Swallows Leisure Centre

Negative experience: Shivering in cold water during aqua therapy is not at all enjoyable. Surely the water should be at least warm to help you relax, not cold so it makes you tense.

Fantastic experience: The instructors were fantastic and great with the kids. Very helpful and friendly. We would definitely come back!

Negative experience: Shoddy facilities. Kids pool and slide isn't always open, regardless of how many people would like to use it. Lifeguards are generally snotty teenagers with awful attitudes. The soft play staff are nice! HOWEVER, the food is a rip off! Over a tenner for a frozen pizza, are you having a laugh?!

Negative experience: The changing rooms not clean, swimming pool for a indoor pool was freezing and dated, we have a 5 year old so was looking forward to taking him in the kids pool and slide. When I asked why it was all closed they just said low on staff, there was 3 staff members/lifeguards around the pool area so my geuss is they couldn't be bothered. The pool itself was also dirty. We have also been to a party at the soft play which the kids loved but it was in the summer months boiling hot and because it was a party. They said you can not buy any food or drink from them so all the parents were walking into the town, they lost out on so much money and also made no sense as staff were stood there behind the till. Overall the venue is badly run and needs a serious revamp. It's a shame because if they had decent modern facilities with good staff I would get a membership.

Fantastic experience: Great leisure centre with a large pool

Fantastic experience: One of the best Leisure Centres I have visited on my travels. I needed my Les Mills RPM fix and they had the classes on here. Instructors were very welcoming and the classes were spot on!! Staff were super friendly in the place too

Negative experience: Awful place. Partner and I are both low income, disabled people. Partner has had a membership to Swallows for just under a year when he had to cancel on the base of finances. Primarily he went swimming for his mental health. Swallows continued to charge him for another two months after cancelling, then claimed an extra fee for not paying when he's already struggling with finances. To make matters worse, I've been told there hasn't been any hand soap in the gent's for 3 months, the water and facilities are really dated and dirty which I can confirm as I've watched him swim. Disappointed all around. It's a surprise how Swallows haven't been lambasted on local news sites. I hope to fix this, helping document how they have chased my partner for money, threatening court action, which has severely impacted his mental health.

Negative experience: AVOID. I cancelled my membership and they continued to bill me for the next 2 months, then they threatened me with court action over £56 which I apparently owed them. Do yourself a favour and avoid getting any kind of membership with swallows, dishonest, underhanded daylight robbery.

Fantastic experience: We visited here today to use the activity centre Clip and Climb. My daughter had a great time and it was good value for money. Not too many people so there was always a wall to climb. Good safety video and supervision

Negative experience: I’ve tried to contact them for swimming lessons for over 2 weeks with no prevail.The one time I did get into contact with someone they said they would get back to me and took my number and still didn’t contact me. Looking elsewhere since customer service isn’t a priority

Negative experience: There's a story in Kent Online about a young mother who cancelled her membership only to be hounded by the leisure centre for money. If this is how they behave my advice is not to sign up with them. If you look at all the negative reviews it's clear this leisure centre is very much a business in decline.

Negative experience: Such an awful place, sending a debt collector on someone who owes you just £75 is beyond mad, they even have proof of cancellation and you go and say "we didn't receive it" well that means nothing when they have the proof of cancelling said contract. Beware...they will take your money just like that but to cancel your contract with them you have to fill in a online form that breaks constantly and is made by some 10 year old. Fix it!

Negative experience: Very disappointed with our experience today. Spent nearly £19 for a family ticket for the Baby and Toddler session at 12 till 1pm, which is very over priced for an hours swim. The baby pool wasn't available so we could only use the shallow end of the main pool, no slides available to use and the edge of the main pool is too high for little ones to jump in the pool from. Changing rooms smelled of wee and the floors were very slippery. Only 5 showers with poor pressure that made some disturbing noises. The place could really use some TLC as it wasn't very clean and felt very tired and run down. For the price you pay the facilities should be better. We will not be going back.

