Discover what our members said about membership value, wellbeing impact and future priorities.
In December, we ran our Annual Customer Survey. Those of you who joined before Friday 15 December, couldn’t have missed it, and again, we’re sorry for the annoying pop-up message in the app, but it was 100% worth it! This time, we’ve received 1471 results, which is almost double the number of responses compared to May 2025 and the second-highest number since 2015.
Thank you to everyone who took part and shared their thoughts, opinions, feelings, and more with us. We value it highly and appreciate each and every response. Your feedback allows us to understand you more, find out what you’d like to see more of, what you’re not fond of, what we can improve, and what we’re doing well. So let’s see what you think!
Who took part?
As I mentioned earlier, this time, we received the second-highest number of responses. Out of 1471 total responses, 45% were Students, 32% Public, 14% Staff and 11% Associates. This division is not far off from our actual member base, as Students form over 50% of all members, followed by Public, Associate and Staff members. 62% of all respondents currently hold a Ravelin membership, which is a great result that gives us an insight into both our current members and prospective future Ravelin members.
Thinking about joining?
Let’s first look at our potential future members. When talking about those who are currently not members with us (don’t hold an active Ravelin membership), we can divide this ‘non-member’ group into two, in this context, non-users and pay-as-you-go (PAYG) users. Non-users are those who never attend our sports centre on a PAYG basis or do so less than once a month. PAYG users are those who visit us regularly or at least once a month, but don’t have a paid membership subscription. Out of all non-members (non-users and PAYG users), 51% would consider joining us in the future, mainly with Core or Super membership, so we hope these results will help you make that decision!
Among PAYG users, 44% come once a week and 20% even multiple times a week! We can also see that most PAYG users are within the Associate group, and the most booked sessions are our Swimming sessions. Now let's do some calculations - our Swimming sessions are currently priced at £6.75, and Associate Core membership is £37.99 per month. So if you book 6 or more swimming sessions within one month, you can sign up for our Core membership and skip the hustle of paying each session individually, whether that’s online or at reception. Plus, you can access all our Fitness classes, have discounted Courses and activities and have Aqua classes included as well. Or get our Annual membership and get it even cheaper (equals £31.67 per month). If you don’t want to sign up for a membership, but still want to save some money, you can get our Super Sessions Pass - get 10 Gym, Swim or Fitness classes for just £60 (just £6 per session) and book within 3 months.
Student membership
Get a 12-month membership at Ravelin Sports Centre for the price of 9, before Monday 6 October
Staff membership
For University of Portsmouth staff and contractors, UPAT staff, ICP staff and Innovation Connect members
Associate membership
Memberships for University of Portsmouth graduates, the families of students and staff (that share an address), retired staff and over 60s
"I really do feel that being a student, you need a place to workout and feel welcomed! That's Ravelin Sports centre for me! Love the vibes and the system here!!"
Anonymous Member
Our members
Now, let’s look at our members. As a university facility, the majority of our members are students, but our public, staff and associate members are equally important to us. Survey results show that most of our members first heard about us through word of mouth - from their friends, family and colleagues, or by just walking past, coming for a quick tour and talking to our amazing staff.
When it comes to membership tiers, the biggest group is now Super members at 44%, Ultimate members make up 35%, and Core members 22%. Most members use their membership multiple times a week (70%), which is brilliant to see - it means you're getting great value from your membership! And speaking of value, 86% of members told us they feel their membership represents good value for money, which we're really pleased about. Students in particular rate us highly here, with 90% agreeing they get good value. Our memberships are priced to be as accessible as possible. As one member put it, at a good price, you get high-quality facilities that motivate you to keep training and looking after yourself. And it's not just about the gym - many of you told us that having a swim, sauna, fitness classes and gym access all under one roof makes the membership far better value than paying individually elsewhere.
One of the most important findings in this survey is the difference in activity levels between members and non-members. 54% of Ravelin members meet the government's recommended guidelines of 150+ minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week, compared to just 37% of non-members. We're not saying membership is a magic fix, but having somewhere to go, classes to book, and a community around you genuinely makes a difference to how active you are. Whether it's the routine of coming in, the variety of what's on offer, or simply having a reason to get moving on a grey Tuesday morning, it all adds up. We know that being regularly active has a huge impact on both physical and mental health - it reduces stress, improves sleep, boosts energy and mood, and contributes to long-term wellbeing in many ways. So if you're on the fence about joining, those numbers might just be the nudge you need.
