Topic ID 835
I am not encouraged by the new organisation at Hartham Pool. The Mercury reports that it is now run by East Herts Leisure Trust, but I have to make my payments to Aspire Leisure Trust and nobody at Hartham can tell me why. East Herts website states that it is indeed being run by Aspire Leisure Trust, but asks me to direct my enquiries to Enfield Leisure Centres Ltd - at a HOTMAIL address. they may well be able to save £1m over 5 years, but at whose expense?
Reply ID 9176
Pay the diffeence and go to Cannons. You will wonder why you ever used Hartham if you do. Friendly staff, clean changing rooms, better facilities, Sauna, Steam room, cafateria and bar, cresh, free classes, ample parking, half of the pool allocated for kiddies and parents most of Saturday and Sunday ect ect ect ect. As far as I can rememember Hartham charges £37 ish pm so for another £13 each you can join Cannons. Its a no brainer!
Reply ID 9177
I think Canons charge £5 pm for children. It only takes a few visits to make your money back when compared with Hartham.
Reply ID 9178
I don't think I will never go back to Hartham pool. They ignored two requests to cancel my direct debits and refused to repay me what they had taken.
Reply ID 9179
quote:Actually I have considered Cannons, I even went for a look around as many of my friends go there. It looks very nice at first, but I don't like the small pool (must be very small when half of it given over to kids), the steam room was really plasticky and smelly, the changing rooms looked very Municipal for a private gym, the classes were full and you can't book them, the treadmills were far too close together, and the creche had one bored nursery nurse who wasn't doing anything to stimulate the children, all of whom looked very unhappy. I often have to workout during the early evening and getting across town during rush hour can take me 40 mins(I don't cycle). Also, at Hartham I can workout while my kids are having their swimming lessons or whilst my eldest plays football etc. out on the field. I did like the Cannons cafe and the beauty clininc though. In comparison, Hartham offers me friendly staff, free parking, clean changing rooms, some free classes, free use of tennis courts, free use of mini golf, more space, I can swim for free at all times - and it's much nearer my house so I can get there and back for my workout very quickly - even if I don't have my car. Cannons is also full of lots of gym bunnies who like to be seen and I can't compete with them!
Originally posted by Victor Meldrew
Pay the diffeence and go to Cannons. You will wonder why you ever used Hartham if you do. Friendly staff, clean changing rooms, better facilities, Sauna, Steam room, cafateria and bar, cresh, free classes, ample parking, half of the pool allocated for kiddies and parents most of Saturday and Sunday ect ect ect ect. As far as I can rememember Hartham charges £37 ish pm so for another £13 each you can join Cannons. Its a no brainer!
Reply ID 9181
Fair enough each to their own. One thing though, having been a member of Hartham gym in the past, I thought there machines were as close if not closer + the only things to face the TV's were the bikes. Agreed logistically it sounds like it would suit you better. What I also failed to mention is that the "gym bunnies" are also a USP for me!!
Reply ID 9182
The cannons creche is a pain to get your kid into (always full) and the one time we tried it they were so poor mrs fandango vowed never again. And this was at off peak time. Outside of that i thought it looked ok.
Reply ID 9184
quote:I can see why Hartham suits you better logistically but I had the opposite experience to you on a number of your points. At Canons there is nothing for me to pay on top of the membership fee. The changing rooms are infinitely better than at Hartham. They are clean and the facilities work. I found the Hartham changing rooms foul. they blast you with cold air constantly, the showers are set too hot (okay, so that's personal preference) and the floor is filthy. Picking pubic hairs off my sons feet is not nice. Also, there was enough equipment to keep me busy, unlike at Hartham where there is a small selection. I also found the swimming lessons for our son very good at Canons. Nora...........personal preferences I guess and perhaps logistics and maybe the times we went to the respective centres. Errrrrrrrr, having said all that.............I really ought to make an effort to get down there more often!
Originally posted by nora battyquote:Actually I have considered Cannons, I even went for a look around as many of my friends go there. It looks very nice at first, but I don't like the small pool (must be very small when half of it given over to kids), the steam room was really plasticky and smelly, the changing rooms looked very Municipal for a private gym, the classes were full and you can't book them, the treadmills were far too close together, and the creche had one bored nursery nurse who wasn't doing anything to stimulate the children, all of whom looked very unhappy. I often have to workout during the early evening and getting across town during rush hour can take me 40 mins(I don't cycle). Also, at Hartham I can workout while my kids are having their swimming lessons or whilst my eldest plays football etc. out on the field. I did like the Cannons cafe and the beauty clininc though. In comparison, Hartham offers me friendly staff, free parking, clean changing rooms, some free classes, free use of tennis courts, free use of mini golf, more space, I can swim for free at all times - and it's much nearer my house so I can get there and back for my workout very quickly - even if I don't have my car. Cannons is also full of lots of gym bunnies who like to be seen and I can't compete with them!
