Reopening FAQs

Find answers to your questions about re-opening

We are constantly reviewing our guidance and policies. The following advice is correct as of the 15th June 2021 and is subject to change in the future.

Following the recent Government announcement, we can confirm that our centres are open, but social distancing and capacity restrictions remain in place.

Please be aware that we are reacting in real time to the announcements and we’ll do our very best to respond as quickly as possible, but please bear with us if it takes a little longer to make the necessary changes over this very busy period.

Please note that the information below is relevant to our centres' reopening.

Click here to find your local area and more information on facilities at your centre. Are you looking for information on Places Gyms (Edinburgh, Hinckley, Preston and Sheffield)? Find out more here.

The following information covers the COVID-19 secure measures we have put in place. We hope it will reassure you and help you make an informed decision about your return to your centre. You'll notice that most of the guidance below hasn't changed from our first reopening. We are constantly reviewing customer feedback and are delighted with your responses and know you’re happy with the measures we’ve put in place.

We’d particularly like to draw your attention to the payments sections - you are able to extend the suspension period should you wish. Click here for more information.

Please note that all activity sessions need to be pre-booked either online, via the Places Locker App or by calling the centre directly in advance. Learn more here.

Our centres:
Cleanliness & social distancing

Your centre's reopening information

Membership payments and freezing | I want to freeze my membership

Swimming lessons | Gymnastics and trampolining

Pre-booking, arriving at and leaving the centre | Changing facilities | Our teams | Customer responsibility

Gym | Classes | Swimming | Health suites | Sports

Junior activities and parties | Café | Clubs and hirers

Places Locker

Our centres: Cleanliness & social distancing

We are proud that our centres are COVID-19 secure and this has been recognised by an independent review of our risk assessments.

You will see from the programme in place that we have taken every effort to ensure that we have time to clean down before and after sessions, and that the programme, coupled with the need to book ahead, enables us to manage footfall throughout the whole centre, not just the space you're in.

We continue to encourage and recommend that all customers wear face coverings/masks throughout their visit to our leisure centres except during physical exercise or whilst eating or drinking. We ask that you wear your face covering/mask when entering the building, in reception, spectator areas, corridors and stairways, when entering and leaving studios and the gym, however you can remove it whilst exercising, eating or drinking. If you have a medical condition which restricts you from wearing a covering, please let a member of the team know.

Please find below more information on how we're working hard to keep you safe to ensure an enjoyable visit.

All activities in our centres will operate in sessions and must be booked. This will help us control the number of people on site, which means we ensure a safe distance between our visitors. Please click here for more information on booking.
We have factored in a 5 minute changeover period to allow for you to exit your session safely and for our teams to clean the facilities for the gym and 15 mins between swim sessions. Gym sessions will last 55 minutes and swim sessions will last 45 minutes (where applicable).
We have decided to only restart activities where we can ensure your and our team's safety. Click here to find your local centre list and what facilities will be open.
We ask all customers to come activity ready and to contact the centre for changing room availability. We will provide cleaning wipes for you to use in the lockers.
You may notice some differences in our centre's reception areas. We will have plastic screens set up at reception kiosks to protect you and our team. We will also have markers on the floor and around the centre to guide you safely - we ask that you follow these to keep yourself and others safe. We will have signage around the centre to help you with this.
Please be aware that some of our centres may require outdoor queuing to access the centre, but we've aimed for indoor queuing wherever possible.
Sanitising spray and wipes will be provided around the centre for use on equipment and lockers. Our teams will ensure that these are monitored and replenished where required.

Your centre's reopening information

Please choose your local area below to find out more information on reopening and which activities will be available when:

Amber Valley | Birmingham | Buckinghamshire

Dartford | Dorset | Dover

Eastleigh | Elmbridge | Epping Forest

Gosport | Hinckley | Horsham

Kingston | Maldon | Mid Sussex | Mole Valley

Newport Pagnell | Norwich

Rotherham | Rushmoor

Sandwell | Sheffield

North Somerset | East Suffolk

Test Valley | Tewkesbury

Wandsworth | Waverley | Wellingborough

North Wiltshire | West Wiltshire

Wokingham | Wolverhampton | Wyre Forest

Membership payments

Your membership payment will be calculated as per below:

Members that paid a Direct Debit in December 2020

Any credit owed for December or January will be offset against your first payment on reopening.

