I contacted this gym to attend an open mat session. I fully understood and respected the gym's policy regarding open-mat attendance, which was members-only. I had no issue following whatever requirements were in place.
The staff member I initially spoke with was polite, professional, and helpful. She explained that there might not be many people available to train with, and she made it clear that no one could show up and that it wouldn't make sense to do the open mat. I was willing to accept that risk and was happy to pay any required fee. Still willing to pay. And before, I was told to book a class by email, which I was completely fine with. I was about to ask the staff member a follow-up question regarding booking a class, attending open mat, and paying the fee. Before I could even finish speaking, the owner interrupted me, took over the phone, and I never got the chance to ask the question. Unfortunately, the conversation changed completely when the owner became involved.
Without really giving me a chance to explain myself, I was accused of being dishonest and told that I had no intention of attending. This was frustrating because I had already explained that there were previous occasions when I intended to come but couldn't due to work commitments. Somehow, that was interpreted as me not being serious about training.
To avoid any misunderstanding, I even offered to sign up for a membership. I wasn't asking for special treatment, free training, or an exception to the rules. I simply wanted to train and was willing to pay whatever was required. Even that offer was rejected. During the conversation, the owner told me, "I have 500 students. I don't need you." Whether that was meant literally or not, it made it very clear that treating a potential customer with basic respect was not a priority.
What made the situation worse was that the conversation became personal. The owner asked where I was from, then made negative comments about my country and my place of origin. At that point, the discussion had nothing to do with open mats, memberships, or gym policy. It became unnecessarily hostile and unprofessional. I just wanted to find a gym to train.
What makes this experience even more confusing is that on a previous occasion, another staff member told me I could pay £25 to attend an open mat. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to make it at that time due to work commitments. That now seems to have been held against me and used as evidence that I wasn't genuine about wanting to train, which simply isn't true.
I've trained at many academies over the years. Every gym has its own rules, and I respect that. I have absolutely no problem being told "no." The issue isn't the decision. The issue is the way it was handled.
Throughout the call, I was repeatedly talked over and never given a clear explanation for why the owner was so angry. The overall impression was that he had already made up his mind before the conversation even started and had no interest in having a respectful discussion.
The contrast between the professionalism of the staff member and the owner's behavior could not have been greater. One treated me with courtesy and respect. The other treated me as though I were a problem before I had even stepped through the door.
I was genuinely interested in training here and was fully prepared to pay whatever fee was required. After this interaction, however, I no longer feel welcome and have no interest in supporting a business that treats potential customers this way. Yet they probably don't care about my support lol.
Being denied access to a gym is not the issue. Being treated with disrespect is.
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Posted 4 months ago
