Poplar Baths Leisure Centre and Gym

Negative experience: Very dirty and old! Don't recommend!!!

Positive experience: I have been coming here for about 3 years and the gym equipment is good, the areas are cool and the some of the equipment has cooling included. I’ve never used any of the classes or have had any support from the staff at the gym during my whole time being there. They have a separate section for women only to work out, this is usually only for a couple hours but you have too look out for men sliding the door, some do not know it’s shut off or some may do it intentionally. I have used the swimming facilities a few times but the slot times were never updated correctly which made it confusing for lifeguards on shifts. I do not like the pool facilities it’s not clean enough so I try to use the pool early mornings. The hot water is hardly working in the showers. I feel like the toilet changing rooms are not clean at all! The staff are okay, the male staff are friendly and helpful however, the females that work there are not and have always had a weird attitude. The manager from Mile end was working there temporarily and he was really empathetic and kind to me, his level of customer service was nothing like the poplar bunch, which is why I stopped coming after that day. I’ve cancelled my membership and I’m glad, this place needs to improve.

Negative experience: It could be so much better, but it's dirty and unmaintained. Staff don't really care, people don't shower before they get into the swimming pool in their tshirts (?!) and burkas without showering first. Dirt and hair at the bottom of the pool. I don't know how they don't get shut down for the lack of hygrine tbh. The changing rooms are definitely not cleaned daily, I've seen the same rubbish on the floor for three consecutive days...

Fantastic experience: Great atmosphere and environment. Alex helped me out with lots of workout, and by giving tips. Amazing support!!Thank you

Negative experience: Session was interrupted by staff and they promised a refund. Never received the refund.

Negative experience: I do not recommend BeWell for children’s swimming lessons. When it was under Better, the experience was decent, but since the transition to BeWell, it has been a disaster. Since May 2024, my child’s class has not had the same teacher for more than two consecutive weeks. Most teachers are from agencies, and occasionally even lifeguards are asked to take lessons. There seems to be no competent management—either no one is able to make decisions, or they fail to follow through on what they’ve said. The classes are boring, overly repetitive, and the teachers don’t seem to know the students. Groups are oversubscribed, which means children spend too much time waiting, getting bored and cold in the water. Both parents and children are frustrated by the lack of progress. I am absolutely gutted that I wasted the last seven months with them.

Fantastic experience: Nice swimming pool, not overcrowded. Easy to book slots

Positive experience: Great staff and a nice pool

Negative experience: Lockers all used up with people clothes and bits because they don't want to pay 20p for a locker.. walking pool side with shoes on.. swimmers fully clothed.. swimmers leaving thier towels and flip flops pool side, trip hazard... No rule enforcement what so ever... Someone needs to be held accountable Disgusting and dirty...

Negative experience: Went there once with my kids and was told the children’s swimming pool is not running. Now I’ve been told kids aren’t allowed on Sundays. Not to mention the front desk staff in the form of a sweaty and rude teenager. This place is terrible, save your money.

Fantastic experience: Really friendly and helpful staff

Fantastic experience: Swimmpool is very clean and hygienic. Nice changing rooms too.

Negative experience: ever since bewell came in, its been absolute chaos! twice ive showed up to be told there are no sessions when it says there are sessions online. wherever bewell operates, there are always queues and people complaining of various issues baffling

Negative experience: This is a very dirty pool (visible piles of dirt on the floor) and the changing room floors are filthy at all times of day. This seems to be because there is no enforcement of hygiene. People come to swim in street clothes (for modesty, which is fine) but don’t shower before swimming, and no-one challenges them. On a day when London was 32°, that’s a lot of sweat and dirt floating off into the pool. No wonder it’s grimy. It will be a vicious cycle - the dirtier it gets, the less likely clean people will want to swim here, so it’s just going to get worse. At the moment I’m grateful for the free swimming for women, but honestly I wouldn’t pay more than £3 for something so filthy. Flip-flops can help you avoid the grimy changing room floors, but staff need to enforce showering before entering the pool, and not allow any footwear poolside. Most pools have a mandatory foot-pool that you have to walk through. That would make a difference here. Two of the four poolside showers outside the women’s changing room don’t work. There is no sign, they just don’t work. Maybe some of the people I saw who didn’t shower tried and failed. Arrived at 19:30pm and no staff were visible in reception. After waiting five minutes we walked on into the pool. My husband had paid to swim, but there was nothing stopping people walking in for free. All this is a crying shame as the building is beautiful and it’s a great resource for the area.

