New Milton Health and Leisure

Fantastic experience: This place help me with swimming lessons

Negative experience: Tried phoning numerous days and at different times but nobody ever picks up the phone, very frustrating.

Negative experience: Absolutely appalling. Booking into an aqua class is a joke. Class times are changed without notice- just make sure you check every time you attempt to book. Not even instructors are given notice when someone decides to change the time of a class! The booking app is a disaster. Reception try to deal with issues but are poorly trained. Management at New Milton appears non-existent . Senior management clearly have a very poor grasp of what is going on at this centre- although they have been alerted to these issues. Despite two meetings with Senior Management the same problems not only still exist but are now worse! Using the New Milton Centre can be extremely stressful and should come with a Health Warning!

Positive experience: Weights room and gym are both good. Decent amount of machines and free weights. The one issue is that since freedom leisure took over it feels as though they do the minimum possible to keep the place running. When machines are broken it takes weeks and on some occasions months for them to be fixed. I have used a lot of commercial gyms and have never seen machines out of action for more than a couple of weeks. It's just the little things that are easy to fix that they just seem to ignore. An example is the dry changing rooms are off limits to customers until the school day has finished. It's hard to see why they can't just have them off limits at the time the school is actually using them rather than all morning and most of the afternoon. A sign on the door with the times they are being used by the school is not a difficult solution. Things like this do make the paying customer feel less important than the schools. It is a decent leisure centre, but there are just a few simple changes they could make to help it look and feel a lot better.

Negative experience: Useless. Have asked countless times about gymnastics lessons for our child but keep getting told to contact the instructor which I do by who never calls back. Why on earth did NFDC ever outsource the operation of its leisure facilities to this shambles?

Fantastic experience: Booked badminton whilst being on holiday in the area - really good service, decent car park and clean courts!

Negative experience: My children do swimming lessons here and the upkeep of facilities is very poor. Showers out of order for months and months(signs saying they are working hard to fix…) very dirty floors in swimming area , cleaning rota on the wall filled in but floor filthy? I’m not sure if gets a proper clean rather than just a squeegee down. Instructors are good which is why we keep coming at the moment.

Negative experience: When on holiday in the area I pay for a swim and sauna. Recently I visited twice and the showers were luke warm and very weak. The shower/locker area was also too cold. Is this cost cutting? I paid more this time so I expect a good shower and no to be chilled by it?

Negative experience: I joined predominantly for the classes as I want to do about 4 a week and it’s more cost effective. I joined about 2 years ago but cancelled after a month as few classes listed and very hard to book as the few that are listed were all booked out. I rejoined last week and nothing has changed. There are more classes during the day but again, the ones I want to do are booked out and even 5 days ahead, only 3 classes listed for the entire day and more aimed at people with poor mobility. This is more than I pay at Shorefield and double the price of Puregym. I think I won’t be renewing at the end of the month unfortunately.

Positive experience: Place ok . But can't join membership just for gym .

Positive experience: Upstairs gym area is pretty good following refurb. Downstairs weight room is poor. Leaking air con, old benches and equipment, old weights, and not enough different machines. They should check out what other gyms have. This is below standard. Swimming pool alright, changing room needs redoing as stinks. Needs some money chucked at it.

Negative experience: Dreadful. New equipment arrived last month and within 5 days one of the cross trainers was out of action. For the past two weeks the leg press hasn't worked.Today the leg curl is broken. The showers were hot today for the first time in about three weeks Toulet still not working in the ladies' changing room nor in the corridor. Lots of moaning going on but nothing being done

Fantastic experience: Lovely place, will recommend to visit

Positive experience: All good just the sauna shut be turned off 9:30 pm.. A special when after swimming ‍♂️ You like too chill..Se you next time

Negative experience: Been going to thus gym for a long time since freedom have taken over it has gone down rapidly. Gym equipment is falling apart they just fix is with duct take, screws and bolts loose on machines which need lock tight on. They will just tighten it with an Allen key so it comes loose a short time later. It's a shame the council done this. Private company's shouldn't be allowed to buy council businesses.

Fantastic experience: An hour of fun with the family. Kids who can swim a length are allowed in the deep end. Lots of floats for the little ones. Clean facilities. Great for rainy days!

