Balham Leisure Centre reviews

Zero stars. It’s more depressing, substandard and dirty than you can imagine. The showers are unusable. Classes are 3 out of 10 if you get a good one.
It’s always overcrowded and for £11 a pop you can find a much better class pack …

The customer service from Places is terrible. If you try to cancel your membership in their app it tells you to cancel your direct debit. They then send you a £62 bill saying you didn’t follow the correct process to cancel and try to trick …

This is such a good gym with great facilities. Time spent here today was well spent. I can not give anything but a 5star.

Facilities often seem dirty and at least half of the lockers are broken. I’ve emailed and left feedback previously about a faulty machine and asking if the lockers could be fixed and received no response or action

Make sure you understand booking terms. I found out that I’m charged £2.5 even though I shown up for a booking. (don’t even ask details how this is possible, but it is possible) hit to a new customers MAKE SURE YOU SCAN YOUR BOOKING or you …

Jimmy goes above and beyond to ensure a nice work out at the lesiure centre. From sorting WiFi to showing me around the gym, and doing thr most to ensure comfort. Proper friendly. I would rate 3 stars due to the steam room and sauna not working constant but Jimmy bumps it up to 5. Thanks for all your help Jimmy

This is the first gym I’ve ever really been committed to and showed up to multiple times a week. The staff are amazing, so friendly, helpful, kind, it just really makes it a nice experience to go there. The equipment is great, it’s never too busy, the pool is amazing, the steam room is open now as well. Can’t recommend enough!

Been a member here for over a year and can honestly say it’s my favourite gym that I’ve used. It has everything you need dumbbell/barbell wise (dumbbells go to 50kg) and there are two squat racks and three cable machines which is unusual …

This place has everything you need and more at a fraction of the cost of other pretentious gyms. Gym, Pool, squash courts, sauna and classes. It’s not the most modern and some of the equipment is dated but all things considered it’s a …

Two good squash courts including one glass back

I have been with this gym for many years now and I always get a nice welcome from Jimi and the rest of the team. The facilities are great with gym/swimming pool and sauna. They have different classes but my definitely favourite is the …

Love this gym, but of recent times the class timetable isn’t that great.
I love the teachers, but many have been lost due to new management. Swimming lessons for the children is difficult as customer service is lacking with trying to …

Average weights equipment. Staff clearly don’t want to be there either, so much so that they don’t even turn up booked sessions. Management don’t seem to care about their own staff not turning up either. …

I only use the gym facilities so this review is based only on that.
I use this gym because it is convenient and once it is light enough to feel safe running on the commons, I will terminate my membership. The only good things, …

Great staff, wonderful time at the swimming pool, strongly recommended

Good value for money for a gym/swim membership in London. The equipment is kept pretty clean and there are machines available except when super busy. The gym is adequate for a quick swim but the high number of classes going on can mean its …

Good value for money, doesn’t have the pretentious atmosphere that a larger gym can sometimes have. Good array of classes, although some more early morning classes would be appreciated. Carpet in the gym area does smell pretty icky though.

4 star place charging as if 5 star. Facilities are good but overpriced. Have to book a week in advance to find a free court and discount for members is not significant enough considering what you’re already paying. Cleanliness good but not …

The post covid booking measures they’ve introduced are completely insane. You can never get a slot in the pool if you’re not a member, even if you are a member I have no confidence you would ever be able to get a swimming space as they are all permanently booked up. Complete farce 🤦‍♀️ …

I wasn’t impressed with the club.
The building is old, has narrow corridors.
But for £25 what did you expect.

The gym is alright and have some good equipment and I like the two floor aspect of it. But the pool is hell on earth, it’s dirty, and grimey and the pool water is so far from the edge. Also to add on to it the vending machine has taken my …

Full sized swimming pool with sauna and steam room. Also a gym and timetabled classes available. Very reasonably priced, however student prices don’t apply on the weekends, rather annoying. Changing rooms aren’t too bad, just quite wet.

Not great for minor disabilities. Lift does not go to all floors! No access to the pool duemail stairs & difficulty in going to sauna due to stairs. Changing room was available however to store clothes it had to go into a box which then had to be carried to pool side. Due to back injury that was stressful in itself !

