Washington Leisure Centre

Negative experience: Had an enjoyable game of pickleball here. However I seemed to have joined a long line of people scammed by the 3rd party car park ownership. £60 fine. Provided evidence I was using the leisure centre facilities, unsuccessful appeal and reduced to £20 if paid immediately. No clear signage in the car park. No one at reception asked if I’d travelled by car and just watched me walk straight in. It should be mandatory for staff to let every customer know they have to enter their reg. The fact that no one did means they are complicit with the scam. I see in other reviews that even some who did enter their reg still got fined. Shocking.

Negative experience: Been a member for several years absolute joke I use this gym for VIRTUAL SPINNING class mainly several times a week so many occasions now I’ve gone for early spinning lights are never on class not set up been this morning zero call to say nothing working I asked to speak to manager no one came when you plan your day around this and to be let down once again absolutely zero customer service not happy

Negative experience: Visited soft play area with 1 and 2 year old. Area very dirty and in desperate need of a clean. Soft play very small with not much for a 1 year old. Also £3.50 per child for 1 hours play, considering the size of it and the general state of dirtiness really not worth it.

Positive experience: It's a great pool with plenty room to move around in the small pool. However the past few times we have went the water has been quite chilly - which has meant my 6 month old hasn't been able to enjoy being in the water as it is too cold. The pool needs to be heated properly especially when so many young children and babys use this pool.

Negative experience: Car park! Thanks for the £100 fine for 15 mins of using the skate park. Used it for years free and now this? No sine as you drive in and good luck on appeal. How dreadful that you operate in this onderhand way. Never using that place again.

Fantastic experience: Absolutely great value for your money!!

Negative experience: Dreadful. Ran by clueless management. Indoor court full of hazards. Loose floor tiles, loose trim that's hanging off wall. Cupboard door that swings open by itself and isn't locked. Swimming lessons are appalling. About ten kids in tiny pool area, end up standing there doing nothing. Dreadful instructors. Reception desk staff are rude and ignorant. Can only pay by card, no cash. Barely any parking spaces. Avoid this 'leisure centre " at all costs. Book 5 a side indoor and u get staff walking through middle of games to get equipment out of the cupboard. Ridiculous.

Negative experience: Dreadful. Ran by clueless management. Indoor court full of hazards. Loose floor tiles, loose trim that's hanging off wall. Cupboard door that swings open by itself and isn't locked. Swimming lessons are appalling. About ten kids in tiny pool area, end up standing there doing nothing. Dreadful instructors. Reception desk staff are rude and ignorant. Can only pay by card, no cash. Barely any parking spaces. Avoid this 'leisure centre " at all costs. Book 5 a side indoor and u get staff walking through middle of games to get equipment out of the cupboard. Ridiculous.

Negative experience: Closed the studio upstairs for no reason because they wanted to upgrade the gym “for everyone” while having zero consideration for those who only do classes. This place is becoming a shell of its former self. Absolutely ridiculous from whoever decided this.

Positive experience: Only used the gym. Good range of equipment for cardio and weights. Some equipment a bit old compared to gym I usually use, but does the job for me. Not sure how anyone misses the warnings about inputting car reg at reception, notices everywhere inside Have only used changing facilities upstairs, very clean. Shower a bit t cold until it has run for a while.

Fantastic experience: Great Pool, great booking system, friendly staff

Negative experience: No warning for when they suddenly close most of the pool, Sauna has went from "being fixed in 2 weeks" to still being closed 3 months later, no warning that the facilities were broken as you can still book on the app, and the gym is way too small. Used to be decent but it's been really shambolic recently, go to the new one instead

Negative experience: Went here for a swim with my son just before Xmas and I've never been so cold! First time going in and no idea where to go and person who worked there just said down there on the left! Slides were ok. The prices you pay for what you get is shocking

Negative experience: Prices just went up while the newly opened place offering at the half price. No point in booking for sauna, as place is full always with non booked people. There's no one to check if the member has a booking or not. Cleanliness is an issue as well. They are open only 8-4 this week and I couldn't go due to my working hours and childcare.

Negative experience: parking is shambolic. sauna and steam room area smells and feels dirty , sauna has also been broke for about 4-5 weeks now which is one of the main reason i use the gym. Staff don't answer emails, also quite rude on front desk. However A couple of the staff are ok . Even if you put reg into the system, you occasionally get a fine when using the carpark, which even when you appeal with evidence from gym , you get fine reduced to 20 pound a turn. Gym between 3.30pm and 630pm is like a youth club with often 5 or 6 kids around one machine playing games and socialising with eachother . Gave an extra star because my son learned to swim here , he's 6 now and has became pretty good in the water thanks to the swimming staff which I appreciate so thanks for that . Otherwise not a good place for the cost of it .

