Riverside Leisure Centre

Negative experience: I have never been to a gym before where they close the changing room for cleaning in the middle of the day! This is also the case for the health suite and they ask you to leave for cleaning. Is there no common sense at this gym? This should be cleaned daily early morning before the gym opens or late in the evening when the gym closes My membership will be cancelled as this is utterly ridiculous

Positive experience: Pool is good, took my baby recently and had a nice time. Parking is handy. Staff were okay.

Positive experience: Cheap but always in a state. Changing rooms are often closed and always smell like sewage. There are always leaks in the gym and open buckets of dirty stagnant water. Other than that it’s okay

Negative experience: Sauna is always broken, so waste of time paying for the extras, they clean in the middle of the day so if you’re in there they will kick you out to clean and the changing rooms always stink. When it burned down they had plenty of time to sort it all out but it seems worse now then before.

Negative experience: The health suite is disgusting! It’s such a shame as it could be a nice space for all, but unfortunately the staff take no pride it maintaining the facilities. Twice I have informed the reception that the steam room was covered in hair and grime and tissue everywhere. All of the floors are grim and there is an unpleasant odour. When I spoke to the reception staff, they were clearly not bothered and made no attempt to clean it. I asked them when it was last cleaned and they told me it gets a clean twice a week! This is appalling! The facilities should be getting cleaned throughout the day, floors wiped, the seating area of steam room regularly wiped. I was so frustrated to see 3 of the staff stood around the reception laughing and joking with one another as I was having the conversation with the receptionist that I said to them how poor it was that they were at work and had no work ethic or pride. The staff said the facilities needed to be empty in order to clean! What absolute rubbish! I’m sorry but I don’t care what job you do - have a bit of respect and pride about what you do. Come one Exeter council - these needs to be better managed and monitored. You’ve just lost 2 memberships to the health suite and from what I hear there will be more leaving.

Positive experience: The facility appears quite new, but maintenance is poor. The tap pressure is often too low, and there is an unpleasant smell in the sauna room.

Negative experience: Was told I can cancel membership at any time Used gym for 2 weeks Moved home In the morning canceled DD Canceled membership Back email You must give 1 month notice Hidden cancellation fee They sold £30.0 debt to collectors Collectors ask £10 for they service Never ever will use council's gyms again

Negative experience: It makes me really frustrated when I see the dust and how much dirt is on the machines; it feels very disgusting. Cleanliness in the gym must be a priority! I wish they would do something about it.

Positive experience: First time popping in for swimming. Lovely welcome and very clean changing rooms. Pool was a little cold.

Negative experience: It's been nothing but a nightmare since the time of signing up. We were having trouble signing up online so went into store to set up my 13 year old son for the gym. He had been attending for about 4/5 months & with the school holidays approaching (july) he wanted to cancel as he would not be using it anymore. Id tried ringing & ringing for about 3/4 days but no answer so had not choice but to go into store. I spoke to a lady on reception & said we would like to cancel to which she told us we had to give months notice which we were unaware of as we were not given any paperwork with terms & conditions on nor was my son sent an email with that information on. The receptionist seem apologetic I asked her we would like to cancel it as we didnt want another payment coming out of my sons account .she said she had canceled it . She took my details & said she would pass them on to the manager & she would be in contact regarding the issue & the refund we wanted as we were unaware that we had to give months notice. 6 weeks later no contact & a second payment had been taken out of my sons account even after the receptionist said she had cancelled it. Again I tried to phone no answer so went bk into store where I was given a email address to contact the manger CORRINE POTTS she basically took no responsibility & basically said I was lying that the receptionists said she would cancel the membership as this isn't something they do in store. I don't know whether it is or it isn't something they are allowed to do but she said she had cancelled it. I asked CORRINE POTTS (the manager) why she never got back to me & her reponse was it would be hard for her to follow up on my conversation I had in store without knowing the details of who i spoke to and the conversation that would had taken place. . Well that's why the receptionist gave you my contact details so we could go over the issue!!! CORRINE said that the terms & conditions are on there website, the receptionist said that they she of been emailed to me. & that the terms & conditions would of been there to read when signing up online we did not sign up online we signed up in store. I then go bk to the store to try & speak to someone face to face after going bk & forth with emails. I spoke to LEE & explained the situation again for the 4th time to which he replied that this was above his pay grade & he would pass on my details to someone higher up than himself & they would be in contact. 12 days later still no contact yet again. The customer service is absolutely appalling & the worse I've ever come across. My son is deeply upset another payment was taken out of him account leaving him with no money left in his account which he worked hard for doing chores & some from his birthday. My son wants his refund he is due.

