Sovereign Centre

Fantastic experience: Amazing spot, it's an institution and I highly recommend.

Fantastic experience: Did my first pilates class, and it was very good. Nice instructor clear and concise instructions would recommend

Fantastic experience: Lovely clean pools. First class staff providing excellent fitness classes.

Negative experience: Closing fun pool with near no warning.

Positive experience: Absolutely brilliant place to go for a swim friendly staff good gym sauna was amazing thanks guys

Positive experience: Needs a little love. It’s cheap to use and friendly staff

Negative experience: Horrible and no info on the website about closing a pool. I recommend not to come here

Fantastic experience: Friendly, clean, excellent facilities

Fantastic experience: Great pools, very busy for swimming if you go after work

Fantastic experience: Good value, and nice staff.

Positive experience: Love coming here. Also love seeing Marie Louise the photographer she is brilliant very reasonable price. Love getting photos of the girls. Pool is always warm compared to most

Negative experience: The gym is very much lacking standard gym equipment, there are no sit up benches or any core machines which is strange in a gym. The lane swim pool looks like it needs some cleaning and maintenance (usually busy too), the dive board is permanently closed due to being broken with no plan to repair, the fun pool is closing, the showers are pretty cold and cannot adjust water temp, the whole place looks like it needs some renovation. The cost for membership is too high for the standard of facilities offered I think. With a few changes in the gym and pools this could be a great place but sadly it clearly needs a little investment but no one is planning to spend a little money here to bring it up to standards

Fantastic experience: Excellent place to take kids swimming, they have a flume and a wave machine

Negative experience: Disgusted at the attitudes towards a neuro divergent child

Negative experience: Absolutely disgusting. I wouldn't send your child here who has additional needs as they have just admitted to me on the phone after tutting down the phone that they can not manage an ADHD child as he is too disruptive & questioned why he does it. ADHD stands for Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, the clue is in the name. Especially when I made sure it was brought up & I believe it was written on his paperwork. I explained everything upon his enrollment so neither side went in blind. I was reassured they could manage... They can not.

Fantastic experience: Very deep and very cold but the waves are the waves are the best bit

Negative experience: Staff on reception rude and incompentant including the manager.

Negative experience: What a rubbish place, I won't be coming back

Fantastic experience: The only thing I didn't like was the long walk from the showers to the pool. You have to cross an area where people have walked in outside shoes which rather defeats the point of showering. There is a gate from showers to poolside. The Sovereign Centre should seriously consider opening that back up. No photography allowed so no photos. The wave machine was the best we've experienced. Having the tables and chairs around the pool lent a wonderful holiday vibe. Having 90 minutes was great. With young children it can take them time to build their confidence.

Positive experience: My kids were looking forward to using the slide. We phoned the centre(day before) and were told that the slide would be open from 3.30pm on Tuesday 3rd of September. If we had been told on arrival that the slide was shut I wouldn’t paid for the fun pool swimming and would have returned another day. My kids were very disappointed. Communication at this centre could be better.

Negative experience: There are too many lifeguards for such a small pool. The experience is uncomfortable and unenjoyable when the whistle is constantly blown. There is very little on offer whilst being called a fun pool. The children become bored easily, and I am not the only the only parent who felt this way.

Positive experience: Great family fun in the pool, great idea of the waves(every 30minutes), lots of lockers(20p non-returnable), lots of family changing cubicles, cafe with helpful staff and 20p for 2min hairdryer. Overall great, except the 20p system at crucial points.

Fantastic experience: We have visited this pool a few times this year as i used to come here in the early to mid 90's as a kid and loved it. We always have a great time. Today i didn't swim just sat and watch my kids play and sitting watching i realised how caring the staff were to making the experience enjoyable. We were at the 5.15pm big wave and when the lifeguard finished his session at the side of the pool he walked back passed the spectators seating. As he passed he noticed a table that had plastic cups left on it, some still with drink in and some had been spilt on the table. He cleared the rubbish, including some disguarded wrist bands on the floor then returned with cleaning spray and cloth to clean the table. I just noticed how polite and caring the staff were and we will definately be back soon!

