West Wickham Leisure Centre by Mytime Active

Fantastic experience: Day one

Negative experience: If I could give half a star that would be considered generous!!! Absolutely a disgrace of a swimming lessons establishment....horrendous at all levels...keep your kids away from that place it's hell!

Negative experience: Finally West Wickham actually closed, as it is run so bad and it condemned dangerous. The Gym is unsafe and changing rooms are a health hazard. We have been Complaining for months and been ignored

Negative experience: What a disgusting dump! stinking changing rooms, filthy floor, half the locks are missing on the doors and lockers! holes in the ceiling from leaks and mouldy upper ceilings in view. Jeees i could go on - in the pool theirs "Urine Corner" its actually the strongest stink of wee i have ever experienced. Imagine your in a big urinal by the plug hole and your close!! I was expecting Sid James and Barbara Windsor to pop out on the set of a Carry on film as the decor and general fit out would date back to that era. And nice to look up to the gym with the absolutely filthy glass viewing window :( Its a dump for sure and i feel robbed to be honest. Dont forget to have a nice shower with thick scale and flooded floor gullies on the floor with blood stained plasters floating around your feet. Terrible, Nuffield all the way - you get what you pay for

Negative experience: Run down, mould and algae in the changing rooms. Changing room floor leading througj to the pool really slippery and when I returned the disability chair to staff I actually slipped over on same area. Staff enquired as to my welfare but no attempt to look at completing an accident report.

Fantastic experience: A little run down but always super clean and reasonably priced. Floats provided in the little pool for kids which is a plus

Positive experience: Swam a 5k here in May 2023, raised £500 for cancer, awesome pool, great staff

Negative experience: Took our money to allow one swimmer and one parent coaching poolside. Kicked us out after 30 mins unless we moved to the gallery because there is a standing "no parents poolside" policy.

Negative experience: Avoid! The children's changing room ceiling is caked in black mould. The seating area around the children's pool has food all over the floor, first thing in the morning everytime I've been. There's no level of cleanliness here. Lockers don't work. Toilets don't work. The place is a wreck. I went for a swim and it cost £8.19!!! I'm done, there's no point going there.

Negative experience: I had swimming lessons there and had to constantly be weary of where I stepped, you can see bits of moss growing by the pool. The changing rooms aren't the nicest to change it to say the least. The only reason It's a 2 and not a 1 star is because it got the job done, I had no problem with any of the staff and none with booking lessons either but the place is begging for a good refurb.

Fantastic experience: Well run and friendly service. It is an old facility but that's down the Bromley Council not pulling their finger out and rebuilding.

Fantastic experience: The pool and changing rooms need a really good clean, quite shocking to be honest in this day and age

Fantastic experience: Our little gem. Love this place

Fantastic experience: Just went for an evening swim.

Negative experience: I used to like swimming here but cant say much for it. Always melting inside if you are watching the swimming, and to avtually swim for 45 mins is £8.19, which is extortionate. I used to pay much, much less for an hours swim. I have been going since after lockdown and it never cost that much, yet the staff have no clue that it did, declining what i was saying, eventhough i knew it never cost that much due to emails confirming the booking with the price written in the email. Hence why i havent been to swim for a while. Changing rooms are dirty and badly maintained. Gym is always full of young teenages, who just do what they want, with no supervision. Puts me off wanting to go to the gym. The mens toilets upstairs next to gym are disgusting too, attached are pictures. Rather nasty if you ask me.

Negative experience: Life guards don’t do their job properly!

Negative experience: If I can give this a rating of zero I would not advise your kids going here . Changing rooms are always dirty staffs don't care about your children's there are better options (David Loyds/Beckenham/Bromley)

Negative experience: Bad. Must avoid ! Lifeguards don’t do their jobs properly .

Positive experience: Good swimming clubs in the pool for kids

Fantastic experience: Nice friendly service. Signed up for gym membership and booked induction. Raring to go. Could do with a face lift, but believe it is on the cards.

Negative experience: It’s not easy to book classes seems you have to constantly be on the app first I was told it’s 5 days in advance niw told it’s 10 days and it goes live at 10 at night seems to me from attending same people are doing the classes most be a better way to do this as monthly fee is based on gym plus classes not must point if you can’t get on them should reduce cost or make fairer

Negative experience: Not what I thought it was

Negative experience: The place is in desperate need of a refurb, which I believe is due to take place soon. When the health of the nation is in decline, I find it baffling to charge people £8.19 plus parking for what would be an hours swim (used to be able to stay in the pool until you were suitably worn out which could be two full hours), but now they have shortened the hour sessions to 45 mins, and literally stand over you asking to get out and change. Good length pool, other than that, nothing much going for it.