Negative experience: Couldn't agree more on predatory parking practices, I paid for an annual membership through work, done the online induction, went for my first session as an annual member and still got fined, at no point through registering or from the staff was I made aware to input my registration - until I quesioned the fine in which the leisure centre recptionist informed me "its nothing to do with them, you'll have to reply to them" meaning the enforcement agency (this is highly inaccurate as their facilities and services are their responsibility). If they've gone as far to put an ANPR system in place, they could have just linked it to the members database. But hey ho, moneyspinner. I provided all my evidence of session time/membership to inform the enforcement agency who reduced the fees based on the evidence I provided but still demanded payment and informed me their decision is final and you cannot appeal, then hiked it back up again. I have no intention of entertaining or paying these modern day criminals and will happily take it to court, the gym will certainly not be getting another penny from me. I would go as far to advise anyone to boycott businesses behaving this way in industry as it is the only way it drives change. As far as the facilities, there is a good variety of activity and services, if you can get on them (gym is often full of children too young to be lifting weights) but the cleaning is awful. You just need to look around and you'll see dust and dirt accumulate, which means the cleaning and air-conditioning is under par and the sauna constantly smells of drains and urine.

Negative experience: Absolute joke for parking. £60fine or £100 . I even put the reg into the machine no customer number only a payment phone line . Ridiculous .

Fantastic experience: At the age of 56 in September 2023 I joined my first ever gym at Washington. Can highly recommend the staff and the equipment felt completely from day one my happy place after running

Negative experience: Swimming coaches discriminate against what parents/ carers are allowed to watch the lessons. I understand the reasons why they don't allow you to stand poolside but it should be one rule for everyone

Negative experience: Been going here for years but it's seriously declined recently. Lovely enough facilities however the changing rooms are constantly dirty and full of rubbish and half of the main pool (sometimes all of it) is often closed off with no warning from the main desk or schedule on the website to forewarn this. Also on our last visit we found out you now have to pay to use the car park the hard way. Little to no signage in the car park or info from the front desk, or even a notice on the website. Just a nice £100 fine in the post days later. This place has changed in all the worst ways, will not be visiting again

Negative experience: Truly predatory parking policy. Next to no signage in the car park and no reminder at the desk to register your car reg. £100 parking fine in the post. Would it have killed them to ask if we arrived by car? Won't be going back.

Negative experience: This is no longer a leisure centre, it's more like a youth club. Then everyone active have rented the carpark to a private firm and claim half the money from it's members if they forget to put their car reg in..

Negative experience: £80 fine because I had driven around the car park and waited more then 15 minutes to try and get a space for my nieces swimming lessons. Gave up and went to another car park only to receive a fine for not entering my reg! This is ridiculous! The camera were apparently put in to help make spaces available, who is going to park there to go anywhere else! ,clearly a money making operation!

Negative experience: Unfortunately my partner was signed up as a member and not notified of the parking terms so several parking fines came through. Will likely go elsewhere.

Negative experience: DO NOT TAKE YOUR CAR! Got a £100 parking fee just for looking around. Enforcement letter claims there are "notified terms". They are hidden well. AVOID!

Positive experience: Why is the weigh machine always out of order their is people who go their that are on a weight loss journey and like to weigh themselves

Negative experience: Parking is horrific on an evening, especially for swimming lessons. Not worth the hassle. It needs to double in size as it stands although the fact they are squeezing 10 kids into some of the swimming lessons won’t help with the demand on the car park. Needs more engaging swim instructors (stage 2 specifically)

Negative experience: Great if you don't mind skinning your knees when you swim laps. The shallow end of the pool is TOO shallow, what was once a great place has been knocked down for a poor replica. The only redemption is the sauna, but even that is poor. Staff are rude and unfriendly, prices have skyrocketed and now there's no decent place to swim in Washington unless you can afford to travel there.

Fantastic experience: Good

Negative experience: Not my cuppa but staff are faultless.

Fantastic experience: It was cold. Nice when you get in properly though. Good changing facilities and a big pool there also got slides that are on during the school holidays and weekends

Negative experience: Received a fine for parking there as they have recently just changed their parking to members only

Negative experience: Member at Hetton Le Hole but now I know that your car park incurs a CHARGE of £60!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for making it very clear in the car park of changes.

