This is an honest review from my experience at Kingsdown sports centre. In a hope to highlight some key issues and hopefully lead to improvements so people can better enjoy the centre.
Overall summary: Old and tired.
Front desk and reception: There are a couple of great guys at reception. Both friendly and welcoming. Which is perfect when you first enter. However there is one unhelpful lady when it comes to bookings and queries about current activities.
Racquet Sports: You have to pay extra for all racquet sports. Peak time is £6.80 per hour PLUS youu have to pay extra to hire the recquets £2.10, most of which are beaten and old. So, if you plan on playing squash, badminton, table tennis once per week, this will add up to another £35ish per month, on top of the membership fees of approx £32. So the value for money soon begins to dimish. You can join either David Lloyds, Nuffield or Bannatynes fot this amount!
Gym area: Fairly tidy. Some dated equipment but otherwise good.
Sports hall: badly painted, very tired looking. The lighting is bad at the sides of the hall which makes playing badminton difficult.
The main hall lights are extremely bright. So its very different to track the shuttlecock when its high as the bright lights are blinding.
Sauna and steam area: this area has been closed for months. No real explanation given. Possibly to save money? Or to repair? Either way this long is totally unacceptable when the membership is £32/month and this facility is advertised as a selling point online.
Squash courts: Again, tired and run down.
Opening hours: This centre has reduced opening hours compared to other
Changing rooms: The changing rooms are a bit dirty and very old fashioned. Not all of the lockers work and not all of the showers work. Some shower heads missing. There are no clothes hangers and some of the flooring and units in the changing rooms and the toilets is damaged.
Everyone Active (EA) gyms. It opens later in the mornings. At 7 as opposed to 6:30. This makes a pre work workout more time pushed.
in addition this centre is closed more often over bank holidays compared to other EA gyms.
Conclusion: This centre could be great however it needs some investment. The changing rooms and showers need updating. The sports hall needs painting and it would be great to open at 6:30 as like the other EA gyms to allow people enough time to workout before going to work.
Overall score 3/10 read more