Negative experience: I’ve been with this gym for years, unfortunately it keeps getting worse since being taken over. Many times I have turned up at 6am when it opens (weekdays) for it to not be open or be told it’s opening at 6.30am… (people count on it being open at this time due to their jobs). I arrived one day to find the weights room being closed for a week, this is fine as it was to have the ceiling fixed however there was no notice in advance, not even a post on Facebook to warn anyone. Another day the front car park was closed for what I could see, no reason. The scanners for your cards are constantly closed meaning anyone can walk in. The water fountains to fill up your drink are also taped off the majority of the time. Promised new equipment has yet to be delivered even though the price is continuing to go up. What are we paying for? I don’t want to find another gym but it’s becoming increasingly difficult not to choose that option!

Negative experience: Grubby , staff couldn’t care . Showers cold asked why duty manager said there was air lock and it would be fixed. Last night still not fixed , tried to call this morning no one answering phone , absolute joke !

Negative experience: Impossible to book as no one answers the phone and there is no online booking.. NFDC need to move on from this management company as they are clearly dysfunctional

Negative experience: Not the best experience...super expensive and dirty changing rooms. Sauna/steam room not working Definitely worth going elsewhere pay more but have an amazing time

Positive experience: A bit basic, otherwise OK

Fantastic experience: Great leisure facilities

Negative experience: This gym has always been average but since freedom took over it’s awful. The staff don’t seem to give a monkeys about your opinion and they take services away yet charge you the same amount! Buckets all over the floor catching the water, which is a massive health and safety risk! You need an umbrella to do your workout! News in on constantly upstairs, which is depressing! Don’t need ti hear it or see it subtitled when many of us go to the gym for brain space not just to aid us physically. This gym is becoming absolute shambles ! Unfortunately it’s the only gym close to us hence why I attend. The gym and changing rooms are also disgusting! Also tape all over equipment and lots of machines not working. Update; Steam room and sauna are back open but steam room is absolutely disgustingly dirty and smells like sweaty bodies.(New Milton) Also, not to mention that basically every evening we are unable to take our daughter swimming because the centres locally think it’s ok that swim academy is on at lymington,ringwood and New Milton at the same time!! She is a toddler so need to take her early evening but never can! Centres should alternate swim academy so that you can go swimming at a reasonable time and parents can enjoy a swim with their children! Comments seem to really fall of deaf ears with no improvement management don’t keep to care. It’s so frustrating!

Negative experience: Would not recommend this leisure centre. The membership has now gone up to £44 a month this includes the sauna and steam room which are currently switched off along with the lights around the leisure centre. We were promised new gym equipment which never materialised unfortunately all we have had is numerous price increases. And they wonder why there losing customers who are going elsewhere.

Positive experience: Much better now, the old management has gone. Things seem to be on the up,

Fantastic experience: Strong and Steady session

Negative experience: Whilst I sympathise that a company like New Milton leisure is withdrawing services such as the sauna and steam, to then not compensate their members is completely unacceptable Be very careful what you sign up to, as when the company then chooses to change their services, don’t expect any form of compensation

Positive experience: Very helpful.....

Positive experience: Good gym in a convenient location. My daughter swims here once a week too so handy that it's close by. Staff are very helpful and the facilities clean and tidy. Worth joining if you are an avid gym goer.

Fantastic experience: Nice pool and sauna.

Negative experience: Since taken over by Freedom Leisure really gone downhill. Lessons frequently cancelled at short notice. The booking and membership system seems to be frequently "down" and recently lost all details of lessons cancelled and therefore credits owed - "convenient". Maybe this is the reason reception staff are often rude or surly. The place has no idea of customer service.

Fantastic experience: Very helpful staff.

Fantastic experience: We used the pool twice on holiday and thought it was excellent. The staff are friendly and the lifeguards manage the pool really well to keep everyone safe. Really clean everywhere and for a little extra we also used the sauna and steam room and these were very nice and perfect temp. Good job everybody

Fantastic experience: Thank you all the staff on reception at New Milton centre. My elderly disabled mother came for a swim with me today and she was given excellent care and respect. Well done for all your facilities for the less able. We had a great swim.

Negative experience: Pool water was very cold and changing area was freezing

Fantastic experience: Just started swimming again, nice size pool and good facilities. Update still enjoying the swimming, and the staff are very friendly, polite and professional.

Fantastic experience: First time visited today. Staff are very friendly and helpful. The swimming pool is very clean and doesn't smell like I'm swimming in bleach. The changing area is clean and good facilities.

Negative experience: Absolulty discusted in this gym for months now I've been going to this gym were staff refuse to wear masks they don't clean the machines like there supposed to most of the time there is no access to alcohol people walk around doing what they want and the rules are never followed they just sit in reception on there phones yet if you want to ring them they don't even answer the phone I made numerous complaints to the manager Mark Jackson who has ignored every single one and just blanked the gross misconducts of his staff and centre without even a single aknowledgement or reply to any of my complaints if you have any sense you will stay clear of this centre and anything ever run by the same people!