Fantastic experience: Great swim with the Grandkids. Changing room clean and big and pool superb .

Fantastic experience: Classes are fun, and instructors are nice. All the facilities are well managed and clean.

Fantastic experience: The reception staff are friendly and kind and the classes are awesome!!

Positive experience: We were invited for a birthday party here, real fun, the staffs are professional and the place is really nice.

Fantastic experience: The best people in Riverside Leisure Centre! Big thanks to Corin & Alice! We all love coming swimming here and members are friendly. Glad we have such a local facility to go to, tidy and clean pool/cubicles:)

Fantastic experience: Lovely pool, never overcrowded, clean changing rooms ( thanks to the cleaner - much appreciated

Positive experience: Riverside Leisure Centre in Exeter is an excellent facility with a large, well-equipped gym and outstanding swimming pools. The clean, well-maintained pool area is perfect for both serious swimmers and families. The center offers a variety of group fitness classes led by knowledgeable instructors, and amenities include spacious changing rooms, a sauna, steam room, and a café with healthy snacks. Friendly staff and a welcoming atmosphere make Riverside Leisure Centre a top choice for staying active and healthy.

Fantastic experience: Clean, fresh, lovely place to swim! Would highly recommend!

Fantastic experience: Enjoyed my Lane Swim, on a visit from Yorkshire. My only observation was that the Main Pool could do with a Pool Vac, as during my swim debris was visible to me - hair clumps, bobbles, dust fluff etc... Other than that, other areas of the Leisure Centre were very clean. Great that free and unrestricted Car Parking was available.

Fantastic experience: Great leisure centre with fabulous pool and friendly staff. Good showers and changing rooms. Central location and near to transport and shopping.

Fantastic experience: Friendly staff clean pools and changing rooms not too busy really enjoyable experience

Fantastic experience: Nice gym.

Positive experience: Its a very pleasurable experience to visit this leisure centre as it has a modern state of the art Gym and Multi complex swimming pools one for children and another pool for Adults. The overall Leisure centre is very hygenic and the staff are quite reasonably friendly. I am a regular at this leisure centre and I am overall pleased with each experience I have undertaken whilst Swimming here. From Melanie-Rose Wichmann. Age 23 (Student)

Positive experience: sauna not working. health suite needs a proper clean

Negative experience: Miserable staff miserable pool, cold and just set up for lane swimming no fun for my wife and grandson. Tiverton pool manage to separate an area of pool for lane swimming and recreation especially in the Easter holiday. One member of pool staff just just kept on moaning, you can't do this you can't do that. Really encouraging for youngsters to swim Will not be visiting again.