Fantastic experience: Such a simple and nice place to swim. Very kind and welcoming people.

Fantastic experience: This is situated just near All saints DLR station on main road, so easily assessable. I used their badminton court which was really nice, clean and spacious. Although they charge additional £1.25 for non members which seems unreasonable because we already paid to book for court. Otherwise it was nice if someone is looking for leisure activities near poplar. Thanks!

Negative experience: Really bad service by the person at counter wasn't helpful to customers all ways misleading pepole with wrong information but African gentleman was really good helpful us join membership in 5 min but the girl at counter was inexperienced person no good at all

Negative experience: Their behaviour was not good. They are not allowed us to swim whole place. Even they are not friendly. I won’t go there again.

Negative experience: its very bad experience in my life. the way of the talking of lifeguards is worst. never go

Negative experience: staff was very rude and their behaviour was very bad,we are not suggest to come and enjoy here everyone

Negative experience: Worst service by Lifeguards. They are trained for swimming but not trained for hospitality. I've never seen any lifeguards behaviour like that. They have no sense how to talk gently with the people. BTW thank you manager. Appreciate for his behaviour.

Negative experience: Worst experience ,,Rude behaviour.. They haven’t let us swim properly,give us so many restrictions,despite of being a professional swimmer we are.

Negative experience: If they ever clean the pool or changing rooms I'll let you know, hasn't happened yet. Change in MGMT hasn't helped. Lifeguards don't know what clockwise is, or how to use a whistle. App doesn't work.

Negative experience: Massively gone downhill since Council took it over from Better. Dirtier, less organised, fewer staff. Real shame as it used to be great.

Negative experience: Very expensive. Some gym equipment are not working.Swimming pool always booked or not accessible. No good value for money.

Negative experience: Lousy place, dirty pool, rude receptionist, racist, poor customer service and the list is endless.

Positive experience: The pool is abit on the small side. The gym is nice.

Negative experience: I will be cancelling my membership and I would not recommend to anyone absolute waste of money. Paying £42 a month for me to book swimming sessions and being sent back home because Be Well is not organised enough. I have been sent back 4 times when I booked in advance complete waste of money. Also men watch from upstairs while there’s a women’s only swimming session which is unacceptable for religious reasons as well! The only ladies gym does not have all the equipments you need you need to keep going to the men’s gym to use some of the machines. Very bad and waste of money

Negative experience: Very Poor, went Saturday morning at 11:00 am. 3 young ladies at the reception, went to enquire about membership options. One of the young girls that served me said all the details are on the website.

Positive experience: The transition to be well was bumpy but now it’s running well again

Negative experience: Changing the review from 5 star to 1 star! These guys are clever and greedy!! After rebranding as Be well , they have to legally transfer all the details ( including direct debits) of customers to their new system! But for some customers they haven’t done that. For some people they have transferred the data but not the direct debit information!! They try to influence you in a way to cancel the direct debit with your bank and to get a new membership which costs much more than the previous one! While operating under Better: the regular membership used to be £39, it was £39 in april as well! But the new price is £42 under Be well! They tryna get everyone to cancel the old membership and get a new one with the increased price! Its not customers fault that they have to re brand!! And nothing has changed after the rebranding!! No new equipments were added!! All the facilities stayed the same but price has jumped!! Very poor!! LBTH should look into this!

Negative experience: Receptionists, do your job responsibly!!! Re-branding means to improve the quality of service. Here it’s reverse psychology. Receptionist’s attitude is not up to standards at all. Just an example: you don’t laugh randomly in front of the client coz u remember a joke ur colleague told earlier.

Positive experience: This is a nice leisure centre with good public swimming baths. The main pool is 25m long and six lanes wide. There is a separate teaching pool so the main pool is people swimming. From 1st May 2024 the management changed and the centre is now run by Tower Hamlets. It is impossible to book swimming on the website yet and the advice is to "pop in". Not great if you are not close, even worse since there is no indication of the public, as opposed to school, swimming times. I actually "popped in". Staff were helpful and suggested early afternoon as the best time for a relaxed swim.

