Fury at ‘dishonest’ media response from David Lloyd Clubs

By ALAN THATCHER, Squash Mad Editor - click here for full article on SquashMad

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Squash players all over the UK are up in arms at plans by David Lloyd Clubs to close the majority of their squash courts to make way for a new fitness circuit called Blaze.The gym and rackets-sports chain were last night accused of lying to their members after being challenged to explain the reason for using squash courts to deliver this new activity. Players are furious that squash, rated the healthiest sport of all, is being sacrificed to make way for an untried programme that David Lloyd clearly hope will turn into the latest money-spinning fitness fad.

Several thousand members are understood to be affected by this new directive. Many have written to Squash Mad to complain. When I put their arguments to David Lloyd via email, my request for a media statement went unanswered.

When I posed the question on social media platform Twitter, an anonymous David Lloyd spokesperson responded by saying: “If our members wish to discuss why we will be introducing a Blaze studio to their Club in place of the courts, members should speak with the General Manager there as it was ultimately their decision to make this change.”

In response, I Tweeted: “Please clarify your remarks. You are expecting us to believe that various General Managers, at a number of locations, all decided independently to kill squash and use the courts for these untried Blaze circuits.” No reply was forthcoming.