About the Gym Directory
Gym Directory helps you find a gym in the UK by what it actually has — the equipment on the floor, the facilities, and the sports it suits — rather than only by what is nearest.
A personal project, built in the open
Gym Directory is built and run by Dave Hogan. It started for a simple reason: finding a gym meant opening a dozen separate websites to work out whether any of them had the kit worth travelling for. There is no company behind this — one person maintains the listings, writes the guides and reads the contact form. The code is public on GitHub.
Search by equipment, not just by postcode
Most directories stop at a name and an address. This one records what a gym actually has, so you can search on it — from everyday kit like barbells, dumbbells and kettlebells through to equipment only a handful of gyms stock.
Strongman is where this matters most. If you need atlas stones, a yoke, farmers handles, a log, a sled or tyres, you can find the gyms that own them rather than ringing round to ask. The equipment glossary explains what each piece is and lists the gyms that have it.
You can also browse by sport, by chain, by independent gym, or by region and town.
Where the listings come from
Listings come from three places: gyms and the people who train at them submitting details, public data published by Sport England under an open licence, and corrections sent in through the contact form. Every public submission is reviewed by hand before it appears.
The data sources page sets out exactly which datasets are used and how they are credited, and the FAQ covers how listings are checked, claimed and corrected. Details change — opening hours most of all — so if something looks wrong, tell us and it will be put right.
Adding or claiming a gym
Anyone can add a gym. It is free, it takes a few minutes, and you do not need an account — plenty of listings come from people who simply train there. If you own a gym or work at one, create an account and you can claim its listing and keep the details right yourself.
Personal trainers can also list their services.
Privacy and terms
Data collection is kept to what the site needs to work. The privacy policy sets out what is collected and why, and the terms and conditions cover use of the site. If anything is unclear, the contact form is always open.
Still growing
Gyms, regions and features are added regularly, and there are gaps: some listings are still thin while their equipment and facilities get filled in. If there is a gym you rate that is missing, adding it is the single most useful thing you can do.