Negative experience: This used to be a really good facility, but has gone wholly down hill and I can no longer recommend at all. I only use the gym (not the pool or spa) so can only comment on the gym facility. The only thing I can recommend the venue for is the cost, but even with the high % price increase, I am struggling to see what we are paying for? Other than the new Sidwell facility? Which is great for residents local to Riverside (which is a lot)! The gym used to be clean, well maintained, with friendly staff and wasn't too busy. Since Fitness First closed down nearby, the gym has definitely gotten busier and therefore the wear and tear is worse than ever, and nothing seems to be done to sort it. Ongoing and recent issues include: - The gym is filthy. It needs a thorough clean in all aspects. I wouldn't even lie on a matt as when you look around the matts, the dust and grime build up is disgusting. - The changing rooms were out of bounds for weeks. No comms in the app, just told to use the swimming pool changing rooms. - A turnstile is out of action/broken, again... - The battle ropes have been broken/in disrepair since early 2023, and they just get tied up to make them shorter and shorter, so less effective - The leg curl machine is broken and has been for months (it is still in use but the workings curve so don't operate properly) - I got on a cross country machine and it was being held stable with folded card board underneath - A pedal machine has it's audio electronics being held on with gaffer tape (which breaks) - A step machine needs oiling, and has done since 2022 (it massively jars and clicks when you use it) - The arm curl machine matt is beyond tatty/frayed now, and has been for years - This one is borderline funny, but there are bite marks on the padding on some of the resistance machines (chest press for one) - The water machine is always broken-ish - it pours so slowly, you can be standing there minutes waiting for your bottle to fill. It gets fixed then a few days later... The above is just off the top of my head from my last visit. I can see responses from Exeter Leisure responding to other reviews saying to report issues to a manager. Like many, I have done, only to be met with nonchalant responses, or being told "We are waiting for more issues and breakages so we can get a refurb forced through" - wow! So, what happens in the meantime? Furthermore, the reception staff are surly at best...and that's rating them kindly. One can't help but feel that Riverside is a non-consideration for Exeter Council and Exeter Leisure, and all the care has been taken for the Sidwell site. St Thomas has the highest population of any area/parish in Exeter, and is bordered by Alphington and Exwick residents who also use. Shouldn't more care be given to a leisure centre that is meant to serve this large community, and beyond? As all things with Exeter and the council, happy to take your money, not so happy to do anything decent to improve Exeter and, in this case, it's leisure centre at Riverside.

Negative experience: I came in to use the Health Spa today and I have to say how disgusted I was by the state of the floors in the Spa, toilets and locker area. Are the cleaning staff on strike, or do they only bother cleaning around the showers and Pools? Trying to get the attention of a manager is like trying to get blood out of a stone: it doesn't happen. As for the receptionist on duty, well the less said about that person, the better. I felt put out by asking her two simple questions. This is not how it should be run nor how customers should be made to feel. I was told off for walking back to the Pool shower/locker area from the Spa by the swimming instructor because I had not seen the sign (which was facing the opposite way to where I was coming from, so how could I have seen it? I don't have x-ray vision. A customer service course and further training in cleanliness management would not go amiss. Exeter City Council should have spent more money on maintenance at the Riverside than worrying about building a new swimming pool for £50 million. Repairs at the Riverside would have been much cheaper and are blatantly needed.

Fantastic experience: Friendly staff and easy to navigate and use facilities

Negative experience: Showers still out of action & no date given for them re-opening

Negative experience: Please teach your staff to answer when phone rigging or when they received emails some many time from one person. We pay for service and if you mess up something is your job to sort it not ignore like nothing happens. Customer service deserve 0 rate.

Fantastic experience: Riverside leisure is cost effective, friendly and local place to get active and enjoy moving better! Riverside is a perfect place in the community to have fun through movement! Go, sign up now!

Fantastic experience: Love this place. I go every Saturday and have an amazing experience. The facilities available in the gym and health suite are top quality and helps me refresh for the days forward

Fantastic experience: This centre is amazing great facilities and staff. Would highly recommend

Negative experience: The water in the children's pool was very cold, I spoke to the manager who spoke quite arrogantly and offered zero help. I paid the entrance for nothing, because of the cold water the child did not want to stay in the water for even 10 minutes.

Fantastic experience: Great gym and exercise facility for St. Thomas residents, really enjoy playing squash there.However, City Council have not been giving it adequate funding, as the facilities deserve better maintenance and upkeep. One of the squash courts has been closed for months due to the roof failing, and in the one remaining squash court the paint is coming off the walls, the floor has dodgy soft spots and there are holes in the wall. Council wasted too much money on the St. Sidwell's facility and should spend more on maintenance.

Fantastic experience: Friendly reception team, clean and spacious changing and shower area, powerful hairdryer, clean swimming pools for both kids and adults, free parking for gym users and swimmers, highly recommend.

