Old School Jim’s Bodybuilding & Fitness image

Old School Jim’s Bodybuilding & Fitness

Gym Vitamin and supplements store Sports nutrition store

One of the Top rated Gyms in Newcastle-under-Lyme


Address

Midland House, London Rd, Chesterton, Newcastle ST5 7JB, United Kingdom

Website

www.old-school-jims.co.uk

Contact

+44 191 816 3020

Rating on Google Maps

4.90 (204 reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Wednesday: 6 am to 10 pm
  • Thursday: 6 am to 10 pm
  • Friday: 6 am to 10 pm
  • Saturday: 7 am to 7 pm
  • Sunday: 7 am to 7 pm
  • Monday: 6 am to 10 pm
  • Tuesday: 6 am to 10 pm

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: equipment (27) staff (14) friendly (13) great (12) members (10) floor (9) atmosphere (7) floors (7) years (7) member (7)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 Matthew G. 2 years ago on Google • 163 reviews
    Been coming to Jims for around a year now, it was brilliant when I joined and it keeps getting better. Paul and others are all welcoming and happy help when assistance needed. More equipment than you'll ever need, whatever your goal. Fellow members respect the place and ensure plates returned after exercise etc. All around top class place.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Kyle S. 2 years ago on Google
    amazing gym with great equipment and a warm welcoming atmosphere. The works are always willing to go above and beyond for you, they make you feel welcome and are always there to chat to. personally Nadine and joe have always made me feel welcome as well all everyone else. 10 out of 10 gym you should definitely give it a go 👏👏
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Kate S. 4 months ago on Google • 13 reviews
    Would not recommend - a gym to avoid. Updated for clarity and owners benefit* We kept our ongoing membership active until October 23 - and HAVE visited since then several times out of necessity - someone probably ought to have checked that. The attitude of the owner is arrogant and egotistical as clearly seen by his reply. The gym is generally in poor condition, several of the pieces are fake (awkward) and the previous review was based on what was - and I stand by - a great gym when we first joined before the owner ruined the place. So maybe Paul - if you spent more time focusing on your business (or is it your business?) and less time on social media you wouldn’t get a bad review 😉
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 J W. 5 months ago on Google • 73 reviews
    Absolutely incredible place. Staff and even the fellow gym goers are friendly and helpful. I feel at home when I visit, I wish I lived closer for a monthly membership. I failed on a bench the other day and somebody ran to help, my usual gym somebody would have just recorded it. Fantastic gym, staff, members, and equipment. I love my visits there.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Thair M. 9 months ago on Google • 62 reviews
    The Best Gym In Staffordshire, Packed with Hammer Smith Equipment. Dedicated three floors full with equipment, having strong man floor, leg and cardio floor, ground floor chest, arms, back and shoulders the list carrys on. The vibe in this place is absolutely buzzing amazing, staff to members everyone is friendly and helpful. Old School caters for all type gym user from beginners, intermediate to advanced. Get a day visit booked, check this place out, highly recommended.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Jaspar P. 4 months ago on Google • 3 reviews
    Trained in lots of gyms over the years including golds Venice and power house in the states. Jim's is on that top level, it has brilliant kit for body-building, powerlifting and strongman, friendly staff and a relaxed atmosphere. The gym is constantly being improved and prices remain very reasonable.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Albert W. 9 months ago on Google
    Firstly, the gym has a great variety of equipment. Extremely good quality equipment too. For me personally i felt the gym lacks any atmosphere, its all a bit too bleak and dark for me. The Same music always played. Just my opinion based on my own particular tastes. Although there are good sized floors and a third floor containing a studio/posing area and a strongman room, the layout feels more segregated than open plan. And certain members may feel uncomfortable in certain areas, albeit there is a lot of cctv. I feel it would benefit a second desk on the second floor. Would improve atmosphere also. Have perhaps the clothing shop area on the second floor. That is manned. Or a PT meeting area for PTs and clients. Pricing is quite good and competitive, not a great deal more than a budget gym but a great deal less than your M Clubs etc As for clientele, no real reason to feel insecure or intimidated here. Some members think they own the gym. Some arrogant members and the woman who works/worked here is very loud and obnoxious. Suppose you get them at every gym. Also, just to add, the gym name suggests it is an old school/retro /70s,80s arnie style gym. But there are far too many tri pod warriors here. Too many people filming. Too many photo shoots. At this rate it should be called 'Tik Tok Jims'. Its why i decided to leave. Owner and management really ought to tone that down. Limit amount of tripods. Have periods of the day where filming and shooting is banned. So areas for improvement but if you are looking for some where with the best equipment around, you can't go wrong. Edit : why have you edited your response? Yes Albert Wesker isnt my real name. He was a characted from a video game. But yes i was a long time member. Thanks.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Darren H. 1 year ago on Google
    Great gym just went for a day pass but really well kitted out everything you could want and more, most people were friendly
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Ariij A. 1 year ago on Google
    Amazing gym with friendly staff and an impressive range of equipment. Although they have a majority of male customers the female changing rooms and bathrooms are always well looked after and i have never felt uncomfortable there
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 A L C. 5 months ago on Google • 22 reviews
    Was a member here from around 2019 to 2022. Equipment is incredible and gym has three floors all really large. Spoilt for choice. I like to swap gyms every few years for a change of scenery so I'm no longer a member but I'll return one day absolutely as its the best gym I've used in staffs. Highly recommend.

