Pure Gym: the cheapest way to fitness?

Pure Gym in Spinningfields must be one of the cheapest places in the city centre to get into shape. With monthly membership at £15.99 a month, compared to over £45 a month at its competitors, you can't help wondering what the catch is. An excessive joining fee? Ancient equipment? A less than desirable work-out and changing environment?

According to the manager at Pure Gym, lots of people make these assumptions but they're all unfounded. The gym is cheap because it keeps staff levels to a minimum and doesn't have extras like fluffy towels, an overpriced cafe, or a sauna. In this way, it cuts costs without cutting corners. What you get is a clean, spacious gym with a huge range of state-of-the-art equipment and pleasant shower and changing areas. For most gym goers, that's all you really need.

Confidential went to check it out. It's located on Hardman Street in Spinningfields, less than a minute's walk from Deansgate.

The first difference between Pure Gym and a more conventional gym is that it doesn't have a reception desk. You type in a pin code to get inside then pass through an electronic turnstile. It lacks the human touch of a receptionist but many people prefer it – no small talk, no queues, no pretending to know your name when they're just reading it from a computer screen.

Once inside it's the size of the place that stands out. For £15.99 a month, you might expect a few dozen machines in a claustrophobic back room. Instead you find 170 pieces of new, high-tech equipment in an air-conditioned space the size of an aircraft hanger (several aircraft hangers in fact).

The layout is functional rather than fancy – it's for people who want to get fit rather than lounge around on a sofa or in a pool. So all the investment goes into the equipment – which includes just about everything you could want: cycles, powerplates, treadmills, weights and so on.

There's a circuit area which works every muscle group in a 30-minute routine – a green light tells you when to move from one machine to the next. There are matted areas for stretching, a weights room set aside from the main space, and a space for the free classes.

Described as more like workshops, these classes are ideal for new members who want guidance on using the equipment. They cost nothing – you just book in on one of the computer monitors dotted about the entrance area.

On to the changing areas. We were expecting something similar to a local authority leisure centre or swimming pool – a bit tatty, not that clean. In fact they were warm, spacious and, like the rest of the gym, well looked after. You won't feel like you're slumming it in here unless you consider designer hand-cream to be an essential part of your gym experience.

Another element that makes Pure Gym different is its 24-hour opening. You might question how useful that is if you're not an insomniac or shift worker, but it's handy to be able to drop in at 5.30am before an early start at work, or at 10pm after a late finish, without having to rush.

It's not staffed at night but a security firm keeps a close eye on everyone inside through CCTVs which cover every corner of the gym. And there are assistance buttons throughout, so if you load too many weights on that dumbbell, you won't be waiting until morning before someone rescues you.

In the day there are always two trained fitness instructors on the floor ready to help you use the equipment. But don't expect to encounter any sales staff – Pure Gym sees them as an another unnecessary expense. This is a gym where people can use the facilities on their terms, without pressure to sign anything.

It's why there's no contract. Just a joining fee of £20 and a monthly fee of £15.99. You can cancel your membership at any time, or freeze it at £5 a month if you're going away and won't be using it. Day passes cost £5.99.

All in all, it's a very good deal without any catches that we could see. It's almost too good to be believed – a problem that Pure Gym is gradually overcoming as membership grows and the word-of-mouth effect kicks in.

If you want a gym with high standards and a very low price, give it a go.

Click here to join or find out more.