West Norwood Health and Leisure Centre - Active Lambeth

Fantastic experience: Very spacious and clean.

Fantastic experience: Fantastic value for money. Haven’t attended a fitness class yet but the gym equipment is top quality. The fact you can also go swimming and still save money compared to high street gyms is awesome

Negative experience: Half of the machines in the gym are out of order and have been for months, the machines that do work are also questionable. No wifi that works. Toilets over have toilet roll.

Positive experience: Pool is very cold, my child was shivering loads. Lack of parking is an issue. Bit run down

Positive experience: My experience with the gym at West Norwood Health & Leisure Centre has shown me the that they need to put more effort into repairs and maintenance. Some of the pros of the gym: The staff are easy to talk to. There are also two functional water fountains that have cold water. In my usual workout, most machines have worked properly. The anti-bacterial wipe stations are in convenient spots and are always full. The toilets are clean. Some of the cons of this gym: Booking times for juniors are restricted which does not let me use the gym during school days. Some of the treadmill’s speed control panels are missing, which is annoying. The touch screen is slow to respond and difficult to configure will running. A number of the locker keys aren’t numbered which can be irritating when I forget which locker I have put my stuff in. The left-hand grip on the assisted pull-up machine is ripped causing discomfort. A useful machine for back exercise is in the adult section but I am under 16 so I can’t use it, which is quite frustrating. Some of the dumbbells are also missing, I have not seen one of the 9KG dumbbells or seen anyone use it in weeks. When I used a cross trainer there was no sign that it was faulty but when I accelerated it started to make weird noises and felt flimsy. The toilet water tap barely works as the water pressure is limited. In short, the gym is heavily used therefore it no longer looks nice and shiny like the pictures on their website. I wish they put in more effort in its repairs and maintenance.

Negative experience: I like the pool but there are a few issues with it: - People don’t take their shoes off when entering the swimming area (despite there being shoe covers available). Would be great if staff could enforce this a bit more as it’s gross walking barefoot to the pool when others are just wearing their outdoor shoes. - The timings available are not great. You can only swim from very early AM until a certain point in early afternoon, then (sometimes) from 7pm onwards. When my stepson wants to swim after school it’s not possible because they don’t offer ANY after school family swim slots - please can you tell me why and will you be changing this? - The lanes are often very busy and narrow when there are swimming lessons so it’s enjoyable to swim. - No membership cards offered so you have to take your mobile phone with you, and the turnstiles hardly ever work so you find yourself queuing up for a swim you booked already. - Exercise classes are mostly good but also the times are at weird times of the day making them unavailable to people busy during the day Good things are: - Feels clean (except floors due to shoes) - Pool is nice - Staff are nice - Some of the exercise classes are good I’m thinking of cancelling my membership now because having a baby means I can only swim at certain times; which don’t fit with WN leisure centre times.

Fantastic experience: Went for an eye test, nice and bright reception. Loved all the plants Nice, east and quick check in and test went smoothly. See you next year!!!

Negative experience: Toddler group wasn't diverse felt very uncomfortable so I left, as I was being steared at.

Fantastic experience: Excellent facilities family friendly community based

Fantastic experience: Excellent gym and staff, shame about some of the customers...

Positive experience: Good clean pool. Nice hot shower too.

Positive experience: The pool has just reopened and swimming lessons are not at full capacity, staff are ok but one of the teachers is particularly rude he is new I think his name is Reez or Riz sorry for the spelling, could learn to use some manners when addressing women in particular just a piece of advice if he reads this review.

Positive experience: Missing a soft play for kids and more kid friendly activities hence why the 3stars.

Fantastic experience: Always clean and staff really professionally

Positive experience: The pool was reopened and looks good. The staff was so more helpful than my last visit over a year ago.

Positive experience: Nice pool, but very limited times for lane swimming, which is a shame. Also would be really useful to have some lockers inside changing area.