  • 5/5 Oliver S. 2 years ago on Google
    All of the state-of-the-art equipment you’d hope to see in a top-tier bodybuilding facility, but with the kind of inclusive, welcoming culture of a local community gym. I’ve been training here for around 4-years now, in which time I’ve recommended family, friends and colleagues do the same. It’s an exceptional gym and a great place to start or progress your fitness journey.

  • 5/5 Sebastion R. 10 months ago on Google
    A Bodybuilding MECCA!!! Best Gym I've ever trained at! And after more than 20 years of training, and being a former amateur competitor I can honestly say nothing compares to this place! God Bless you JIM!! 🙏💪

  • 5/5 Mark D. 8 months ago on Google
    Went for treatment for backpain by the in-house sports therapist Camille. Fantastic very knowledgeable, and professional lady. Worked wonders on my back pain definitely going back, highly recommended.

  • 5/5 Iain A. 1 year ago on Google
    Possibly the best kitted gym in the area, by that I mean between Crewe and Stoke. Numerous machines, friendly and helpful staff and 3 floors of their own branded kit and cool memorials.

  • 4/5 Callum A. 1 year ago on Google
    The Venue is great with staff who are happy to advise on your fitness goals. There's equipment I didn't know existed and 3 floors of it. Boxing equipment and strongman gear, a good place for anyone.

  • 3/5 LMP 1 year ago on Google
    Great Gym, with some dodgy facilities. I've been a loyal member for a few years now, wanting to share my honest opinion on this gym. First things first this has to be one of the best gym equipment wise in the area. The gym is stacked with a huge variety of equipment - you name it they probably have it. The owner is constantly investing in new equipment aswell so helps to keep some variety in your workouts. There is one caveat where local competitors have a big edge, they only have 3 power/squat racks, a huge let down for an otherwise impressively equipped gym. It's not uncommon to have to wait to get on these even during off peak times. This has been helped somewhat by the fairly recent addition of dedicated texas deadlift bars (brilliant equipment) people can use to free up a platform, but it's still a massive weak point that I unfortunately don't think will ever change due to limited space. Staff + members are friendly, and the gym is very welcoming to everyone regardless of gender/experience/ability despite being a traditional 'bodybuilding' type of gym. A huge plus for Jim's! My only criticism of this place is the actual building and facilities itself. The gym definitely seems to take a no frills approach, which for me at least is tolerable for the quality of the actual equipment, but I know for some is a huge off put. The gym is very dirty I don't think the cleaning schedule goes further than the staff pushing the hoover around and wiping down machines. The mens toilets are to be quite honest, disgusting. I don't even dare touch the door when I need to go in as it's almost black with grime. Of course the members can shoulder some of the blame here for how aswell for how they treat them (urinate everywhere, never flush toilets etc) but I'm of the opinion that people will treat the environment equivalent to how its presented, and these have to be some of the worst about no wonder it looks like the staff don't want to clean them. I foolishly tried to use the downstairs showers once before aswell to find they didn't work and had to go to work after without showering, maybe this has been fixed now although I've not bothered since. Secondly there are cobwebs everywhere, don't dare look up at the ceiling on the ground floor if your scared of spiders! Some have been there for months, just an indication of how little regard is taken towards presenting a clean environment, it would take two seconds to sort out. And finally but for me the worst is the building itself seems to be in a general state of disrepair. The ceiling is literally falling down on the second floor (no doubt caused by the strongman room above) it took at least a week for them to seem to notice the hazard and move equipment. The walls have paint flaking off them everywhere from what looks like damp which no doubt affects the air quality and there's holes in plasterboard walls upstairs, dust on pretty much every flat surface that isn't gym equipment and all this just presents an overall shabby environment that has at least been attempted to be covered up with new advertising graphics. Perhaps the owner should maybe look at investing in the building itself not just the equipment especially given the ever increasing membership fee putting it well within reach of some of the more premium gyms in the area. Despite all this im still a member and I am happy to take it for what it is, I can overlook some of the flaws if I can get a great workout in but some of the things mentioned would make a massive difference to the overall experience for sure, especially given most of it is just poor cleaning/maintenance. Just wanted to share my honest opinion on Old Schools, and maybe the owner might take some of my points on board and make this a true 5* gym. Would recommend anyone whose never been to at least come and trial a day pass and see whether it's for them anyway. (not a fake review, just posted on a second account as I know the owner checks who's posted with their memberships and don't want to jepordise my membership!)