Negative experience: Never answer the phone

Negative experience: Do not sign up a membership with Swallows! The swimming lessons often cancelled without refund or replacement. When cancelled my direct debit I had been charged extra because I didn’t give full 30 days notice which I didn’t aware when I signed up at the counter. If the default payment is not pay the charge will goes up until you clear or debt collection will involved. I did pay up but I’ll not and not recommend you to use Swallows Leisure Center !

Negative experience: Swimming pool. Poor facilities, rude staff. Please avoid this place.

Fantastic experience: We took our 6 year old son to the clip and climb in the activity zone, paying £12 for the hour. It was excellent; the climbing walls were varied and challenging but he received excellent support from the instructor to encourage him to get to the top. We will definitely be back again.

Positive experience: Staff is great but cleanliness of swimming pool site and changing rooms are very questionable. They should fine or expell clients wearing outdoor shoes. All the children at swimming lessons have to walk barefoot on the muck people bring in.

Positive experience: Swallows is a great place to take the kids swimming locally. It's cheap & convenient. It could be a bit cleaner but the boys always have fun. It also has a great gym with lots of equipment and classes. I've used the holiday club when the boys were younger, they really enjoyed the variety it offered including the soft play, climbing wall (additional cost), sports and games. The hours are great for full time working parents. There is a cafe but I've not used it myself. We've been coming to the pantomime regularly, again it's cheap and local with both boys enjoying the show. Finally we've taken part in extra activities organised by outside companies including the roller disco and trampoline club. Both highly recommended.

Negative experience: Be good if someone actually answered the phone so you could ask about swimming times. Rather than getting there, paying for parking to be told it’s not on. Absolutely excellent, cheers

Fantastic experience: The building is getting a little long in the tooth, but the staff are lovely, the prices are sensible, and they've got some amazing EGYM gym kit hiding at the back of the building. Well worth checking it out when you're working out next.

Negative experience: I go to a swimming lessons with my baby. Each time at the reception desk they give me a different amount for parking ( I pay 2 hours for parking , and the last time they returned it to me only for one hour ( the woman at the reception was rude said that the lesson for baby is only an hour of parking ) seriously? I need to change the baby twice, feed the baby, change clothes for myself. One hour with a small baby ( 4 months baby... I need very rush up to make it in an hour!!! We go to class for 2 months, during this time the lift was broken 3 times, if at the top you can ask for help so that the baby's prams lowered down the stairs, then at the bottom you need to look for someone to lift the stroller (and how to make it in an hour?). In the family change rooms the door locks were removed - broken. No possible normal change clothes , because the door is always open and someone can come in,and I pay for baby swimming £34... very not happy...

Fantastic experience: Nice place for the children to learn swimming, well staffed. Amazing.

Negative experience: Ran out of toilet roll in the toilets two days in a row during a gymnastics competition. How difficult is it to maintain adequate stock of such a basic health and safety need. Staff member on the Sunday afternoon was particularly rude towards one of our friends.

Fantastic experience: The staff was friendly and helpful

Negative experience: Not only is this very expensive, it’s full of kids in the gym. The membership for the gym for adults is a rip off as some of the equipment doesn’t work and not enough for the people who are members. I truly hope someone reads this and think about another gym before they turn up and can’t even use a single machine due to children using all of them.

Fantastic experience: Got member ship to day .it was very busy there

Positive experience: Absolutely awful behaviour. I decided to take a trip down to this facility and went swimming with my hubby and 2 sons. The pool itself was splending and met my safety and hygiene expectations But what absolutely caught my eye to write this review is while I was swimming and my sons were splashing me The staff members put on the speaker and played music and what I realised you never played any Billie Eilish songs This is absolutely ridiculous behaviour And another thing I realised your staff members put on the waves button and the waves coming out the pool were too weak! I am very sad (this review is a joke leave me alone)

Negative experience: I have been a regular user of the badminton facilities for the last few months, in more recent times experiencing a peculiar process when arriving and looking to play. When arriving at swallows to play badminton expect for your court to not be set up and for an assortment of gymnastic and sports equipment to be in place of your court. The staff when raising this issue are nothing short of incompetent, almost perturbed when raising a perfectly genuine issue to them that the court you have paid for is not set up. Whilst watching 3 members of staff then try to stretch a football net over the stands is entertaining it highlights the inept capabilities of not only the simple booking system but the staff in being able to set up a functioning badminton court. In the most recent experience before my now last.. we were given a session for free as a gesture of good will due to the un-organisation of the last session. When turning up for this session you’d think that it would be perfectly organised due to the prior service we received however this is when the confusion arose between the fact we had booked badminton and not indoor football. After being told by the manager we could still play badminton with the court they constructed, I expect to see him on the basketball court for a game of tennis. Unfortunately due to this, I will not be returning.