Fantastic experience: My daughter goes swimming lessons.... The pool is clean...the teachers and staff are friendly and helpful

Positive experience: Everything is wrong with the ladies room near the swimming pool. 3 out of 6 showers don't work or give cold water. One of the working showers does not have a door. People leave filth in the restrooms

Fantastic experience: I went to visit and see what the pool is like and Dawud at the front desk was extremely kind and helpful, not to mention his patience for the 90 questions I brought with me. Would highly recommend.

Fantastic experience: I'm so happy with the team there. My kids are happy they can't wait till next lesson

Negative experience: 1 year ago I requested one decline bench press because every gym has at least one ( and has 8 normal bench press). But no action has been not taken ( just be ignored). Now in May 2024 a new company took place Be well, and I was expecting some changes and improvements, but not changed only more machines broken. And numbers stick with blue tags?

Positive experience: I went here for the first time today, and it's one of the nicest Better centres I've been to. It's been restored with some of the original tiles and features and a beautiful art deco building. The gym has a good range of equipment. Particular thanks to Matt on reception who helped out and patiently answered all my questions.

Negative experience: Life guards previously didn't want to help someone who was drowning because didn't want to damage phone. Now the swimming instructors think it's ok to bully 8y old school girls making them cry and scared to return by demanding they jump into the deep end of the pool despite these girls having not only a fear of swimming but struggle to swim due to that fear. Travel to anywhere but this place

Positive experience: It was ok...no one on door so could have walked in and not paid..seemed expensive paid over £7.50 normal pay less than £4.00 they said there was no concessions for seniors?. Many staff do not appear to have any idea of prices..it's just A computer says.....such a price....this seems general within the better organisation

Negative experience: Definitely the worst gym in London that because they making the gym half only for women and women can use whole gym . That is silly way and expensive £38 they must change that as soon as .

Positive experience: Love the pool itself - good size, location, availability of different swim stuff (baby swim, lap swim, women's only ,, etc), great price and perfect location. but the maintenance and company are meh. Ladies pool changing rooms smell like pee most of the time and even though I wear flip flops literally until I jump into the pool I still catch athletes foot. The company itself not organised. Calling sends you to the central office who simultaneously refuse to allow me to speak to the individual branch while also insisting that only the branch can help me. The branch staff also pawn things off to the central office, making a huge headache for any problem solving due to no one seeing things as their job.

Fantastic experience: Me time with ‍♀️ yoga & pliates and swimming ‍♀️ I love spending time at the Poplar bath! Highly recommended for all the families activities!

Negative experience: The treatment of the rescue staff is very bad and they speak to people with disrespect and condescension. I decided to withdraw my son and I from this bad place.

Negative experience: the worst costumer service. answering the phone only occasionally with the automated voice hanging up on you as soon as you let 5 seconds pass while you choose which button to press. almost doubled swimming pool cost in 2 years. cumbersome app to book session. only swimming pool who asks you 20p each time you close it, which round up a swimming pool session cost at £8!!! also, despite the cost they are not warming up the pool as they used to and it’s damn freezing to enter.

Positive experience: Not enough swimming lanes during busy hours. 4/5 people in a single lane isn’t workable

Fantastic experience: Clean gym, the pool it's really nice as well, and it's not busy at all which it's always a good thing.

Negative experience: Not enough gym equipment, and hardly they repair. Reported several still no updates

Fantastic experience: More availability for swimming for men, it has badminton, ping pong and gym within too

Positive experience: The staff is very kind, the swimming coaches are also very kind and explain well, but the swimming locker rooms are dirty, there was a stain in the locker room back in winter, now it's summer, and it's still there

Positive experience: I usually go there for swimming but had a look at the gym the other day and quite like it. It belongs to better health gym and is good and not too busy, but unfortunately single swimming sessions a little expensive. They also offer swimming lessons.

Fantastic experience: Very convenient local leisure centre. Family and children friendly. Easy accessible with professional friendly and supportive staff.

