Dulwich Leisure Centre..poor management

[Phidan]

Hello. I've been thinking of posting this for some time. I had some property stolen for Dulwich Leisure Centre lockerooms 2 years ago worth up to ?130. I contacted staff immediately and the manager at the time took my details for a police report. It turned out that one of the staff had let 2 teenage boys into the changing rooms without membership cards, just before the incident took place. I've written to the centre about 7 times since the incident took place but they will not respond or engage with me on the subject. I did have a brief, stressful conversation with the guy on reception but the line they are choosing to take is that I was responsible for contacting police, which clearly I would have if the manager had not said she would do it personally. It makes me hopping mad because about 10 other people were robbed that day and I'm sure they've been fobbed off in the same way. If anyone has had a similar experience with the management at Dulwich Leisure please get in touch. I'm thinking of taking this to the local press and I'd be keen to hear from others who have had their queries completely ignored by staff. I pay ?45 per month and expect a little more for my money. Thanks

[James Barber]

Email me direct and I will take your case up. This is clearly unacceptable in a number of ways.

[bloonoo]

sorry to hear that - as an aside, if you threaten to quit they'll usually lower your membership cost, my housemate now pays ?35 a month when she told them she was thinking of leaving

[Phidan]

Thanks for your replies bloonoo and James. James I'll be in touch today.

[jacks09]

I have complained about equipment not being fixed ...for over 4 months......no reply whatsoever. I followed up a week later with another complaint about the gym opening half an hour late at the start of this week.....still no reply.

[JohnL]

I would have written an email summary to the CEO of Fusion (His name seems to be Peter Kay :) ).

[James Barber]

Hi jacks09,

Please email me and I will take up your case.

[se15mum]

while we're at it could we bring up the topic of cleanliness in the swimming pool changing rooms and pool itself.

my son (2.5) comments every week about the dirt on the floor and asks me to carry him to the pool - it is disgusting, a lot due to people taking pushchairs into the changing room - there is no need.

the pool itself is only marginally better - but classes are continually being cancelled due to sick / poo in the pool and i'm never sure how clean the pool gets after these events!

[dimples]

I've noticed in the last few weeks that the changing rooms and surrounding pool side is so so SO much better ,there is always someone there now to clean up ! I do agree that parents should not bring buggies through and always use the plastic shoe covers ! We've never had a cancelled lesson but I do think it's time now that the showers in the communal changing room are fixed as one isn't enough !

[oquinn]

"if you threaten to quit they'll usually lower your membership cost"

I recently cancelled my membership because I felt the facilities were no where near good enough for the ?48 p/m I was paying. When I went in to cancel, girl behind desk couldn't care less. All I got was "fill this in", as she handed me a form. Only confirmed that I was making the right decision.

[cholton]

My boyfriend and I also cancelled our membership based on the poor management and facilities and have to agree that we were also met with the same attitude oquinn!

[JDR]

The people running it are from Fusion. Several years ago I had a problem with the pool at Peckham. I complained long and hard enough to be called by the women in charge of their contract. I can't find her name annoyingly, but she was really open to discussion and suggestion and more than happy to take issues back to them ( most of my suggestions were actioned within 2 weeks!) in my head her name is Tara Quinn but I could be wrong and her name isn't in my address book anymore

[hannahleone]

They need to fix the air con in there. At ?48 per month from their many customers, you would think they could afford to sort out the temperature?! The staff on the desk have always been very polite to me, it's a shame other people are having bad experiences.

[KrackersMaracas]

I agree - the aircon is terrible, it actually strikes me as bordering on dangerous in the summer months when it can be much warmer in the building than outside, with no ventilation!

[NewWave]

Fusion are terrible yet they sadly seem to have the monopoly on public pools and gyms in South London. I'm a Lewisham resident and am forever complaining both on the local forum and to the front desk at the pools, I never get a response either way.

The changing rooms and toilets are utterly filthy-blocked loos,no toilet roll, I mean truly filthy.

classes get canceled at the last miniute-yesterday I rang at 5.30 to enquire wether a 6pm class was on (I've learned the hard way to check in advance of these things)Was told yes, it was definitely on-turned up paid and waited around half an hour with no info to only then be told the class wasn't happening.

In addition I've noticed they certainly at FHP favor running day time group classes, with very few at full time west end worker friendly times.

I can't afford private gym membership but I feel Fusion are the most inept cost cutting un-customer focused company I've ever come across. In fact I tend to travel to Beckenham where there is a fantastically run and clean community pool and gym.

I find it hard to believe that Fusion are able to retain this monopoly considering how utterly c**p they are!

[FJN]

This is such a shame, I'd love to use this facility but there's no way I would based on what people here say they have encountered. Are there any decent swimming pools locally?

[Curmudgeon]

James

How long do Fusion have the contract to run Southwark Leisure centres?

Their mismanagement has been going on for years it seems

[NewWave]

Yes I wonder how they manage to retain the contracts for both Lewisham and Southwark when they are obviously so substandard at even the most basic yet important things such as hygene and cleanliness. and maintainance.

Makes me question if some backhanders are involved.

[Wooly]

Went swimming this morning. Pool and poolside pretty dirty, broken tile in pool still not fixed. Shower poolside still not fixed. Depressing as such a lovely community pool, a shame it's not bring maintained properly. Really hope Fusion will be held to account when contract up for renewal.

[isnottropical]

Wonder if anyone has experience of cancelling membership at Fusion in East Dulwich -

I went to cancel my membership (after finding a gym with similar facilities for a third of the price) and they said a month's notice was needed, and would take next months direct deposit as well.

Is this standard practice with Gyms like this? I asked them what would happen if I just cancelled the DD myself, but they said it would count as unpaid fees if I ever tried to join again (which isn't impossible)...

[bloonoo]

@isnottropical, my friend went to quit and they reduced her membership by ?15 to keep her.

[isnottropical]

bloonoo Wrote:

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> @isnottropical, my friend went to quit and they

> reduced her membership by ?15 to keep her.

Yep, I'd heard that, and was considering staying if they offered - but sadly no luck!

[Earl Aelfheah]

How is it that this council gym is so expensive - more than double the price of some other, private gyms? Can anyone explain this?

[bodsier]

isnottropical Wrote:

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> Wonder if anyone has experience of cancelling

> membership at Fusion in East Dulwich -

>

> I went to cancel my membership (after finding a

> gym with similar facilities for a third of the

> price)

Where is this please? I just want to swimm so feel it's wrong to pay for facilities I don't use. A European court of law would probably agree.....if only I had the time/money to contest.

[Callie]

KrackersMaracas Wrote:

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> I agree - the aircon is terrible, it actually

> strikes me as bordering on dangerous in the summer

> months when it can be much warmer in the building

> than outside, with no ventilation!

Also agree they need to fix the aircon. We have a membership 4,5 years now & half that time it hasn't worked. Recently the floor in the gym has been strewn ankle deep with blue paper towel from the loos from everyone mopping up their sweat in the heat - it is just awful.