Negative experience: It's a really great facility. The staff are friendly and helpful. It appears to be well maintained and runs smoothly. It's well equipped and value for money. I would recommend Riverside Leisure centre. 14&16/1/24 I have to lower the score because the women's changing facility was wet, dirty and smelly. The showers were cold. This needs to be addressed. Some customers are not cleaning up after themselves aswell. It's a shame. 22/2/24 Gym changing room and toilets not accessible for the past 2 weeks. This is not acceptable. Hence, I've removed another star from my review. 14/1/25 1. Sauna out of action for 3 weeks now and no alterntive or compensation provided. 2. Ladies showers were cold and there is visble mould on the sealant 3. Dust and cobwebs on the ladies changing room cubicles 4. A broken toilet seat over a month old 5. damaged gym equipment 6. The steam room outlet has a sharp metal strip which has come away. The health and safety issues should not be ignored. 18/1/25 Only two of the six complaints have been addressed. See attached photos of some of the ongoing issues and two further ones below. 1. Several lockers don’t work in the female changing rooms 2. There are not enough hooks in the shower cubicles. One is not sufficient. There should be at leat two. It’s time the centre stopped using chlorine in the pools and switch to non chemical alternatives. Chlorine is a high risk to health and should stop being used completely. 31/1/24 see attached photos of rails, door handles and doors in ‘health suite.’ Weeks of grime build up and a health risk. Handles must be cleaned daily. These are basic health and safety precautions. There was an awful sewage smell in female changing rooms this morning. This is not acceptable. Ladies showers still cold but a notice is up stating this which is good.

Positive experience: Cheap. Good classes.

Negative experience: Quite simply the rudest staff I've ever witnessed. You walk up to the reception and it takes three 'hellos' for them to even acknowledge you exist, and then when you ask for information they answer with short, abrupt, and wholly unhelpful answers that suggest all they really want you to do is leave. Appalling customer service.

Positive experience: Good staff, great swimming facilities

Positive experience: Horrible smell of sewage by swimming pools sometimes. Twice recently the boilers have been broken so the pools and showers have been very cold. Aqua fit is far too crowded.

Fantastic experience: Brilliant Aquafit class on a Thursday night, so much fun. Friendly helpful staff

Fantastic experience: everything you expect is there.

Fantastic experience: Just joined the gym here (having been a member at Fitness First which has now closed) and it's really great. The staff are friendly and helpful with Jacob and Tom go well above and beyond the call of duty to keep things maintained and running smoothly. It's well equipped and excellent value for money.

Positive experience: Great pool

Fantastic experience: This has become my go to swimming spot around Exeter, warm pool & changing rooms, enough space that free swimmers don't interfere with people swimming laps. And you can dive in the deep end, what more could you want?

Fantastic experience: Great Pool and friendly staff

Fantastic experience: Nice place

Fantastic experience: Great pool not to busy

Fantastic experience: Perfect

Fantastic experience: I went swimming for the first time in very possibly 20 years (give or take a few years) I was so worried about getting into the pool thinking it was going to be cold and feeling self-conscious. I didn't realise that when you drop in you need to be registered but luckily my friend was so it was fine. The changing rooms were clean and the pool was nice. Everyone was there doing their own thing so all my worries went away x

Positive experience: Already getting tired after renovation, even just down to small things like broken hooks on doors. Reception staff are generally friendly and helpful. We pay £30 per child for swimming lessons, lessons have been cancelled (no refund) and teachers change a lot (though has improved recently)! It's fine but not great value when you consider you pay the same as for the superior St Sidewells Point.

Positive experience: Loads of classes. Good size gym and swimming pool. Parking. Shame it does not have a creche anymore as would use alot more.

Negative experience: This centre makes it very difficult to cancel your membership. Not responding to e-mails, requiring multiple phone calls; conflicting information given out by customer service via email & on the phone. Quite honestly, it felt like they were deliberately drawing out the process to delay the process and charge more money.

Positive experience: Been using the riverside for 3 months now the pool is always the right temperature it would be nice thow if the lanes started at 1830 other days then just Tuesday the sauna is constantly dirty and and the showers in the health suite are always faulty.

Fantastic experience: Went on a quiet Sunday, easy no fuss swimming :)

Positive experience: Good leisure centre with decent facilities for a .good subscription. Staff are friendly. Some bits are tired but can't say too much for the money.

Fantastic experience: Clean tidy. Lady on reception was polite and friendly. Great body balance class

Positive experience: I've visited as a PAYG customer and been pleasantly surprised. The front of house stuff very helpful and the spin classes I've attended, I've really enjoyed. Building looks impressive and class studio very modern. Not sure I'd join as a member as parking in city is expected to be charged for after 6pm soon, which would add costs per day to visit. Such a shame that the council think this is OK. We should be encouraging visiting gyms /leisure centre's after work!