Positive experience: Good swimming pool but could be cleaner in the changing rooms and more better showers

Fantastic experience: Used the gym and pool for two months whilst I was in town; really great price, flexible memberships, friendly staff (guys in the gym are very friendly and helpful), very clean gym, and a really good range of equipment and spaces. Only minor gripes are changing rooms could do with an update and music from the peak time classes impacts the vibe in the free weights area (even with headphones fully up you can hear it) but other than that a great place!

Fantastic experience: Decent swimming pool, polite staff. Clean. Good value. Enjoyed it with kids

Negative experience: Pool and changing room area are generally dirty and overly busy. Slide was out of action but not told when paying, inflatable course costs extra (and wasn't on when I went). Way too expensive for what it is - about £22 for 1 adult 2 children for 1.5hrs session including £3.50 for parking. Probably the worse swimming place I've been when comparing to it's cost.

Positive experience: Cool pool! Only bad thing is that they open the slide only at the weekends.

Fantastic experience: Great gym with pleasant staff. The gym is located opposite the fun pool as separate. The classes are great for motivation. It has a good range of equipment and space. I go pay as you go.

Fantastic experience: I would like to say a big thank you to all the staff at the pool. I unfortunately got severe cramp in my legs my son went to get a life guard. The life guards name was ty also the manageress Amy went above and beyond to help me. They acted in a very professional manner. I'm leaving anyone out all the other life guards were brilliant aswell. Two certain pools in Hastings and glyne gap can learn alot from the staff at the sovereign centre. I will certainly be going there again. Once again thank you.

Fantastic experience: Lovely staff, really helpful and friendly,

Fantastic experience: It was our first time here today and we absolutely loved it! We will definitely be back very soon. Special shoutout to the lovely woman on reception (I didn't ask her name), she sorted out our resident cards and was very friendly. Thank you

Fantastic experience: Brilliant 1st visit in many years 3 generations in the fun pool excellent fun had by all facilitated by really lovely super helpful staff at entrance desk thankyou

Negative experience: Me and my son was wear cotton T shirts that’s why they did not allow me to swim. Though they were return my money. But I didn’t like it. They called it fun pool but they giving wave too less. Another thing is that they don't allow anyone to take pictures personally, but they take pictures with their own photographer. Maybe they charge for it. I don't know how morally consistent that is. Locker/hair drier use system is to enter 20p. At present, who is traveling around with coin in the pocket? In general,it couldn’t meet my expectations.

Fantastic experience: Classes always fun , hard enough, friendly and great value

Negative experience: Planned a family (2 adults and three kids) visit to the sovereign centre for a swimming session in the fun pool. We had not been there before and travelled from Worthing. We paid for our tickets online. On arrival to the centre we didn’t have any cash on us and then discovered you needed £0.20p for a locker. We explained to the reception staff that we didn’t have any money for the lockers and asked if we could purchase a token by card which they said no. We then asked if we could purchase some goggles and then they add £0.20p to the cost and they said no . The staff said we would have to drive to a cash point machine to take some money out which they could then change up for us!. Therefore we had to leave reception and not knowing Eastbourne spent 35 mines out of our Paid session time to get £0.20p for the locker. Whilst I appreciate we should of has some change on us I think the centre should make provision for this situation. The reception staff were rude and it ruined our visit. We would not go back or recommend. £0.20 FFS.

Positive experience: A good centre but showing its age wave machine great fun attentive lifeguards on the downside the disabled parking bays too narrow for disabled people to get out most of the staff very helpful sometimes the front desk let's it down

Positive experience: Brilliant pool but not a cheap option

Fantastic experience: Hello! I would like to say a huge thank you to the coffee shop staff today..they have been brilliant..lovely food and service..thank you

Fantastic experience: Gala pool inflatable Aqua challenge is brilliant fun. Ages 6+ and be able to swim at least 25m. 45min sessions weekends & weekdays in school holidays. Buoyancy aid supplied. Area for spectators.

Fantastic experience: We travelled over from Brighton and definitely worth the trip , very easy parking on site , great facilities and the fun pool was exactly that , FUN !!! Book for weekends and holidays .

Negative experience: Visited with my 4 year old, non verbal autistic daughter. She cut her foot open on the silver floor grate and it required a plaster. Life guard did not want to know. When he was asked for assistance turned the other way. Had to ask 3 times if he could he could help before he told me to “go over there.” And pointed to the other lifeguard at the deep end of the pool. At this point it had started bleeding again and triggered my daughters meltdown. Daughter was wearing her yellow sunflower lanyard to make sure staff were aware of her additional needs. Completely upsetting that staff just did not care. Thankyou to the receptionist who finally helped with a plaster

Fantastic experience: Warm wet and enjoyable overall a nice experience. Gym is tidy and clean and also help me out when i forget my card. Always space for a run when I turn up.

