On Monday 1st July, an email was sent out to York Sport Village members, announcing that from the 1st August 2024, the Student Saver Membership would increase from £30 per month to £33.
York Sport Village is the large multi-use leisure centre on Campus East, and was completed in 2012. Despite not increasing prices since 2018, York Sport have decided that before the start of the new academic year, the Student Saver Membership (which allows members access to the gym, pool, studios and the Sauna at restricted times throughout the day) will now cost £33 per month. These price increases are in light of a big refurbishment to the Centre’s gym that was completed on the 31st July.
Officially speaking, the ‘Village’ (alongside York Sport Centre on Campus West) used to be operated by a separate entity to the University, as York Sports Village LLP (Limited Liability Partnership), before its assets were hived up to the University in August 2023, as revealed by the University’s financial documents published in January 2024. In the email to members, York Sport confirmed that as of 1st of August 2024, York Sports Village LLP will no longer legally exist and it will operate fully as a part of the University, despite the latter already owning 100% of its assets for nearly a year.
It is unclear what impact this will have on students, but the price increase shows that for now, there are no cost benefits for this change in ownership for students having a ‘Village’ membership. It could be that these moves are financially motivated, or this is an attempt by the University to eventually improve access to sport facilities for its athletes to improve not only their chances at Roses, but BUCS performances in general. However, again, because of the price increase, this suggests more of the former than the latter and that the Village could become a purely profit-making venture for the University in order to shore up its deficits.
Also in the email, York Sport confirmed that access times to the ‘Village’ gym for students on the Saver membership will change from 6:00-16:00 on weekdays to 7:00-14:00. They claim this is because of a change in “gym usage patterns [that] we have seen since the return to facilities post-covid” yet this reduction of three hours will reduce flexibility for students on a saver membership to access the gym to fit around their university timetable or for athletes like University rowers around their early morning sports team schedule. It is easy to see this change becoming controversial, and alongside the price increase, the benefits of a York Sport Village Student Saver Membership could become increasingly difficult to defend.
Keith Morris, the University’s Head of Sport, gave Vision Sport the following statement on these changes to York Sport Village Memberships and the refurbishments made to the gym that were completed by Wednesday 31st July:
“York Sport membership prices have not changed since August 2018 despite significant increases in the cost of delivering services and operating the facilities over the last 6 years.
The recent University of York Active Lives Survey again mirrored national Active Lives Survey results in referencing access to facilities, time, cost and having someone to train with as considerations affecting participation.
These factors and challenges have been recognised by York Sport and raised with University of York Students’ Union and University sports working group members, as we have sought to create more offers and incentives for students than ever before.
12 month memberships remain available at 12 months for the price of 10, reducing the overall cost of membership. We also remain committed to providing student-focussed membership offers and activities, including our off-peak student membership, which will shortly be available at York Sport Centre for the first time, as well as continuing our work with Sports President Tanisha Jain, colleges and the University Access and Outreach team.
Users will benefit from over £600k invested into the refurbishment of the gym and cafe at York Sport Village, as well as improvements at York Sport Centre which will increase the amount of equipment and improve the changing facilities.
These are improvements that have been specifically requested by users and hopefully the student members will see the value in the quality of their facilities as demand for activity on campus continues to grow.”
Vision reached out to Tanisha Jain York SU Sports Officer for comment. She said: “As much as I understand that the price increase was needed since the membership prices hadn’t been raised since 2018 in line with inflation, I was not informed or consulted prior to this increase and will be working closely with York Sport to ensure that our students get the best out of their time at York.”