Negative experience: On 27/07/23 I booked a badminton court. The court wasn’t set up for the first half hour of my hour session. I was offered a free booking for 01/08/23 which wasn’t ideal as I had already wasted a journey. I turned up on the 1st and again the court wasn’t set up. Some staff members came to set my court up and they didn’t have any nets, so they used a football net instead which was completely not fit for purpose (see image). The manager thought this was acceptable and would not provide a refund, and told us that it was fine to use. Avoid this place at all costs - rude management and incompetent staff + equipment.

Fantastic experience: Visited on the weekend for Clip N' Climb as my 5yo had been eager to wall climb for ages. We were really impressed by the selection of walls. My daughter was the only person climbing for the entire time slot, meaning she had 2 members of staff all to herself. Unfortunately I didn't get their names, but they were so patient with my daughter. It turns out, she didn't like wall climbing as much as she thought she would, so she needed a lot of encouragement! The ladies who helped were the right amount of helpful without petrifying her! The soft play was great for my 3yo - lots to keep him entertained and it seemed clean and pretty new. The safety gates were a nice touch - low enough for bigger kids to let themselves in and out but high enough for little ones to not be able to escape! Would definitely return.

Fantastic experience: Good swim nice and quite

Positive experience: Staff are really helpful Activity soft play really good, along with clip and climb

Fantastic experience: Great convenient swimming pool with availability when we went at 11am.

Fantastic experience: Very outdated but keeps the kids happy in the holidays and the gym is something I use weekly

Positive experience: Great place, friendly staff, toilets were cleanest I have visited in ages.

Negative experience: I love the lessons but the pool is freezing cold

Positive experience: Decent, the pool could do with a little modernising and some of the kids stuff doesn't work or is looking a but run down, overall pretty clean and a decent size

Negative experience: Problem car park is bad point that's need new change clearly and tide up tree with steel removed always not used park spare because the people's not happy near tree with steel need remove.

Positive experience: The slide is great fun, wave machine is good and baby pool is nice! You get your parking money back too! Swimming lessons are good value for money, however as there are quite a lot of children in each class so probably spend a third of the lesson actually swimming. The changing room floor could be cleaner, but people do wear their shoes in the changing rooms, that being said, the cleaner seems to be mopping the floor constantly.

Positive experience: Buenas instalaciones. Y opciones de actividades de entrenamiento. La opción de EGym es novedosa y muy buena

Negative experience: Awful staff. My child couldn't hear the safety video it was so loud in the centre. When he found it difficult to unclip himself the staff member told him he should have listened to the video. I was nearer to the TV than him and I couldn't hear it. When pointed that she said he was talking all the way through the video (he wasn't I was watching him the whole time). Rude obnoxious and refused to acknowledge a valid safety issue - very disappointing.

Negative experience: Very dirty and prices are different then advertised online

Positive experience: Very slow getting in as normally only one receptionist . Definitely understaffed.. come on management if there's a que come out from the office, and give a hand.. any other business this wouldn't be tolerated..

Fantastic experience: Staff are amazing and give good customer service very clean swimming pool just a She that the car park was messy with litter and in need of some TLC

Positive experience: It was very good ,now it looks like they don't care about clients, you can wait at the door forever waiting when they open it for you. Also, not clean anymore.

Positive experience: We only went to soft play and have been before with our 2yr old. Nice big soft play area, drinks and snacks can be bought at the counter, tables and seating area for parents. They also have clip and climb here which looks good. Can park in the library car park (uses Ringo) then its just a 30 sec walk to the centre. Knocked a point off because its always so hot in there! Almost unbearable in summer

Fantastic experience: My child does swimming on a Saturday morning in stage 1 and his teacher is so lovely. Not to mention swallows allows you to pay monthly! Parking is easy too.