Fantastic experience: great for exercise in the pool with handles and massage under waterfall. Very polite people all around. Not to be missed when in Eastbourne.

Fantastic experience: Well run, great staff and facilities, love coming here, keep up the good work!

Negative experience: Lots of things you can't do suddenly for health and safety reasons. My family and I were very disappointed and felt very restricted. We used to really enjoy the Sovereign Centre.

Negative experience: Disgusting, unclean, overcrowded and unable to swim. Other pools blocked due to booked lanes, and blocked pool due to swimming lessons. Dirty floors, rusty water dripping from windows down walls. Yellow stained tiles in the pool areas. Smelt of nappies in changing area. Just appalling. Have to pay for lockers and no refund. Have to pay for parking too. Wish I could give no stars.

Fantastic experience: Easy parking. Good experience taking my grandson swimming. Good to book before hand but website not easy to use.

Fantastic experience: We always love it when we head to Eastbourne.. Wave machine and flume is awesome x

Positive experience: Good swimming pools, there are cafes, gyms, aerobics in the water, they follow safety precautions. Cons: there is absolutely not enough oxygen inside, as if you are in a sauna, it is very stuffy, we were sweating all the time. Lockers for personal belongings are very small and the same lockers and hair dryers are paid - why? Often there is no cash change with you, what to do in this case?

Negative experience: Attended at the weekend on the "SEN" session as my daughter is autistic and gets overwhelmed with too much noise or too many people. The website advertises these sessions as quieter sessions with reduced people attending the pool with no music. This is not the case. I arrived at 9.30 and the pool was yet to open, if you charge people to swim from 9.30, don't open the pool at 9.35/9.40. Especially when SEN children do not necessarily understand why they cannot get in the pool. Also, this was not a limited SEN session at all, the pool was packed and was open for anyone to attend, the music was blaring and my daughter was one of 2 SEN children in attendance, all other children and families were neuro typical. We left after 15 minutes as the loud noises and people running around my daughter led to her becoming overwhelmed and distressed. I do not understand why you are advertising an opportunity for disabled/SEN children to attend a quiet session with limited attendance when you are not offering it. If you aim to do this, actually stick to it and retain 30/45 minutes before opening to the wider public, for children who cannot enjoy the pool at peak times due to their complex needs. I am happy to discuss this over the phone if required.

Positive experience: Review is for the fun pool. Reasonable prices. Probably the only publicly owned pool we’ve been to in the UK where children can bring their inflatables. Lifeguards are hit and miss, when we went recently they were very diligent, but in the past there were not enough to safely cover the pool; at times only 2 or 3, rather than 4. Wave machine fun. Hot tub needs replacing. The number of people when at capacity seems unsafe; you can hardly move.

Negative experience: Nice place friendly staff, clean But I think it’s the owners that let it down with silly rules , charge you to park , Surely it should be free if using facilities, expensive at weekends or peak times as they call it. Today I went on my motorcycle for a swim in gala pool suddenly there’s another new rule I couldn’t leave my crash helmet on side out of way by window which I have done for years , problem is it doesn’t fit in there small gala pool lockers so I had to be refunded and left. Silly rules and over priced……

Fantastic experience: Needs to be knocked down and rebuilt but is a fantastic place for families

Fantastic experience: Very friendly and professional team at the sovereign centre. The induction trainings by Olga and Like were very useful. The facilities are good and I would say the cleaning is well done.

Negative experience: Nice enough to keep the kids entertained, but in desperate need for some TLC, or even better a complete rebuild. The terrible layout makes it hard for the place to be kept clean. Using lockers, hairdryers and parking is charged extra. Staff was friendly.

Positive experience: What a lovely venue. Sadly when swimming changing area floors are so slippery and dangerous especially for disabled. I shall not venture there again due to safety issues.