The website is not easy to navigate at all! I thought I had booked a class a couple of weeks ago and had it in my basket and confirmed it. When I asked at reception (just in case) they said I had not booked anything class and now the class …

Rang to enquire about pool. The person answered the phone with ‘yeah’. No hello, nothing. Asked question and sounded like he couldn’t be bothered. Definitely won’t be visiting this place.

Great place thanks to super staff – Jimmy gets a special mention here as he was so patient and clear when sorting out my membership!

Good value membership. Can always find a free machine even during busy evening periods. Personal trainers are really friendly and helpful. Only thing that might knock it down is the tech level of the machines (in comparison to Virgin or Fitness First) Would reccommend highly.

Signed up on a good deal for 3 months but facilities are slightly run down and gets very busy in the evenings. Good all round gym for affordable price. Staff are lovely

I have tried this gym for several months and its great location for me and some good equipment but sadly its v dirty and therefore unhygienic and so I will have to cancel my membership. I had been told that it was being updated, dirty …

happy with the over all service but must say that showers could be more efficient specially in the pool area.
the hair driers are not the best but still good enough. …

I quit this gym in January. I really loved it. I was very happy with the classes, great teachers and good time slots. The gym was great and there was always room to practice and help from the guys in charge. The swimming pool, hammam & …

We went to Balham leisure centre recently for kids parties , pool party was fun and kids lived it.
Also there is enough space for kids to run around in the party room..

I’ve been a member of this gym for about 6 months now and use it at least 3 times a week. The facilities aren’t the most up to date or the best, but it is a council run gym after all.They have a really good timetable of classes every …

Dirty. Overpriced. Still trying to take money off me after I’ve tried cancelling my membership 3 months ago – they did the same to my friend. The lady I charge was the rudest individual I’ve ever spoke to. I’d seriously avoid this gym and the company behind. 1 Star is generous

WATCH OUT WITH THE TINY LETTERS IN THE CONTRACT
I would like to raise a complaint because I feel I have been lied to.
I went to the gym to cancel my membership, no one bother to explain that I …

Nice small Leisure center, Way to much chlorine in the pool however. It’s fine for 20-30 min, swims but if your going to do hard sets for 1-2 hours, you will end up with very itchy eye’s

Staff are lovely. The covid restrictions are well done particularly for the gym People complaining about the covid swimming restrictions are being idiotic considering it is complying with gov/council guidelines.

Mainly use the circuit gym classes here, fairly pricey but as expected for London. Facilities reasonable condition but good selection. Staff generally friendly. Gym membership not overly expensive.

In a nice area and nice aqua fit teacher. Pool sides (tiles in pool) dirty and black mould in red boxes used to store clothes in. Not seen the gym. Used the dance studio which is nice and spacious. Reception staff pleasant with the …

For a council run leisure centre it’s ok, they have good facilities; swimming pool, sauna, steam, gym, weights room, exercise rooms. They have all these facilities but facilities such-as; sauna and steam seem develop problems perodically, …

A very reasonable centre, has a wide range of equipment in the gym, large pool and numerous other facilities available. Prices are low thanks to partnerships with Wandsworth council and was recently refurbished (Dec ’15)

Bought a groupon ticket pass, £15 for 10 gym and pool passes. Person in counter told me to take a seat and wait that someone was going to attend me. You guys don’t know how hard it is to wait for over 30 min after taking pre workout, while …

It terms of Facilities in the area it’s not the worst Ive been to in terms of cleanliness…South Wimbledon has got to be the most dirtest swimming baths and revolting slimy changing rooms I’ve ever encountered…but Balham not far …

A great facility to train due to friendly staff and reasonable priced membership.
The club has a climbing frame/monkey bars which you can use olympic rings on to …

I arrived 11.59 for swim this morning. By the time the girl had stopped fiddling in her bag I had missed concession time. Girl said but it’s 12 now. The time for over 50s is 12 not11.59. Furious. And you have to put up with dirty changing rooms. What do the many staff do all day!

Go swimming 3 times a week, staff lovely, facilities good.

Well equipped and very spacious place – the best leisure centre you could ever visit. It’s recently refurbished and I really like it. All trainers are experienced and definitely know their job.

