Downham Health & Leisure Centre Reviews Summary

Customer Service

Pros:

• "The staff are helpful and the facilities are excellent."
• "Very polite and friendly, we both joined the gym and swimming facilities and we are both delighted."
• "Staff are very good at Reception and swim teachers too - some I would say very dedicated."
• "5 stars for reception/customer service, overall experience with staff is excellent."
• "The staff were kind and extremely patient with the children and were constantly playing with them which helped all of them have a wonderful time."
• "I have used this site for many years and not once have i ever complained. the staff are nice and greeting and all facilities are accessible."
• "Great environment with friendly and welcoming staff."

Cons:

• "The customer service is beyond diabolical."
• "Gym is ok but I was put off by the staff who were apprehensive and very rude when it came to me leaving the gym."
• "The attitude of many working there is really questionable."
• "Reception staff OK but very often busy and they don't answer the phone."
• "Also if you want help from reception, the very young and inexperienced staff will ensure they finish their conversations first before tending to the customers."
• "Staff are rude when you complain."
• "The staff are incredibly rude and unhelpful."

Cleanliness

Pros:

• "The swimming area has one of the cleanest cubicles and changing room space I've ever used."
• "I found the space to always be clean."
• "Delighted to find this leisure centre, plenty of FREE parking, a lovely little cafe, a quiet and spotless swimming pool."

Cons:

• "Finally I have frequently found toilet cubicles soiled or locked for days."
• "Changing rooms are dirty and wet floor which you have a fear to step on that floor, dirty and risk of slippery."
• "The actual changing rooms are filthy."
• "The blow dryers in the changing area are old and have been broken for a while showing the lack of care by the management of this facility."
• "Lacking hygiene in gym showers and swimming pool showers. Mould and flies can be seen in the pool showers."
• "Changing rooms and cubicles are filthy and always have hair in them and smells funky."
• "The swimming area is dirty; the changing room floor is filthy."

Facilities and Equipment

Pros:

• "Its not a swanky private gym so cannot expect the best but it has a good selection of equipment..."
• "Houses the library, medical centre, community hall, gym etc. Well located, accessible and most importantly, a magnet centre for all and sundry."
• "However the charge for the Gym is £27.00 but swimming is included."
• "Has really everything you need and for a great price."
• "Perfect for me. Don't have to go separate places to swim and workout because it's all offered in this centre."
• "It’s a fantastic space with all the equipment you could need in the gym."
• "Gym has everything that's needed."

Cons:

• "Unfortunately the car park lets it down. For such a big complex, the car park is too small."
• "The venue itself is fine. Nothing special, but fine. Library is fine. But management of the place is a disaster."
• "The gyms sales team do not give you full information on what you are signing up for, they don't tell you about hidden charges and extra month cancellation fees."
• "Very disappointed with the cafe recently. They now have a push button coffee machine."
• "The nice coffee bar with homemade treats and good espresso drinks has been replaced with an awful corporate food service."
• "Half the time, the running machines do not work."
• "Half the machines break and are not repaired for MONTHS, lack of space when doing free weights, only TWO benches."

Management and Organization

Pros:

• "It looks like a well organised place!"
• "The system was very well organised."
• "Library is well managed and large."

Cons:

• "The place is mismanaged."
• "Seems like issues with management / organisational level."
• "Management is very unhelpful."
• "Poor management at the moment (Leisure centre)."
• "But management of the place is a disaster."
• "The worst management ever, small swimming pool never open 'not enough lifeguard.'"
• "Such great potential being wasted."

Swimming Facilities

Pros:

• "The courses for kids are great."
• "Lots of swim sessions on offer so best to check the timetable before heading down."
• "The pool is good and well organized."

Cons:

• "Very bad swimming lessons teachers. They don't have any experiences."
• "Swimming should be about exercise and the chance to totally unwind. I've found this pool to be frustrating and stressful."
• "The pool has a lot of potential to be a great place for swimming, however it lacks basic hygiene inside the pool which is very poor."
• "Very dangerous and also frustrating for fitness swimmers mixed with doggy paddlers!"
• "Swim school is a shambles since new management have taken over!"
• "Went again for nostalgia and had a swim it was empty which was nice however there were big blobs of snot everywhere"
• "Rubbish place, filthy, very inattentive staff, more concern about chatting than considering their duty of care, oversubscribed swim classes, unbearable smells and humidity.....very unhealthy for young lungs......on top of that isn’t even cheaper than others leisure centre in fact more expensive"