Further comments I've had mentioned to me include:
- a system for removing/covering outdoor shoes in the changing room and poolside. Today when lessons were on there were outdoor shoes all sorts of places they shouldn't have been, including mine.
- they are now doing hourly swimming 'sessions' during busy times on a Saturday - how are you finding that?

Any other issues?
Any feedback on the gym?

P.s. Pool cafe great, and route back to london road via Sugar Mountain, Aga's Deli, Stag and Bow, Docomomo (?) and Bunka is brilliant!

Good news.

I've also experienced problems trying to book a room for a children's party: first if all I was told no, then when we finally agreed that the studios could be booked I was told that the charge would be £50 per hour , not the £15 advertised on the web ,because somehow I was ' commercial, but even the commercial rates were lower than that . And I'm hardly commercial , just a parent trying to sort out birthday party venues. I think it would be good to clarify the position to give more confidence.

I think this is a real Fusion issue in general; I tried to ask the same of the Bridge today and got a non answer about calling back next week. Can't a leaflet explaining the arrangements and terms be available on reception - I've called back before for things and its hard to get hold of the right people to get the right answer. They would do more business if they were upfront about prices etc.

Just also to say that the opportunity for myself and family to really use the pool regularly won't arise for a while: unlike the Bridge swimming lessons start at 4 not 3. They are stringent about the ratio of parent to child- unlike Beckenham Spa. So to meet our specific needs we need to go elsewhere for the time being. Its not something Im complaining about as we have alternatives but I think there needs in general to be a review of needs of parents with young multiples and also single parents with more than one child. Such children don't get as much access to exercise like swimming as singletons due to strict requirements and its my view that they are better off taking a risk in a life guarded pool than risking a child with no water experience falling into open water and panicking. It would work if there were the occasional family session specifically for younger children to avoid injury by older boisterous children.

Well, I had my first lesson (adult learner) on Friday evening and was very happy with the enthusiastic and excellent young instructor.

The showers were tons better, and my only criticism's would be the lack of anti wave lane ropes,because it does get very choppy in there!
Also it would be nice to have the option of booking (at additional cost of course) one hour long lessons, as 30mins really is'nt that long at all.
Also going forward perhaps adult lessons could be grouped as beginners,
improvers, and swimmers looking to learn new strokes or improve tecnique ( pardon spelling!).

Lastly it would be great if aqua aerobics had at least ONE evening session
at present they are all in the day, and as a full time worker it is impossible to get to- not everyone who wants to do aquafit is a pensioner or stay at home mum!

They had pool 'zumba' tonight - kind of looked like aerobics if that's what you're after?

Roz
I think the room booking costs is a good issue to get clarity on. However, I read the £15 charge mentioned on the website as for the community/meeting room for local groups. To be honest i'm not surprised the party rates are higher and the studios are pretty big rooms from recollection?

But yes an actual price list would be good.

Anti wave lane ropes, evening aqua classes noted. Will pass on this evening.

Any other issues/thoughts/concerns/praise?

nightmare this morning, fast lane was full of people doing breaststroke at a snails pace. they should stop anyone swimming any other stroke other than crawl in that lane it just causes congestion. Swimmers insisting on swimming slower should move to the slower lanes

If anyone wants to read a positive (and objective) review, there's a lady who blogs about London's swimming pools, all very well written and entertaining, and she's paid the new pool a visit already...

http://swimmingroundlondon.blogspot.co.u...raphy.html

good review!
`Thanks for posting....it makes me realise how lucky we are to have a brand new spotlessly clean pool.
I used to take lessons at Porchester baths in Queensway, and let me tell you, It was freezing cold crumbling grubby victorian pool, now That was a test of dedication taking lessons in the dead of winter!!!!

mightymouse- I have just spent over half an hour looking at that swimming pool blog- it's fascinating

Hi Poppy - I know, I visit it regularly and enjoy it, despite barely being able to swim myself. Perhaps once my lessons materialise (I was too late for the first lot so am waiting to hear when there'll be a slot for me) I'll go and visit some of her other favourite places as well!

Went swimming with the girls tonight and was struck by something. Ladies (and the odd gent) can we please leave our buggies outside the learner pool area. It makes getting into the pool area very difficult, it is obstructive and, in case of evacuation, quite dangerous.

It looked like the buggy sales floor in Mothercare.

Thank you.

Full sympathies. Too many mums forget their "buggy manners". BUT:

It would be easier to achieve if their "buggy park" had some sort of security locking system (like the one at Horniman museum: Fusion, go take a look at that), or wasn't at the far end of the ticketing area, out of the direct sight of the reception desk, but still in an open area. It feels plain risky to leave them there - and if they are the type for babies, rather than older toddlers, they are not cheap to replace (for the record, mine is foldable. And I fold it.)

Had a report that the pools weren't open for family swimming this morning (Sunday). I've spoken to them (after 17 minutes waiting for someone to asnwer the phone!) and although they were initially short staffed they have called some staff in on their day off and are now running hourly sessions as they are very busy.

So its just about working....

Contrary Mary - do buggies get stolen? Especially from behind a gate line? I'm not sure I've ever heard it happen in 8 years with small children?? But then I never had a super trendy expensive pushchair/pram!

The buggy park is not behind the gate line, it is just to the left of the reception desk at you enter the front entrance. I've left our buggy there twice but it has been the only buggy there.

I think the idea of a lockable bar for buggies is a good idea. There was a buggy on top of the lockers in the changing rooms yesterday!

Buggies, trendy and less so, have been stolen quite a few times from within the gates at Fairlawn Nursery so I'm sure it could happen at the pools.

Had my first experience of using the pools yesterday morning...hmm, mixed feelings. Loved being able to walk to the pool and back, everything nice and clean, learner pool temperature was good. Less impressed by the learner pool still being closed at about 0900 despite supposedly being open at 0700. 'Family Swim' in the main pool consisted of 1 lane marked off for lane swimming, 2 or more marked off for some sort of pool aerobics which involved (mostly) ladies of more advanced age going off their #### to loud, banging techno music while Ross Kemp barked at them motivationally. Sandwiched between the two was a two lane strip for 'family swim'. Not great.

I was also surprised at how low the capacity was in the learner pool. I counted about 26 pool users at the point where the guards stopped people coming in. It didn't feel crowded in the pool and I've been to others that seem to allow more people in. This also caught my wife out who took our daughter to see the big pool and then couldn't get back in to the learner pool so we had to cut our visit short.

Somebody's listening: what I assume were 'anti-wave ropes' - bigger and fatter ones anyway - were in place between the lanes when I swam this morning.

The lanes felt narrower today when I was swimming - maybe that's because the ropes were bigger and fatter. I did notice that it wasn't so choppy so that must be why. It's great now that they have got fast and slow lanes - it's a fantastic addition to Forest Hill.

Yes, they DO now have anti-wave ropes!
it makes a huge difference.
Its nice to actually feel someone is listening.
Ditto the speed lanes make swimming a much less stressful experience.