Save your money. Save your mental health. Do not use planet fitness

I was a very happy and loyal customer to planet fitness, and I was fortunate enough to get a really big discount on my membership due to the fact that I worked in the same building - this was the only way I could afford it. I went on maternity leave and needed to put my membership on hold for a few months, only to find out in my last month that my branch is closing down and merging with another branch. I got no notice of it, no explanation - I found it out through a family member. I was told that we would all be transferred to the branch they're merging with and I told them that that branch won't work for me due to the fact that it's out of the way of my normal commute. I asked them if it would be possible for them to move my membership to a gym that was closer to my home instead, and I was told that if they do that I would need to pay the full membership fees again. I explained to them that thats not possible for me, although I am happy to renegotiate the fee, I can't afford the full fees. Nobody responded further. I asked about what my options were and I was told that I could cancel my membership but that I would need to pay a penalty fee. I explained to them that I am not cancelling the contract on my own terms and it is because of their change of location and lack of assistance that is putting me in this position, so I don't feel it is fair to charge me the penalty fee. I get no response. After going back and forth trying to beg them to speak to management so that I can stay being a member, I eventually told them I would like to cancel but am not accepting the penalty fees - and these ******* debit the full cancellation fee from my account without consent, without a discussion, without warning. This gym preys on the fact that people don't want to go to the trouble of having these issues drawn out and they really do whatever they want to people. Absolutely shocking behaviour from a services provider and I honestly feel so disappointed because I really didn't want to cancel my membership.