Dulwich Leisure Centre Women's Changing Rooms

[sb2010]

Dulwich Leisure Centre Women's Changing Rooms

I love going swimming at Dulwich Leisure Centre but the women's changing rooms could be better.

In August last year I gave the manager a bit of paper - attached - with the list of small issues, but frustrating ones, as very long-standing. He thanked me and said he would give to the maintenance people.

Its now December. Nothing has been remedied.

It would be great if by 2018 things could change!

[Arborealist]

I am a member but I agree the changing rooms are a state. In the female gym changing rooms I had to shower in the dark and with a shower that stayed on less than a second before going off (I'm not joking!) I only realised it was faulty after I had undressed so I just had to get on with it.

I've also had a shower door fall of its hinges onto me, injuring my arm, and there is the seemingly ongoing issue of thefts from lockers (given the signs the management have put up).

Shame a council facility is being run down so badly.

[NewWave]

I find the gym area female changing room often have a smell from the toilets and are very chilly.

agree showers need sorting its a relatively new facility and needs to be cared for.

[James Barber]

Hi sb2010,

I will chase this up for you and all the other female users.

Use local councillors to escalate local service issues caused by the council or its contractors. PArty what we're here for.

[ljenkins37]

yes agreed always so dirty! i avoid use where possible.

[sb2010]

thanks - lets hope change is imminent

[Arborealist]

I've now used the female gym showers and the family changing room showers and they all go off after literally 2 seconds. It seems they have all been fixed to go off that quickly. I'm all for not wasting water but this is ridiculous.

[NewWave]

I went today and both the wet and dry womens changing rooms were FREEZING!!!!

can something be done about this?

[James Barber]

I've just been told the following:

"

Southwark Council - Member enquiry - 871893

Subject: Women's Changing Rooms - Dulwich Leisure Centre

________________________________________

Dear Councillor Barber

Thank you for your enquiry regarding the showers in the women?s changing room at Dulwich Leisure Centre.

Please accept our apologies for the length of time taken to rectify the issues in the original complaint.

We have contacted the centre manager from Everyone Active regarding the original complaint from the customer. The Manager has confirmed the following improvements as follows:

? In regards to the shower temperature, Everyone Active have tested the showers in female changing area and have not yet identified a drop in temperature however they will continue to monitor this

? The lock on the shower door has now been installed and a hook has been ordered and should be in place in the next two weeks

? Everyone Active are aware of short run times on one of the showers over the last couple of months and have adjusted this from around 5 seconds to 9 seconds however are planning further maintenance works in the next two weeks to increased the flow time by replacing some of the units to resolve this issue

? The doors on the showers including the hinges have been checked and Everyone Active will they will continue to monitor this

We now have access to Everyone Active?s maintenance database so we will monitor all maintenance items including the above which have been recently added.

The centre have recently reviewed the cleaning schedule and have put in place a new service contract to employ dedicated overnight cleaners to improve overall cleanliness. They have also changed the scent in the automatic scent dispenser in the changing rooms. They are confident this will address the recent comments regarding cleanliness and smells.

We will check on the progress of the items raised (hooks, shower temperature and run times) with Everyone Active in the next couple of weeks to check that they are in place.

"

[Cedges]

Oh well 9 seconds, that'll do it.

[Arborealist]

When I used the gym just before Christmas it was not a 5 second run time for the showers, it was as I said before about 2 seconds. I do know the difference so I think the centre and not being truthful here.

[sabrina79]

well Im not surprised at all . I used to be a member for 2 years . The management are bad . Pool s staff are even worst .

I complained so many times .and also I spoke with the duty manager more than once . They just give you that fake smile .

Nothing changed .Showers always broken . 80% of the lockers are broken .and the fire door who connect the lady changing room with the pool has been broken for years !!!! What a safe place to be !! Also you need to be a full member even if you are using only the pool!!

Solution to this problem ? Change the leisure centre .

Forest Hill Pools it is much much better !!!

[James Barber]

Hi Cedges,

The officer is clear 9 seconds isn't right and they're looking to fix this within a fortnight.

Hi Arborealist,

Can you pleas report back to me via cllrjamesbarber@gmail.com if the promises made above to me are not kept. I can't test myself.

[NewWave]

sabrina79 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> well Im not surprised at all . I used to be a

> member for 2 years . The management are bad . Pool

> s staff are even worst .

> I complained so many times .and also I spoke with

> the duty manager more than once . They just give

> you that fake smile .

> Nothing changed .Showers always broken . 80% of

> the lockers are broken .and the fire door who

> connect the lady changing room with the pool has

> been broken for years !!!! What a safe place to be

> !! Also you need to be a full member even if you

> are using only the pool!!

> Solution to this problem ? Change the leisure

> centre .

> Forest Hill Pools it is much much better !!!

I beg to differ...Forest Hill pools is appalling by comparison.

Its my local gym/pool and i changed to go to ED leisure centre a bus ride away because The changing rooms were so filthy, toilets overflowing and consistently filthy.

Pool staff at FH are useless and don't seem to watch half the time.

Dulwich Leisure centre is like a 5* spa by comparison...I kid you not!

[sabrina79]

Sorry New wave I totally disagree with you .

I bet you never been in Dulwich LC female changing room and not swimming 5/7 times per week like my self .

At Dulwich the staff are useless . A big group of fast swimmers left .we Always had to walk instead to swim .

In FHPools it never happened . And I never had any problem even after years .Service are excellent!!!

