Ponds Forge Swimming Pool Sheffield City Centre, Sheffield

Reviews

1. Danny Shaw ★☆☆☆☆

   The first point to note is that the majority of the positive reviews for this site are related to the centre's use as an event space for graduate ceremonies, NOT for the leisure facilities themselves. This site should be a flagship, instead, it is a poorly shoe-string-run unhygienic shell of itself being grossly let down by inadequate management and poor investment. It is a prime example of what happens when public facilities are put into private hands. Membership cost up, service down. For months now the lane swim schedule has been at best part time. This week for example there are no sessions Thurs-Sunday, at all. This has become standard. On the days when there are sessions, they are patchy, with gaps during the day, and often ending by 4pm. No explanation is ever given, complaints are responded to with a generic 'we're sorry you feel that way' response (as I'm sure this will be) and then ignored. In addition to this, hygiene standards have plummeted and membership prices soared since Everyone Active took over (running the site for profit), from the charity Sheffield City Trust. The members changing rooms are mouldy and stale, with every single hair dryer broken. The showers are rarely cleaned, I've seen stains and dirt sit in the same spot on the shower block floor for weeks at a time. The yoga mats in the studio reek of stale sweat, and there is no antibacterial spray for wiping down. A loudly championed 'refurbishment' of the gym involved a rearrange, and the swapping out of broken equipment with already worn equipment shipped over from the Hillsborough site. With respect to membership costs, the first thing that Everyone Active did on taking over the running of the site was to hike prices, and particularly spitefully, remove the discount rate for disabled people. To mark the one year anniversary of their running of the site prices have just been raised yet again without excuse or apology. All this seems to be a common pattern with Everyone Active who appear to at least in part keep their sites profitable by slashing staff and services, particularly with the cleaning team, but I also suspect with lifeguard numbers. The current excuse in the case of Ponds Forge is that there is a problem with the leisure pool which has lead to swimming lessons being moved over to the main pool, causing cancellations. However, this is an excuse that Everyone Active have been using for months, whilst also cancelling swimming lessons, and often leaving the main pool half empty with neither taking place. At some point all physical problems become management problems. When Sheffield City Trust ran the site, it was not perfect, but they were a charity doing their best, and the general level of service was far above what it is now. Private for-profit companies do not deserve the leniency that we give to charities. They should step up their game, communicate with their members, improve as a matter of urgency, or lose their right to run the facility. Ponds Forge could be so much, and yet, because of poor management and investment, it grows shabbier by the day.

   almost 7 months ago
2. Ade Fowowe ★★★★★

   Remains our preferred swimming pool in Sheffield as a family, we love the leisure swimming its a mix of relaxation and fun.

   almost 8 months ago
3. Pavan kumar Chamarthy ★★★★★

   It's so nice

   almost 10 months ago

1. Nicholas Locks ★☆☆☆☆

   Pool chilly, I was shivering after an hour's swim. Changing rooms equally chilly. No soap in the shower cubicles - Hillsborough provides them but here you can't wash off the chlorine, which causes me skin issues. PLEASE fix the saunas, closing them really is a step backwards. They are healthy, fun and running costs aren't a problem wherever else I've been on my travels.

   1 year ago
2. Maria Fernanda Ten ★★★★★

   Excellent. Very good people, nice and a great sporting level 

   almost 3 years ago
3. Paul Crimes ★★☆☆☆

   Visited the building for my daughter's graduation, not sure if this is a reflection on Ponds Forge or Hallam University but the facilities seemed lacking, no catering except for the pool cafe, poor coffee, only toasties or prepacked sandwiches. No entertainment, no stalls. Felt a bit cheap and disrespectful to the students efforts compared to events say held at the Principality Stadium or the ICC in Newport. They just wanted us in and out as quickly as possible, didn't want us to have a special day.

   almost 3 years ago

1. Francesco Rossetto ★★★★★

   Best pool in Sheffield, hands down

   almost 3 years ago
2. Sean anthony Warhurst ★☆☆☆☆

   Nothing but money grabbing company. all the money u have to pay to be a member, And to top it off have to pay for parking making it 1 of if not the most expensive gym memberships in sheffield for very basic gym sauna steam room.

   almost 4 years ago
3. Eve Donarski ★★★☆☆

   The professional pool was very nice but i didnt get to experience the other pools of the venue. However the wave pool and the lazy river looked to be very exciting as i saw them from a window in the cafeteria. Unfortunately, the foor was absalutely discusting with gum, lumps of chocolate, gummy sweets and rappers spread all across the floor poolside and the spectating area. On top of this, the tiles just out of the pool were extremely slippy making it a hazard for anyone who walks there.

   almost 4 years ago

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