Fantastic experience: Lovely swimming pool.

Negative experience: Price of membership is a joke, only wanted to use the gym but have to pay £39!!! for stuff I dont want and will not use. No wonder people don't use the inadequate gym at this price. You need to rethink your insane price structure and think of your competition who do it cheaper and better.

Negative experience: Very poor communication phoned up to use the gym said it was available when I arrived said it was only for 20 minutes and would have to pay again, told them I’d just spoken to ‘natasha’ on the phone still insistent Very poor advise and uncooperative staff

Negative experience: No one answers the phone and there is no email address. What is the point of having a website and phone number but with no contacts working and only being able to contact them by going down to the centre in person.

Fantastic experience: Top Top Top Gym.....

Fantastic experience: Been a while but enjoyed my 1st day back! Well sanitised good social distancing!

Positive experience: Very friendly helpful people. Pool sparkling clean with clear instructions how to swim and generally behave. It would be nice however to be able to shower.

Negative experience: Lack of equipment. Gym supposed to be cleaned after every hour session but it's not.

Positive experience: Good organisation for swimming during COVID times

Fantastic experience: They are doing a tremendous job with all the Covid 19 restrictions and the staff are always very nice.

Fantastic experience: First time here today for a family pod swim had the best time, felt very safe changing rooms were excellent staff were friendly

Fantastic experience: Procedu5 are good. Swimming is good also.

Negative experience: Wait to book a gym session on the phone for 30 minutes being told you are next in the queue then get cut off. Repeat 3 times exactly the same thing. It would appear the leisure centre most certainly does not want anybody turning up. Covid 19 or not no excuse for this.

Negative experience: I used to think that here was a nice place train. But over the years it's gone down hill a bit. The instructors are all lovely, friendly and are very knowledgeable. Same with some of the receptionists and managers. But in recent time me and a few of my friends have not had the high quality customer experience, you would expect. We told to go and wait out side in the cold, wet and windy weather. For class, like body pump, body balance. No one has any regards for the equipment, the pump bars and clips need replacing and all are bent, broken or damaged in some way. This is not what I pay my membership fee for to treated like a child and to use damaged equipment. I go here because its local to me and my friends train here too and the instructors are wonderful people....

Fantastic experience: Friendly staff, good equipment and I highly recommend Will West if you're looking for a great Personal Trainer.

Fantastic experience: Great gym and pool.

Negative experience: Where do I start, came down from London for a weekend to New Milton, wanted to go for a quick 40 min gym session so decided to pop into new Milton a health and leisure centre when the women at the desk told me they have closed the till?! even though there was 50 mins left until they close? I went with someone who is a regular user of the gym and the women wouldn’t even budge to let me in for a quick session. I wouldn’t recommend this gym! + if you are not a local stay away. This is only for the new miltoners. If you’re from another area they’ll look at you like a stray dog. Many thanks New Milton health and leisure. Opened my eyes to the wonderful area!

Fantastic experience: The gym is usually very clean and tidy and the fitness classes are brilliant. Worth the higher than usual membership fees. My only gripe is that parents stand and wait in the changing rooms when there are swimming lessons on.

Fantastic experience: I’ve been playing badminton at the leisure centre for several years. Great facilities and friendly staff. Very reasonable prices. Well worth a visit.

Fantastic experience: I loved coming here when I lived in New Milton... The gym equipment are amazing, ️‍♂️ and they got a sauna/steam room too, which I enjoyed going more than gym, and I wish the gyms in Bournemouth had that. Wish I got to try the swimming area though.‍♂️ I miss this place. It deserves 5 stars in my book!

Positive experience: Staff are mostly friendly and helpful. Good large Swimming Pool, albeit availability for adults who just want to "Lane Swim" does seem to be limited. Reasonably well equipped Gym. Fees are quite fair. Criticism from other Reviews are difficult for me to understand.

Negative experience: Over priced even though subsidised by our tax. Gym has old non maintained equipment. All the managers are w@nkers

Negative experience: Every one knows that we pay expensive but it is closed,the weather is lovely and which is the relation between bad weather out side and opening the gym?the opposite gym staff should be lively and not give excuses to be not there all these days..

Fantastic experience: Well equipped gym (weights and cardio) with a separate weights room. Good size swimming pool, sauna and steam room. Can get busy late afternoon/early evening but always some spare capacity. Group sessions always well attended.

Fantastic experience: Great for swimming Loved it