Fantastic experience: The staff are fantastic, the young lady on the door today today, was incredibly helpful and patient with helping me and all my questions while bringing my daughter to her first gymnastics lesson, despite it being very busy she was calm and a pleasure to be served by, she is a credit to the business, the facilities once inside were all very clean and well maintained and all the staff I met were friendly and helpful, amazing atmosphere, can't recommend enough.

Positive experience: I really enjoy swimming on the gala pool, however the female changing rooms do get over run with children especially in school holidays and the female changing rooms are grubby....perhaps mum's could use the village changing rooms ???

Negative experience: Have been to wave pool many times but this time (Feb 2023) it wasnt great. The wave machines were switched on twice in an hour and a half. It was measly and meant I had three children asking me when the waves would come back - and the answer was in an hour - for a child that is a Lifetime. Also, not enough changing room. My youngest and I had to change in the corridor as there were no spare changing rooms. And a pool of a hundred people had to fight for 4 (yes 4) showers. Overall unless you live in Eastbourne go to Triangle or Splashpoint or pyramid. Not the best.

Negative experience: I loved this pool but now you have to book a slot online what a crock of .... just go back to how it was please

Negative experience: The pool is good to have a good swim in but the changing rooms and cleanliness of the place is disgusting, always hair everywhere, muddy footprints , chocolate on door handles . It really makes me want to give up my membership,

Negative experience: Sauna is really cold. The temperature is always bellow 70C. optimal temperature in sauna it's between 90c-80c.

Fantastic experience: Very warm atmosphere. Enjoyed watching my grandson restart his swimming pursuit.

Fantastic experience: Fun time in the pool with the kids and not too busy. Plenty of changing rooms but even the family changing rooms are a bit small for 4.

Fantastic experience: Great fitness center and pools. Really good value and wheelchair accessible

Negative experience: It was a mistake to join a membership at this swimming pool, the membership was supposed to allow me to go to the pool at any time, unfortunately this is not true as the pool has a timetable and all swimming lanes are closed during classes. I completely don't understand why they can't leave two lanes for members but have to close the whole one and restrict access. however, in the water you can often come across floating rubbish or hair, overall the pool is old neglected and dirty, I really advise against swimming here.

Positive experience: I like the swimming although areas really do need decorating. However, the booking system needs to stop now. This must be the only facility left with supposed "covid restrictions" in the whole of the UK. Consequently, the pool now sits idle for 1/4 of the entire day due to this poor booking system.

Positive experience: I've not been there swimming since the 1980s. The adult swim area and changing rooms have not changed at all. It wasn't very busy when we visited at 7pm and was quite a relaxed swim using the lanes. Very helpful and friendly staff.

Positive experience: Very helpful in all ways,staff have s nice attitude and patience thank you Sovereign

Positive experience: I have been coming swimming here for years. Yes the pool and everything is a bit dated but its one of the best swimming pools around. Waves are good fun and so is the slide. The pool is big enough to have a good splash around. My children attend swimming lessons here and they seem to be improving, so that's good.

Fantastic experience: Fantastic leisure pool, but I find the pre-booking system restrictive as I like to be spontaneous with my family.

Negative experience: Google shows swimming pool open 7am till 6pm on Sundays. However pool shut between 1500-1530 Not great when you turn up at 1450 with an autistic child who suffers with huge meltdowns.

Negative experience: The hygiene has gone down dramatically the overwhelming smell of wee was so off putting we chose not to swim very disappointed. I feel there is a public Health danger here if hygiene levels are not kept at proper standards

Positive experience: Reasonably priced , warm enough, we love to use the stand in heater to dry off after and the find the lifeguards are very attentive to children which helps when you're in the pool with 2 and feel better knowing there's lifeguards either side whilst you swim about.

Positive experience: It's a great pool for the kids but 1 hour 30 minute time slots don't seem long enough. This has only been in place since covid. This should be changed. Everyone getting out of the pool at the same time is chaotic and you have to fight for changing rooms. The Life guards are far too strict. You feel like you can't do anything without being told off. I get that they are looking out for people's safety but just relax a little. Bexhill pool is better, with no time limits and no booking in advance.

Negative experience: Having to book a slot is a massive downside to going swimming here. The other downside is the cafe is so awful. During the summer holidays with mostly kids swimming at the pool - there are no childrens friendly lunch packs - the sandwiches are Ham and MUSTARD or TUNA. A cheese sandwich and pom bears with some fruit would not be hard to source. Their beautifully and recently designed cafe menu has a lot of choices - from vague 'sandwich £3.00' to 'Baguette £3.80' and the usual 90s kids meals like Burgers and chips. And then Scones. All over the place.

