Forest Hill Pools [2016-2018]

: Continues: Forest Hill Pools [2020]

Hi I wondered whether this might be a good place to ask people’s views on Forest Hill Pools (rather than start a new thread). I was a member briefly about 18 months ago but left due to 3 main frustrations:

1. The state of the (men’s) changing rooms and showers was often not good enough. In particular the showers barely worked, as i recall they send out a fine mist of absolutely scolding hot water and were utterly unfit for purpose. Despite my numerous complaints at the time nothing was done about it.

2. The gym was almost entirely cardio equipment. I find this very odd. I (and many fellow exercise enthusiasts I know) much prefer doing the bulk of our cardio exercise outside in the fresh air rather than running robotically on a treadmill. I appreciate the need for some cardio equipment just to warm up and get the heart rate going (and of course sometimes especially in winter I will reluctantly run inside) but the gym’s almost total exclusion of free weights was very disappointing.

3. The swimming pool was virtually impossible to get in for quiet lane swimming. Occasionally either very early morning or very late evening you might get lucky, but generally there was no point trying to swim lengths in it.

Is anyone here a member? Any comments on whether any of the issues above have changed since I left (about a year ago)? It’s so frustrating to have what should be a good relatively new facility on my doorstep but to find it so unfit for purpose.

I remember a conversation we had about the dangerous state of the roof of the building, and it appeared to be left that way for quite some time (has it even been fixed now?). Clearly would be good to steer the managers (Fusion?) toward this forum so they can participate in the discussion and get the valuable feedback.

I know someone senior at Fusion. Will pass this on.

Unfortunately stepover, nothing has really changed equipment wise. There are a couple of new lightweight barbells, but vital equipment such as squat racks and the like are still missing.

It seems like there is a good amount of space allowing an expansion of the gym area (ie: the upstairs foyer is wasted) or even re purposing the “community room” into a weights room.

I agree, it’s a shame to have a facility like without basic equipment and am now questioning whether it is worth renewing my membership or giving Energie Gym a shot.

Thanks Sneezing - I raised my concerns with the gym re the lack of weights when i was a member and was told that it was a deliberate decision to stop the gym becoming a macho den full of thick set blokes pumping iron. The thing is that while I generally understand that aim, the limit on the weights mean they’re not even fit for purpose for normal use. I am FAR from a weight-lifting guy (I’m 6ft, 12 stones and don’t drink protein shakes!), but being a naturally skinny person I need to lift some weights to build lean muscle - I seem to recall from my membership that they wouldn’t even accommodate comparatively light weights (e.g. up to 20kg dumbells and up to 60kg barbell - these are NOT heavy weights and would not turn the gym into some awful macho weightlifting den!).

I also think you could argue that it’s borderline discriminatory - it’s a community council gym and should serve everybody and at present I think it is very deliberately targeted more to cater for women and children (for the record I’m not trying to stereotype along gender lines, I’m simply observing that the equipment provided is not suitable for most males who are naturally heavier and likely to need to lift heavier weights than equivalent females in order to perform an exercise repetition).

Sadly I don’t think they are doing a good job at targeting women/ children either.
There’s no crèche so women with young children are excluded from the gym. The classes seem to be popular, but the one time I tried to ‘rent’ the community room far too many roadblocks were placed in my way.
The pools should be amazing, but the changing rooms are often dirty and unkept (I could say something stronger here but am trying to be considerate), the baby pool is too cold for young babies.
Swimming lessons/ classes are over subscribed I recently signed up for 4yo swimming lessons and was told I was number 154 on the waiting list!!!

It could be such a lovely facility a real heart of the community, but feels like they’ve not got it right yet.

I feel quite sad when the topic of the Pools comes up. After such an amazing effort to keep them where they were, and the creation of such a great local facility, it still feels like a missed opportunity.

I don’t want to put all issues down to the staff, but I have been disappointed in almost every interaction I’ve had with the Fusion staff. I asked why the second pool was so cold that I couldn’t keep my daughter in it for more than a few minutes and was told that it’s definitely not a “baby pool” or a “children’s pool” and that if I wanted a nice warm pool, I should go to David Lloyd in Beckenham (this from the then pool manager). The temp is kept at the minimum recommended by the ASA, which probably means that the running costs and environmental impact are as low as possible, but doesn’t make for a great experience as a user.