Members whose last Direct Debit payment was in November 2020

Any credit owed for December will be offset against your first payment on reopening.

Memberships were frozen before the last national lockdown

All subscriptions will be re-activated in April on reopening, however, if you wish to freeze your membership prior to your first payment you will need to request a freeze in line with these guidelines. This will need to be completed between the 1st and 7th April 2021 to ensure your April payment is frozen.

In addition to the above, members may also have their payments adjusted as below:

Members whose normal Direct Debit payment date is between the 1st and 11th of the month

Your first monthly payment will be taken in May on your normal payment day, and will include your pro rata payment for April from 12th to 30th.

If you pay an annual upfront payment for the year

The length of the lockdown has been added to your membership free of charge, so your renewal date will be a little later. We’ll be in touch when it is time to renew.

You joined on a 3 month promo

The length of the lockdown has been added to your membership free of charge, so your first direct debit date will be a little later.

Do you have a membership via GymFlex?

Members with annual selection windows with their employer were provided with a pro rata renewal membership to accommodate for the closure. If you do not wish to renew your GymFlex membership, an extension will be added to your expiry date to reimburse for the closure period. If you require any further information, please contact GymFlex directly for guidance.

Do you have a pass from Hussle?

If you have any questions regarding a Hussle Monthly+ pass, Day Pass or FitFix pass, please get in touch with Hussle directly on info@hussle.com and they will be able to help with any queries.

I want to freeze my membership

Did you know that our normal freezing rules allow for 6 months’ free suspension in any 12-month period? We’d like to reassure you that all previous freezes you may have had (for injury, exercise breaks etc) and those that we applied as a result of any temporary closures don’t count towards any new freezes. From the point of reopening, this gives you up to 6 months of freezing – how long you freeze for is up to you. You can freeze from 1 to 6 months and you can return earlier if you wish.

Please note that if you want to freeze before your centre reopens, you must request this between the 1st and 7th April. If we don't receive your request before this date, your membership and Direct Debit will be re-activated.

Did you know?

You can still exercise whilst your membership is frozen but you would pay on a Pay as You Move basis.

How to freeze your Direct Debit membership

There are two ways to do this:

1. Manage it yourself in your member area. Your username is the email address you use for your membership. Please see below for guidance on how to do this.

Please follow these steps to freeze your membership in the member area:

Go to the member area or the Places Locker app.
Click on My Membership, in your online account, and click the freeze button against your membership.
Complete the freeze request form.
You can return to this page to extend the freeze

2. If you don’t have an email address, haven't linked an email address with your account or simply prefer to talk to someone, you can contact your centre directly or call our membership team at Harland’s on 01444 221052.

Did you know?

If you would like to restart your membership and payments in advance of your freeze period ending, please call our customer service team on 01444 221052.

Do you want to freeze an annual membership (paid for upfront)?

You will have received an extension (equal to the length of our closure) to your membership.

If you have any questions about your annual membership or if you would like to freeze your membership, please contact freezemymembership@placesleisure.org to do this. You can freeze for between 1 and 6 months.

Did you know?

If you would like to restart your membership and payments in advance of your freeze period ending, please contact freezemymembership@placesleisure.org.

Swimming lessons

We continue to work really hard to ensure our cleaning and social distancing measures provide a safe environment for you and our staff.

We continue with the changes we previously introduced to our swim lesson programme. Existing customers will receive an email confirming when lessons are re-starting and instructions on what to do if they need to make a change.