Positive experience: Had to pre book and pay which was fine. Only big pool was available and it was quite cold. Had 45 minutes time allowed.

Positive experience: Nice staff, good teachers. Parking far too small. The only one sink to wash hands after using toilet is broken for about 2 years. Lot of changing rooms. Closed to early on weekend - for lot of people the only chance to come with kids.

Negative experience: Dreadful staff, people who sit on the front desk have a face that would curdle fresh milk. Can’t reply to emails. Avoid at all costs, enjoy the parking fine you’ll probably get when their equipment isn’t working.

Negative experience: Badmintonroom The light is very dark There is no way to play

Positive experience: Good place to go for fitness etc but car park is a nightmare....

Positive experience: Not bad up to now first day at gym swimming and sauna 3hr session time will tell

Negative experience: This centre is disgraceful customer service being on hold for 2 hours and no answer this is 1030am til 1230pm(the time I put this post) Where is the negative star button AVOID THIS CENTRE AT ALL COSTS

Positive experience: Took my grandchildren they really enjoyed them selves. They said the two slides were good.

Negative experience: Wish I'd read the reviews before going....lady on the desk is just horrible not helpful at all, you have to be a member to public swim, the slides weren't on and we weren't allowed to use the small pool cos we paid for big pool apparently, yet people who paid for small pool could use both, by time you pay, get changed and get in you've got 40 minutes before they chuck u out, I took 2 disabled kids its just horrendous

Negative experience: My wife called in to enquire about swimming times for the weekend on Friday at 16.45 and was met with the rudest response from the front of desk woman whose response to everything was ‘Download the app - we need to save paper to save the planet.’ One can only hope that when everyone has downloaded the app they can dispense with rude staff who are more concerned with discussing their social life with friends than providing a modicum of service to the public. It’s a pity that the save paper, save the planet mantra hadn’t been applied to the scores of leaflets spread around the service desk. You can let the service desk person know that her efforts to save the planet made us decide to visit Silksworth instead, creating lots of carbon. At least the staff there realise that they are there to help customers not lecture them.

Fantastic experience: Great little venue for 5aside.

Negative experience: Football league couldn’t be ran any worse than it is, parking is an absolute shambles with fines being given out where they pick and choose. How embarrassing

Negative experience: When I tried to call them I waited over an hour on hold. This would be fair enough if they were closed but this was during centre open times. I checked the website and it clearly stated they were opened. The centre has all ways had a lack of customer support and this is evident during this attempted call.

Negative experience: parking is shocking. You'll be waiting 10 minutes at the very least to get a space. Once your in there is minimal machines meaning there is always a queue. If you care about actually being able to use the gym in a timely manner pay a little more and go somewhere else.

Fantastic experience: Really family friendly cheap

Negative experience: Such a badly designed leisure centre in so many ways, compared to the old one, which was excellent! Some staff in here are awful and unprofessional, and need to improve there manner with customers. Prices are also getting ridiculous and now must be capped, or even reduced!!

Negative experience: This is one of the worst disordered leisure centres I have ever encountered. . The tiny cafeteria sells nothing for anyone over 12 years of age. The Tea and the Coffee is so bad you could say they are stealing your money it's so hot (that's a under statement) you can't drink it and the taste is so bad. No biscuits of any kind only crisps who as crisps with a cup of tea or coffee. There is NOTHING for kids .

Negative experience: Nice enough gym, but getting parked is a pain, because it’s not just the Leisure Centre uses the car park, it should be monitored. Plus the gymnasium is full of kids, it looks like a YMCA in here tonight. I won’t be renewing my membership sorry..

Positive experience: In to do laps and too many people in the pool disappointed is the word, why is there no lane swimming?

Positive experience: Disappointed slides where not even though we where told they where going to be on

Positive experience: Nicer than the old one, they need to fix the door to the main hall that's been broken for 5 years and the heating is weird.

Positive experience: October 6 the 2021 went to Washington leisure centre for sauna was given a everyone active card did not work for six weeks if you ask staff why the card not working you got pass to a other member of staff after six weeks was told my a other members of staff I was given the wrong active card .

Negative experience: Good luck trying to get through on the phone. N hold 29 mins twice then mustn’t like the phone ringing so eventually picked it up and clashed it down. Whoever the boss is have a word or employ more staff.

Positive experience: Nice to have the Facilites. Just needs more parking spaces as it is always rammed, with tickets issued for parking safely but not in a proper space.