Negative experience: Dirty/broken toilets, lockers and facilities. Not free parking - you have to pay and then get reimbursed which is a pain in the neck. You also have to spend ages queuing at reception just to check into a gym class. I also wasn't told this on my induction so was confused as to why I was getting warnings about breaching the attendance and cancellation policy. Staff might be friendly but not very useful or well trained. Only benefit is the number of classes they run, especially in the evenings.

Fantastic experience: Have been treated so nice and all the staff are patient are caring people.. this is great especially when getting back into fitness after time off or health issues. I would recommend this gym out of all of them in sittingbourne. Classes are lovely. They have all the Facilities/equipment you could ever need, very clean, and if you wanna hide away in corner and train you can Thank you

Negative experience: This place has seriously not seen a Mop or scrubbing brush in months. The changing rooms are vile! There was more mud and outdoor debris inside than out! I actually decided against having a shower as they were filthy. The amount of hair that looks like it’s just been pushed around in the changing rooms and not actually cleaned away was disgusting. I actually felt like I needed to wipe my feet on the way out let alone the way in! Also, when you go swimming why are people allowed to walk around the poolside with outdoor shows on? The floors were filthy. The lifeguard that was on duty even pointed at the floor to one of his mates and raised his eyebrows and tutted. GET SOMETHING DONE ABOUT IT INSTEAD OF JUST MOANING. I also can’t believe the cruddy lockers charge you and keep your 20p. What an absolute joke and con. Won’t be back. Would rather go elsewhere. Just feel dirty leaving there.

Negative experience: Advertising the Big Open Weekend, no option to book online, you have to call.. Been trying for 2 days now and the phone just rings out. Sent in a request yesterday for a call back, still waiting. Terrible administration at Swallows, my son was on the waiting list for months for swimming, we chased it up regularly, ended up contacting Sheppey and he was in with them the next week, much better service. Oddly at the same time a friend returned to live in the UK and contacted Swallows and her kid (same age and capabilities) was placed on a swim class the next week, no waiting list, makes no sense. Very poor service in general.

Negative experience: It’s alright but you may get many deceases

Fantastic experience: Really nice staff, decent pool, good visit. Sounds silly but really decent hair dryers in swimming changing that you dont have to pay for either (often either rubbish, chargeable or both).

Fantastic experience: Had an absolutely wonderful afternoon with my girls. I have 2 confident and 1 newbie. Staff were incredible with them all!! Shouting encouragement, taking time to show them the best route to climb, helping my youngest climb down after she had a wobble and high-fiving all the kids when they achieved!! We can't wait to go again but hoping secretly same staff are there again when we do!! Well done!!

Negative experience: Took my son swimming, approached the water slide with a height restriction of 1.1m only to be told that my son couldn’t go on it even though he was clearly taller than 1.1m which the life guard agreed, but he still didn’t let him on. Here is an idea why not raise the height restriction instead of sabotaging a child’s confidence for no reason what so ever. The lifeguards are on another planet… clearly they have had poor training and no management. Appalling place.

Fantastic experience: Went to clip and climb. Good fun, good staff

Negative experience: The place is disgusting, the lifeguards couldn't watch paint dry if their lives depended on it, only positives were the price and the staff at the reception desk & cafe. I definitely will not be bring my family here again!

Fantastic experience: Clean and well equipped gym, clean changing rooms and showers. Customer service excellent especially the ladies on reception who went above and beyond to help me thanks

Positive experience: If going on the weekend, Google is not correct it is open till 4pm... (this is for the play area)

Positive experience: Good price but not the cleanest!

Fantastic experience: Learnt how to swim and yea

Positive experience: Extremely hot in there but the tempreture has to be I know It's all been changed around since I went there last but i must say a lot better than before I think

Fantastic experience: Great place, Sittingbourne is lucky to have this on the doorstep. All those complaining would be the ones moaning there was nothing in the town if it wasn’t here. Ok so it’s not always the cleanest but the staff work tirelessly to clean it, perhaps those using the centre could try not throwing their rubbish, dirty nappies etc on the floor or god forbid taking a shower BEFORE getting in the pool instead of blaming those trying to clean up after them that they are not doing it quick enough. The staff are very friendly and polite even after I’ve witnessed them being sworn at on more than one occasion. Gym is great with everything you could need although music not always to my taste. Overall it’s a little gem. Keep up the good work!