Negative experience: Kids everywhere mucking about in the gym between 5 and 6, so right when working people are wanting to go. So annoying for people who have just finished work and paying good money for the gym. Men’s changing room has been closed for months

Fantastic experience: Excellent 25m pool, clean changing rooms and as friendly staff (especially receptionist) as you can hope for.

Positive experience: Good location, affordable membership, plenty of space and machines. Friendly staff in all areas. My only personal minus is the swimming timing, which is too few in the early evening or lack of spin classes during the week.

Fantastic experience: Very clean friendly staff lovely pool and changing area

Negative experience: NO MEN'S CHANGING ROOM OR TOILETS. The mens changing room at the gym has been closed for YEARS with no sign of opening again. All men have to share one disabled toilets which is out of order most of the time. The other alternative is to leave the gym, go downstairs and use the toilets at the GP practice next door. This is also out of order! I've uploaded pictures. The rest of the gym is below average with a tiny free weights section. Not worth going at peak times because nothing will be available. Swimming pool has only just re-opened after years of refurbishment, seems decent but haven't used much.

Fantastic experience: Only done lane swimming here. I love it. Such a friendly receptionist and all the staff v friendly too. Great changerooms and a clean feel. Lovely fellow swimmers too

Negative experience: Not sure they’ve thought about their market - swim sessions for families are at really weird times for kids and it’s adults when you’d bring kids. Can’t ever get a space anyway. Swimming lessons have been “soon” for months. You wait months for the pool to open again and ‍♀️

Positive experience: Really wonderful place and the staff are wonderful. The new renovations are great, there just one thing I really struggled with and that was the high pressure of the showers. I couldn’t stand under them because the water pummelled my shoulders. Please could you make it lower pressure, I had to wait to get home to wash my hair. Thank you!

Fantastic experience: Amazing centre with swimming pool just renewed. Love the fact that the swimming pool has a slope therefore you do not have a full exposure to 2m water, but it gradually increases helping in getting confidence with water.

Fantastic experience: Great gym friendly staff and elder gym goers.

Fantastic experience: I have been there for my daughter's dental appointment. The reception was properly maintained with lots of flowers. The lady is friendly and helpful. I could not help myself staring at the beautiful reception area. Well done guys.

Fantastic experience: Good

Fantastic experience: I'm a member of the gym in leisure park, I'm experiencing a pleasant atmosphere. The trainer's are very friendly also. At this cost it is the best gym we can find at West Norwood.

Fantastic experience: Its absolutely a fantastic great place to go the staff except the young girl on Saturdays she always reading her book and she never once to support me. All the other staff are helpful, kind and very happy to help and support me and they always say hello and give me a good welcome. The place is always clean and well presented with great working machines.

Fantastic experience: Very good

Fantastic experience: Good

Positive experience: I joined here to use the gym as the shambles that is crystal palace rumbles on, the staff at crystal palace are not interested only on speaking to the girls, im not joking either, always the same big guys there hogging the free weight area, At norwood it is much smaller but better equipped but when machines are down they are for weeks on end, the pool is still closed which is annoying as I pay a tenner more to go here than crystal palace. But I will say the staff are more friendly and care about working there apart from one rude girl on the entry area who appears to have a right attitude problem if you ask a question, she needs to get lost personally.

Negative experience: I'm making a complaint on behalf of my client. She's a wheelchair users and normally go for swimming twice a week. However the overhead hoist has been out of service more than a year now. Each time they are saying its going to be fix, but nothing. So my client doesn't have access because of the overhead hoist

Negative experience: I last came here in summer 2022 and the changing rooms were out of order and i came back 8 months later to find that i had to use the disabled toilets because the changing rooms were out of order and there are numerous machines that are broken to this day.

