East Dulwich Baths

[bexcrow]

Can someone tell me why people that demand standards of education, food, wine, etc.in East Dulwich do not demand the same standards of what is frankly this cesspool? Despite being the same design and period of Greenwich baths it is utterly filthy, and twice as expensive. There's not a functioning lock on any changing room door and I have seen the same plasters and hair clumps day after day and week after week. The staff are surly and uninformed - I have been sold a ticket to swim when there was no public access! I am not a parent but I wouldn't let my dog swim in that pool.

[tiger ranks]

upon asking questions to SOUTHWARK RIP OFF COUNCIL

will reply saying we do not have any money... (Iceland banks ring any bells)to do any work to our local swimming pool.

Which has not changed in the last twenty years

[cdonline]

I always give the water a good thorough splash around after I've relieved myself in the pool. Just to make to sure it gets diluted. No need to thank me for my concern for others.

Agree about the facilities, they've always been pants.

[AcedOut]

I stopped going after sharing a changing cubicle with a dead cockroach.

[SteveT]

Nobody uses the shower before entry to the pool, and the staff have no interest in enforcing the rules.

Perhaps if they added a couple of large signs, ensuring the patrons understand what is expected of them, might help.

The only worse one in my opinion is camberwell.

[v_the_gelfling]

I caught an ear infection twice from there and haven't been back since :(

[bon3yard]

I certainly use the shower before I swim, not that it actually works very well. They're refurbishing it in April(a year late BTW). It is a bit of a cheek that they charge the same for a swim here as they do in Peckham. I've been going so long now that all its inadequacies have blurred into a rueful but affectionate clucking of my tongue. Quaint innit.

[Jamma]

The gents shower is next to the urinals. You'd probably be less clean after showering than before you went in.

[James]

Drive to the Spa in Beckenham. Much nicer! A shame we don't have a pool like this.

[Nero]

And the 'changing rooms' are sub-Scum. It was awful when I used to go, but at least it was 33yds, whcih is helpful when you are tall. And it was always over-heated.

[karter]

when does the regeneration of this begin?

[bon3yard]

April...allegedly. It was supposed to begin in June so dont hold your breath.

[Lizziedjango]

The swimming pool and changing area at the Fusion ED are absolutely - in Sarf London terms - bloody MINGING! As has been said, refurbishment work was due to start earlier this year, but it did not happen - for one reason or another. Frankly, I am glad that it has been put on hold though, as it would have meant the exercise classes would have been put on hold, and I love doing 'em.

I hate swimming so am less fussed, but if I did like it, I would not want to go to the ED pool in its current state. I went a few months back and found it an unpleasant experience. I was so cold en-route to the changing rooms, and the shower area is absolutely disgusting.

[bon3yard]

At least the ladies have a proper changing room...at least I assume thats the case as I havent actually been in there(not for lack of trying).

[p_in_ed]

My understanding is that the pool will be closed at the end of December to allow renovation work to begin. The gymn and other areas will remain open while the pool work is undertaken, following which a major redevelopment of the whole centre will be undertaken. The new entrance will be on Crystal Palace Road. The plans look great - they were on display in the leisure centre for a while - may still be. I agree Beckenham Spa is a lovely pool, but it's a drive, bus ride, cycle or train journey away. I'd far rather have a second rate pool on my doorstep rather than nothing at all. As it is, I suspect, if all goes ahead as planned, we'll have a greatly improved pool following closure for anything up to a year.

[bon3yard]

I was told 18 months...when were they planning to let us regular users know this? I ask on a regular basis whats going on and probably illicit a collective groan each time I turn up.

[victor]

The plans are still on display!

The woman I spoke to seemed to think the pool would NOT be closing in December, but I agree, no-one tells us regulars what's going on!

[Bellerophon]

One time Peckham resident Andy McNab references this place in his new tome (Seven Troop) as somewhere he went as a teen to get spruced up before a night out.

Apparently, the facilities at home weren't all that.

It was on the New Arrivals shelf at the Plough Library, so grabbed it first. It's ok

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

In McNab's autobiography, "Immediate Action", he says:

I also started to have a shower every night down at Goose Green swimming baths. It cost 5p for the shower and a towel, 2p for soap and 2p for a little sachet of shampoo ... I was kissably clean ...

[Jeremy]

http://sparetimes.visiterblogs.co.uk/AlanPartridge.jpg

"I can read you like a book. And not a very good book. Certainly not 'Bravo Two Zero' by Andy McNabb. Which actually improves with every read".

[Cassius]

I don't think you can blame the staff at Fusion for not knowing what is going on - they are not imformed either.

It is a shame that the baths are so grotty as the actual building is lovely with the skylight. The ladies changing room was re-painted (badly) about 4 years ago, and were closed for about 6 weeks. I could have painted them myself in a matter of days!

[Jamma]

Indeed I remember the last time it closed for refurbishment a few years back. Re-opened weeks later with no discernable changes at all. Doesn't bode well for the next 'refurbishment'.

It's a shame. I thought we're supposed to be trying to fight the national flab

[AcedOut]

Come along to the EDF running club next Tuesday. You get a free refurbishment and fresh-air to boot!

[p_in_ed]

cdonline Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I always give the water a good thorough splash

> around after I've relieved myself in the pool.

> Just to make to sure it gets diluted. No need to

> thank me for my concern for others.

Thanks for your concern cdonline. Only just read your entry; still laughing.

[Canning]

I have to go against the tide of opinion here.I have been using the pool for 3 years and I love it. I used to be a member of the Reebok gym in Canary Wharf and it was expensive and the pool was superb but it was by no means as beautiful as East Dulwich. I also found the staff pleasant and helpful,really what do people expect from the reception or pool staff? A hug and a kiss? If the pool is going to stay open till april I would be delighted.The changing areas may not be as dazzlingly clean as Reebok but it also is not that bad and at a fraction of the cost. There are only a handful of public pools from the victorian/edwardian era left and I feel lucky to have been able to use East Dulwich pool.