Gym chain Derrimut 24:7 moves to explain after customers blast new opening hours

When a popular “24/7” gym chain cut its opening hours at 12 branches without explanation, customers let loose their fury – and the operator swiftly responded.

Several branches of popular gym chain Derrimut 24:7 announced a significant cut in operating hours on Tuesday, but the chain quickly backtracked and explained why after masses of angry customers complained online.

On Tuesday afternoon, some Derrimut members were informed by email that from next week, the 24-hour gym would be open from 8am to 5pm on weekends, and 6am to 10pm on weekdays, without a reason why.

By evening, dismayed customers had flocked to Facebook and Reddit to vent their rage, encouraging each other to complain to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission while sharing quips such as: “Their name is literally Derrimut 24:7.”

Derrimut 24/7 Gym at Windsor Gardens. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Roy VanDerVegt

Bodybuilder Jess Rush pictured at Derrimut Gym, Newcomb, in 2022. Picture: Brad Fleet

On Wednesday afternoon – after The Advertiser contacted the chain’s head office – some Derrimut customers received another email with a “further update”.

It said the chain was “excited to share” several branches would transition to fob tag entry within two to four weeks.

“This means that the temporary trading hours effective Monday 3rd of March 2025 will transition back to a 24-hour access once the FOB (sic) tag access has been implemented,” the email read.

The temporary change would affect six gyms in South Australian and six in Victoria, while other sites would be unaffected.

The gym chain, which started in Victoria, lists a combined 27 sites in South Australia and Victoria on its website.

Derrimut 24:7 Port Adelaide member Mikayil Makras, 50, told The Advertiser he had been “pissed off” by the initial announcement because he would no longer be able to attend the gym outside of his demanding work hours.

He said he was satisfied by the fob solution, but unimpressed at how the situation was handled.

One of several Facebook posts following the initial announcement, which garnered hundreds of comments, said: “This isn’t good enough, especially when they literally just did a special (offering cheaper memberships) not even (a few) weeks ago, without any notification that they were changing.”

One commenter said: “They will need to change their name and take away the 24:7 off their name if it’s not going to be honoured.”

Others called it “a joke” and said the chain “best be prepared to refund memberships”.

However, some online sleuths noted Derrimut 24:7’s membership terms and conditions allowed a change in opening hours.

“Derrimut … reserves the right to make changes to the opening hours, Group Fitness timetable, pricing, these terms and conditions or any of its services at its sole discretion,” reads the chain’s fine print.

Derrimut 24:7 was contacted for comment.

Originally published as Gym chain Derrimut 24:7 moves to explain after customers blast new opening hours