At the pool

We recommend that all customers wear face coverings throughout their visit to our leisure centres except during physical exercise. We ask that you wear your face covering when entering the building, in reception, corridors and stairways, when entering and leaving studios and the gym, however you can remove it whilst exercising. We are asking all accompanying adults to wear face coverings in spectator areas (if spectating areas are available). Thank you for your co-operation.
Please arrive 15 minutes before your lesson, you may be asked to wait. Since the last reopening we have made some changes that may allow you to queue indoors rather than outdoors. However, please be aware that some of our centres may require outdoor queuing to access the centre.
On arriving, please make your way to the swimming lesson waiting area. Our team will help you and our signage will guide you.
Only one adult can accompany each child to their lesson. Due to reduced capacities in the centre we are unable to accommodate siblings and larger family groups for spectating.
There may be restrictions or no access to changing rooms before and after lessons.
Please arrive swim-ready with costumes under your clothes and be prepared to 'dry and go' at the end of the lesson.
Where possible, please shower before and after your lesson at home.
Teachers are unable to help with hats and goggles. Please make sure these are on before the lesson starts.
Parents should follow the directions of the onsite teams to viewing/waiting areas.
In order to maximise the number of spectators allowed during swimming lessons, we are asking all accompanying adults to wear face coverings in spectator areas.
Please be at the collection point at the end of the lesson to collect your child and make your way to the exit (this will likely be different to where you entered so please follow the signs or the directions of our team).
Please maintain social distancing at all times.

Lesson structure

Teachers will deliver lessons from poolside. Buoyancy aids will be introduced if required.
To ensure the safety of all participants we require children in pre-school lessons to be accompanied in the water by one adult.
Following the break our teachers will revisit the core competencies for the stage your child is currently in. Once children have had time to adjust and settle in, we will restart assessing children and recording their progress.

Lesson payments and cancellations

Your payment will be calculated as per below:

Customers that paid a Direct Debit in December 2020

Any credit owed for December or January will be offset against your first payment on reopening.

Customers whose last Direct Debit payment was in November 2020

Any credit owed for December will be offset against your first payment on reopening.

In addition to the above, customers may also have their payments adjusted as below:

Customers whose normal Direct Debit payment date is between the 1st and 11th of the month

Your first monthly payment will be taken in May on your normal payment day, and will include your pro rata payment for April from 12th to 30th.

New enquiries

If you are looking to start lessons for the first time we’d love to hear from you. Please enquire below.

Please bear in mind that because capacities are reduced due to social distancing guidelines there is less choice than usual so please try to be flexible where possible.

Get in touch

Gymnastics and trampolining

A reminder of what's in place

We continue to work really hard to ensure our cleaning, social distancing and coaching measures provide a safe environment for you and our staff including:

Sharing of equipment will be restricted
Some apparatus will not be used if it cannot be suitably cleaned
Coaches will not be able to physically support gymnasts
Gymnasts may not be in the same groups as they were previously
The layout of sessions may look different

How will my pre-school child manage without support?

To ensure you, your child and our coaches remain safe, teachers will not be able to physically support your child in any way. We ask that parents of all children attending pre-school programmes stay to assist our coaches and ensure your child gets the most out of their lessons.

What do I need to do when I arrive?

Please arrive no more than 10 minutes before your lesson. You may be asked to wait to allow for the safe set up of programmes or exit of classes before yours. Since the last reopening we have made some changes to allow you to queue indoors rather than outdoors. However, please be aware that some of our centres may require outdoor queuing to access the centre.

We continue to recommend that all customers wear face coverings throughout their visit to our leisure centres except during physical exercise. We ask that you wear your face covering when entering the building, in reception, corridors and stairways, when entering and leaving studios and the gym, however you can remove it whilst exercising. If you have a medical condition which restricts you from wearing a covering, please let a member of the team know. We are asking all accompanying adults to wear face coverings in spectator areas (if areas are available). Thank you for your co-operation.

On arriving, please make your way to the gymnastics/trampolining entry point. Our Placemakers will be available to point you in the right direction. Please ensure you follow social distancing guidelines at all times when in our facilities.