A huge 94% of student members told us that using UOP Sport positively impacts their physical and mental wellbeing, and 93% said it has had a positive impact on their student experience overall. These are genuinely brilliant numbers, and they reflect something we believe deeply - that being active is one of the most powerful things you can do for yourself while you're at university.
It also showed that 89% of student members feel that Ravelin has played a part in increasing their engagement in sport and physical activity, and 83% feel like they belong at university. Belonging is something we care a lot about, and we want Ravelin to be a place where every student feels at home, whether you're a competitive athlete or someone who just wants to swim a few lengths after a long day.
University of Portsmouth students are actually more active than the national average - 67% of you are doing 150+ minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per week, compared to 64% nationally. That's something to be genuinely proud of. But we also know that for students who aren't yet using Ravelin, the barriers are often about confidence, social connection and accessibility more than activity levels themselves.
Throughout the year, we run multiple events designed to help you start your active journey, build your confidence and help you find new friends – because we know how hard and intimidating it is to start your life at university in a new city. We run the Takeover (previously called Girls’ Night) twice a year, which encourages women (cis and trans), non-binary people and those who align with womanhood, to exercise and socialise in a safe space and start their active journey. We also run events like Give Me Sport, Welcome Week, One World Dance Festival and way more.
To our staff members, thank you for taking part – we know December is a busy time of year. 93% of staff members who use Ravelin told us it positively impacts their physical and mental wellbeing, and 90% value having sport and physical activity available at work. These numbers are a real testament to what sport can do for your working day.
Staff membership currently sits at 47% – lower than other groups - and we know from your feedback that the biggest barrier isn't the cost, it's time and work/life balance, cited by 55% of staff non-members. That resonates with us. We're thinking carefully about how we can make it easier to fit activity into your working day, whether that's dedicated morning sessions, lunchtime options, or other flexible access.
At the moment, we offer Staff Netball lunch-time sessions on Fridays and Staff Futsal lunch-time sessions on Tuesdays – get involved, have fun, get active and meet new colleagues. In collaboration with the Staff Wellbeing team we also offer ‘Take Time’ sessions throughout the term to help you get active.
Our Public members are our most enthusiastic advocates as they are more likely to be promoters of Ravelin Sports Centre than any other member group. 63% of Public respondents hold an active membership, and they use it well - you told us that having all the activities we offer in one place is what makes it such a good value.
For Public non-members, cost and lack of time are the main barriers, and we understand that. But if you’re thinking about joining and haven’t tried anything yet, it’s worth checking what’s available - PAYG sessions, courses, discounted annual memberships, Super Session passes and more. You can always come in to have a look around and ask questions.
Our Associate members are those who are over 60 years of age or have a connection to the university – university alumni, retired university staff members, direct family members of staff and students and Blue Light Card holders. 86% of Associate respondents hold an active membership, and they are the most satisfied group, with 91% agreeing that Ravelin represents good value for money.
86% of Associates spend more than 60 minutes doing physical activity per week, and their main motivation is to keep fit/active. 81% agrees that doing physical activity enhances their life, which is reflected in their wellbeing score - Associates report the highest wellbeing score of 45%, with only 4% reporting low wellbeing.
Are you on the right membership?
We know that choosing the right membership can feel like a bit of a puzzle, so we want to make sure you're on the tier that's right for you. Our Core membership includes swimming, aqua classes, and fitness classes. Super membership adds gym access on top of that, and our Ultimate membership is the full package - gym, swim, classes, sauna, climbing, squash, free 2-hour parking and other discounts included.
One finding that really stood out to us is that 31% of Core members said they'd consider upgrading for gym access. If you're a Core member and you've been using our gym on a pay-as-you-go basis, it almost certainly makes financial sense to upgrade. Have a look at our memberships page or pop in and chat to us at reception, and we'll work out the best option for you.
