Fitness fanatics have been left out in the cold after their gym was closed and memberships were terminated.

LA Fitness, on Wrexham Road was put up for sale in March this year leaving staff and members uncertain as to the future of the much loved and popular gym.

It had been hoped membership of the gym would be transferred to the new owners and that current staff would be able to continue working at the fitness centre.

But last week members of the gym, which was one of 33 branches in the UK to be sold, turned up at the club to enjoy a workout session and found the building locked up and a note on the door thanking them for their custom.

The club, which has a gym, swimming pool and relaxation area, closed its doors on Friday after being taken over by Nuffield Health who own Grosvenor Nuffield Hospital, a private facility, next door.

Neil Benson, of Gresford, who has been a member at LA Fitness for several years, was shocked to find the building locked-up and a note on the door thanking him for his custom when he turned up for a swim with his wife on Sunday.

Mr Benson said: “I called LA Fitness to query what had happened. They said I should have received a letter but neither my wife or I had any prior warning.”

It had been hoped staff and members would be able to remain at the club after Sports Direct expressed interest in operating the fitness centre. But the club is closed after being taken over by Nuffield Health, who own 65 fitness and wellbeing centres across the UK.

New members at the club demanded refunds on the LA Fitness Chester facebook page, saying they forked out a joining fee of £52 for just a few weeks of membership at the club, and that when they joined they were not told it was closing.

Katie Taylor posted: “It’s actually been two weeks since I’ve been there. Why they didn’t tell me this when I joined is beyond me as I wouldn’t have joined!

“And due to not being told this when I joined I was charged £52 for a few weeks of membership so I’d like a refund.”

But a spokesperson from LA Fitness said there was “no way” that someone would have been charged a joining fee if they had joined recently as the club had gone on to month-by-month contracts during the sale period.

“We do not have a relationship with Nuffield Health,” she said.

“There is no way that someone could have joined in the last few weeks, we knew we were selling this club. We were doing membership on a month by month basis.”

A spokesperson for Nuffield Health said they were taking over the gym on August 15 and would open on August 23. She said the company would be interested in taking on staff.

“We would love any LA Fitness members to join us,” she said.