I think there are fundamental flaws in the design and management of the building. For example, I’d like to take my daughter swimming during the week but the shallow pool is generally used for lessons during the day and cannot be shared. Annoyingly, we’ve been on a waiting list for lessons for nearly a year. And there’s no communication around that.

Try to go for a swim in the learner pool at 9am or 10am on a Sunday - you’ll queue for half an hour (always a joy with a toddler) and then the pool will be empty for half a session. Why not have differently coloured wristbands and just have the lifeguards move people on every 30 or every 45 mins? Most people don’t stay in for more than 30 mins anyway.

The state of the changing rooms (particularly in the winter) is a disgrace but it’s fundamentally down to the users. A lot of people don’t take outdoor shoes off, but the company doesn’t seem interested in addressing this. The corridor between changing rooms and cafe is often strewn with toys and the cafe is disheartening at best.

Having something like the pools within walking distance of so many of us, it should be busy and it should be profitable and it should be treasured. I don’t think it actually works for anyone other than the people making money from Fusion.

Resurrecting/ bumping this thread since I’ve just got back from holiday and realised how much I’ve been missing swimming.

Are there any forums (of the in-real life variety, maybe) where any of the concerns above can be taken to Fusion or the Contracts manager from the Council who presumably oversees them?

Oh crumbs, and this 6-foot 15st bloke has just signed up (admittedly at the bargain all-in rate for over 60s). I kind of assumed a gym was a gym etc. The young lady at the counter on Sunday was a model of good service & politeness. I have yet to turn up for a session but I do feel better already…

Having been a member of one or two other Fusion places, I actually think it’s pretty decent here. Not perfect - I personally would like to see more classes at better times and also a bit more focus on normal lane over school and family swimming - but overall I think it’s a decent facility for the price, if you compare it to other gyms in London. The gym itself is clean, doesn’t get too crowded, and I think the balance of kit is about right.

Its their (lack of) basic organisational skills that always disappoints me. We’ve had our sons name down on the waiting list for swimming lessons for some time now, and twice now over the previous last few months we’ve been in to see how far down the list his is, only to find that they’ve lost his details and had to start all over again - a bit of a blow given how long the waiting list is (approx. 80 names on last check)

We had such high hopes for the place, even through all the noise and disruption when they knocked down the old pools, even after they knocked down our garden fence and destroyed a load of mature planting which a digger, even after the nights of listening to alarms going off, even after querying the lack of parking during the design phase and to be told how every one will use public transport to get there - to now finding that we have no hope of parking on our street at weekends while everyone else takes their children to their swimming lessons (oh the irony) … after all that, to find that we cant make use of the facilities as we would like due the inability to maintain a simple list is a little… well… frustrating.

My daughter has been on a swimming lesson list for a year now. I think I ought to check whether she’s also dropped off it.

Agree re: high hopes vs delivery. Which comes back to my question above: is there a forum where we can raise this (ideally in real life)?

I seem to have a different experience from most on here.

I previously used it on Sundays for swimming in the learner pool with my son (he was 3-4 then). Not sure what they do now, but you previously had a band for an hour slot, you had to get there about 8.45 for the 9am slot to get in. Never tried the 10am slot, 8am was always less busy which sounds early of course but you are often up early with little ones!

Pool temperature is ok in that pool, if a little on the cold side for young children.

My son has a lesson there every week and it’s ok, though after 30 mins he can be a bit cold when he comes out. Waiting list for him was 8-12 months - I can’t remember precisely!

I generally find the facilities fine, but then I am normally there first thing before anything gets messed up I guess.

There are other local-ish options - St Dunstans, Dulwich School (I was on the waiting list for that and they did email me when a place became available).

For general Sunday family swimming Depford is nice and not far and you can park on Sundays. Sloping pool like a beach, slide for small ones to go into the water and different sections with different depths, and a very warm (if small) pool for toddlers and babies.

Coming back to this old thread in search of ideas. I’ve been taking my daughter swimming on Saturdays for nearly 6 months now.

Every Saturday morning we go along and the teaching is great (and a bargain) and the Pools staff are generally helpful and friendly. One thing which continues to amaze and disappoint me is the number of parents who think it’s ok to walk up and down through the changing rooms and the poolside in their outdoor shoes.

