Swimming Pools.

airbusA346

Well-Known Forumite
Since Virgin Active is shutting I need/want to find another swimming pool.

Does anyone have a list of swimming pools in the area (not south of Stafford) that are suitable for disabled.

I don't want to go to Stafford Leisure Centre or Alleynes or have to work around a timetable.

:)
 

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
Since Virgin Active is shutting I need/want to find another swimming pool.

Does anyone have a list of swimming pools in the area (not south of Stafford) that are suitable for disabled.

I don't want to go to Stafford Leisure Centre or Alleynes or have to work around a timetable.

:)
I'd have suggested Cannock Leisure Centre but that's south of Stafford. It is an easy run if you can ever escape Stafford traffic. Rugeley Leisure Centre is also south.

It's a bit of a of a trek but what about Uttoxeter Leisure Centre?

Obviously if you are limited to Stafford then your choice is somewhat restricted.
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
Why not convert your local old tube station
Or go open-air - Enniscorthy station today.

CXenyFzWcAA04py.jpg:large
 

Bob

Well-Known Forumite
Eldest daughter has started a new club, two nights a week (on top of the football :facepalm:) I have to drive her there then pick her up a couple of hours later so I figured it would be a perfect opportunity to spend some quality time with the smallest one!

She said she wanted to go swimming, which I'm totally on board with - so we went to the local council owned leisure centre - pool closed to the public/booked for private clubs/lessons on both days at the times I wanted - then I checked the council owned leisure centre in the next town over only to be told the same thing.

I used to go to Virgin active and I loved it so I figure this is the kick up the bum I need to go join a gym again, the biggest swanky chain one near me only lets kids in on the weekends - even though you need to buy a monthly kid membership. The other big gym near me would be almost £100 a month if I want to add the kids on and it looks more than a little rough round the edges and comes with massive limitations on times of use. Even a 'delightful' little hotel down the road want a premium price monthly membership (same as the all signing all dancing swanky one that doesn't let kids in) for me and £6 a session on top of that to take my daughter which is bonkers when you take into account what they're offering - which didn't even look (or smell) clean.

Schools don't do lessons anymore, my 9 year old has never had swimming lessons at school (and thanks to covid she hasn't had any private lessons for a long time either) and my 12 year old had a two terms of swimming in the last couple of years of primary school (although she is a strong and confident swimmer) I know of three pools that would have been doable that have closed in the past few years - there is literally nowhere (that I know of) to take my daughter to at a convenient time.

Does anyone know of a place I'm missing within the radius of Stafford to Stoke? I've already ruled out Nuffield, Mclub, both Freedom Leisure centres and the Stone House Hotel. Sadly Virgin, Gnosall and Alleyne's pools are no longer with us.
 
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EasMid

Well-Known Forumite
Uttoxeter leisure centre was very good for kids. I haven’t been for a few years but might be worth a try if it’s doable in your time frame.
It’s easy to get to on the Stafford side of Uttoxeter & has good parking.
P. S. Leasowes do school swimming lessons, they use Walton High pool. (I don’t think that’s open to the public)
P. P. S. Is there a pool at Stone leisure centre on Westbridge?
 
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Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
There is/was a pool on the Stafford road in Cannock - people I knew, who went there up to ten years ago, seemed to like it.
 

littleme

250,000th poster!
Eldest daughter has started a new club, two nights a week (on top of the football :facepalm:) I have to drive her there then pick her up a couple of hours later so I figured it would be a perfect opportunity to spend some quality time with the smallest one!

She said she wanted to go swimming, which I'm totally on board with - so we went to the local council owned leisure centre - pool closed to the public/booked for private clubs/lessons on both days at the times I wanted - then I checked the council owned leisure centre in the next town over only to be told the same thing.

I used to go to Virgin active and I loved it so I figure this is the kick up the bum I need to go join a gym again, the biggest swanky chain one near me only lets kids in on the weekends - even though you need to buy a monthly kid membership. The other big gym near me would be almost £100 a month if I want to add the kids on and it looks more than a little rough round the edges and comes with massive limitations on times of use. Even a 'delightful' little hotel down the road want a premium price monthly membership (same as the all signing all dancing swanky one that doesn't let kids in) for me and £6 a session on top of that to take my daughter which is bonkers when you take into account what they're offering - which didn't even look (or smell) clean.

Schools don't do lessons anymore, my 9 year old has never had swimming lessons at school (and thanks to covid she hasn't had any private lessons for a long time either) and my 12 year old had a two terms of swimming in the last couple of years of primary school (although she is a strong and confident swimmer) I know of three pools that would have been doable that have closed in the past few years - there is literally nowhere (that I know of) to take my daughter to at a convenient time.

Does anyone know of a place I'm missing within the radius of Stafford to Stoke? I've already ruled out Nuffield, Mclub, both Freedom Leisure centres and the Stone House Hotel. Sadly Virgin, Gnosall and Alleyne's pools are no longer with us.
My daughter (now 16yrs) had 1 term of swimming lessons (what's the point!) at school and failed passing ANY certificates at all.

I enrolled her at Penkridge swim lessons as they offered times other than the weekend (I work weekends)... And she passed several certificates in only a few months. They did a brilliant job & she's now a confident swimmer. My only gripe is that the pool is so small.... (But I was used to swimming at Coventry baths, which was an Olympic sized pool).
 
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kyoto49

Well-Known Forumite
What the hell is wrong with this country where a parent has such a problem finding a swimming pool to take their child to? Why do we put up with this and continue to vote for those who inflict it upon us?

Kids sport should be free and widely available. The money it costs would be saved in funding the reduced NHS demand years down the line.

I've never been but Cannock Leisure centre was the pool of choice for my daughters friends back in the day. Tragic really isn't it that a town with such massive housing expansion doesn't even have a sports centre available. I don't count the incarnation imposed a couple of decades a go as a sports centre, it barely provides enough to be considered a leisure centre judging by this thread!

I'm old enough to remember spending my whole summer holiday at the old Riverside, iirc it was a quid a day for 4 hours of sport. Badminton, trampolining, squash, footie, roller skating, table tennis, and swimming were all included. We walked down and came home for mid day dinner. All of my siblings did this and its no coincidence we all grew up active and loving sport. Good habits are laid in childhood, as is a love of sport!
 
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Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
Kids sport should be free and widely available. The money it costs would be saved in funding the reduced NHS demand years down the line.
Maybe some people see a benefit, for them, in the possibility of monetising future health service demand?
 

Bob

Well-Known Forumite
Thanks everyone, I’ve found somewhere.

It’s a small hotel gym I didn’t know was there 10-15 mins from home, work and elsdest daughters new club.

It’s not posh or fancy and I’m a bit disappointed they don’t run classes but the pool is perfect and the gym is perfectly fine. Better yet no joining fee and February was free! Also it’s not widely advertised so it’s very quiet.
 
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