The most popular reason members would consider upgrading? Free parking (20%) and climbing (18%) came out on top, closely followed by squash (13%). If parking is a barrier for you, it's worth knowing that we do offer two hours of free parking with an Ultimate membership for Public, Associate and Staff members. If you have a Core or Super membership, it would be just an extra £5 or £9 monthly to upgrade to an Ultimate membership. That equals paying twice or three times for parking, on top of your membership. As a sustainable centre, we always encourage you to walk, take a bus or cycle to Ravelin, but we understand that that’s not always possible for everyone, so if you do drive, it might be worth upgrading to Ultimate membership and getting all the perks. If you’d like more information, check out our website or speak to our team at reception.
"Having all these options under one roof is truly amazing because pursuing all these activities would cost much more separately. It also saves a huge amount of time travelling between places! All these options work well to keep my training varied, fun and interesting throughout the year."
Anonymous Member
Value for money
86% of you said Ravelin offers good value for money, which is something we're very proud of. But we also want to be honest about where the frustrations are, because you were honest with us, and we appreciate that. Overcrowding in the gym came up, as did the booking system, and maintenance response times. These are all fair points, and we're actively working on improving them.
On the booking system specifically, we hear you. A better gym-booking experience with clearer peak-time visibility is something we're working to improve. We know some of you are frustrated by having to book your gym slot, and we understand. While we’re working on an improvement, this is the best way to keep the gym a safe space and for you to see how busy the gym is. Also, if you book earlier, you have a guaranteed space later.
On maintenance: 69% of you are satisfied with how we resolve maintenance issues, which is up slightly from May, but 10% are still not happy, and that matters to us. If you ever spot something that needs fixing, please do report it at reception – the more we know, the quicker we can act.
In terms of the current issues with our Sauna, we read all your feedback, and we understand how frustrating it is. As we communicated before, a flood in the plant room caused the sauna’s suppression system to fail, which meant it could no longer be operated safely. Separately, and unrelated to the flood, the specialist wood inside the sauna has deteriorated over time and now needs replacing. Due to the specific type of wood required to withstand high temperatures, sourcing the correct materials is taking a little longer than usual. But we’re happy to let you know that our contractors have replaced the specialist wood, and now we’re just waiting for the suppression system to be fixed, which is scheduled for the week starting 23 February. So keep an eye out for updates!
What do you want more of?
We asked both members and non-members what activities they'd love to see us offer, and across all groups, the top three were Pilates courses (41-44%), strength and conditioning (35-36%) and yoga (29-33%). Most of you know that we already offer Pilates and Yoga sessions throughout the week and they are very popular, so the results are no surprise to us! We've recently introduced our new Pilates for Beginners course, which is a big hit. It’s a small-class course that is suitable for anyone and offers a personalised approach, in-depth explanations, and teaches important Pilates basics. You can find all our current and upcoming courses on our website. We’re also looking to launch intermediate and advanced Pilates courses in the near future.
Other activities you told us you're keen on include weight lifting courses, dance, adult climbing courses, Reformer Pilates, personal training and nutrition courses. We're currently running a Learn to Lift course, Latin Revolution dance course and a Nutrition course - so keep an eye out and join next time. Reformer Pilates is a growing international trend which we’re aware of and are discussing if it is a possibility for our sports centre.
For our Core members specifically, 50+ strength training was a standout interest (32%), and for our Ultimate members, adult climbing courses were particularly popular (30%) - so if you're already a climber or curious about getting started, check out our climbing wall and current sessions on our website.
Ravelin Courses
Explore our Courses - from nutrition, dance, pilates to learning how to lift! Our Courses run regularly throughout the year, so keep an eye out for updates.
Would you recommend us?
Our Net Promoter Score (NPS) came in at +35 this wave, with 50% of you classed as promoters. Public members and associates are our biggest advocates, while students tend to sit more in the 'passive' category – meaning a fairly neutral experience rather than a positive or a negative one, but we want to do better than neutral for you.