My question for the forum - is there any constructive way to challenge this behaviour? The few times I’ve said to anyone that they shouldn’t be doing this for hygiene reasons, I’ve had outraged responses (with justifications ranging from “other people aren’t bothering” to “I couldn’t see any overshoes” (tricky to carry off when everyone else is wearing them) to “sod off, it’s none of your business” (it is when my kid has to walk through the mess).

I’ve talked to the Pools staff and they get the same responses. As a community, what can we do? (And am I mad for caring about this?)

It may be aesthetically unpleasant to have to walk with bare feet on people’s muddy footprints, but does it actually do you any harm? Think about walking across a muddy beach into the sea.

I see where you’re coming from, @robin.orton. The problem is that it’s not really an aesthetic objection. There’s the risk of picking things up if anyone has any cracked or broken skin on their feet. But more worrying is that when the poolside gets dirty, that dirt is inevitably going to be taken into the water.

I haven’t been to a public indoor pool for donkeys years but I used to go to Tooting Bec Lido regularly up until about 5 years ago - so I’m not exactly up on the etiquette.

I don’t think outdoor footwear at the poolside is a problem.

Tooting Bec has changing cubicles all the way around the pool, which means that you’re wearing shoes, boots, trainers or whatever on the way in, around the poolside and on the way out.

The exact same thing used to happen at the left side pool at Forest Hill and I can never remember anyone catching anything nasty back in the day.

I think we’re just getting a bit too everything-conscious nowadays but provided people are reasonably responsible (like wiping your feet and checking that they’re not muddy or whatever before going into the pools) I doubt if there will be any harm done.

I guess the problem is the cumulative buildup of mud (and worse) in the water - it might be made safe by the chlorine, germ-wise, but it will dirty all the surfaces and collect in areas that are hard to clean. I don’t know why people can’t just be considerate and take their outdoor shoes off round the poolside.

I’m not personally overly concerned about people walking around in shoes - maybe I should be, maybe I should not, I’ve not researched it enough. I think around the pool I’d generally however agree no shoes, in the changing rooms I don’t particularly care.

I used to take my son Sat mornings, though I pulled him out as the tuition was not working for him. I often found there were no overshoes with all the dispensers early, so the staff could help by checking them more regularly if they want people to wear them. That said I’d agree people should remove them if they are walking by the pool, but this did happen often. I would remove mine, as you say it’s not hard, but honestly when I was growing up, in the changing rooms I can only ever remember people walking in their shoes. I suspect if it’s an issue some more positive re-enforcement from the gym would help, indicating what the issue that could arise might be best. If they tried that and it didn’t work, they could just station people at each entrance periodically and get them to take their shoes off before entering. If the gym really wanted to enforce this they could.

The pools are rubbish.
I used to go regularly for the aqua classes and swimming up until around a year ago. then I gave up and joined the gym in East dulwich the moment I learned Fusion had lost the contract.
The reason I gave up on FHP is because the changing rooms and toilets (womens poolside) were always filthy.
The classes always got cancelled without notice, front desk were often incompetant and clueless.
The timetable of group excersise is really not geared at all for people like me who work full time in the west end and find it difficult to get to daytime or 6pm classes.
The pool is barely ever available for a quiet swim other than early mornings or late evenings.
general swim leaves only one wide lane in use most of the time.
Too many unruly teenagers and kids leaping in pool in the early evening.
the toys and filth strewn around the seating and viewing area
And finally the pool started to feel colder and colder and the water somewhat slimey
I feelFusion are rubbish with scant regard for customers and health and safety.
Hopefully they’ll lose the Lewisham contract too

I was watching my partner take my two year old into the learner pool a few weeks ago when a family came in through the outside door (so not through the changing room) walked up and down the side of the pool repeatedly in their outside shoes with a pram, and then the son stripped off to his pants (not a costume) and jumped in. I was a bit surprised the attendant didn’t say anything! Or am I being a bit precious? I’m not sure!

There used to be a ‘user’s forum’ at the pools. These concerns should definitely be passed on to them.

Unfortunately the way the contract for managing the pools (and most pools) is procured companies have to do things as cheaply as possible to win it. I think this is why a lot of these issues exist. Sometime last year they had a new manager who it appeared was trying to do something about weekend staff shortages and to manage resources a bit better.

The Council should be interested in this feedback too.

There are hardly ever any overshoes in the dispensers; that is a fact. I check religiously when I go. I’m actually thinking of buying a box of my own, that’s how guilty I feel about not wearing them. But it’s a bit tough to blame people when those dispensers only have anything in them maybe 20% of the time!