Positive experience: It’s way too hot in the gym. Air con comes on once every hour ‍♂️

Positive experience: It's a good place for workout and indoor activities, but the problem is with the badminton court. You get a lot of direct sunlight from the top window on all the 4 courts which hampers with your vision

Negative experience: I'll evaluate the pool from a swimming training perspective. - too shallow, 1m in one end with 1.8m in the other (doesn't make sense at all) - only one hidden chronometer at the 1.8m side - narrow lanes - too many slow swimmers per lane - good temperature - ok for cleaning Gym facilities are rather good Price is expensive for what you get.

Fantastic experience: 1. Great location as the all saints dlr station is adjacent to the gym. There is a wide variety of stores, restaurants and an idea library at walking distance. The famous Chrisp Street Market is across the road at walking distance from the gym. 2. One of the best places if you enjoy swimming as it has one of the best swimming pools. They also have a smaller pool for children and novices. 3. Besides working out, we can also indulge in games like badminton, table tennis, basket ball and volleyball(at a fee). They have 4 badminton courts side by side. 4. Good assortment of gym machines and weights for a good and productive workout. 5. Very well maintained facilities which are cleaned on a regular basis. 6. They also offer all kinds of fitness classes for interested candidates. 7. They offer a wide variety of lockers(small, medium and big) to secure your stuff while you work out. 8. The changing rooms are quite clean and spacious and are very well maintained. 9. The front desk staff is also very helpful, receptive and cooperative to members needs. 10. Just one downside, at times some gym machines break down(mostly the legs machines) and the staff takes few days to get them repaired. This affects workout sessions and the waiting time could be reduced. All in all. I thoroughly enjoy my workouts here and love spending time in the gym. I wish everyone at Poplar Baths Leisure and Gym the very best and congratulate them for their efforts towards maintaining this centre.

Negative experience: Better gyms service is worse service I have ever received. They don’t follow timetable. Yesterday I booked for Gym- female only, it was at 13:30 to 14:30, I’m a Muslim lady, I follow religious rules strictly. While I was running in female only session, suddenly a guy removed the partition between men and women at 14:03. I told about this in the information desk, but she told me she couldn’t do anything, because their online timetable and their own chart schedule is different. Now everything is online, mostly I look at Better Apps timetable. Whom should I inform? It hurted my dignity and my belief. It’s so unfair.

Positive experience: The swimming pool water is not warm enough. I visited with my son (5 years) on a Saturday evening. He was shivering after a swimming session. Rushed to the changing room for the dryer. I expect the pool water must be a little more clear. The person who was watching/teaching the children's learning session is not a kind of children-loving person. Failed to see a smiling or playful face. If it's not enjoyable Children won't like to visit again.

Negative experience: The swimming pool is ok, and kids swimming teachers are also good. But the state of the family and women's changing rooms is horrific. We are going for swimming classes for over a year already. The changing rooms do not seem to be cleaned once during this time, they are getting dirtier and dirtier. It became a health hazard!! I am adding the photos to this review just hoping that the administration of the lasure centre will take actions.

Positive experience: Nice place to go swimming water is nice and warm place is clean Table tennis pn sute but of tge tables is not in best of codisions you can pla badminton on się as well

Fantastic experience: The staff on Reception are really helpful and friendly. The ladies Swimming Changing Rooms are the best that I have seen. I know it recently been refurbished tte attention to detail is so good lots of closed door changing rooms, lockers to put your clothesc20p needed, a disabled shower/ changing room but you have to use your radar key for this. showers/toilet facilities and in the corridor free hairdryers. Nothing has been forgotten. If you just want to swim they also have fast and slow lanes which is brilliant.

Positive experience: Fairly clean, only downside is that there is no enough family changing rooms.

Negative experience: I have sent a complaint email to the sport center and customer service at the branch a week ago about the cancellation of the venue, they have no intention of making any compensation or response, I am very angry with this move, if this is company the sloppy policy of doing things, I don't think it's necessary to keep all memberships under the Better banner.

Negative experience: Very badly run and totally unprofessional. Charged me twice for membership and then half the gym was out of action for half a month due to “rain damage” - no warning, no part refund. And the showers are freezing! Absolutely hopeless, avoid!!!