Negative experience: This place has mediocre facility’s at best, and the manager “Jorge” is a rude and ville “man” with horrendous customer service. I tried to change my gym membership over from Brixton to west Norwood and in the process they cancelled my membership and then explained they can’t transfer it over- obviously the most ridiculous thing to have done but they apologised and said if I come to the desk when I want to enter the gym and explain I will be allowed in and at the end of the month I will get a separate membership to the WN gym. All sounds great but every-time tried to enter the gym I was treated like some sort of trespasser by Jorge the manager, always asking me to scan something on the app that I don’t have (because they deleted my membership by mistake) and asking me to explain again and again and again the situation, I don’t believe he couldn’t remember I believe he was just being difficult. The last time I was asked to scan a card I don’t have etc I explained the the lady that I’m getting really tired of having to spend 10min explaining at the desk every day that I can’t scan a card and I don’t have a membership (because you deleted it without my permission) the “manager” Jorge came pacing round the corner and told me to go back to Brixton gym and that I need to “get over it” he was absolutely disgusting, he even pulled his name tag off his crumb covered fleece and told me to complain about him and he don’t care. I have never been spoken to like that by anyone let alone someone in a customer service position. I went to the gym after the incident and shortly left because I was so upset, his colleague who witnessed his behaviour explained that she was appalled and surprised (not in those words). This person has a major insuperiority complex, he was very jumped up and looked very desperate for an argument, nothing he said actually lined up with what had happened he clearly was not across the situation like the manager should have been otherwise he would have not reacted the way he did.

Fantastic experience: It's really good their had fun, if want to get fit and have some time for yourself that's a place too go

Negative experience: Updated review. This is a gym where machines go to die. Same machines stay broken for 4/5 months. Management are just not very good, love to blame everything but their own effort. Not worth the amount they charge. Still no men's changing room years later UPDATE - 1 year following the response from the owner and review above - the same machine is broken. The men's changing room is still not open. This gym is basically a scam. They are so lucky there is nothing else in the area. It's pathetic

Fantastic experience: The pool has reopened and they've also completed the long awaited refurbishment of the changing rooms downstairs. It is now run by Active Lambeth and they've updated some of the equipment. The staff are very friendly and helpful.

Negative experience: Haven't been able to use the pool in months and it will be out of action until spring, there's loads of weights missing and there are only two cycle machines and one if them looks like it's from the 90s.

Fantastic experience: Clean bright space and lovely staff

Positive experience: Despite the gym's limited size, it could improve by adding a few more workout equipment options. However, regarding fitness classes, the receptionist lacks a location map for class venues. This led to me being sent to multiple locations, causing me to arrive late for my class.

Negative experience: Purchased a membership and only after paying was informed the pool isn’t currently in operation. Probably should have that information clearly displayed prior to taking money…

Fantastic experience: Have all in one big swim pool and nice machines with excellent views to the nature

Negative experience: Recently had some problems with getting in,even though I had a membership,I was treated horrendously with bad customer service.

Negative experience: Holding on the phone now for about 30 min. I want simply want to enquire about visiting pool with a child. No one answers. :(

Negative experience: My complaint is about accessiblity as a disabled person with a parking blue badge. I visited the centre on the 24 August 2022 at 8.20pm to use the gym facility. This particular centre uses a barrier which they have control over for the blue badge parking area. I buzzed the bell for the front-of-house staff member to open the barrier to allow me access. I was waiting at the barrier for around 3minutes waiting for a response. Which there was no response. I then took myself to the reception area and no one was at the reception area. I knocked the office door and there was no response. I went upstairs to the gym area to see if I could find a member of staff. Which a assistant greeted me. I explained I need to get my car into the parking area. He said his manager will have to do this, so he brought me near the pool side area which the manager was as an acting lifeguard as there was a aqua aerobic class. I asked the assistant would it be possible for me to speak to the manager which he tried to negotiate with the manager. But the manager said he couldn't talk to me as he can't leave as a swimming pool area is being used, which is fair. What I don't understand is why does the leisure centre and gym close at 9pm and no one is available to let me drive into a parking space designated for disabled people such as myself at 8.20 pm as part of the opening times of the leisure centre. Isn't this a problem with understaffing and lack of diversity due to accessibility. Now this is not the first time I have had issues with staff and meaning the reception area and allowing me in the parking area. I am very happy to show evidence of my blue badge just show I am eligible for parking. Also if the leisure centre is open until a certain time, the reception should be manned simply due to safety of customers.