Positive experience: Needs updating as it's the same as when I used to go in 1988.

Fantastic experience: One of the great institutions of our time

Negative experience: The changing area has a real deprived Soviet feel to it. Fascinating.

Fantastic experience: Very friendly

Fantastic experience: Very decent sized pool, not too crowded if you go at a good time

Positive experience: Very nice pool but… The place is dated the roof is moulded and the toilets and changing rooms aren’t very sanitary

Fantastic experience: Wonderful staff, and gym. Does what you need it to.

Negative experience: Overpriced family swim session that was limited to 45 minutes. The facilities were disgusting. The changing area was run down and falling apart. The whole place should be torn down.

Negative experience: Very expensive but the gym looks like it hasn't been refurbished or cleaned since 1993. I don't understand how they can dare to charge such a premium amount for such a basic place. How is this place still open???!?! Basic equipment. I feel like I'm in an old secondary school PE building. Also there's no lift for people with disabilities.

Positive experience: Changing rooms could use a little update but a nice classic and clean pools for everyone.

Negative experience: If I could rate 0 I would. I will never be bringing my baby here again. It’s absolutely disgusting. The floors look like they haven’t been washed in years, the showers are terrible and don’t have a moveable head so it sprays very poorly outside of the built area meant for it. The pool area is rotting, there are hooks that have been ripped off and the whole place is vile, unhygienic and the worst place I’ve been to take a baby. I will also be taking my complaint to the area manager as this is not acceptable for any child to be in. It’s also well overpriced at £8 you do not get what you pay for here.

Negative experience: Very dirty with multiple buckets collecting murky water dripping from the ceilings. Not worth the price at all

Positive experience: Good staff. The gym itself is in desperate need of a refurbishment and offers limited working equipment.

Negative experience: pool needed cleaning needs to be updated staff were friendly

Positive experience: Needs some love

Negative experience: It a nice local leisure centre, that being said it is very run down with holes in the ceiling and needs a refurbishment

Fantastic experience: Excellent pool and gym facilities...

Negative experience: For the money they charge it's incredibly grim. The equipment and pool is okay but the changing rooms and shower facilities are in dire need of attention. On my visit there was no working private shower, just a communal one with the pool.

Positive experience: Nice 33m pool

Positive experience: Old tired and grubby. But pool was lovely and very deep.

Negative experience: It's such a shame the ladies changing rooms have got so dirty in the last few months. During the Pandemic they really stepped up and made an effort but it's worse than ever. Pool staff are brilliant but as they desperately need staff it's not a place that will pull in prospective staff if the management don't have pride in their workplace and make a team effort to improve the hygiene of the whole building. I'm not talking renovation here just general cleaning on a very regular basis and management taking responsibility and perhaps giving areas a check before inviting customers in to use the facilities.

Fantastic experience: Friendly staff

Negative experience: Frustrating how often the pool is closed or hours restricted due to staff shortages, sometimes at very short notice

Positive experience: Child friendly atmosphere

Fantastic experience: A BIG THANK YOU to Mark from the reception. My phone was lost. He fiind it and give it back to my. It’s a brand new phone (1.1 K)without insurance . Really appreciate it !!!

Positive experience: I have only been as a visitor for an evening pool hire session, but staff always friendly, pool and changing facilities always clean. Only given 4 stars as it feels like the pool etc is getting a bit tired and dated, could do with a refurb, but there's some signs of that happening at the moment.

Positive experience: The centre needs a refurb.

Positive experience: Love there aqua classes, and the pool is just long another for me to swim

Fantastic experience: Great place but could do with a makeover as it looks a little bit tired.

Fantastic experience: There's no denying the centre is aging and in need of some repair BUT there is a feeling of warmth, friendliness and community when attending. The staff are always welcoming and the building is clean despit how challenging it must be to keep it that way. There is plenty of parking (pay & display) or free parking on the road with restriction.

Positive experience: Swimming Pools are good but doesn't even have hot water shower. Difficult for kids learning here.

Fantastic experience: Good gym, nice pool, not too expensive.

Negative experience: Tired complex now, there were plans to demolish and build a new one, good size pool is only good thing I can say really.

