ memberships have also said it would stop them going to the spa at the same time.
One formal complaint seen by The Telegraph about a new single-sex session starting this week said: “Banning male members during prime peak hours (Thursday 18:00-20:00) with absolutely no equivalent male-only provision is not balanced.
“It is active discrimination. If you want to run exclusive sessions, they belong in off-peak hours, not by removing peak access for half your membership base.”
The customer, a man, added: “You cannot unilaterally remove peak-time access to facilities I pay a premium subscription for and offer nothing in return.”
Another member, a woman, said: “If this happened the other way around everyone would be talking about it.”
David Lloyd Clubs is one of Britain’s biggest gym groups, with more than 800,000 members in clubs across Europe and the UK.
Founded in 1982 by the former tennis player and Davis Cup captain of the same name, membership fees for its top-tier packages cost more than £250 a month. The company was sold to Premier Inn owner Whitbread in 1995 and is now owned by private equity firm TDR Capital.
Its women-only sessions are currently in place at 15 out of 151 of its gyms and were brought in following trials.
They typically run for two hours once a week and have included screens being erected to protect female members from public view while bathing.
In correspondence with complainants, the company said that “the introduction of female-only spa retreat sessions fully aligns with the principles of the Equality Act 2010 and our commitment to diversity and inclusion”.
It added in an email: “The Act allows for single-sex sessions where they help meet specific needs or increase access and comfort for certain groups.”
It declined to comment further on the issue or say whether it had taken legal advice when approached by The Telegraph.
A spokesman said: “At David Lloyd Clubs, we are committed to listening to our members to ensure we offer the best possible experience and to making our clubs welcoming for everyone.
“The decision to introduce a weekly, two-hour female-only spa session was made after listening to feedback from many of our members across our clubs, who expressed a need for a short period of relaxation in a space exclusively for them.
“The spa retreat remains fully accessible outside of these clearly signposted times.
“We will continue to listen carefully to feedback from all members and would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to share their views.”