Fantastic experience: Nice renovation. Heated pool. Family changing rooms. So many things done right.

Fantastic experience: Beautiful building, clean, well organised, well maintained friendly staff and decent facilities. I wish all better centres were like this!

Negative experience: The pool is very nice and the changing rooms kept relatively clean. The problem is they don't allow children below the age of 8 years old to venture into the deep end regardless of if they can swim and regardless if there is an adult swimmer with them in the pool. Parents are trying to instill confidence, teach and give a life skill in a safe environment so that should a child get into difficulty in the future, in a deep pool or the sea they are able to respond properly. This policy of no children past a certain point because of age is detrimental to children growing and becoming more experienced swimmers and will ultimately cost lives. We won't be returning until the policy is changed. I suggest you find a pool that encourages development. (seven islands Leisure, Central Park Leisure) are great these two pools have no issue with my 5 year old swimming in the deep end with me by her side.

Negative experience: Convenient only because its close to my home. However the gym equipments are bad. Have to wait for people to finish using dumbbells and barbells because they only have 1 set of weights. Only one bench press and lots of new tech rubbish equipments that nobody ever uses. Swimming pool is more like a public bath. Can never find a spot with the number of children and families that attend together. For the price you pay its not worth it. Will end my membership here and find another Gym nearby.

Negative experience: Use for swimming, very basic but the hygiene and cleanliness of the mens changing room, toilets and pool have dropped. Rust on the mens pool door and increasing, toilet often clogged or overflowing and people are allowed to walk on pool side with trainers and are not washing before entering the pool. I once found toilet paper in the pool and had to ask a lifeguard to fish it out. Higher prices but less access and qualify since management change, plus the eta of the app? What's going with it...

Positive experience: Really nice well kitted out leisure centre. The dance studio is great and has a nice sound system. Often come here for badminton (make sure you book well in advance). Changing rooms can bit a bit unclean and some customers spit/clear their throats loudly in the bathrooms which isn’t nice but apart from that it’s a great spot

Positive experience: Swim wise not bad, it’s relatively clean, to be fair it’s was clean, but the lockers are tricky spent quite a few 20p coins trying to get about 3 lockers to work and even the buggy park for £1. You may just waste your money. It’s a pay once and open once system so if you forget your stuff and need to go back you’d have to pay again. Best to keep your stuff pool side. Found out the hard way.

Fantastic experience: Really refreshing to cool down after the heat we've been having. Cool water and quite quiet without crowds to avoid when swimming lengths. Made contact with some friendly people

Fantastic experience: The centre is in a great position outside All Saints Dlr station. I went to the swimming pool. Clean and well organised with 3 lanes for general swimming. The changing room is spacious and functional.

Positive experience: Plain no fuss pool . No real problems showers could be a tiny bit cleaner . People at reception annoyed you interupted the chat with their mates . No one seems to have info on 50+ activities .

Positive experience: I've only ever used the sports hall here, but there is a real temperature and lighting issue. On a sunny day, the windows aren't always open and there are no blinds meaning the sun is blinding when trying to play. Aside from this, generally a good venue with helpful staff.

Fantastic experience: Very nice gym. Enjoy going there. Never too packed. Lovely staff. Quite clean. The pool is very big and the classes are nice.

Positive experience: Lovely place good swimming pool but if u going with kids if could be difficult because for little one's is too deep.

Fantastic experience: I went with my 5 month old daughter and she had a great time. The buggy park and family change were very helpful

Negative experience: Baby classes on Sunday are cancelled too often, and the staff doesn't even bother in letting parents know before showing up. I'm still waiting refunds for March and April. Poor customer service and no management taking responsibility.

Fantastic experience: I was there the first time to play badminton with friends. The sports hall is exactly as in the picture. What totally blew my mind is the amount of natural light in the hall. I didn't even notice if lights were installed there. Another fact I would like to say is that for each friend you bring, they have to pay a £1 entrance fee, which was not mentioned anywhere in the better app so be aware of this when booking. Other than that the price for 1h was like £13 something, but worth it since it's got such a good natural light.

Fantastic experience: The gym has everything you need for a great workout. There are classes and women only swimming and gym. Very dynamic.

