California Fitness S'pore closes Raffles outlet; members upset and fearful
California Fitness Singapore's notice that its Raffles Club gym has been closed. Photo: California Fitness Singapore's Facebook page
SINGAPORE — California Fitness Singapore closed its Raffles Club at Republic Plaza at Raffles Place on Saturday morning (July 16), sparking fears among its members that the gym operator’s troubles in Hong Kong and China are now spreading to Singapore.
California Fitness Singapore posted a message on its Facebook page at around 8am on Saturday which simply said: “Dear Members, Raffles Club is closed until further notice. Members please proceed to Novena and Bugis Clubs. Thank you.”
The post has, as of 12.45pm, attracted 167 comments and 248 shares. Said Aw Yong Jack in reply to the Facebook post: “Please give us a very good explanation why it is closed. It’s leaving a bad taste in the mouth for many California (Fitness) patrons.”
Another member, Keith Koo, wrote: “I am more concerned whether we can get compensated if the gym closes, for members who have paid for the membership.”
Another, Tan Ye Jia, rued purchasing a gym membership from California Fitness recently. “My office just moved to Raffles...Only been here for about two months,” said Tan. “A very good salesperson at Raffles Place convinced me to sign up and put a few thousand in it.
“Please provide good service, I want to hear good news, not about the gym closing down. It’s my hard-earned money after all.”
However, there has been no official reply from California Fitness Singapore so far.
TODAY tried contacting the company but its spokesman could not be reached for comment.
California Fitness Singapore now has two outlets - at Bugis and Novena Square (above; photo: California Fitness Singapore) after the closures of its Ngee Ann City and Raffles Place gyms
Earlier this week, JV Fitness, which owns the gym franchise in Hong Kong, China and Singapore, closed all its 12 branches in Hong Kong on Tuesday (July 12), with the outlets in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou following suit.
According to the South China Morning Post, the firm - Hong Kong’s second-largest gym operator - owes an estimated HK$130 million (S$22.6 million) in rent and other operating costs. Its sole director Wong Lun, who is not in Hong Kong, is wanted by the Customs and Excise Department following the arrest of two senior executives on Monday.
The abrupt closure had left some Singapore gym members jittery about the future of the fitness chain here. California Fitness further added to the uncertainty when it could not respond to TODAY’s queries by press time on Thursday (July 14). (see previous report: http://bit.ly/29K41Uc)
However, in a report on Friday (July 15), The Straits Times quoted a California Fitness Singapore spokesman as saying that “California Fitness Hong Kong and California Fitness Singapore operate separately and independently”.
California Fitness Singapore came under the spotlight earlier this year when it closed its Ngee Ann City outlet in February. Its remaining three outlets were in Novena, Bugis and Raffles Place.
According to media reports, the Consumers Association of Singapore has assisted in 11 complaints against California Fitness Singapore this year.