Fantastic experience: It was such a relief to be able to swim there and play with my children. Highly recommend!

Negative experience: shocking. first off having to pay £36 to go swimming for 3 of us daylight robbery. slide was closed and advertise a wave machine thats 'been broken for years' place is grotty and the pool isn't even warm.. avoid at all costs.

Negative experience: Dirty place and I nearly drowned I screened and the lifeguards just said do you need help as they did not help a lady came over and helped me and they were havinf a go at me because i could not answer them when they asked if i needed help/ I WAS DROWNING

Negative experience: Ring up to book to swimming can't book get told theres lots of spaces drive 45 mins to be told all sold out... need to be able to book.. Disappointed children

Fantastic experience: Really big loads of exercise equipment all state of the art and upto date great, induction and helpful staff

Fantastic experience: Paid for clip n climb online, super easy. Lovely soft play, clean, Friendly staff encouraging to all the children :)

Fantastic experience: Rpm class.....ace!

Fantastic experience: Always Nice place to go to.Either for swimming or gym.Love classes too,good music and energy

Negative experience: My two children were both signed up for swimming lessons here. Lessons are continuously cancelled due to bank holidays and staff illness’ which are never compensated for. When you try and challenge the staff about the numerous missed lessons they fob you off with things like “it’s one of those things”. Lessons are still charged for throughout the summer even though the lessons are not running . Intensive summer courses cancelled (as usual) to be then told they will have to wait until October. The staff are very unwelcoming and not friendly. Messages are clearly never passed on from reception, communication is terrible. I don’t usually leave reviews but I feel many of the parents are experiencing the same issues I am having, but with two children which costs a fortune to be paying for something they only receive a handful of times.

Positive experience: Nice introduction to fitness. Staff approachable and facilities are good. All machines being kept clean.

Positive experience: The pool is cooler than many others which is not great for toddlers. I still feel it needs some tlc to bring up to scratch but over all for a council facility is does the job.

Positive experience: Swimming pool. Not too crowded

Fantastic experience: Everything back to normal ( almost ).

Negative experience: Worst pool ever! The pool and changing rooms are filthy, hair everywhere and stinks of urine. The pool is freezing cold my son wouldn't even get in to swim and I only manage to get in upto my waist. Its dull, dark and run down, doesn't state if you buy a ticket online for the car park that they don't refund only paper ticket. Will never go here again

Fantastic experience: Friendly staff, facilities were great and my little one had a blast

Positive experience: I have mix views about this place. I first learnt how to swim in the pool there and the staff are very friendly. I love going to the pool and rewinding however, the pool isn't the clean a lot of time and they have taken away the steamroom which I use to love going to. The quality isn't the same sadly for such a big place.

Positive experience: Great place for a swim. Water flume is cool

Positive experience: The facilities were clean but it was early in the morning. I didn't like the fact that they charge you 20p to use the lockers.

Fantastic experience: It's really good, nice after lockdown too

Fantastic experience: Very good gym, egym, great classes and a swimming pool.

Negative experience: The staff splashing water to the members and laugh at them is not very professional.....

Positive experience: Decent selection of gym equipment. I only wish they were open later.

Fantastic experience: Socially distanced beautifully. Staff efficient and helpful. My little one loves her lessons.

Negative experience: Like many others have stated the main downfall is rude staff, if they clean up their act along with the rest of the place I may of awarded them a two star rating

Fantastic experience: I don't have any issues with the staff I find them very friendly as well as the fitness instructors. My only issue is the amount of young kids on the machines, and on their phones. If you want to use your mobile come off. I think there should be a time limit to every machine as well.

Fantastic experience: C19 Very safe Sorry to see not meby people using gym

Negative experience: Worst gym i've ever been. The pool is quite dirty, you have to pay for some token to put you stuff in the locker. The Leisure centre is working occasionally.