I never use the overshoes. I just take my shoes and socks off outside the changing area and go in in bare feet.

When do you go, @jrothlis? What do you do in that case? As Robin says, you can take your shoes or socks off. (That’s what I tend to do).

I’ve been going pretty much every Saturday morning for the last 6 months. There are three dispensers that I’m aware of and I have seen all 3 empty once.

Saturday mornings (at 10:30). All 3 dispensers are nearly always empty.

The standard of gym and pool facilities in the UK in general is just poor. Not to mention when options are limited, it’s not like customers can just vote with their wallets and go somewhere else.

If you are looking at private gyms with a pool that don’t offer subsidies to people on benefits, you’re looking at anywhere from £70-£150+ per month. You get what you pay for.

I dont agree- I’ve always gone to council run gyms, and in south London alone gone to the Spa at Beckenham ,Peckham pool and East Dulwich.
FHP is by far the filthiest of all.
I used to attend a council gym in the midst of an estate in North Kensington…it was run down but at least the toilets and changing areas were relatively clean and the timetable was reliable.

Hello guys . I thought to reply to this comments regarding Forest Hill Pool .
Wel I m a member from 5 years now .(Fusion) I used to be a member for 2 years in Dulwich LC ,Camberwell green LC . as well like with Better in Greenwich.

Forest HIll Pool is the best place from all of this one .As a customer service ,clean environment and Pool facility .

I m a swimmer so never used the gym ,Not interested to be honest . Im sorry to hear people on here had problem but I never had problem .a part with silly people who walk with dirty shoes inside the wet changing room .
Can you read ? there is a post …I use my flip flop . Yes flip flop are for using in this circumstances . and not walking outside when is raining .(weird people) .

Staff are professional , polite and friendly . at the reception and poolside .

I had few issues and in no time they resolved it . Where in other leisure centre they just ignored it …Have you been to Dulwich LC in wet changing room? well then you have to go there …Good luck !!!

I swim also in Brockwell Lido …quite like it .(and is Fusion as well)
The only things is there is not a lot of swimming lane only …like on Monday,Thursday and Friday evening …too many swimming lessons …but to be honest Im going the other 4 days . I totally reccomend this pool …ahh the main pool is suppose to be cool and not boiling hot !!! is not a bath but a pool where you swim!!! if you want to dip in the water and chat with your friends then use the jacuzzi !! ha ha Happy New Year

A post was split to a new topic: Gym Recommendations

I am very frustrated that there is only one very oversubscribed class for over 60s per week. Older people are constantly exhorted to exercise in order to keep well in older age but there is no support from what should be a community resource. Any feedback is ignored and the “managers” show no interest in making any changes. It is difficult to know how to take this further and any advice would be welcomed.

Sound like the company who runs the pool, Fusion, are not being motivated to run another class. If I was you I would write a letter the the manager at the pool explicitly cc’ing your local councillor as well as someone at Fusion senior enough to suffer if their contract to run the pool was not renewed.

I gave up on FHP due to the lamentable class timetable and lack of interest by management regarding this…especially how few classes there are in the evening for the full time workers among us who need classes after 6.30-7pm.
Just useless so I gave up and joined Dulwich Leisure centre

From my experience “management” and “FH Pools” is an oxymoron.

Just as an example, the showers in the men’s changing room have now been “Out of Service” for almost 2 months. I can’t imagine what possible problem could not be resolved in that time period by any reputable plumber.

I recently had a membership issue I needed to resolve urgently. I made 3 phone calls to FHP, sent an email, sent messages to Fusion HQ and FHP through twitter AND visited in person twice before i finally managed to resolve the (straightforward) issue.

It’s such a shame to see a really great facility being so poorly run.

The hairdryers also take months to fix once they break.

Thanks to Beige for suggestions. It would seem that Forest Hill leisure centre has a number of key groups it does not serve. I have already tried suggestions but will probably have another go. Not sure how I find the right person at Fusion to complain too.

I didn’t realise Fusion was a registered charity. I had assumed they were a profit making company performing an outsourcing function for local govt.

I had a look for some details:

I found these sessions if you wanted to talk to the manager, the next one is 11:30 on Tuesday:
http://www.fusion-lifestyle.com/centres/forest-hill-pools/news/2018-member-forums-and-meet-the-manager-sessions/

Though you seem to already have spoken to him/her without success.