Originally posted by Victor Meldrew
Pay the diffeence and go to Cannons. You will wonder why you ever used Hartham if you do. Friendly staff, clean changing rooms, better facilities, Sauna, Steam room, cafateria and bar, cresh, free classes, ample parking, half of the pool allocated for kiddies and parents most of Saturday and Sunday ect ect ect ect. As far as I can rememember Hartham charges £37 ish pm so for another £13 each you can join Cannons. Its a no brainer!
Reply ID 9185
I actually agree with Ewoowar on this!!! However I thought there was a £3 charge for bin lids in the crèche. The Wife took ours during the week? I can often be seen sweating profusely on one of the cross trainers! Also Nora can you elaborate on the changing rooms looking municipal? Obvioulsy I have never been in the ladies, but the gents have nice lockable wooden lockers with ample seating are well tiled, have more than enough showers and a swim shorts drying machine. Compared to Hartham they are palacial. The only down side is their scales always give the wrong reading!!!
Reply ID 9188
Ewoowar - I was actually talking about the gym changing rooms. I agree, the public "changing village" is often dirty towards the end of the day, but I don't have a problem with the showers and they have been doing some work on the changing room recently. I think they hadn't been able to do much in the way of improvements whilst the change in manangement was going through. Victor - Maybe I was expecting too much but that was my impression of the ladies locker room. In short, I was disappointed in Cannons for the difference in price. For me, there is no real extra benefit, just a few cosmetic things that I can live without.
Reply ID 9189
Are the kids' swimming lessons free at Cannons?
Reply ID 9190
quote:No. If they were I would get myself a spiderman all-in-one and try to pass myself off as a 5 year old. I could do with a few lessons myself.
Originally posted by nora batty
Are the kids' swimming lessons free at Cannons?
Reply ID 9237
Nora, as you suggested, I think it is the times that are a problem for you at Cannons. When it is not the morning or evening rush hour at Cannons the place is vertually empty. another good time (although slightly unsociable i suppose) is on a friday night. I find that only the 'easy' classes such as pilates get very busy, and i have never seen the pool busy - other than during a children's slot (they now have a pool timetable.) I like the 'cosmetic things' that Hartham lacked - i am more inclined to go if the place is aesthetically appealing! nora, why dont you cycle to cannons as your warm up, with a child on the back for extra weight? they have a wine menu...
Reply ID 9244
quote:I cancelled the direct debit first then when I tried to cancel the membership they said I had to give a months notice and the notice meant I had to pay an extra months mebership having cancelled.
Originally posted by Ewoowar
I don't think I will never go back to Hartham pool. They ignored two requests to cancel my direct debits and refused to repay me what they had taken.
Reply ID 9248
Same here and they sent me a solicitors letter. Pathetic. I think I may have sent them the cheque with a tub of vasaline and instructions.[}:)]
Reply ID 9450
I belong to John Warner Sports Centre attached to the school in Hoddesdon. Gold membership £37.00 per month to me (family/group rates are different) and I get ALL gym usage, ALL class usage, off-peak swimming, raquet sports for this! I am always upset with Hertford for not promoting healthy lifestyles enough. Have a look, they have a lot of family orientated stuff, loads of free parking and its open 7 days a week... I get more there than at Cannons...
Reply ID 9451
But John Warner Sport center is in Hoddesdon. and what exactly do you mean by this? "I am always upset with Hertford for not promoting healthy lifestyles enough" Does Hartham gym not currently have a commit to get fit campaign running? I am a regular (ish) user of Cannons, and they are regulally running fitness campaigns. I even saw 3 young teenage boys on the exercise bikes with a fitness instructor last night. I think that maybe for the sake of £13 pm the hassle of the drive and the cost of the petrol is not worth for me. Plus they offer nothing more other than squash courts than Cannons do. Whats the totty like though??
Reply ID 9454
I run to the pool' past it then back home for a lovely hot shower in a clean bathroom..it saves me a few bob[:D]
Reply ID 9641
Cannons was too expensive and parking a nightmare, plus they didn't have some of the weight machines and smaller dumbbells at the time I wanted to use. Totty in gym.. well, there is some, but hey, what about the blokes for me..???? I don't spend very much on petrol and the car gets a run, or I cycle at the moment. I think it depends what you're looking for in a leisure facility, but if you see what Broxbourne does compared to Hertford/Ware, you'd see what I mean! I wanted to show there is an alternative to Hertford for anyone looking for other facilities....