Negative experience: Worst experience ever. They let you book the activities and cancel on the very last moment and give reasons like there is an activity is going on.

Positive experience: We enjoyed playing table tennis. It's a pity that more people were not enjoying these good facilities.

Fantastic experience: Juvani and his team are incredibly helpful and friendly, and has gone the extra mile in helping us resolve booking issues. Exemplary service.

Positive experience: Located close to All Saints DLR Station, they have separated changing/showers for men and women. Water is clean. The place is quite nice except the fact that the water is cold and you need 20p for the locker (you cannot use Better coins). Maybe I will go there in the summer. Now in April is... Brrrr

Fantastic experience: Zackriah and Annette are the best swimming instructor, hands down!! I was a beginner at learning how to swim, but because of their support, encouragement and motivation I now moved to Zack and now he is teaching me tremendous skills of the breathstoke technique because I surpassed the backstroke and frontstoke techniques and I couldn’t be more proud of myself but that’s because of the teachers like Zack and Anette, so thank you, so, so much!! I come here weekly, and I will continue to do so!!

Positive experience: Good experience with badminton courts! The halls are nice and big with good associated facilities and nice staff.

Positive experience: Local Gym fair amount of Gym equipment's to work out with great Activities, Swimming, studio, play area, the Gym, Badminton etc. Not far from Train station.

Fantastic experience: Convenient location, clean, not too busy, helpful staff, always a very relaxing swim.

Fantastic experience: A five star experience, but basically as a result of the swim staff, the coaches, life guards, etc. If you are a non-swimmer like me, they really are invested in you learning to swim, with some of the lifeguards sharing valuable tips with you as well. The coaches will ask you what your goals are, and then push you towards them in a fun, but challenging class. The pool could probably benefit from more lanes, and for me, would definitely benefit by being a couple of degrees warmer! Maintenance of the changing areas are undertaken periodically by staff, but it's worth bearing in mind that these are high use areas, as they have a constant flow of schools throughout the day, due to the loss of one or two local pools over the past two years. Telephone customer service is not based inside the actual centre, which is a pity, because they would have immediate access to centre knowledge such as class cancellations, etc, etc.

Negative experience: Chaotic. Staff seem clueless on setting out swimming lanes and the website misrepresents what is on. Today the booking for Swim for All stated 3 lanes. Only one was available as they used the other 2 for lessons. Lockers 20p, they don’t keep / have change.

Positive experience: Loving the classes and the friendly welcome from most of the staff I have so far met. Helping me to regain that Vogue body that's been hidden for way too long! I go on my own and feel totally at ease. Try it, you might like it!

Fantastic experience: Very nice badminton courts and other facilities. Clean, recently furbished. Lighting can be an issue sometimes on badminton courts

Positive experience: Decent size football pitch. Although i find the turf to be far to hard. I think they need to upgrade it. You can feel that the ground is uneven in certain parts of the pitch

Fantastic experience: Great gym in All Saints right next to the DLR. Two pools one for beginners and one lane pool. Decent changing facilities and also has gym and hall for badminton and roof football pitch. Overall a great place part of the Better gym brand

Positive experience: The place were I learnt to swim all those spring times ago and now we're am back again in training for this year swimathon - wish me luck

Positive experience: An okay pool. Gets quite deep. However the entire place feels like it needs a scrub. Especially the changing rooms…. hair everywhere. Rubbish scattered around too.

Negative experience: Booked a swimming session here and didn't enjoy my experience. There was a kids' session going on (I suspect a school trip) and the ladies' changing room was flooded with girls, very noisy. The floor was filthy as shoe covers weren't worn./ no one took their shoes off, so there was a disgusting mixture of dirt and water on the floor and it also smelled weird. Also the lockers don't give your 20p back when you use it. The actual pool was on the small side and the lane size was tiny. Water was cold so I suspect not heated, was freezing when I got in. The kids' pool was right next door so of course it was VERY noisy and echoey too. I won't be back anytime soon.

Positive experience: Took the kids for swimming lessons. It was the first session. The kids loved it. The shower area right next to the pool and the family changing area, doesn't have good drainage. Surface water comes in to the family changing rooms also from the showerarea. The showers are a constant problem here. They are out of order quite frequently.