Positive experience: Perfectly pleasant experience. Was there to swim 5km for Swimathon, which I achieved in 30 seconds under 2 hours. Great organisation by the Swimathon volunteers

Positive experience: Very good swimming lessons for both adults and children. Their students make good progress with every lesson. Some instructors for the children sessions are great and are excellent with students. Others are just seriously grumpy, show that they have favourites and end up giving poor attention to the other kids in the lesson. Because of how good their swimming lessons are, the Levels 1 - 3 swimming classes are now overcrowded and the kids are barely making any progress after almost 14 weeks of lessons!! WWLC really need to do something about this. They also have the water polo swimming practice sessions here. There is a gym and there are fitness classes. You rarely have to queue for equipment and the classes are interesting. You have all ages coming for the gym and fitness classes. Really lovely to see. All the showers don't work properly and are either cold or warmer side of lukewarm. Can't get a proper hot shower here. This is irksome and off-putting to a number of patrons. The toilets in the female children's section is disgraceful. Very rarely have both toilets working. And very rarely have the one toilet working for an entire evening! As such the demand on the male children's toilet is increased. The changing rooms are very basic and functional. But are very clean. They have an excellent cleaner (the adult female changing rooms). I have been to a few gyms in the area, I think it has the best sized adult swimming pool with good variety in depth. I really appreciate their pool. Honestly, WWLC could do with a serious reno. It is tired and rundown. Staff are friendly and try their best for customers. There is quite a lot that is out of their hands and they have to refer to a central body or 'manager' to get answers/permission for things they are well capable of or should be capable of doing themselves. WWLC should be clear about the temperature in their pools. Their pools are COLD. Especially the teaching pool. The teaching pool should not be cold. They also need to be clearer about pool use for leisure activities e.g like their inflatables session, family fun/swim etc. Inflatable sessions at WWLC is a big inflatable obstacle course thing that is on the pool and patrons run on/run through and jump into the pool. No swimming or playing in the pool is allowed. You jump off the inflatable into the pool and come out to queue up and go on the inflatable again. And over and over. It has an age limit (no little ones) and learners are not permitted because they would not pass the swim test that is required to be allowed on the float. There are no leisure swim times during the week in the evenings. All the pools are taken over by lessons. I think WWLC is missing a trick here. Could be the demand for swimming lessons are high and they just don't have enough pools..? Overall, WWLC is an okay gym. The state of it's facilities and overcrowded swimming lessons let it down. And would cause it to have a 2 star rating. It's cleanliness, how good their swimming lessons used to be (when not overcrowded), those excellent swim teachers and their lovely staff, inches it to 4 stars. PLEASE, sort out the overcrowded swimming lessons. Having 10 kids per lesson is too much for the instructors. They are not managing the classes. And having two lessons of 10 kids+ each on at the same time in the teaching pool is too much. Apr 2022 Update: Size of the swimming lessons are now better controlled. My current observation is they are losing some of their best teachers. Their easter holiday crash swim course was excellent. The level 3 lessons had such a fantastic teacher!!!!

Fantastic experience: Today I had an appointment with Jodie to do a health assessment. I was impressed with her professionalism and health advices. The way she explained how healthy I should be was amazing.

Fantastic experience: There are many different activities I can do, apart from the gym and the swimming sessions. My favourite one is "Health Assessment". I have done one with Jodie. She gave me some advices regarding my health and weight. Following her nutrition guide, I managed to lose 3kg , and will continue to do so, until I reach my goal. Thanks to Jodie! Highly Recommended.

Positive experience: I went to the swimming pool. The pool itself was ok, but changing rooms are very dated

Fantastic experience: Have had two sessions with Jodie, Health assessment, followed by a programme: she is so lovely and put my mind at rest the whole way through. Was very knowledgeable. Was really impressed.

Negative experience: Tiles fell off on poolside, still not repaired weeks later

Negative experience: The centre requires renovation…

Fantastic experience: After 18 months away from the gym I returned last week and decided to have a health assessment and gym induction. Jodie the gym instructor put me through my paces and dealt with my health assessment in a very professional manner I would highly recommend Jodie if you decide you wish to take up an assessment. I find all the staff to be very friendly and helpful at all times. Many thanks to you all

Positive experience: As with most places you have to now book for swimming. Site was a bit misleading as a family swim session doesn't make it clear that this is only for the very tiny baby pool. Staff on site were pretty inflexible even though there were clearly people with very young children who would have preferred to be in the small pool, while people with older children would rather be in the big pool. Changing facilities are very dated and small.