Fantastic experience: Friendly staff, good swimming pool timetables, always clean and good program of activities.

Negative experience: Big swimming pool and changing room way too cold creating a bad experience for kids.

Fantastic experience: Always lovely and helpful on reception

Positive experience: I recommend ⭐️ Been going almost daily for the past 2 months for swimming, classes, health suite and gym. Pool& pool area - clean, can be a bit cold sometimes because people don't close the door to the reception and all the winter cold comes inside. Changing area is mostly clean but it gets a dirty when kids are around. Lockers are great, always available, showers are great, cold and hot. Gym- only been a few times but seems alright to me, good variety for basic training. It has its own changing room. Health suite- not my cup of tea apart from the Jacuzzi. Plus for some reason it's always cold in there and quite dirty. Classes- LOVE LOVE bodybalance on Fridays. Cycling is definitely not for beginners, aquafit is a blast, so much fun!! Pilates was okay too. Close to train station (2mins) which makes it perfect for me since I'm commuting from Dawlish. Bad points-I wish they had more cleaning staff in the pool area and that the doors to it were automated as most people seem to have no common sense to close them. Also I wish they stopped putting swimming classes and swimming clubs at peak hours (4-8pm) in the main pool because that means most people can use it only a couple of times a week in the evening. Last thing I wish the entry system worked like the one at SSP with individual bracelets and not have to wait around and be late for my class just because there are 3 people in the queue at reception. Overall- very happy with my membership and glad it is at a good price (£25+ 5 each extra).

Fantastic experience: Great staff, especially in the gym. Nothing too much trouble and always there to help and offer advice.

Fantastic experience: The staff are always friendly and the pool and changing rooms are always clean and well kept the gym looks well provisioned. A great place to go swimming but can get busy

Fantastic experience: Friendly staff and good value for money

Fantastic experience: Good clean and polite

Fantastic experience: Friendly staff, very clean and tidy and very good Aqua sessions

Fantastic experience: Good gym. Spacious with plenty of space. Clean & tidy changing rooms etc. Brilliant trainer Rob

Positive experience: Staff are friendly but could really do with getting the scanning entry system set up at the front door, or more staff on the desk at peak time as you can be waiting a while if you’re stuck behind someone signing up or booking lessons etc. The cleaner at peak times after work once a week (usually Mondays) could do with getting access to a squeegee because they clearly don’t have one. The floor gets flooded and no area is safe, leaving those of us who get changed at the gym unable to take our shoes off without getting wet socks. Have had to clear myself a little patch with toilet roll on a number of occasions now.

Fantastic experience: Attended Aqua fit. Highly recomend. The pool lovely and warn. Very very clean . Staff friendly and helpful . Shall book regulary

Positive experience: I've only used the pool here. There's a 25m pool and a children's pool. The prices are reasonable and the staff are friendly. The only issue I have had here was with the old locker locks which have been replaced now. A great place to come with kids, however check the timetable on the website to see whether the type of swimming you want is catered for (learner pool, lane swimming, etc.). At busy times a wristband system is put in place limiting people to 90 minutes (I think) in the pool.

Fantastic experience: I really recommend, staff are also very friendly

Fantastic experience: Simple pool setup, bit my daughter loves to go here and swim. We also go to the roller discos when they're on. Great fun

Positive experience: Useless showers, a bit slippery in big pool, lockers still have problems.

Fantastic experience: Always have a great time here love swimming with my friends and just generally love to do it cuz its fun!

Negative experience: As an Exeter local, I'm obviously aware of the vast difference in budgets between what the council spend on facilities for students and tourists - ie the city centre - and the meagre sums spent on facilities for people unfortunate enough to actually live in the city. Riverside is perfect example of that. Millions have been spent on the new St Sidwell's Point Leisure Centre, built, coincidentally, right next to the new student accommodation block. Riverside on the other hand, looks like it was refurbished from stock bought from the Poundland down the road.... Surely it is not unreasonable that a Swimming Pool/Leisure Centre should have lockers that actually work? Not in the Riverside. Amongst the dirty changing rooms, with leaks and cracked tiles, are lockers whereby you swipe your wrist band over them, and then they open. Except they don't. None of them. When this was pointed out to the 'still life with emery board' on reception, she tried to lie her way out by saying some old-fashioned ones with coins are still available. They aren't. This was followed up by the regional winner of the bulldog chewing a wasp competition, who said to contact the council. As there is no student accommodation in St Thomas, the council have done..... Nothing.

