Dulwich pool closed again

[Alec1]

In case you have a swim booked, the pool is closed again due to a technical problem.  Closed yesterday afternoon. 

[claresy]

Very frustrating for people who just swim that yet again the pool is closed and I'm told it won't be a 'quick fix'. The membership price is about to increase considerably and I'm basically getting nothing for my money at the moment. On top of that, 2 shower doors are missing, there's only one hairdryer (finally, after months) and the pool filter has been broken so we've been swimming in unfiltered water. I've emailed a few times to express my feelings about this as I don't see why we should be paying for a service we're not getting. I hope others in a similar position will too. I also think it's a pity they don't do a swim-only (and perhaps gym-only) membership at a discounted price as there are plenty of people who only use one facility. 

[Penguin68]

  On 23/03/2025 at 10:31, claresy said:

I also think it's a pity they don't do a swim-only (and perhaps gym-only) membership at a discounted price as there are plenty of people who only use one facility. 

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For that to work they would need separately monitored entrances to the pool and gym sections - with no cross-over allowed between them (and separate changing rooms perhaps?). And gyms actually make their money from people not using them. 'Members but not users'. Of course what you suggest would be sensible and convenient as regards the members - but that isn't the game they're in, is it?

[claresy]

I think there already are separate entrances and changing rooms. The swimming entrance and changing room is through the left turnstile and for the gym it's on the right. But you're right about it working for them rather than the customer! 

[Penguin68]

I had thought it was possible to cross-connect once in, happy to stand corrected. It's not a facility I use.

[bonaome]

I don’t think it is. It’s certainly is not possible to come from the gym to the pool via the wet side changing without coming back through reception and through the wet change gates. You could get to the pool from dry change but the lifeguards would know you hadn’t come from wet change.

Better do a swim only membership for £40 / month and you can use that at Vauxhall and Forrest Hill.

I use it and mainly swim at St Pancras but it’s also valid for The Oasis in Covent Garden and any other Better nationally, not just in London.

The pool at East Dulwich doesn’t work for people who want to swim for fitness. It’s boiling hot, doesn’t have a deep end and they don’t manage the lanes very well. Peckham Pulse by contrast has problems with the heating and is often freezing. Camberwell is better but seems very chlorinated.

all in I have given up swimming with Southwark, so far for me my £40 swim only at Better is, well, better.

 

[Sue]

  On 27/03/2025 at 19:03, bonaome said:

I don’t think it is. It’s certainly is not possible to come from the gym to the pool via the wet side changing without coming back through reception and through the wet change gates. You could get to the pool from dry change but the lifeguards would know you hadn’t come from wet change.

Better do a swim only membership for £40 / month and you can use that at Vauxhall and Forrest Hill.

I use it and mainly swim at St Pancras but it’s also valid for The Oasis in Covent Garden and any other Better nationally, not just in London.

The pool at East Dulwich doesn’t work for people who want to swim for fitness. It’s boiling hot, doesn’t have a deep end and they don’t manage the lanes very well. Peckham Pulse by contrast has problems with the heating and is often freezing. Camberwell is better but seems very chlorinated.

all in I have given up swimming with Southwark, so far for me my £40 swim only at Better is, well, better.

 

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Where is the pool in Camberwell?

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Artichoke Place, same side as the Green.

[Friernlocal]

Called in this morning and was told the filtration system may take up to four weeks to repair.

[Alec1]

anyone heard any news about the pool reopening?

[ctovey]

There's been no update on the app since March

[Friernlocal]

I sent an email a few days ago to the counsellor who has responsibility for leisure in Southwark, Portia Mwangangye. I also copied the generic leisure email address and received a reply from Phillipa Gillespie, General Manager of Dulwich Leisure Centre.

She apologised for the lack of updates and explained that the there had been an unforeseen and catastrophic failure of the filtration system. The replacement system has been ordered and they are awaiting delivery and installation, but she could give no timeframe for this.

All very disappointing.

[claresy]

There was an email to members saying they'd get a refund - but only if they didn't use any of the other local pools - which we'd been advised to do! I've been going to Camberwell or Peckham, which takes up more of my day and costs more in the meantime, but feel very disappointed in the protracted closure as I became a member to use my local pool. 

[Alec1]

Would be nice if we had updates in the app rather than having to take it upon ourselves to contact them.

[ctovey]

Received this email today re the partial reopening of the pool.  What I found a bit bizarre was the paragraph on 'pool hygiene', considering that on one of the last occasions I visited the pool, I witnessed a person, who later identified himself as the 'pool manager', dunking the changing room mats in the pool to rinse them after washing them poolside, leaving a deposit of grit etc on the pool steps.  When I complained, he didn't think he'd done anything wrong.  Maybe that's what messed up the pool filters!!!

(No subject) (2).zipFetching info...

[Alec1]

not exactly the news we want unless you are an early morning, late evening swimmer. 

[tul]

.

Edited May 5 by tul
Changed my mind about posting

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

Is the pool open now?

[Alec1]

  On 08/05/2025 at 11:10, Dulwich Born And Bred said:

Is the pool open now?

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no, still closed.

[pilsbury]

Has anyone had any joy getting refunds for their cancelled kids' swimming lessons? I am constantly just getting a 'computer says no' response from Dulwich Leisure - quite how they think its okay to charge £42.40 per child without a service being given is beyond me! I will try emailing Portia too...