Negative experience: App says last entry to soft play is 2pm on a Sunday got there at 12:55 to be told the soft play closes at 1 Left me with a very upset 4yearold who had been looking forwad to it all weekend

Negative experience: Dreadful. Ran by clueless management. Indoor court full of hazards. Loose floor tiles, loose trim that's hanging off wall. Cupboard door that swings open by itself and isn't locked. Swimming lessons are appalling. About ten kids in tiny pool area, end up standing there doing nothing. Dreadful instructors. Reception desk staff are rude and ignorant. Can only pay by card, no cash. Barely any parking spaces. Avoid this 'leisure centre " at all costs.

Negative experience: Saturday afternoon, family swimming with assurance slides will be on at 1pm. Left at 1:20pm and still no slides. Only reason I went passed two other everyone active pools was for the slides, my six year old girl very disappointed. Changing rooms far to small if you're a parent with a child, and only two larger changing cubicles. Very poor facility indeed.

Fantastic experience: Clean and modern with great facilities and friendly staff. Recently renovated and looks very nice

Fantastic experience: Pleasant facility, use SatNav on first visit as roundabout and bus lane are a little confusing.

Fantastic experience: Caught someone going at it in the gym enjoyed it would recommend

Fantastic experience: An excellent facility for young children too lean ‍♂️swim lots of classes for different ages and abilities some time more than one instructor per group it's fully open very busy some very good instructors working there lots of activities to do apart from swimming ‍♀️ five aside football fitness centre .Introduced new system for parking your car you have log your car registration upon entering the bath's to stop non leisure centre people using the car park

Negative experience: The reception staff are most abrupt and rudist people I've ever met. I think they need to do a customer service training course, just to learn how to treat customers with a bit of politeness !

Fantastic experience: Love the zumba and clubbersize classes. Good fun.

Fantastic experience: Staff are friendly and opens early for people to do they work out and shower before going to work

Positive experience: Generally good. I like prebooking on the app. Once you figure out where to go in the app its nice and easy. Store your card details and repeat bookings are simple. Four stars because it's good, if the pool was a little cleaner and the lockers too, I might have given it five.

Fantastic experience: Absolutely class gym massive swimming pool steam room which is luxury and actually steams and is red hot and also a sauna which is spacious too

Fantastic experience: Good facilities for all the family, very clean and welcoming

Fantastic experience: I have recently become a member of everyone active. Booking the gym, Pool or classes is done online via the app. It's very easy to use. Once at the leisure centre social distancing is requested and mask wearing is preferred whilst moving around inside, which I totally agree with. Hans sanitising stations are dotted about the centre also. I have only used the swimming pool so far but have found it a really good experience. The facilities are great and lockers are available for personal belongings. The pool area is immaculate and each session is 50mins. Great to get the lengths done. ‍♂️ I have found it very enjoyable and will venture into the gym soon and have my eye on the aqua fit classes too.

Fantastic experience: Nice place ..Great staff very helpful two pools one for small children and very good adult pool..gym.and sports halls for hourly rent and squash play rooms kiddy play area front of site plenty parking overall..very nice..10out of 10

Fantastic experience: Swim here 5 mornings a week always very clean and all the staff are very friendly from the receptionist to the pool side attendants and the management they always have time for a pleasant good morning. The problem people mention with parking is it is used by people who park there all day and go off to work, the car parks of the galleries that are adjacent have a 4 hour limit on them. I am sure some use the leisure centre carpark as a park and ride to bus into Newcastle. Might be worth making the car park for users of the leisure centre only .

Fantastic experience: Brilliant sports facilities, lovely decent size pool and toddler pool...

Fantastic experience: Fantastic customer service from Everyone Active staff. Excellent and very thorough covid safety measures in place. Very high standard of teaching in my children's swimming lessons and nice small class sizes with continuous assessment and feedback. Incredibly clean and well organised throughout. Staff very friendly, polite and helpful. Fabulous purpose built building. Looking forward to the slides opening!

Fantastic experience: Great leisure centre with very helpful and friendly staff especially in the gym

Fantastic experience: Advance booking required at the moment via app lockers use old pound coin or old type token

Fantastic experience: Love visiting for my lane swimming as often as possible 3-4 times each week and so pleased to be back following lockdowns. Always feel welcomed by the friendly staff, some of the girls on reception, Kai and Connor by the pool to name just a few. Nice to be given the opportunity to swim without obstacles.

