Sports Centre prices

[noah]

So, is it just me or has anyone else in St Andrews over the summer noticed that some of the new sports centre prices are almost double the old prices? It now costs 4.20 to hire a tennis court, and I'm pretty sure it was 2.20 last year. Anyone got any info about this?

[Annie]

I'm new to campus this year... so, cleary, I don't have your answer But, I am wondering if all the sports centers cost money? I assumed being a student would allow us to use facilities for free?

[sambo2]

yeh Im not a student yet either, but have been using it as an associate - the price for a gym session rose from 2.70 to 3.00.. why? there seems to be no improvement or investment in the facility and that rise is way above inflation..

[Super Jock]

The sport centre prices are a bit rubbish, considering how poor the facilities are. Any staff reading this, I'm not digging at you, your are very nice and helpful. But still, I'd really like to see where the funds go. The gym is only ok, the pitches can't take any weather abuse, and there is no swimming pool. Then they rob you if you try to bring a guest, or if you are in a club and haven't paid the annual fee.

From what I've to compare with, we are not getting value for money. Just there's no real alternative in St Andrews.

[Hennessy]

Easr Sands leisure centre has a small gym and a swimming pool that's reonpened, which is enough for me. I think the membership is about £15 a month with a fifestyle card, which you can apply for as a student at the front desk. Perfect if you live in or close to Albany Park, but a bit of stretch if you don't (still, you could always use a jog there as a form of warm up provided the weather isn't appalling)

[noah]

Annie, yeah you have to pay a membership fee, then you pay every time you want to use a facility. There's a list of prices on the sports centre website.

SuperJock, couldn't agree more. The facilities are not very good, and they're expensive to use. The lack of a swimming pool is outrageous at a university like St Andrews. The new prices means that it's actually cheaper to play tennis at the Kinburn Park Tennis Club than at the sports centre, which is ridiculous.

You have to wonder where all the money goes- bearing in mind that FC Barcelona came to train here a couple of years ago, as well as the Scotland rugby team etc- surely they made a bit of money out of that?

[Snappy]

bearing in mind that FC Barcelona came to train here a couple of years ago, as well as the Scotland rugby team etc- surely they made a bit of money out of that?

Wouldn't be surprised if the powers that be pay money for the great and the good to make an appearance. Anything to add a bit of "prestige". The same way there are free gym sessions for those Students considered to be "elite" talents, whereas the rest of the slobs have to pay.

[ONeill]

I'm an associate member and while I've noticed the increase in prices I have to admit that they are still cheaper than other facilities in surrounding towns. Take the astro pitches as a good example. The same pitches (mostly all Fife Council run) elsewhere can cost anything from £12 to £40 (Fife Institute of Sport) for an hour of play and those at the expensive end of the scale fair no better with the weather conditions than those at the Sports Centre.

I can't comment on the Kinburn Park tennis court prices but my local club was taking £6 a court for an hour. I can see from the new price list that for a non member the Sports Centre are now charging the same. Perhaps they'll rethink that price if people opt to use Kinburn Park instead.

[d_24]

centers

Centres. Yer in Blighty now love.

[Power Metal Dom]

Not really answering the OP but...

I wouldn't recommend East Sands if only because I remember paying £12 or thereabouts for a fifestyle card where instead of paying £3 an hour for a swim it'd be £2 or something like that. Didn't end up getting my moneys worth. There is another gym called Citigym which is tucked behind Aldi near the NGs chinese takeaway (http://preview.tinyurl.com/npmbyp) but don't know anything more than that.

[orudge]

I wouldn't recommend East Sands if only because I remember paying £12 or thereabouts for a fifestyle card where instead of paying £3 an hour for a swim it'd be £2 or something like that. Didn't end up getting my moneys worth.

Well, if you're swimming a lot, it does still obviously make sense to get the card. You'd break even after 12 sessions at those prices.

[Power Metal Dom]

True, I should have said 'wouldn't recommend if you don't plan to swim regularly'. A mate of mine did the same thing, signing up thinking it'd pay for itself eventually and then just became too busy and he was £20 odd out of pocket.

[Super Jock]

The East Sands pool is far to hot to swim more than 20 length without thinking you've sweat out half the small pool. Then I bought a card and turn up three times and was turned away for the pool being booked. The last two times weren't on their website. Thanks for the heads up about the other gym, that's intriguing.

[noah]

I wonder if there would be an point writing to the principal about the inadequacy of sports facilities. if they want to make/ keep (controversial!) this a "world-class" university, they should start by trying to provide a more attractive environment, with better accommodation and sports facilities. As opposed to having the choice crumbling 70s residences with paper-thin walls and overpriced would-be classy accommodation, and a sports centre that has no swimming pool and charges a lot of money for mediocre facilities and service.

Another thing that annoys me is how early the sports centre closes out of undergrad term time. Postgrads make up over 20% of the student body so why should we only have access to a reduced service?

I find the sports centre frustrating to deal with, can you tell?

[donpablo]

I would say it's worth a shot. For the price they charge for DRA you would expect a free gym to be in the facilities building let alone having to walk down to that dilapidated exam hall they call a sports centre. Seriously my old high school had better facilities and that wasn't one of your posh fancy expensive private schools, far from it, but at least it had a pool!

[Super Jock]

That would be a fancy school to me. My school didn't even have working showers. Though I do remember my school parading an award for being efficient with money... it's all adding up.