Positive experience: OK so I have been a member for probably 10years initially joining as they did BJJ martial arts classes there. The facilities when fully operational are good but not of high standard but the price for membership is quite reasonable so you get for what you pay for. The pool and health suite are the best bit I would say at the momen. The gym is OK but a bit too machine led for my liking. Try for yourselves

Positive experience: Great pool, everything is clean and well looked after. The lifeguards could be a bit more friendly and most of the lockers don't work but overall, it's a nice place to swim

Positive experience: Ideal water temperature Cleanliness good Lockers an absolute night mare , 30% are out off order, with 30% not working the magnetic wrist band you receive are matched with a certain locker, it's down to the individual to find which one as they are not numbered to your wrist , so allow another ten minutes and take deep breaths !

Positive experience: Good swimming facilities, but the lockers are a Constant source of aggravation, they replaced them during the refit with some kind of new field contact centre ones, 80% of which are the broken or the batteries are dead or somebody’s locked the movie there is nothing is in them. The first 10 minutes every swim session is a game of try and find a locker.

Positive experience: Good place but lockers are absolutely horrible. Need to be changed ASAP as random person can open your locker.

Fantastic experience: Amazing

Positive experience: Good facilities and nice staff. Like having the health suite open again, especially the steam room.

Negative experience: Bit of a shambles sadly. Car park 1/2 cordoned off. 2/3 of the lockers are knackered and public info is inadequate... sometimes there's a swim lane, sometimes there is not.

Positive experience: Great value local leisure centre with a nice pool, well equipped gym and loads of different classes

Negative experience: My family and I went a few weeks ago. Staff were helpful on the phone prior to visit. However; -drains of learner pool stunk. -all cubicles that were free had no working locks. -the female toilets had toilet roll on each cubicle floor with only half the toilets having any toilet roll. -no where to place baby if you need the toilet if travelling alone. -lifeguards in the main pool more interested in what was on their fingers. -needs to have a better system for when to take shoes off before entering changing area. The pool is a great size, but all the above let the experience down.

Negative experience: Would join, but the weekend opening hours aren't very practical!

Positive experience: Miles better since they refurbished. The pool can get heavily crowded however, and the classes can fill up quick.

Positive experience: Nice poll for the kids. changing rooms just need cleaning more often then would be 5 star

Fantastic experience: My grand daughter and friend swam, I watched. They loved it. Staff very efficient but friendly.

Fantastic experience: . Super clean and nice environment

Negative experience: No one ever answers the phone

Fantastic experience: Fresh & clean, good facilities, nice temp in the learner pool, nice time together for 5 yr old and grandparents

Fantastic experience: Took granddaughter for swimming lessons. Great pool and facilities.

Negative experience: Yesterday two employees of swimming pools scolded me and locked me in the safety gate, that traumatized me. I think they should be punished. They owe me an apology. You promised me a refund for 4.5 pounds, when can I receive my refund？

Positive experience: Decent sauna and pool, steam room been out of action for a long time though!

Positive experience: Clean, tidy and spacious. The gym is often quiet when I visit mid week midday, I love the range of classes on offer and the pool changing room is great. Lots of showers, lockers and changing pods. It's a unisex changing room but there are womens rooms and family rooms available.

Positive experience: Aqua fit was brilliant ,but once again the locker situation was worse than last week,took ten minutes trying to find a working one and failed, so had to take belongings to pool side which is not ideal

Negative experience: Lane swimming would be much improved if more lanes were open. There were only 3 meaning it was almost impossible to swim properly due to overcrowded lanes- and I am a slow swimmer so not normally a problem for me! The slow lane had people swimming side by side and chatting which is just not appropriate for lane swimming times. The staff need to make this clear to people as it takes one lane out entirely leaving realistically only two lanes!