Sant Cugat del Vallès's Municipal Eurofitness Centre will increase its prices from May, aiming to secure its financial future and improve services. The local council said "years of legal and administrative difficulties" had prevented price reviews since 2012.
Monthly membership fees will rise by 9%, with other tariffs increasing by 2.4%. The council stated these changes are necessary to "preserve service quality and, above all, activate immediate and verifiable improvements to the facility."
Núria Escamilla, the Culture Councillor, welcomed the inclusion of a discount for users with a minimum 33% disability, who will pay the same rate as pensioners. Escamilla explained at a press conference that over the past 13 years, the concessionaire has faced sustained increases in electricity, water, gas, staff, and services without being able to adjust fees. This "strained the capacity to offer the level of service that the centre and the public need."
Addressing User Complaints and Facility Needs
Escamilla noted user complaints about maintenance, which were reported to the Síndica, and the council's own demands for basic quality standards at the facilities. The price increase received approval from the governing party, but ECP and PSC voted against it, arguing that announced service improvements should be "an obligation and not a commitment." PP, Vox, and CUP abstained.
Anticapitalist Councillor Ariadna Sierra criticised the banking management surcharge on fees and the annual charge for medical insurance. Escamilla confirmed that the medical insurance will become voluntary.
Escamilla defended the price increase by highlighting the centre's growing popularity, with daily usage rising from 1,000 in 2022 to 1,500 currently. She also stated that the new prices remain below those of similar centres in the metropolitan area, such as Rubí, where a monthly membership costs almost €56.
Sant Cugat's Competitive Pricing and Future Plans
According to the council, Sant Cugat, with its flexible membership fee of €55.29 for adults aged 22 to 64, offers some of the most economical prices among metropolitan cities. L'Hospitalet de Llobregat's municipal centre is the cheapest at €44.80.
The council and Eurofitness have agreed that the tariff update, which will be reviewed annually, will be linked to improvements. These include enhanced cleaning services and a full renewal of the 10-year-old cardiovascular machines in the fitness room. The Municipal Sports Complex on Rambla del Celler, which includes a swimming pool and gym, opened in 2003 under a 30-year concession to Eurofitness and serves over 5,500 users. The concession contract is set to end in 2033.