I couldn’t find the managers email address, but I found the Chief Execs:

Chief Executive:
Mr Peter Kay, Fusion Lifestyle, 4 Bickels Yard, 151-153 Bermondsey Street, London, SE1 3HA
email: peter.kay@fusion-lifestyle.com

Perhaps if you email him, cc’ing the appropriate councillor you might have better luck. Hopefully someone who reads can suggest which councillor that would be.

Thank you Beige for these details, particularly the chief executive details.

Picking up this very old topic, does anyone have any idea on how best to give feedback on the state of FH Pools?

• In the last few months there seems to have been a lot of staff turnover
• The cafe appears to be frequently closed due to staff shortages
• Half the showers don’t work
• I’ve not seen any of the blue overshoes in the dispensers for about a month

There are “Meet the Manager” sessions but they all appear to be at 11.30am on a weekday (see here for details: http://www.fusion-lifestyle.com/centres/forest-hill-pools/news/2018-member-forums-and-meet-the-manager-sessions/). I’d be keen to hear from anyone who has attended one of these sessions.

I’ve added the items above to a feedback form from the Fusion website. The website doesn’t give any feedback on submission (you get a message saying “You have already completed this survey.” which is a bit worrying) but hopefully it’ll go through. I think it would be better to give feedback face to face.

You will never get a response to feedback in any format. I am still waiting to find out why there is only one oversubscribed class for over 60s.

The showers by the swimming pool are ludicrously hot - far too hot for toddlers (as attested to by the crying and wriggling on weekend mornings).

Goodness knows why they think people need a piping hot shower before or after being in the pool, particularly when the pool itself is a normal/ambient temperature.

Very frustrating and you would think easy enough to remedy. I’ve given feedback on the website but based on the posts above I don’t hold out much hope.

A couple of days after I did this, I got a call from one of the duty managers. She was very helpful and explained a few things. They’d been struggling with missing deliveries due to the road closure, apparently. She suggested asking for the duty manager in case of future problems.

On the showers, the new ones in the centre of each bay between the pools are great - but very much in demand at the end of weekend lessons. The old ones run hot.

The showers are very hot! But the water is also fairly warm in the large pool at the moment too. I am there at 6am most weekday mornings, and it is busier on different days. I

This morning I turned up for a swim at just after 6, apparently manager not turned up so they couldn’t open. Apparently staff tried calling but couldn’t reach her. Waited until 6.40 then gave up and had to go all the way home to get ready for work.

Today was the first morning in ages I have missed. I would not have been happy!

I think Forest Hill and Lewisham Council need to sort out issues in Forest Hill Pools runned by Fusion.
Staff are rude,unprofessional and not able to resolve issues.they just don t care.I heard more than once when they do rude comments regarding customers. While they are serving other customers!I booked for an induction(gym) twice.the first no one came. After 25mins wait .i went downstairs and only because I said that I’m still waiting and so far no on came. At the reception they shout at me…the second ones they sent a person who does not have any idea how to use the equipment…and so many bad experience. After 5years I decided to cancel my membership. A lot of customers complaints. Shame as a community this place supported by Lewisham Council and us (taxpayer) is supposed to be look after and choose professional people to care about it. Today only me in the lane ,using fins.i have been told that I can t use fins!? It is dangerous because you can kicks other!? What Im aware that is not true. People there don t have any idea how to deal with customers… I would love to hear other people experience and what can we do for changing this issues?

I read regarding complaining customers does not use flip flop or over shoes…you forgot about the staff. Are you aware that lifeguards and swimming teachers plus every staff coming at the pool side that they don t use overshoes?they walk in and out. Buying take away from the shop and come back inside…dont tell me now that their shoes are clean because I don t believe you!ha

I’ve always found the staff friendly, helpful and polite.

Yeah me too Robin for the first months…it only superficial. Going there 6 times per week. I heard and experienced lots. When you know them you avoid them… they are very noisy …but I 'll stop here. I 'll write an email to Lewisham Council.

I’ve been going twice a week ever since the pools reopened.

Lucky you Robin. You are one of the rare people who never had an issue! It s years I’m going there 6/7per. week.as soon I used the gym as well ,problems cames . A part the changing rooms are disgusting .