Positive experience: Yeah some parts of this swimming area are nice, like the water side yeah there’s one but it felt great and also there was a wave machine which felt lovely!

Positive experience: Friendly staff, clean changing rooms. Not too busy if you pick the right time to go.

Fantastic experience: Nice warm pool, good atmosphere. Changing Facilities are great for families. Reasonably priced too. Worth the travel to get here as kids love it

Negative experience: The floors are so so dirty, .. especially in the changing rooms & showers,.. I've brought rubber..socks so don't treat on that floor.. I'm totally surprised that management don't see this, .. a jet wash every hour is needed ..

Negative experience: Filthy dirty pool and hot tub. 4 showers which is far short of what is needed for 150+ swimmers in a session. Dirty changing rooms. And expensive. Avoid

Negative experience: sadly the place more concerned about what your wearing than they are about CHANGING ROOM HYGIENE!! dirty n smelly finding old uses nappies and litter sticky mucky floor throughout CHANGING rooms the manager Mike seems to acknowledged issue but does nothing to sort it as a manager Mike u should yourself jump onto mop and clean instead he has his staff standing around poorly managed obviously. very disappointing very dirty quite off putting when u think they in charge of keeping water clean of which had hairs floating !!

Fantastic experience: Clean, tidy, good value and enjoyable. Remember the 20p pieces for the lockers though.

Fantastic experience: Only took my great granddaughter for her swimming lesson but I thought it was very clean and everyone seemed to enjoy rhemselves

Negative experience: Expensive, short swim session, wasn't offered resident's prices, learnt afterwards.

Negative experience: Quite expensive for what they have got, you have to pay for swimming lockers, they are not refundable! Most classes are during the day when most people are working. The gym has limited space and equipment and doesn't even offer a space to stretch after your workout. Overall very disappointed, the only thing stopping me from leaving for 'the gym' is Heidi's aqua class, very good fun!

Positive experience: Its a good gym with lots sport equipments. The pool is good as well but the shower area is not that clean. The negative thing about this center that its a bit far from the center of the town.

Fantastic experience: The changing rooms are a little outdated but kept clean apart from that it's a brilliant facility.

Positive experience: I enjoy their swimming pools and the staffare very pleasant but I don't believe they are trained properly, they can't always answer customer questions, e.g. times of classes, where they are held etc. For all that I'm glad I rejoined after lock down

Positive experience: Great water slide. Nice sized pool. The wave machine adds to the fun greatly! Didn't seem to be any shortage of changing rooms. The family ones are very handy when you have kids to look after.

Negative experience: Pool is a good size Changing rooms were disgusting - lots of swimming nappies, wipes, tissues, wristbands and overall grubby. The current measures are you can swim for an hour and a half per session. You’d think that someone may do a check of the changing rooms and clean in between The shallower end of the pool was gritty too Unlikely to go back Cafe is pleasant and staff were nice

Positive experience: Entertaining for kids, will be better when all pools reopen, currently booking ahead only. Warmer water than Ravenside, bigger pool and more entertaining but more expensive. Take a non returnable 20p coin for locker.

Fantastic experience: Swim and sauna @ The Sovereign Centre. All good except needs more regular attention to cleaning M/F changing areas.

Fantastic experience: I am the chair lady of the group Young at Heart for the over 50's who meet up there on Tuesday's, Wednesday's and Thursdays. We have use of the gym, pool's sports hall. Plus social events. It's brilliant.

Positive experience: Good to be back to swimming, a bit dated facilities but good location, membership definitely worth considering otherwise you pay nearly £7/entry.

Positive experience: Good place. Flume, wave machine and fountains all good. But beware, you may well be subjected to the music of Chris de Burgh.

Fantastic experience: Lovely swimming pools, choice of lanes or leisure pool, and lovely equipment for younger ones to paddle and play and get confidence.

Fantastic experience: Regular gym/pool. Place gets if fair share of bad press but employees work tirelessly to keep the place running. As the saying goes you don't know what you've got until it's gone.

Positive experience: Great place for a family trip, children loved it! Water slides fountains and wave machine were brilliant touch