Only one adult can accompany each child to their lesson. This will reduce the number of people in the building and help maintain social distancing. We are asking all accompanying adults to wear face coverings in spectator areas (if areas are available). Thank you for your co-operation.

Please arrive dressed and ready for your classes in clothing suitable for the activity: hair tied back, earrings removed/taped and all other jewellery removed. Socks must be worn for trampolining. Changing rooms will not available prior to the lesson.

Parents should follow the directions of the onsite teams to viewing/waiting areas.

Please be at the collection point at the end of the lesson to collect your child and make your way to the exit. This may be different to where you entered so please follow the signs or the directions of our team.

Will you still be assessing the classes?

Following the break our teachers will focus on the core skills for the proficiency level your child is currently in and re-igniting their enjoyment for gymnastics/trampolining. Once children have had time to adjust and settle in the new lesson format, we will restart the continuous assessment processes as were used previously.

What about my payments?

Your payment will be calculated as per below:

Customers that paid a Direct Debit in December 2020

Any credit owed for December or January will be offset against your first payment on reopening.

Customers whose last Direct Debit payment was in November 2020

Any credit owed for December will be offset against your first payment on reopening.

In addition to the above, customers may also have their payments adjusted as below:

Customers whose normal Direct Debit payment date is between the 1st and 11th of the month

Your first monthly payment will be taken in May on your normal payment day, and will include your pro rata payment for April from 12th to 30th.

Are you accepting new children on classes?

If you are looking to start lessons for the first time, we’d love to hear from you. Please enquire below.

Get in touch

Pre-booking, arriving at and leaving the centre

Booking ahead

Now isn’t the time for a wasted trip or to be standing in a queue, so we have introduced booking for classes, gym and lane swimming sessions. Although it’s a little different from simply turning up, it is the best way for you to plan and know with certainty that a place is available. It means we can control the footfall in key areas as well as the centre as a whole; we have large centres so this is a key feature of maintaining social distancing. Plus, it saves our teams handling cash.

Please book all sessions (gym, swim and classes, including junior sessions) in advance either via the Places Locker app or member area on our website. If you arrive at the centre without pre-booking, you may not be able to enter and take part in your activity. If a space is available, we will allow you to book a slot. If you're having difficulty booking online, please contact your local centre. Customers with a visual impairment are encouraged to call the centre and make their booking over the phone. Click here for details of our centres' phone line availability.

Premium, Gym and Swim members will be able to pre-book sessions from the 1st April and Places Members will be able to pre-book from the 4th April.

Please note that you will only be able to take part in the activity in the centre that you have pre-booked. After your session has ended, we ask that you leave the centre to ensure our total visitor count remains safe.

Pre-booking for the gym will no longer be required for Blackwater Leisure Centre and Hinckley Leisure Centre from the 24th May 2021. For more information please visit the local information pages for these centres.

What do I need to do to be able to book online?

There are 3 ways to book:

Via the member area. If you haven’t registered yet, please do so using the email address linked to your membership record.
Via our Places Locker app which you can download from the App Store or Google Play. Again, please make sure your username is the email address linked to your membership.
If you haven’t linked your email address to your membership, you can also ring your centre to book, and the team will be happy to help link an email to your membership to allow you to book online in the future. Please be aware that our centres will understandably be managing a high volume of calls. For details of when our phone lines are available, click here.

The Places Locker app is the quickest way to book your sessions. If you're having trouble signing up to use Places Locker, please visit our guide.

Direct Debit and annual members have 14 days' advance booking rights, and Places members have 7 days' advance rights.

If you wish to Pay as You Move and pay for one-off visits, you now need to be a Places member - simply sign up for free. Once you’ve done that, all of the above booking options are open to you and you will have 7 days' advance booking rights.