  • 5/5 Adnaan A. 1 year ago on Google
    By far the best gym in Stoke. Great welcoming staff and top tier selection of equipment and weights to use over 3 floors! Really well ran gym - can tell that they prioritise making their gym environment one where everybody feels comfortable regardless of gender/how big you are. Jims is a gym for all indeed!

  • 5/5 Gemma A. 2 years ago on Google
    I have been going to Jim’s for a couple of years now, it caters to all! Newbies, bodybuilders, power lifters, strong men and women. All the staff are friendly and helpful and the gym has a very wide range of equipment which is always being added to and updated. Massive range of supplements aswell as meals available. Free parking outside and across the road, what more could you ask for.

  • 5/5 James D. 1 year ago on Google
    Fantastic, this gym is geared up for everything. More equipment than u will ever need and well maintained with an abundance of weights so you will never be looking for a plate for your next set. Highly recommended.

  • 5/5 Carl P. 2 years ago on Google
    This gym is absolutely superb if you like the original old school Golds Gym set up, this is what body building is all about, loads of equipment great atmosphere no frills, I remember the great Dorian Yates who would refer to his Temple Gym as the dungeon! as this created the atmosphere of a proper gym, but it’s for everyone all kinds of people who love working out 🏋🏽‍♀️, I’ve been training in gyms for 25 years and I’m glad I’ve found this gym.

  • 5/5 Jack E. 2 years ago on Google
    I've been a member at Jims now for about 18 months and training here never gets old. The amount of kit is ridiculous and since I joined this has been constantly added to and updated. Along with all the equipment is an incredible atmosphere, the sound system bangs so it makes it a great place to train. There's a mutual respect between members who all keep the gym tidy...no machines left loaded with plates or plates littered around the gym floor like I'd become accustomed to in previous commercial gyms I'd trained at!

  • 5/5 Dan A. 2 years ago on Google
    I’ve been looking to join a gym for a while now, and after being a member of multiple gyms around Stoke this one stood out by a mile. I’ve ran past it numerous times on my running route and always thought about going in, I took a chance one day and am so glad I did. The gym is absolutely massive, packed full of equipment…different variations which I never knew existed. I started on a month by month basis but today committed to a 12 month membership. Everyone is really friendly and offer advice if you need it. Slowly getting my confidence back and looking forward to building back the muscle I lost during lockdowns

  • 5/5 Boggy 7 months ago on Google • 1 review
    Best gym in the north in my opinion, quality equipment and friendly staff couldn’t be happier. Only thing wrong with it is there isn’t enough pictures online to show people how good the gym actually is
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Jade A. 3 years ago on Google • 2 reviews
    I was super nervous to even walk through the doors for the first time... but WOW, the staff were so friendly and helpful. I’d been using a different gym for a number of years before this one and I felt more sense of community and belonging in old school’s after just a week! I speak to the staff a lot, the members are really friendly and it’s just a great place to be. The gym equipment is spread out really nicely over 3 floors, the changing rooms and toilets are always clean and tidy, the staff are always friendly and professional and the place as a whole is run really efficiently. I’ll never go back to my previous gym now. Thank you so much 🙏🏼


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