Btw Im a big observer and they do watch .very well . I think you had bad experience (no idea how long and how many times you swim) So can t tell ...Dulwich is a 2 star may be lol

[Ferrit38]

My experience of ED is really positive and I agree with NewWave, the staff friendly and welcoming. I don't expect 5* as it is a leisure centre, not a private health club and from my experience of private health clubs - the cleanliness and staff at ED are 100xBETTER @ 1/2 THE COST!

I use all aspects of the centre, but avoid the Free weekend times as it can get ridiculous (no fault of the staff or management at the centre) I understand that given the size of the pool vs. the likes of Forest Hill, Camberwell, Peckham etc. it will be harder to actually SWIM, but if I was an avid 'fast' swimmer, I would make the trip to the bigger, deeper pools for my session

sabrina79 - If you don't like it - don't go, why return somewhere that frustrates you when you know there is an 'excellent' alternative?

Each to their own, but I will be remaining a loyal user of ED and will continue to support all the positive changes they are implementing, unlike the previous operators.

[Nigello]

sabrina79 - If you don't like it - don't go, why return somewhere that frustrates you when you know there is an 'excellent' alternative?

I would say - carry on going and carry on complaining to get it fixed. Glad you weren't at Churchill's side in 1939......!

[NewWave]

sabrina79 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Sorry New wave I totally disagree with you .

> I bet you never been in Dulwich LC female changing

> room and not swimming 5/7 times per week like my

> self .

> At Dulwich the staff are useless . A big group of

> fast swimmers left .we Always had to walk instead

> to swim .

>

> In FHPools it never happened . And I never had any

> problem even after years .Service are excellent!!!

>

> Btw Im a big observer and they do watch .very well

> . I think you had bad experience (no idea how long

> and how many times you swim) So can t tell

> ...Dulwich is a 2 star may be lol

In response to your comments I only ever used the pool in Forest Hill. Usually about 3 times a week.

In honesty I never used the gym there so can only comment on the pool and the wet changing rooms. As forest hill changing rooms in the wet change area are unisex there are cubicles in which I?ve found food, used nappies. And on more than one occasion a strong smell of wee.

At DLC I use both wet and dry changing areas and use the pool 3-4 times a week.

So I DO have experience of the pool and am a regular user at all times of the day and week.

Today I used the gym and there was a cleaner in the women?s dry changing room however it was still FREEZING COLD with no obvious form of heating

[James Barber]

Hopefully the problems are all now fixed - I have received two emails stating:

Monday 29 January:

"

Dear Councillor Barber,

I am pleased to inform you that all of the outstanding actions from the original complaint have been completed of the install of a new hook and replacing some of the shower units. Everyone Active have not reported any drops in the shower temperatures, but will continue to monitor this.

I am due to conduct a monitoring visit in the next couple of weeks so I will be checking Everyone Active?s online maintenance database against my observationsof any further repairs that are needed.

If you have any questions about this response please do not hesitate to contact me

"

Tuesday 30 January:

"

Dear Councillor Barber,

I am pleased to inform you that all of the outstanding actions from the original complaint have been completed (the install of a new hook and replacing some of the shower units). Everyone Active have not reported any drops in the shower temperatures, but will continue to monitor this.

I am due to conduct a monitoring visit in the next couple of weeks so I will be checking Everyone Active?s online maintenance database against my observations of any further repairs that are needed.

If you have any questions about this response please do not hesitate to contact me

"

If you know better please get in touch!

[NewWave]

Can they please put some heating in the womens changing rooms by gym...they are freezing!

[yummy mummy]

The women?s changing area isn?t great, the floor is always dirty and lots hair around. The loos often don?t have tissue either. I go occasionally for a swim I certainly wouldn?t pay for a membership because of this. Also one of the classes I resently done the instructor was 5 minutes late without an apology then finished 5 minutes early, management should be keeping an eye on this.

[James Barber]

Hi NewWave, yummy mummy,

I will raise all thee issues.

[cella]

yummy mummy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> The women?s changing area isn?t great, the floor

> is always dirty and lots hair around. The loos

> often don?t have tissue either. I go occasionally

> for a swim I certainly wouldn?t pay for a

> membership because of this. Also one of the

> classes I resently done the instructor was 5

> minutes late without an apology then finished 5

> minutes early, management should be keeping an eye

> on this.

This happens frequently, usually with the early morning classes. When I commented on this with one particular teacher she got annoyed and said the clock in the room was always wrong! We didn't get the extra time at the end though.

[lavender27]

You should try the Pulse changing rooms, or not, dirty tissues from the dispenser as someone's forgotten their towels, left underneath the benches, I found a sanitary towel on the floor in a cubicle, haven't been back since, it was enough to put me off. Really women!!!

[evey2k]

I have to agree with the cleanliness comments, my experience is that that the cleaner comes in the mornings when the gym is open and so therefore is having to clean a changing room with people in it. There is no way you can do this and expect to clean it well. There should be cleaners to clean it overnight to do a thorough clean.

Also the gym area where the mats are the floor is totally gross, you lie down on a mat and just look at dirt on the ground it's very unpleasant. I just sort of put up with it and get on with it.

I agree it is way too cold, I think it's because they don't turn the heating on until the open and then it isn't powerful enough to warm up.

I have noticed that some of the showers have been fixed but so wish that the changing rooms were giving a thorough clean overnight, it's such a shame to get changed in grubby conditions.

I have just always put up with it because it's a cheap gym and it's the only one nearby to me and the station.