If you were using Pay as You Move without a membership prior to lockdown, you will need to visit your centre if you paid a discounted price and wish to still use this moving forward, as you will need to provide proof of eligibility. Until you have visited the centre, you will see the standard price when you go to book a session online. Once you have visited the centre and they have set up your discount, you will be able to book at the discounted rate online. All customers aged 0 - 17 and 65+ will automatically be eligible for discounted prices on Pay as You Move sessions.

If a class is full, don't forget to use our Notify Me feature which will let you know when a space becomes available.

We appreciate circumstances change, so you can cancel your booking free of charge up to 2 hours before you visit – we really appreciate you doing this as it helps us give other customers an opportunity to attend. We apply a £2.50 fee if you cancel a session within 2 hours of it starting or if you don't attend. Frequently asked questions on booking are available.

Arriving at the centre

You’ll have read about the importance of booking ahead and it is essential that you do so – we’re looking to manage the numbers in the centres and for you it means no wasted trips and fewer queues.

We recommend that all customers wear face coverings throughout their visit to our leisure centres except during physical exercise. We ask that you wear your face covering when entering the building, in reception, spectator areas, corridors and stairways, when entering and leaving studios and the gym, however you can remove it whilst exercising. If you have a medical condition which restricts you from wearing a covering, please let a member of the team know.

Please arrive no more than 15 minutes before your scheduled activity. If you arrive really early, please consider waiting in your car or you may be asked to wait outside the centre. Since the last reopening we have made some changes to allow you to queue indoors rather than outdoors. However, please be aware that some of our centres may require outdoor queuing to access the centre.

We’d recommend that wherever possible you arrive dressed for your activity and shower at home, although changing rooms will be available at most sites. Click here for more information on changing facilities at your centre.

At our busiest centres, a member of the team may be at the entrance to greet and assist you. They are there to help all of you enjoy a safe and socially distanced visit.

Please have your membership card ready and allow a few extra minutes more than you normally would just in case progress through reception is a little slower because of social distancing measures.

If you are paying for a session at the centre, we ask that you use contactless payments where possible.

You’ll find supplies of hand sanitiser and wipes available in reception and throughout the centre.

To aid the safe flow of people around the centre, we have introduced one-way systems in places or used alternative entrances/exits, so your route around the centre may be different to normal. Our new signage will guide you.

Changing facilities

For social distancing purposes, we’d encourage you to arrive dressed ready for your activity, and to shower at home. Changing rooms will be available at most centres.

For details on your centre's changing facilities, please contact your centre directly.

Our teams

You’ve always taken time out to ask how our teams were during lockdown, and we’d like to reassure you that our responsibility to our teams goes hand in hand with our responsibility to you. Social distancing will be in place throughout the centres, including those areas you don’t see, in our offices for example.

Teams will be provided with masks where their role/task requires it, we’ve introduced reception screens, and minimised requirements for cash handling and unnecessary queues. Your help by booking ahead, following signage and any guidance from our Placemakers (the greeter you may see) is appreciated, and contactless payments are encouraged over cash payments.

We love to help you hit your goals and help you enjoy activity, and now is no different – there’s just social distancing to factor in.

Customer responsibility

We’ve missed you and we can’t wait to welcome you back when you feel ready.

We’ve put a lot of changes in place, with tiny details beyond what we’ve shared here, but our safety process is at its best when we all play a part. Aside from respecting Government guidelines, we ask that you look out for each other. If you feel unwell, please stay home and stay safe. Likewise, if you have travelled recently to a country that requires you to self-isolate for 14 days, we ask that you do not visit a centre before this period has ended. For guidance on travel and self-isolating, please visit the Government's website. If you have any concerns about visiting that you would like to discuss, the team at your local centre will be happy to help and support you.

We've always appreciated you following gym, class and lane swimming etiquette, and there's never been a more important time to look out for each other.

It’s your centre and we value your feedback. Our best chance of putting something right is during your visit - our teams are happy to hear what more we can do to make the environment the best and most reassuring it can be. We’ll also be using our surveys to check-in on how we’re doing - please keep an eye on your email.

