Good idea. Or maybe FHP could just have a News section on their website and update that as soon as they know about cancellations?

Just in case anyone else was thinking of joining, I thought I would post back my experience. Very positive and I am now a member
It was busy but there were still spare machines to use. Not as much choice on the weight machines as Dulwich but a much nicer environment to work out in. I especially like being able to look out the window while on the cross trainers / treadmills looking down Dartmouth Road.
A great plus for me is that they open at 6am so I can use it before work during the week. All in all very happy.

I agree. I used to use the LA Fitness in Sydenham and grew to loathe it - seriously mouldy changing rooms, faulty A/C, lockers permanently padlocked, rarely refilled paper towel to wipe machines down, faulty machines not repaired for weeks, etc. FHP is a delight in comparison. I really like it there despite being quite small.

Yes, I'm a very happy user. I used to go to Virgin in Bromley which was more than twice the price. I do rather miss the steam room, the Jacuzzi, the guaranteed individual showers and the spinner for wet costumes but the actual pool at Forest Hill is so much better and the price is brilliant.

~I've been thinking of joining LA Fitness in Sydenham due to only wanting to use the pool and finding the times that I want to or can swim at FHP is booked out for clubs etc,
SO I was wondering if anyone had feedback on LA fitness.
My other half is a member of FHP and very happy but he tends to mainly use the gym.
I know FHP membership is reasonable but considering I just want pool based classes and excersise I'm very hesitant to commit to joining if I find options to go after work (6-7pm) is very limited

I never used it but the pool at LA Fitness is tiny.

So on one of the hottest days of the year, no lifeguards at the pool so people can't swim! Last week, the lifeguard was falling asleep in his chair, so maybe he forgot to get up this week...

what?? nothing on their website to say the pool is closed- I'll phone before going over for the 5pm women's swimming session just in case

They were telling people to come back later as they had no staff. Understandable that they couldn't let people swim, but they could've put a notice up. I normally have a swim with daughter prior to swimming lesson so it was a bit frustrating.

I saw a sleeping lifeguard last year in fhp! We told another lifeguard, on our way out, who brushed it off and didnt appear to believe us and I emailed and told them, but got no reply.... unbelievable!

Hi All, the next members forum is this Thursday the 14th august at 7pm, all are welcome.

Once again I find myself frustrated with the lack of organisation and communication at FHP.

This evening I rushed home from work,cancelling other plans in order to get to the Aqua zumba class. Got in the pool along with the other women...and waited...and waited...after 15mins we asked the lifeguard if he could check to see if the class was going ahead, he checked no one knew anything. We waited another 15mins and after still no information we gave up and most of us left.

Sadly this seems to happen often-a lack of communication between the pool and the teachers leading to last minute cancellations. I am not blaming either party, I am just commenting on the general lack of information and how this affects customers. Other pools I have visited seem to get a stand in teacher at short notice, sadly this never seems to happen with FHP. Also the timetable of classes generally is lamentable and not comparing favourably with other local council run centres such as the Spa.

I learnt very early on to always call before going. The phone wasn't always answered but that's due to a shortage of staff on the front desk.

yes..thats another thing..lovely staff on front desk, friendly and helpful but overstretched.
they need a minimum of two at all times, or at least during peak periods.

I regularly go to the over-60s sessions in the pool on Monday and Thursday mornings. I am sure I have raised before, either on this forum or direct to the management or both. the question of how effectively the over-60s rule is policed during these sessions; there are often people in the pool who are certainly, or very probably, under sixty.

One doesn't like to make a fuss, and, normally, one is prepared quietly to harrumph and turn a blind eye. But when, as sometimes happens, the lanes get quite congested, and there are a lot of nervous and slow elderly swimmers who feel they are being elbowed out (literally, sometimes), I find it difficult to avoid getting quite irritated.

I assume that many of these under-60s are people who have been to the gym and come down for a swim afterwards, and are not therefore 'screened out' at the reception desk. My understanding is that in that case the pool attendants are expected to have a quiet word with them, but this often does not happen - when I pointed out one obvious 'offender' to an attendant the other day, he said 'he hadn't noticed her'! I don't think punters such as me should be expected to go up to someone and say 'You don't look over sixty to me' - in these circumstances, they might not take it as a compliment.

I don't see why notice boards should not be put up at the edge of the pool area, saying 'Over 60s only, 9.00 -10.00'. That would surely help to deal with the issue?

Another moan regarding the lack of cleanliness and apparent disorganisation at the pools.
a number of times in the past month I've gone into the poolside ladies toilets and the smell of faeces has hit me when I've walked in, I then found that all but one of the cubicles was unusable. toilets unflushed, blocked full of waste, no toilet roll etc etc. Its gross I mean really filthy.
Surely it can't be that Forest hill has filthier un-housetrained residents than any other area? I've used the loos in many other public pools and have never encountered so much filth in any of them Once more that leads me to assume inadequate or non-existent cleaning practices in the pool.
It really is a danger to public health not to mention my poor eyes and nostrils.
Secondly once again the Aqua Zumba class on a Thursday has been cancelled at short notice, once again I've rushed home from work to go queued at the desk and been told its cancelled, Why can't replacement teachers be sourced to do some sort of similar class at short notice?
Once more I have to add that other council gyms seem to manage to do this but not FHP. Its a well attended class with many loyal regular fans and sadly its only once a week. Furthermore when it is cancelled rather than keeping that section of the pool as adults only and giving us the opportunity to use the floating weights etc to do our own work out for that allotted hour Instead the pool is left open to all with kids jumping and splashing and making it impossible to use the space as a serious adult keen on exercising
All a bit rubbish really when so much of the pool timetable is taken up with swimming clubs and swimming lessons in the early evenings.
generally I don't find the pool timetable at all all full time adult worker friendly.

This post was last modified: 12-03-2015 07:34 PM by nottinghillbilly.

I agree with you on the adult worker friendly thing, nottinghillbilly. I am getting tired of the lanes at lunchtime being used by school classes. Surely that's what the learner pool is for?

Let's also spare a thought for the poor s*ds that have to clear it up. It may also be worth directing our ire at those people who use the pools who dgas about what they do. Like the ones who left a soiled nappy stuck to a changing room wall. I pointed this out to a member of staff who said that wasn't the worst they had seen. The mind boggles.

As to the changes in classes, that I agree with, it is annoying . Also, my ten year old daughter would not be seen dead in "the babies" pool.

Interesting point above about "the babies pool" - we have a baby and unfortunately can't get to use that pool with said baby because it's often in use for lessons. The pools management have told me explicitly that it's not designed as a baby pool, but that's what it obviously looks like (and how it's used during family swim). I think it probably just goes to show that demand far outstrips supply on our local pool.

The cleanliness of the changing rooms is the responsibility of all users as well as the staff. I often feel like the only person who stops to remove shoes at the changing room door. That's a much smaller thing than the nappy incident mentioned above (which is disgusting and absolutely unconscionable) but it's all a sign that people aren't doing their own bit to make our lovely new pools building stay nice.

I think this level of use is a consequence of the closure of other swimming pools. We used to have Ladywell Baths and swimming pools at Downham. I don't know if the Bridge is still open.