Fantastic experience: Good Covid precautions in place.

Positive experience: Good exsept they don't let children in the inside pool at surtain times

Fantastic experience: Lovely place I take my daughter for swimming lessons and she has done amazingly in a short time the teachers are realy good

Positive experience: Old fashion, great swimming pool with most friendly and helpful staff. Facilities are a bit run-down, but still, what a privilege to have this leisure centre!

Positive experience: Kids swimming lessons waited for us to come out of lock down - but back in lock down again .

Positive experience: Every time I go inside is the same . And after lockdown doesn’t change to much. Carpet dirty,Dust anywhere,

Positive experience: Kids swimming lessons great pool nice temperature water.

Fantastic experience: Very clean and personal trainer on duty to help. Only six others there so no queing for any equipment. Good atmosphere and very helpful staff.

Fantastic experience: Don't change it!!!

Positive experience: For one of the only main swimming pools in the Hayes, Bromley, Croydon area (Bromley being a pool aimed at fun) its not bad. Staff are very friendly and helpful, and prices aren't high. However the pool area can be quite dirty which contradicts the changing rooms which are cleaned quite well. Also as a Swimmer i find that the chlorine levels can get to high someone times making my lungs strange and resulting in me and others in my group coughing.

Positive experience: Gym is pay ayg, basic but ok

Negative experience: Ugh the pool is so dirty! As a scuba diver I occasionally touch the bottom of the pool and that is not a pleasant experience as you can see how much grime their is. The changing rooms are nicer but some cubicles have broken locks and stuff like that.

Positive experience: Needs updating

Negative experience: In major need of investment for years.The area is desperatly lacking leisure facilities and gym options in West Wickham.

Negative experience: I have never seen such a run down and dirty gym in my life. The changing rooms were dirty and stank, and I saw mosquitos flying around. A lot of the gym equipment was decrepit and the benches were dangerous with wonky and loose fittings. The wall mirrors in the gym were covered in marks and have never been cleaned. Dust everywhere. I have no idea why this is allowed. Perhaps local councils should not be running gyms. And it's not even cheap!

Positive experience: I think the main pool and baby pool are both great. My son uses the baby pool for lessons, and he seems to like it. Then again, he is only 1.5 years, and finds puddles equally entertaining. The big pool has a deeper section too, which is actually quite deep indeed compared to the other pools in the area. I'd estimate the depth at about 4m (but the other side is about 1.2m, maybe). The changing rooms are quite basic, but functional.

Fantastic experience: I drive past this place when I visit, but my memories are very vivid about the venue altogether. I was a visitor to this place when it was first built and only a swimming pool and the upstairs available for parties etc. My parents told me that when West Wickham was first developed the land was set aside and local fundraising efforts finally got the facility built in the 1960s. After that it was adopted by the local council... It is still a credit to the area.

Fantastic experience: Old fashioned but clean and lovely staff.

Fantastic experience: Great place to take your kids swimming

Negative experience: Absolute dump

Positive experience: Kids love it but showing its age.

Fantastic experience: Friendly staff

Positive experience: Welcoming and community friendly!

Positive experience: Excelente clase de natación para bebés

Negative experience: Receptionist serves us while on the phone to someone, meaning we couldn't discuss prices. Whilst in the pool, one lifeguard was shouting at his colleagues at the other end of the pool, insulting them and saying they didn't know what they were doing. Finally, 2 weeks later decided to go back as it's the only place that does adult only swim on a Friday evening. Trying to compare prices of pay-as-you-go vs membership and I CAN'T FIND IT ON THE WEBSITE USING MY PHONE! ...So I tried calling. For half an hour! No one is picking up.

Fantastic experience: Although the decor is very tired, there is everything you need for fitness, pool, gym and a studio. You can also use Pavilions and Beckenham Spa.

Fantastic experience: Small kids pool

Fantastic experience: Good value and good fun

Fantastic experience: I go scuba diving here and have just joined the club. I was taking all the gear out of my car and one of the staff helped me take it to the pool. Don't know anywhere we people are more helpful than that.

Positive experience: Getting a little jaded

Fantastic experience: very nice gym

Positive experience: Kids pool is great - water like a bath but changing rooms need some tlc.

Positive experience: It would be nicer if adults only was adults only as it isn't always that way. Staff lovely though.

Positive experience: Public Toilets