Gym

There's a number of key differences to your gym experience when we reopen. Here's everything you need to know:

Please be aware that you need to book your gym session in advance, as you would for classes. Sessions are available in 55 minute slots and can be booked via our app or website - to book online or register please click here. When registering or downloading Places Locker app please use the email address linked to your membership. Our frequently asked questions on booking are available here.
You can view timetables and book 14 days in advance of the centre reopening.
If you wish to Pay as You Move for your visit, please register for a Places membership first - simply sign up here for free.
Personal training and team support are still available, but social distancing applies.
We recommend that all customers wear face coverings throughout their visit to our leisure centres except during physical exercise. We ask that you wear your face covering when entering the building, in reception, spectator areas, corridors and stairways, when entering and leaving studios and the gym, however you can remove it whilst exercising. If you have a medical condition which restricts you from wearing a covering, please let a member of the team know.
Please make use of lockers where available as we are unable to allow bags in the gym area.
Bring a sweat towel to workouts for personal use. Please use the sprays and wipes for equipment.
Exercise mats may be available for your use but we encourage you to bring your own where possible.
Please bring your own water bottle, as water fountains are only available for filling bottles up.
Please arrive dressed for your session, with the minimum of belongings. For more information on changing rooms, please click here.
The need for social distancing means that you will find equipment spaced out, or some equipment marked as unavailable. Gym floors will also be clearly marked, so the space you have available is clear.
We always appreciate you looking out for each other – and gym etiquette has never been more important than it is now.
1. Please maintain social distancing in the gym when using equipment and on the gym floor. Our signage is there to help.
2. Please clean down equipment before and after use. Please spray cleaning fluid onto a disposable towel and not onto the exercise machinery itself, to limit spray and material on the surface of machines going into the air.
3. If you feel unwell, please stay home and stay safe. If you have any concerns about visiting that you would like to discuss, the team at your local centre will be happy to help and support you.
4. Please follow requests from our fitness team; they are there to help.
Hand sanitisers and wipes will be available throughout the gym and studios – please use them for yourself and for cleaning down any equipment. We will use the time before and after slots to ensure the environment is thoroughly cleaned for the next customers.

If a session is full, don't forget to use our Notify Me feature which will let you know when a space becomes available.

Do you pay monthly or annually for your membership? Are you nervous about returning? Please refer to the freezing section for how you can freeze your membership for a little while longer.

Getting active again

Many of you told us that keeping active during lockdown was challenging. Our fitness teams are here to help you get back on track. Whilst you are booking time in the gym, we can’t guarantee your favourite area of the gym won’t be busy and there may be a little less equipment. If you need to vary your routine to get the best from your session, please just ask a member of the team – they may have to be socially distanced, but their expertise is still available and they'd love to help.

We will be running gym introductions for new members, which will be bookable online. For information on pre-booking sessions, please visit our pre-booking section.

We still have the great content available on Places Locker so you can top up your visits or keep active at home if you want to wait before returning.

Classes

Here's everything you need to know.

