The formula
Every venue gets a score out of five, built from its Google star rating and the number of reviews behind it.
score = (reviews / (reviews + 25)) × rating + (25 / (reviews + 25)) × 4.4
- 4.4 is the county prior, the rating a Norfolk venue is assumed to have before anyone reviews it.
- 25 is the weight. At 25 reviews a venue's own rating and the prior count equally. At 500 reviews the prior is almost irrelevant.
- A venue with no reviews scores zero and is listed but not ranked. We say so on its entry rather than quietly hiding it.
- Google star ratings and review counts were read on 19 September 2026.
That is why The Gym Group Kings Lynn at 4.9 from 881 reviews outranks a studio on a flat 5.0 from nine. More evidence, more weight.
What the score deliberately ignores
- Money. Nobody can pay for a position, a badge or a rewrite. There is no advertising tier.
- Price. A £15.99 chain and a £49.98 leisure centre tier are scored the same way. Price belongs on the prices page, not in the ranking.
- Chain or independent. No adjustment either way.
- Website quality, social media, how new the equipment looks. None of it is in the arithmetic.
What it cannot see, and where we say so
A weighted rating is a shortlist tool. It measures satisfaction among people who chose to review, which is not the same as quality.
- Council leisure centres carry every complaint about lockers, lessons and car parks from a population that had no alternative. Dereham Leisure Centre's 4.2 from 510 reviews is a harder number than a 5.0 from 20.
- Small studios are reviewed by people who already liked them enough to stay.
- Nothing here tells you whether the squat rack is free at six, whether the changing rooms are clean on a Sunday, or whether the coaching is any good.
Use the score to pick three to visit. Judge the room yourself. If you think a listing is wrong, tell us and we will check it: the about page explains how corrections work.
What people ask us
How do you rank gyms?
Google star rating weighted by review volume against a county prior of 4.4, with a weight of 25 reviews. The full formula is published above and applied identically to every venue.
Why does a gym with fewer reviews rank lower despite a 5.0?
Because a 5.0 from nine reviews is thin evidence. The formula pulls low-volume scores towards 4.4 until enough reviews exist to move them.
Can a gym pay to rank higher?
No. There is no paid tier and no advertising. Listings are free and the ranking is arithmetic.
What happens to gyms with no reviews?
They are listed, scored zero and left unranked, and their entry says so. Absence of reviews is not evidence of anything.
How often is the data refreshed?
Ratings on this version were read on 19 September 2026. We re-read them on a schedule and date every refresh.