Fantastic experience: Excellent, all staff working here are really cool. I swim at least 5 days a week, and I have a really good laugh when I'm there as well as getting my exercise! Shaun

Fantastic experience: Just moved to Norwood, this has now become my local gym. Good value for money , always clean, friendly staff., convenient to access, never too busy. Only negative feedback would be I wish they had more smith machines and leg press machine.

Fantastic experience: Really nice building, first time their so wasn't easy to find but the noticeboards in the area helped , definitely recommend

Positive experience: Hard to get a decent time for swim for fitness but a nice pool, good gym

Negative experience: Better off going to crystal palace gym or Clapham, the staff here aren't friendly and I saw one of the staff arguing with a child. They lack staff and the gym wad small. Very unprofessional and crystal palace gym exceeds ny expectations of what a gym should be.

Fantastic experience: Clean and modern facilities

Fantastic experience: It was wonderful

Negative experience: Woman at the reception desk in her 50s is patronising, sarcastic and unwelcoming. My girlfriend only wanted to inquire about swimming. Think you should get a job at McDonald's, it'll suit your lack of character and decorum.

Fantastic experience: Swimming pool , simply the best , go every day.

Positive experience: Love this place. Clean, friendly staff and great facilities. I had previously rated it 5*. Updating on 19.06.22 Went today and it is currently being refurbished until end of August. The changing rooms were dirty and there was no private space/cubicles for changing. It was really uncomfortable and lots of people were talking about how dirty the floors were. We didn't know where to step. Really disappointing as I loved this place and was a regular, but now we we won't be going there at all.

Positive experience: I didn't use the gym even though I've looked around it previously. I was their for a medical appointment. The gym and changing rooms are clean but the gym is small. The actual facility is so big it would of made sense if they made the actual gym bigger. The workout facilities in general are small including the swimming pool in comparison to the rest of the building which is hired out to the NHS.

Positive experience: I love this centre. Went there for my daughters first swimming lessons and I love that there were 2 swimming teachers for the class instead of 1. They were patient and kind and gave lovely feedback. However I took off a star because the receptionist was quite rude and condescending when I asked if their classes were running through the summer holidays as even other parents were wondering. As I’m autistic I need a clear answer also I’ve never been to this place before and instead of a yes or no response, I got a “well there are 52 weeks in a year, and we ARE open 50 weeks of them ” I really left in a bad mood afterwards. I’ll be back but not enquiring with her again lol.

Fantastic experience: Visited the Maurice Wohl Dental Centre today, covid restrictions in place, which is still so good to see. Completely felt at ease. Kirsty the receptionist was so lovely and friendly.

Fantastic experience: Nice swimming.

Fantastic experience: Very clean and cool. Everyone was wearing masks, that's the public and staff. The staff and nurses were very helpful and polite and explained everything very well so that I could clearly understand what I was being told about my case. I found the staff nurses very efficient with what they needed to do without causing any stress whatsoever. I for one, felt at ease with the way I was being treated. Would recommend this place to anyone.

Negative experience: One very rude dentist on the 2nd floor. Best described as pig ignorant. Best avoid the place.

Positive experience: This is my doctors

Fantastic experience: First time here was very pleasant

Negative experience: The gym is ok but basic. The main problem is that there are no windows which open in the gym area and it doesn't seem like the ventilation works at all. Exhausting to work out in that, I can't imagine what it will be like by the time it's summer. I'll be switching gyms.

Positive experience: Went to the gym which was easy to access. One way systems are in place and a few cleaning/sanitising stations are dotted around the gym (which people seem to actually use after finishing on a machine). Some machines are out of use to ensure social distancing and the water fountains aren't available for use. A door to outside was kept open for ventilation. You have to book before you go but this seems to be so they can monitor the capacity as there is now a limit. Only issue is there's no toilet- the toilet downstairs was in a horrible state so I had to hold it until I got home, that's why I took off a star.