You’ll already be familiar with booking your classes, but now it's even more important. Bookings can be made via our app or website - to book online or register please click here. When registering or downloading Places Locker app please use the email address linked to your membership. Our frequently asked questions on booking are available here.
You can view timetables and book 14 days in advance of the centre reopening.
If you wish to Pay as You Move for your class, please register for a Places membership first, simply sign up here for free.
Booking slots will help us manage capacity but also to give us time before and after slots to ensure the environment is thoroughly cleaned for the next customers.
We recommend that all customers wear face coverings throughout their visit to our leisure centres except during physical exercise. We ask that you wear your face covering when entering the building, in reception, spectator areas, corridors and stairways, when entering and leaving studios and the gym, however you can remove it whilst exercising. If you have a medical condition which restricts you from wearing a covering, please let a member of the team know.
Please bring your own water bottle, as water fountains are only available for filling bottles up.
Bring a sweat towel to workouts for personal use. Please use the sprays and wipes for equipment.
Exercise mats may be available for your use but we encourage you to bring your own where possible.
Please arrive dressed for your session, with the minimum of belongings. For more information on changing rooms, please click here.
The need for social distancing means that classes are spaced on the timetable to allow footfall to flow safely. Because gym and swim also require booking, you’ll notice that the timetables are complementary to the overall traffic throughout the centre, not just the studios.
Class sizes may be a little bit smaller than before due to social distancing, but where possible we have tried to avoid this by changing the class location to a different studio or sports hall to make popular classes available to as many of you as possible. Please check timetables and signage in the centre or ask a member or staff.
Virtual classes are still available - please check the timetables. However, some classes that require the sharing of equipment have been removed.
We always appreciate you looking out for each other – and class etiquette has never been more important than it is now.
- Please maintain social distancing in the studio and when exiting the class. Our signage will help.
- Please clean down equipment before and after use.
- If you feel unwell, please stay home and stay safe. If you have any concerns about visiting that you would like to discuss, the team at your local centre will be happy to help and support you.
- Please follow requests from our instructors - they are there to help.
Hand sanitisers and wipes will be available throughout the centre.

If a class is full, don't forget to use our Notify Me feature which will let you know when a space becomes available.

Do you pay monthly or annually for your membership? Are you nervous about returning? Please refer to the freezing section for how you can freeze your membership for a little while longer.

Getting active again

Many of you have told us that keeping active during lockdown was challenging, and you’ll be pleased to know that whilst in-centre classes will return, the home workout content as well as live streamed classes on our Virtual Studio is still available, as a top-up to your centre visits, or for those not yet ready to return.

Swimming

Here's everything you need to know:

Please be aware that, to aid social distancing, some centres may run a reduced timetable to begin with. Please keep checking swim timetables as our offering grows. Aqua classes are available when classes restart in May.
You can view timetables and book 14 days in advance of the pool reopening.
The need for social distancing means that you may swim in wider lanes, and capacity is controlled. How many swimmers we can host is driven by changing room space as much as pool size. Booking slots are in place to manage capacity in the pool and footfall around the centre and we use the time before and after slots to ensure the environment is thoroughly cleaned for the next customers.
You now need to book your lane swimming session as you would a class. Sessions are available in 45-minute slots and can be booked via our app or website - to book online or register please click here. When registering or downloading Places Locker app please use the email address linked to your membership. Our frequently asked questions on booking are available here.
The 45-minute slot includes time for changing, before and after you get in the pool. This only applies to centres where changing rooms are available.
Where family swim sessions are available, you will also need to book your session following the guidance above. One person is booking a 45-minute family swim session on behalf of a household of up to 5 people (unless indicated otherwise at the time of booking). Social distancing in the pool applies to the household as a group - please ensure you distance your household group from other household groups.
Please help with cleaning down areas and managing footfall by minimising your time spent in the changing rooms.
Children can attend lane swimming sessions but they must be able to maintain the appropriate pace in the pool and adhere to lane swimming etiquette. The child will require a membership and their session will need to be booked in advance. More information on booking online is available here. Children will need to provide their own email. There is one booking slot permitted per person.
If you wish to Pay as You Move for your swim, please register for a Places membership first, simply sign up here for free.
We recommend that all customers wear face coverings throughout their visit to our leisure centres except during physical exercise. We ask that you wear your face covering when entering the building, in reception, spectator areas, corridors and stairways, when entering and leaving studios and the gym, however you can remove it whilst exercising. If you have a medical condition which restricts you from wearing a covering, please let a member of the team know.
The way in and out of our centres may have changed to allow the safe flow of people around the centre so please look out for external signage and any team members we have in place to help point you in the right direction.
Hand sanitisers and wipes will be available throughout the centre.
Please bring along any swim aids required as there will be no loan equipment available.
Please bring your own drink whilst water fountains are unavailable.
Changing rooms, lockers and showers will be available for swimmers, but if possible please shower before arrival and come with your swimming costume under your clothes so that you can change on poolside. This helps to ease the footfall in changing rooms and may save you a little time. Find out more here about changing rooms at our centres.
We always appreciate you looking out for each other – and swim and lane etiquette has never been more important than it is now.
- Please enter the pool at or after your start time.
- Please choose a lane that is reflective of a speed that you can maintain throughout your swim.
- Please maintain social distancing in changing rooms, on poolside and when stationary in the pool - our signage is there to help.
- Please follow requests from lifeguards immediately and at all times.
- If you feel unwell, please stay home and stay safe. If you have any concerns about visiting that you would like to discuss, the team at your local centre will be happy to help and support you.