The issue is the staff are treated appallingly by some members of the public. Treat the staff badly and they unfortunately treat visitors badly. Some of the stuff they put up with amazes me. Asking people to put overshoes on and being told to f&ck off. Having to deal with soiled nappies thrown on the floors and in one instance that I saw, squashed on a cubicle wall. Deal with that all day and no wonder they are not happy.

Not sure what’s going on here. But I think it’s great. Maybe the staff are a little surly but really who cares. They’re probably on minimum wage anyway. It’s a lovely pool and in fact two people told me today that they travel from quite far away to this pool as it’s better than their locals.

Yes, this is a genuine H&S hazard, as is tripping on the side of the pool, people leaving fins and hand paddles in the way of others… Others may join the lane, or may be put off joining the lane… I believe this is pretty standard as a rule, certainly in the countless public pools I’ve used and swum in over the years.

No really. I swim 6 times per week and they know me…always used fins and respected the rules…no one told anything 're fins…considering I swim in different pools and lido as Well. Yesterday it was quite.empty lane …so for me no reason for saying that…for the other comments I can say that if you don t like a job ,you change it. With all the leisure centres in the area…as a staff you don t treat a member who is always there badly. All is good when you don t complain. To tell me I don t need an induction ? There is no excuse for the rudeness and misbehave of this people. They never pickup the phone or they don’t even know the timetable.come on ! Need to be done something .

If you see how I swim in the fast lane .you 'll find weird as well…i do swim with 20 in the lane …the problem are the swimmers who does Not respect the rules …and swimmers…mo me using the fins…other swimmers use fins as well…

It may well be ridiculous, but that doesn’t mean it’s not the general norm - I think if anything it’s permitting the use of them that’s unusual, not the telling off when you do. Maybe take it up with the lifeguards? Who are always on duty and (I find) usually pretty friendly.

No excuse .tell me if I come to you and I treat you badly…and you have not done anything to me…they are a bunch of kids. There is a cleaner for that reason.in other centre are much cleaner. And well behave. They loose a lot of customers .Shame because FHP could be a better place if the staff is professional.

Lifeguards were not aware of that…the
Manager in duty said it…it weird because in other pools they let you do…they tell you off when you do something wrong…which is not my case. I received kick from breaststroke but not lifeguards said anything…anyway I’m so disappointed .closed my membership…problem solved lol

I think the staff there are lovely. The rule of using fins will apply if you are the only one in the lane or if there are 20 others. The majority of pools I swim in do not allow fins, and I would question it if someone was swimming with them. contact with a fin, as opposed to a foot could cause serious injury with the sharp edges. But as you say, you have cancelled your membership so this shouldn’t worry you any more as you can use one of the pools where they allow you to.

What I meant it was that with all the time I swam there with fins .everyone was allowed. From Sat.no and it was empty…kick with fins…does not happen only if a child use it but not from a professional who know how to keep distance between other swimmers…You "think"are nice ,good for you. I bet you don t know them as much as I do. They are nice if you don t have any big issue there…and if you don t complain.simple as that.

To those contemplating a new year health kick Forest Hill Pools might not be the place to head…

At the time of writing I count 12 of the 46 machines out of order, including all of the rowing machines!

Any chance of a 26% discount on our membership fees or do you plan on fixing them anytime soon @FusionLewisham ?

We have cancelled for this reason. It’s reasonably priced yes but not fit for purpose. Best thing for me is the access to squash courts at the Bridge, although they’ve turned one of those into a martial arts room.

I had been planning to join, but will look elsewhere if this facility is so poorly run.

I’ve joined here on two occasions, two years apart, thinking perhaps it FHP May have improved overtime. It had worsened. Each member of staff I had come in contact with were either falling asleep at the desk, busy chatting with colleagues or just rude and unhelpful. The gym equipment is a mess & the pool timetable no better.
It’s not for everyone I understand, but am enjoying énergie fitness now around the corner.

I have found it really hard to engage with the team at the Pools constructively, despite (or maybe because of) being a regular user of the facility with our kids. Some of the lifeguards and the reception staff will try to help, but they seem to be battling against systems which don’t make it easy (or sometimes, even possible) for them.

I’ve said it before - it’s a lovely facility, and cost a lot of money to build / rebuild, but it just seems to be being run into the ground. Simple things like a nice cafe with decent snacks (both healthy and unhealthy) could be a money-maker and attract more people to stay after using the pools / gyms.

Continues: Forest Hill Pools