Gym users could be left out of pocket following their club’s merger with another facility.

One member of the Olympic Club told The Royal Gazette she would lose money on prepaid punch cards for fitness classes.

Alison Green said she stocked up on the cards during a promotion in October, buying two for 25 classes each at a cost of $250.

But now the Olympic Club is merging with the Athletic Club, a cut-off date for the cards’ use, February 28, has been imposed.

Ms Green said it would be impossible to use all of her credit in time, and fears other members may be in the same situation.

“With 30 classes [left] to use, the most I can hope to use by then is another 13 classes, leaving me 17 classes out of pocket,” she said.

“I know there are others who will be out of pocket by similar, if not more, classes. When I bought my punch cards there was no expiration date on them.

“If we are not allowed to use the cards at the Athletic Club then surely we should be reimbursed.”

Ms Green has written to Consumer Affairs over the matter but said she had not yet had a response.

A Consumer Affairs spokeswoman said: “As it was a private sale, this office is not privy to the terms and conditions of the sale”.

The punch cards were issued to customers before any merger had been agreed, according to the owner and president of the Atlantic Club, Kym Herron Scott.

“The Olympic Club had sold some cards and we said that we would honour them for a four-month period, so the expiration date on those cards is February 28, which we think was fair,” she said.

“They can use it for any of the 55 classes at both facilities but only at [the former Olympic Club premises] until the end of this month.”

Ms Herron Scott said it had been difficult to contact Olympic Club members to inform them about the decision because the facility’s membership list was not computerised, meaning they did not have everyone’s contact details.

“We could only let people know through signage in the [Athletic Club] reception area because we had no e-mail addresses,” Ms Scott said.

“Those that have been put into our system we were able to give them that information.

“We have been printing flyers and newsletters. We can always look at extending the deadline on a case-by-case basis but we don’t want to extend it indefinitely.”

The Athletic Club has also temporarily reduced its rates by almost 25 per cent.

Ms Herron Scott said that extensions would be considered for customers who could not use their credit due to medical reasons.

“If anyone has any concerns they can e-mail me and I connect with them on a one-to-one basis,” she said.

Ms Scott’s e-mail address is kym@tac.bm