If a class is full, don't forget to use our Notify Me feature which will let you know when a space becomes available.

Do you pay monthly or annually for your membership? Are you nervous about returning? Please refer to the freezing section for how you can freeze your membership for a little while longer.

Getting active again

Many of you have told us that keeping active during lockdown was challenging, and the pool is very hard to replicate at home. SWIMTA G bands are still free of charge and available at reception to help you track your swims, along with wipes.

Health suites

In line with industry guidance these facilities will be closed until at least 17th May and we will update you once we have more information. Please check the local information pages for the latest updates.

Sports

Please check your local area page for information on which sports are available at your centre. Guidance on how to carry out activities in line with Government advice and social distancing can be found here.

Please be aware that we are currently unable to lend racquets to customers - please bring your own with you.

Do you pay monthly or annually for your membership? Are you nervous about returning? Please refer to the freezing section for how you can freeze your membership for a little while longer.

Junior activities and parties

Here's everything you need to know:

Junior gym access

All members, including Junior Places members (our free membership) need to register to book online. They should contact their local centre to update their member record and provide their email address if required. The responsible adult attending with the junior must have their own email address linked to their member record. More information on registering to book can be found above.

Not all centres will be running sessions exclusively for junior members at this time, so please check your centre's timetable to confirm.

Junior members over the age of 11 will be allowed in the centre, provided that they:

Are accompanied by a responsible adult who has also booked the session.
Have completed an introduction and been issued with a Health Commitment Statement. Please contact your centre if you have not received these.
Have pre-booked a session. Please see our booking guidelines for information on how to do this.

Juniors can attend lane swimming sessions but they must be able to maintain the appropriate pace in the pool and adhere to lane swimming etiquette. The junior will require a membership and their session will need to be booked in advance. More information on booking online is available here. There is one booking slot permitted per person.

Children’s parties

The current restrictions mean that we are unable to host children’s parties for the time being.

Soft play

Soft play will be unavailable as we reopen our centres, and we will advise when we feel the time and conditions are right to re-start this activity.

Café

As we reopen our centres, many of which are large places, we’re following all Government guidance as well as taking a sensible view to managing footfall. This means that some of our cafés will be unavailable. Where café services are available, please observe the distancing signage and guidance in place, and please note that many may offer a takeaway only service.

Clubs and hirers

Our clubs and hirers play a very important role in what we do. As such, we have specialist team members to manage them at each centre and they will be in touch to get you started again alongside that of Government and specialist advice from the professional bodies governing your activity.

Please check your local area page for more information on our reopening plans. The teams at your centre will be in touch.

Places Locker

We've got great home workout content available and you'll be able to use it after we reopen. If you are nervous about visiting the centre or simply want to top up your centre activity at home you can download our Places Locker app and make the most of our Virtual Studio. It includes loads of workouts, including your favourite LES MILLS classes, cycling content from Stages, Synergy Dance and Funk Fit as well as challenging HIIT classes from RT24 and Technogym. This all sits alongside workouts for kids from ukactive, challenges within the app, GPS tracking and our own workout content.

Places Locker also allows you to book your sessions, which is of particular importance going ahead for all activities at the centre. It is free to download and use and can be used by all members, whether they are a paying or free member. You can find more information on registering to use the app here.

If you are a member already and don't yet use the app, please ensure that when registering you use the same email address linked to your membership. More information on this can be found here.