Fantastic experience: Staff were lovely, nice size pool for babies

Fantastic experience: Swimming lessons for the kids are spot on. Both coming on heaps and bounds since starting. Parking 8s awful though.

Positive experience: Very clean & friendly staff

Negative experience: Parking is terrible. People use the disabled parking bays as pickup and drop off areas. I have informed the centre staff and was told that the car park has nothing to do with the centre and to raise my concerns with the council

Positive experience: Played badminton here today. Only myself and hubby in sports hall which was great. Well organised with anti bacterial spray and hand gel everywhere . Very reasonably priced.

Positive experience: Nice pool but wasted a lot of time trying to figure out how to use the lockers! There were no instructions. Turns out you need to buy a token on the way in but weren't told!

Negative experience: One rule for one and another for others, every week I ask have the rules changed regarding standing and watching my daughter swim and the reply I get is no you can’t stand and watch but yet other parents are allowed and gather round talking to the staff all while watch there children swim !!!

Positive experience: SWIMMING REVIEW. I've been using washy pool for a good bit over 1 year now, The centre its self has great parking and a nice open centre with friendly help desk and clean changing rooms. Pool is always a good temp and the water gets tested as and when It should. I believe it's 4.70 for a swim if you're non member. Pool size is good and lane size is large and open. I have been having issues over the last few visits were staff do not challenge slower swimmers. I often find my self dodging and diving around the slower swimmers. Lifeguard staff are vigilant while on pool side and are friendly. But there is no lane control. I am not one to complain but when I did complain to the front desk I was given a well rehearsed paragraph from a training manual spoken to me.

Fantastic experience: Excellent gym and great steam room. Good friendly staff

Fantastic experience: Great centre with even better staff, lovely environment for all the family

Fantastic experience: Absolutely love the place it's like my second home. Couldn't be anymore glad to be back.

Fantastic experience: Fantastic place to get a great workout.Staff are nice and very helpful.The only thing i have a problem with is my membership.I only use the gym i dont use the pool or football/badmington/tennis or any other facility but my monthly membership charges me for those.I cant just pay for JUST the gym and its frustrating becaude its expensive .I think maybe everyone active should take a look at how monthly memberships are created and come up with a better plan.

Positive experience: The Older receptionist is so miserable with 0 people skills Parking is a massive issue

Fantastic experience: Brilliant

Negative experience: Very expensive for a membership considering gym staff very poor unprofessional and motivational skills of a damp rag. It is very dirty and parking is a big problem .

Negative experience: This leisure centre is very dirty there are hairs all on the floor and the drains around the pool are filled with mold parking is terrible the worst better of keeping the old pool and just spend money on it to fix it up.slides are usually always closed DO NOT GO HERE!! You get parking tickets for parking on the ends when I see lots of people parked but when I went got a ticket really need to build more spaces and there is plenty more room to do it

Fantastic experience: I’ve been attending the leisure centre in Washington since the old building was in place and would like to comment on how much money has been invested in upgrading the building and how great the new facilities are! Have been recieving personal training for the past 3 months and have had some great results so would reccoment that service. Also find membership prices to be very reasonable and I take advantage of many of the classes when I can squeeze them in. One of the hosts of the classes Jo is amazing! Would reccomend to anyone as I’ve tried out numerous gyms and found my home here

Fantastic experience: My kids love going here and the soft play is priced well

Fantastic experience: I've been attending this gym for years, even before the new building and it's. fantastic facility. I'm a member of the gym which has great equipment and also has some fantastic classes my partner attends. The football facility outside for five a sides is fantastic and it hosts tournaments. Swimming pool is brill. I used to also attend the trampolining and bad,I grin in the old building. Staff must have been specially selected as they have always been fantastic and very polite with me.

Fantastic experience: Just had my child's birthday party in the softplay area. It was absolutely fantastic. The staff were so accommodating, had literally set everything up for us arriving and were super helpful! We had the whole softplay and cafe area to ourselves! I was concerned about the parking but it wasn't an issue at all! Great price, great service and, ultimately, 17 very happy kids! Highly recommend their softplay parties! Definitely booking again!

Fantastic experience: Parking is a big problem.

Positive experience: Visited with my wife and 7 month old daughter as we wanted to take her swimming for the first time. Facilities are great but the staff could do with more knowledge. We asked if they had family changing which they did but they weren’t sure at first. Also, the small learner pool had a sign stating ‘Pool Closed’ but when we asked it was open. We will be back but they could do with a management and staff review.