Negative experience: Update: they now charge MEMBERS who already get ripped off 40 a month for class cancelations. So if you have the decency to cancel the booking unlike those who simply don't show up, you get to pay. Avoid this place like hell. The price is not worth the poor service. Spacious gym but you'd think in 2020 they'd have a way to scan IDd of "members" who already pay a lot per month so that they don't have to have waste time waiting in line to get their ID scanned and looked at like they were international thieves...

Negative experience: One of the worst place, I had to deal with. Dealt with numerous businesses, customer service but was the worst ever I ever had to deal with. No clear communication or really didn’t want to. They don’t keep track of what we have informed, simply they don’t care. Only thing they want is our money.

Positive experience: It is a lot bigger than the last one. Not enough seats (softplay)

Positive experience: Ok swimming pool be grateful we have one in Sittingbourne,love the smell of the chlorine..

Positive experience: I'm really frustrated and quite disappointed with today's experience. When i learnt that a lane is available for swimmers during children's swimming classes, i was very happy and this was a contributing factor for starting my membership also. Today, the only one available lane for swimmers was full of children playing and loitering at each end of the lane, making it very difficult for the swimmers wanting to just swim. In-fact, most were zig zagging past them and turning around before the end of each length. Following my daughters swim class, we then headed to the reception to collect her badge / certificate for progressing to the next stage. Well done to her and she was very excited by this. However, when we got to reception and i asked for this, i was told I'm unable to receive this due to me not having a phone with me. Apparently i needed to show the email i received (the recent one explaining my daughter has progressed to the next stage and to head to reception to collect her badge & certificate) - i may add nothing was mentioned in this email to bring a copy of the email. I did have on me though, my daughters membership card, and mine also, along with my driving licence and bank account information. But none of this seemed OK, I do not understand the logic here. Another issue is that without a phone, i'm guessing i'll have to print the email and take this in? I'm hoping i can charge for the paper i will need to get and use for this? we are supposed to be saving paper.....??? Another point to add, seems its a chance of luck if you have to pay 20p for a token for the swimming lockers - I've seen several people ask and be given them without payment - I've asked and i'm charged, - i'm guessing its not me, just the staff not actually knowing. I think the staff need training and briefed on what the policies are. On a positive note, all the staff seem very pleasant and the coaching for the youngsters looks very good. I certainly recommend sending a child there for swimming classes, you just need to be very patient and sympathetic to some odd and inconsistent advice / answers.

Negative experience: Was closed for 8 months, everyone was expecting BIG and expenssive refurbishment to be completed.... Haha nothing changed! Same old tiles in the pool that can cut your feet, no air to breath-hot and humidy as old vent system is not working, changing rooms from the 70's and so dirty that you just want to puke and run away. Looks like all of the money went for a new Customer Service desk and a AUTOMATIC gate so you can wait in a que or start the argue with a very unpleasant ladies that thinks they are the King of the castle behind the new desk. Not recommending, better go to Maidstone...

Negative experience: Went in on two occasions to enquire about memberships absolute waste of time. Don't know what's wrong with reception staff late on Sunday couldn't get any straight answers.

Negative experience: After being closed for more than 6 months you’d think the pool and changing facilities would be clean but the pool floor is filthy, both the public and private changing areas are filthy, my partner and I had the misfortune of stepping on several nail clippings in one changing room. Some of the reception staff are good but unfortunately there are two that are next to useless and have provided incorrect information over the phone relating to the timings of lane swimming resulting in my partner and I coming in only to be turned away. The walkway and walls alongside the main pool are thick with dust, leftover from the building works. The toilets in the men’s private changing area are boarded up. In addition, you can no longer get a parking refund from reception which is apparently a council decision but this still adds to the frustration. The centre has wasted money refurbishing the reception area so that cosmetically it looks a little better than before, the money would have been better spent on a cleaner to keep the place free of nail clippings and used plasters.

Negative experience: Generally rude office staff 2 altercation I have had this week. The swimming teachers seem friendly and well trained but would not recommend due to the sheer lack if customer care