Felixstowe Leisure Centre — Local services in East Suffolk

We moved to Felixstowe three years ago and loved coming to the pool with our [then] one-year old child. Now we have two children, we hoped to continue bringing our youngest swimming during the week whilst the other is at school. However, the management of this leisure centre seem to forget they have a dedicated children’s pool - this particular pool is only open on Tuesdays for 2 hours in the morning, and weekends. Honestly, who came up with that? The amount of families we know who would love to turn up with their small children and go swimming, it beggars belief that the management prioritise the lane swimming. Most of us avoid the pool at weekends as busy periods could be scary for the little ones, especially introducing them to swimming for the first time and building their confidence around water. There needs to be consideration that the majority of people entertaining children during the week wish to simply turn up at a swimming pool and be able to go in - not having to negotiate a labyrinth of timetables to see when it’s YOUR turn to swim, and then finding out two hours per week is all that’s available. I’m fairly confident that there’s more money to be made from parents trying to entertain children than they realise. Half of the entire pool area is left completely vacant so lane swimming can go ahead - bonkers. I hope the new leisure development being built has a better plan for the mid-week clientele.

EDIT: It’s now February half term and after calling to check whether I can bring my children swimming today at any point, I’ve been told that the pool is booked for alternative activities all day so is unavailable for family swimming or the toddler pool. However, I could bring them from 6pm onwards this evening… Management, what are you doing?! How many parents of small children and toddlers are in their right mind going to go swimming late at night?! You’d think they’d try and tap into families wanting to swim in half term,...

Having been persuaded by friends that the reports of the Centre being run down and not very clean were exaggerated, I signed up for the £12 local pensioner's membership and booked an early morning lane swim at 0700. A bargain at £3.80, especially as I could have stayed for two hours. I figured that, first thing in the morning, the place would be sparklingly clean in readiness for a busy day. Sadly not. So many things were just filthy and didn't look as if they had been given a decent clean in years. There had been some mopping but, whoever had done it, needs to be given training in how to do it. The cleaning was cursory, to put it kindly. The tiles and partitions in the lockers didn't look as if they'd had a proper scrub for years. Even the toilets hadn't been cleaned since the previous day. Shocking. What particularly stood out was the appallingly poor maintenance. Tiles had been replaced without grouting or, perhaps it had been done poorly and so was no longer there. Filth in the resultant space. Shelves are missing in the showers, door locks absent, the list goes on and on. I shudder to think what nasty bacteria is lurking in almost every area imaginable. Every area is just grubby. Places Leisure, who have the contract to run the Centre, are a very big operator, but someone seems to be putting profits above hygiene, which is completely unacceptable. With cameras not being allowed, for obvious reasons, I can't provide photographic evidence, but I will copy this to the local council who, hopefully will take action. There has been talk for years of a new Leisure Centre being built, but don't hold your breath. As a footnote, I had some minor queries yesterday following signing up but nobody ever answered the phone, nor responded to my email. I think that just backs up my overall impression of how Felixstowe Leisure Centre is run. By the way, you'll need a twenty pence piece for...

I have used this pool for three and a half years. Membership costs around £22.00 a month, which is very good considering you can use the steam room, sauna and a small whirl pool as well as the swimming pool which would cost all in all over £10.00 for a single pay on the day visit . Time tables are always at the front of desk where the helpful staff are always willing to help and advise you. The pool is set up in lanes with ropes usually, slow, medium and fast lanes, you should know your self which one you think you should be in, plus with a membership you can use a swimtag which links to your membership card and works out on line, all the details of your swim.

Lanes go in a clockwise direction so everybody goes the same way with plenty of room. You can workout your own space, time and lane of which you should be in. The place is constantly being cleaned, I have been there on numerous occasions when the changing rooms and showers are being pressure washed cleaned.

Felixstowe leisure centre plus a walk along the sea front afterwards is a 10/10...