Call up to make a booking. Told the slot I want is free but I have to book via their god awful site. I try but it shows as fully booked. Ring them back and all slots are taken. They could have helped me but they’re too lazy to do a telephone booking.

The gym is large with plenty of equipment, dumbells up to 50kg, squat and bench racks and the standard cardio arrangement. It gets busy after work Monday to Wednesday, but is otherwise quiet.

Great place to keep fit and for leisure, much available and real friendly staff, never had any problems. Gym is lacking a few pieces of equipment, but there’s plenty to choose from otherwise

Bit annoying that the street it’s on has no free parking till the evening. The changing rooms are very humid because they’re pretty much by poolside. They have too few showers. And too many of them have either low pressure or just aren’t …

They have a gym, a suana, a steam room and swimming pool. The staff provide an average service, they don’t have parking and the gym doesn’t have any mirrors, there’s one mirror in the changing room. I think this leisure centre is aimed for a mature crowd.

Why is the pool so grubby? There is a thick black tide mark on handrails, unidentifiable grot in corners. Steps slimy and grubby. Benches are always dirty. I see bright young things carrying buckets and mops around. What on earth are they …

The pool tiles are currently about as clean as your average pub toilet at closing time. Would like to see the council run it directly & not the current operators.

When they show you around and you intend to play squash ask if its easy to get squash court peak times or being a minority sport do they let it out to other groups just to make more money! you try and play Saturday Morning! unless your in a …

Nestled amongst the quiet streets of Balham is this little gem of a kids party venue. …

A lot of amenities and friendly staff. My only complaint is that they do not enforce cleaning of equipment after someone sweats on it. I see people after an hour long class return matts they used. This is not sanitary.

Somehow worse after refurbishment with cheap equipment, constant overcrowding and knackered booking facilities. It used to have cost going for it but with full membership now over £50pm, why not drop a tenner more and go to one of the premium places?

Not a huge fan of the overall building layout and during peak times can be impossible to use certain workout machines. Generally tidy however and friendly service.

Average gym for the membership price. The centre is split-up into multiple levels which is quite nice rather than a huge open space like some gyms

Good facilities – used the pool which wasn’t too busy. The sauna was a bit busy. Changing facilities fine, standard leisure centre

Always super kind at the reception, and ready provide you will all your queries.

Big pool and decent gym equipment, there’s a separate free weights room which also has some machines and an upstairs area for stretches etc

Good leisure centre, decent size with good equipment. The new functional training section is great. Safe are very friendly.

Good gym, has everything you need. Can be busy on Monday nights but rest of the week isn’t too bad.

i stopped going in this Gym one year ago, and now i notice they charged me every month for 1 year! so i losted 500 pounds with this people . Stay away from this gym

Well equipped gym. Pool, sauna and steam room all well maintained. Spacious changing rooms and staff are positive and welcoming.

Swimming pool is awful. Water cold, general temperature cold, and showers cold. Needs knocking down!

Sauna never works, toilets are normally dirty and the showers area sometimes smelling. Gym is ok with new machines

Great leisure centre, really friendly staff who are more than happy to help, decent squash courts and only a short walk from Balham station.

Very run down! You get boxes to put your belongings in on the side of the pool – felt like it could do with a deep clean!

Lovely place for the children. Great swimming pool. Lovely temperature for learning and swimming

The processes they’ve put in place for reopening are excellent, it feels very safe and the staff are on hand to answer any questions you have.

Swimming here is a nightmare. I’m sure it would be better without the lanes. There are never any staff in gym to help or explain.

Pretty standard community gym. Seems very centered around the pool, which I admit I don’t use that often. Coudl do with more resistance machines.

It’s a confusing gym. Low number of equipament.
Theres this room with weight equipment that it’s just unconfortable and difficult to find

Not exactly a review…today I found a flowery bag with a coop bank card and 20 quid in it in one of the swimming boxes. If it’s yours, I handed it into the guy at reception.

Good value, I play squash here and if you book in advance you will have a seamless experience.

1st aqua class with Ola, what a credit to the team. Really motivating and fun. Thank you 🙂

If you are joining the gym the machines are very old. Rowers, cross trainers and treadmills. Very expensive considering what they are offering for that money.