Our members know that we send out a questionnaire to everyone every 3 months to find out if you’d recommend us to your friends. This gives us an insight into what our members think about us, but the response rate is not as high as we would love it to be. To reward you for sharing your thoughts and to increase the number of responses, we’re introducing a new incentive. Each month, we’ll pick one member who rated us and reward them with a free month! To find out more about this and see how it’s going to work, check out the full details.
"I find it very good value for money because it's an amazing facility with a very good vibe to it, the centre as a whole is nicely furnished and is visually appealing. The machines and weights in the gym are very good and it has everything you need to train effectively. There's something for everyone, if you don't enjoy gym then you can go swimming or do other activities that the sports centre has to offer. All the staff and members are very friendly and the price you pay for all of this is minimal compared to other gyms and sports centres I've been to in the past."
Anonymous Member
What would make you sign up with us?
For those who aren't members yet, the biggest barriers were cost (49%) and lack of time (33%). Lack of confidence when using the facilities was cited by 14% of respondents - and this is something we take really seriously. We want everyone to feel their best, confident, and happy.
We already offer inductions and guided sessions, and our staff are always happy to show you around or talk you through how to use the equipment. We also offer guided facility tours during Welcome Week for new students. If you've ever felt unsure about coming in, feel free to reach out to us and speak to our staff around the centre. We have a friendly team that is always happy to help you, and there are plenty of ways in which we can support you to make your experience as good and comfortable as possible.
For those who would consider joining, the most popular incentives were cheaper membership options (61%), more flexible packages (42%) and special offers or free trials (33%). We do run offers throughout the year, including Early Bird memberships, 12 Days of Christmas and more, so it's always worth checking our website or following us on Instagram (@RavelinSportsCente and @uopsport) to stay up to date. And if you're interested in a more flexible approach, our pay-as-you-go prices and session passes mean you don't have to commit to a full membership to enjoy everything Ravelin has to offer.
Communications
63% of you rated our digital content and communications positively, which is encouraging, and the UOP Sport app remains the go-to platform for members (43%). For non-members and students, Instagram and email are more important touchpoints, so we'll be putting more focus there too.
The top improvement you'd like to see? Live timetables on the website, cited by 33% of respondents. This came up especially for non-members who want to see what's on before they visit or sign up. We hear you! Personalised suggestions (17%) and gamification features like virtual activity badges (13%) were also popular.
One thing that came through clearly in the free text is that pool closures and class cancellations aren't always communicated with enough notice. We know how frustrating it is to travel in and find that a session isn't running. We always try to inform you as quickly as we can, whether that’s through the app, email or a phone call. To make sure you’re always in the loop, please make sure your app notifications are switched on, and if you’re not getting emails from us, let us know, and we’ll change your preferences for you, or you can do this from your account online.
Sustainability
81% of you told us that sustainability is important to you - and it's very important to us too. Ravelin holds a BREEAM Outstanding rating, placing it in the top 1% of the most energy-efficient facilities in the UK, and that's something we're genuinely proud of.
The building was designed with sustainability at its core. Our 684 rooftop solar panels generate around 200 MWh of renewable electricity a year, natural ventilation and skylights reduce our need for artificial lighting and cooling, and pool water is filtered and reused to flush toilets throughout the building. Oh, and the energy you generate on the gym equipment? That helps power the building too - so every session counts in more ways than one! Outside, the green park and wildflower planting surrounding Ravelin support local biodiversity, and being right in the heart of campus means most of you can walk or cycle here without a second thought.
Day to day, we use planet-friendly cleaning products throughout the centre, and last year we introduced new, clearly labelled recycling bins and dedicated coffee cup bins across the building. One thing some of you called out in the survey was our paper parking tickets, and we're already working on a more sustainable and more convenient alternative.
For the full picture of everything we do, head to our Sustainability page, as there's a lot more to it than you might expect!
Looking ahead
Thank you again, genuinely, for every single response. You've given us a huge amount to work with, and this survey directly shapes our decisions - from the classes we programme to the improvements we make to the app, the booking system and the facility itself.
The headline is a good one: Ravelin is valued, well-used, and making a real difference to the lives of students, staff and the wider Portsmouth community. But we know there's more to do, and we're committed to doing it.
Joining and memberships
You can sign up for a health and fitness membership at Ravelin Sports Centre today.
