Comments on LC Website Provision

This page focuses on  LC failures to inform users and potential users of leisure centres via relevant web pages. For example, in February 2006 I spoke of the failure to provide "what customers really appreciate, practical and timely information. " PB

Survey of LC Websites 24 August 2007

After three written complaints to Harrow Council this Bank Holiday weekend finds that the LC webpage for Harrow Leisure Centre at last has information on opening hours. But what of other centres?

 I surveyed all the LC web pages for centres they manage in the south of England that offer swimming and found 8 had no bank holiday information.

The two centres in Brent have Bank Holiday hours shown. Both are open for just six hours. Why, when my local shopping centre is open from 10am to 6pm? 

The following eight centres have no Bank Holiday times listed. Even if the hours are the same as for standard Mondays it would help the public and LC receptionists to have them listed on the web.

Downham in Lewisham -  http://www.leisureconnection.co.uk/centre/2/98/downham-health-and-leisure-centre.html 

Carnival in Wokingham - http://www.leisureconnection.co.uk/centre/2/68/carnival-pool.html

Dorking Sports Centre in Mole Valley- http://www.leisureconnection.co.uk/centre/2/31/dorking-sports-centre.html 

Loddon Valley Leisure Centre in Reading - http://www.leisureconnection.co.uk/centre/2/70/loddon-valley-leisure.html 

Stoke Mandeville Stadium in Aylesbury - http://www.leisureconnection.co.uk/centre/3/80/stoke-mandeville-stadium.html

Meadowlands in Tavistock - http://www.leisureconnection.co.uk/centre/2/66/meadowlands.html 

Parklands in Okehampton - http://www.leisureconnection.co.uk/centre/2/65/parklands-okehampton-leisure-centre.html 

St Ives Leisure Centre- http://www.leisureconnection.co.uk/centre/2/41/st-ives-leisure-centre.html    

Conclusion: LC is still not making it easy for customers to get basic information on the web. Even when it has learned the lesson in one area something prevents it being generalised. My hope of improvement. see below,  was in vain. PB

Survey of LC Website Shows Over Half Lacking Information on Holiday Opening -  27.12.06

Regular leisure centre users users may be able pick up a brochure about Christmas period opening hours but the holiday season and its excesses often prompt others to think of taking up exercise. How would they fare if they looked to LC's website for information on opening hours?  I began with my two local centres in Brent and one had misleading information and the other none. I then looked at all the leisure centre entries listed by LC under A to D.  http://www.leisureconnection.co.uk/locator.html#results   Seven out of the other 15 pages had no information about days or hours of opening over the holiday season and in some cases I was not able to find this information via the council website. 

Failure to use the web to identify hours of opening puts added pressure on centre and council receptionists who have to deal with calls about times. It could also be frustrating for callers who don't know when to expect the centre to be staffed. It would have been very simple to have added to the web page template used for leisure centre information a box to prompt updates on changes to normal hours due to holidays, special events, planned and unplanned maintenance. One heading that is used is "Latest Information" but at one site surveyed this had details for the summer and at another was being used to promote Christmas catering. 

It seems that Lambeth took notice of the earlier criticism as both Brixton and Clapham centres are among the few below to get an "OK". Let's hope next year's survey shows a national improvement.

Possible  explanations for the lack of information about holiday opening hours.  1. The contract with LC does not specify that LC must keep its web page for the centre up to date. 2. The contract  does specify this but LC can't be bothered with the expense and the council does not enforce. 3. General muddle and confusion   4. Too few staff left to do the work. 5. Incompetence.  6. ???

After much delay LC launched their new website at the end of 2005.    a few weeks several self-serving articles had been added.  E.g. from 20.1.06 under "News":

"With an increasing number of pools under threat of closure, local authorities should start considering viable, alternative means of providing swimming and leisure facilities instead of closing them down.  Leisure Connection has a range of solutions, which can ensure local swimming pools and centres are improved and maintained for the good of the local community and within affordability levels set by the public finances", says Graham Farrant, chief executive of Leisure Connection and himself a former local authority CEO (Barking and Dagenham)...."

I think it's a shame that the new website is not being used for what customers really appreciate, practical and timely information. 

To take one case, looking at LC's page for Clapham Leisure Centre on 12.2.06 -www.leisureconnection.co.uk/content/1/41/clapham_leisure_centre.html - you find  no information about opening hours or what facilities are provided. There is no link to a map, an easy enough feature to install. There is not even a link to the Lambeth Council web page that does list all this information. You will see  an invite to call but the centre,  

Comments Made 12.2. 2006

After much delay LC launched their new website at the end of 2005.  Within a few weeks several self-serving articles had been added.  E.g. from 20.1.06 under "News":

"With an increasing number of pools under threat of closure, local authorities should start considering viable, alternative means of providing swimming and leisure facilities instead of closing them down.  Leisure Connection has a range of solutions, which can ensure local swimming pools and centres are improved and maintained for the good of the local community and within affordability levels set by the public finances", says Graham Farrant, chief executive of Leisure Connection and himself a former local authority CEO (Barking and Dagenham)...."

I think it's a shame that the new website is not being used for what customers really appreciate, practical and timely information. 

To take one case, looking at LC's page for Clapham Leisure Centre on 12.2.06 www.leisureconnection.co.uk/content/1/41/clapham_leisure_centre.html - you find  no information about opening hours or what facilities are provided. There is no link to a map, an easy enough feature to install. There is not even a link to the Lambeth Council web page that does list all this information. You will see  an invite to call but the centre, unlike the web, is not open all the time and reducing calls to the centre speeds up services for others already there and possibly queuing. 

Had someone looked at the LC Clapham page and headed to Clapham Leisure Centre for a swim she or he would be very disappointed. Look what Lambeth Council have to say.

Main pool closed

Due to serious water leaks it has been necessary to close the main pool at Clapham Leisure Centre to enable urgent maintenance work to be carried out. The pool will remain closed for six weeks starting from 5 January 2006 while the essential repairs are made.

During this time the small pool will remain open to the public for the use of toddlers and young children.

Alternative swimming facilities are available at both Brixton Recreation Centre and Streatham Leisure Centre.

We apologise for any inconvenience this disruption may cause.