Fantastic experience: Its a really nice place very friendly would recommendit to any one

Positive experience: I went to the medical centre there as the doctors are very good. The only problem is at the moment you might have to wait for an appointment when you book. There is no walk in and wait system at the moment you have to book before you go.

Fantastic experience: Staff very helpful and the centre is clean and tidy.

Negative experience: I’m always struck by how friendly & warm the staff are (unlike most gyms I’ve ever been a member of). My review is, of course, based on my needs. I joined the Center mainly for swimming so most of my feedback is pool based. It’s such a huge shame that the pool is now closed most afternoon and evenings. It massively restricts when It’s possible to swim which makes me question continuing my membership. It also means that the times when it’s now possible to “swim for fitness” are now rammed to the point of feeling unsafe. The lifeguards have become a little lacks in the pool too. The areas where you are supposed to socially distance where you place your belongings, are now ignored, aggressive swimming in the middle lane (I thought there was no overtaking allowed, perhaps I’m wrong). There was even a swimmer going the wrong way in the lane right in front of the lifeguard and he just watched! Such a shame as they were doing such a good job when they first reopened.

Fantastic experience: Gym is operating effective Covid-19 procedures with online booking which works well. But still a lot of people who used to attend pre-lockdown seem to be staying away.

Fantastic experience: It's my gym I love it

Fantastic experience: Great work making it safe and easy to use the gym floor so we can access it again, thank you!!

Fantastic experience: Very happy with it keeping everyone safe not the same as normal but we all have to adapt to the new gym

Fantastic experience: Perfect local gym for many and offer good extras to members

Fantastic experience: Great fun with my kids at the pool

Fantastic experience: Very relaxed, friendly staff, clean, great mix of people and absence of gym bunnies strutting and making you feel embarrassed

Fantastic experience: Lovely health visitor team

Positive experience: Prices are great but it is a bit grubby in the changing rooms especially. Too many swimmers who do not shower beforehand have me cringing in the pool.

Fantastic experience: Great environment, well maintained facilities and a lovely environment all round. I always enjoy coming here.

Fantastic experience: I've just done this.

Positive experience: I take my swimming lessons there. My gp is there as well. Good location

Positive experience: Easy to use....important to us all.

Fantastic experience: Great karate and swimming club

Positive experience: Clean,friendly place

Fantastic experience: Helpful staff, light airey venue

Negative experience: Can't buy a gym only monthly subscription. Need creche (don't have kids) and swimming as well to get a monthly price.

Fantastic experience: Very good

Positive experience: Kids enjoyed a day here

Fantastic experience: I've been going to this gym for a few months. The staff are very friendly and helpful. The gym is kept clean and there is always someone to help if needed. I've also used the swimming pool, which is not as cold as other pools. I am looking forward to taking part in the many classes that are available.

Fantastic experience: Great place, nice people

Fantastic experience: Fully equipped and well organized.

Positive experience: Great facilities but some of the staff lack human relations generally. I didn't like the way my 8yr old was treated at his swimming lessons. How can one coach upgrade the child to the next level without any influence from parents or even the child, but the new coach says the child is not good to go to the nxt level just after one lesson?? You dont bring down a child's confidence like that. There must be some communication between coaches before a child is transferred. Very disappointed indeed.

Fantastic experience: Great

Positive experience: Just joined the gym...loved it. Staff was friendly and helpful

Positive experience: Helpful friendly staff good change and shower facilities I use for swim and exercise parking right on site does for me

Fantastic experience: A well appointed gym with a crowd of friendly people supporting each other in achieving their fitness goals - a fabulous place

Fantastic experience: Recently joined but have now had a chance to test out all they have to offer. They have a very good range of fitness classes with passionate instructors. The gym area is modern and has all the standard stuff. The swimming pool and facilities are really clean. The staff are friendly and the place seems organised. I really cant think of anything negative at all. Highly recommend.

Positive experience: Good