SWELL Palmerston (Palmerston Pool and Gym)

Beautiful 50m outdoor pool and gym. Lovely temperature. Immaculate condition. There were school groups learning to swim in the learn to swim pool while we were there. A joy to watch. Im told the owners are looking at outsourcing and privatising. Itd be a sad loss for the community

So nice and relaxing. Good clean toilet facilities. Just a lovely vibe!

Pool was closed due to lightening in the middle of my swim. I asked the staff member that I be allowed to swim back to my shoes at the other end of the pool as I have orthopaedic shoes and struggle to walk without them. No, I must get out now and walk round. No, they can’t fetch my shoes. So I hobble in pain the 50m to get my shoes, which of course takes so long that the pool area is cleared of most people. I sit down to put my shoes on and get told by a different staff member I need to leave the pool area. I explain again that I need to put my shoes on and just get told to move now. So again I hobble across the centre. This all took a hell of a lot longer for me to get undercover than if I’d just been accommodated as requested in the first place. Please do better 🙏 PS please put hours of operation properly displayed on your website, like others have said, or at least answer the phone occasionally so I can ask

Lucky if the splash area or the climbing frame is ever up and running - either under maintenance or not staffed. Can't have more than 4 children with you, even if they are 12 and confident swimmers. Have been told to stand within arms reach at all times of confident 12 year old swimmers while the lifeguard goes off to stand at the other side of the pool where there are 0 swimmers. Not enough shade or seating facilities around pool. Could go on and on. Such a shame after they've spent so much money on the 'upgrade'.

Just to start off, I've had a pleasant experience talking to staff and attending Swell for over a year now, which makes this all the more disappointing. Ever since you have reopened last year, the site and google shows that the pool is open until 9pm. I have verbally been told that the pool closes half an hour earlier but that facilities do not shut down until the displayed time on your site and google. This is what I have been told in my 1+ year of attending Swell. On Friday 14/3/2025 I was out of the pool by 8:30pm, left the bathroom after changing by 8:40. Then I was walking near the lockers waiting to be picked up by my father. The duty manager OJ approached me and told me that I need to leave the facilities and go outside. I've been going to swell for well over a year now and not once have I been told to leave the premises (the pool, yes half an hour earlier than advertised, not the premises though) OJ told me again that I needed to wait outside. When I told him I was waiting for my ride he relented and changed his statement to, okay just wait near the waiting area. Since I've never been told this before and it has never been advertised anywhere on the facilities or on your site/online I was a bit bewildered and asked out of curiosity if that was company policy? OJ said that the pool closes at 8:30pm, okay I know that. I asked about the facilities itself/waiting outside the pool before the actual advertised closing time which I've seen many other customers do and never once has a staff member asked them to leave in the last year. After further inquiry OJ became very passive aggressive and dismissive of my inquiry, I reassured him and the others that I am simply frustrated with the miscommunication and lack of advertising/informing of actual company policy regarding the facilities and closing times. OJ then very rudely stated that he already told me to leave and that the pool closes at 8:30pm, I already know this, I wasn't confused about the bloody pool closing, I was wondering why I was asked to leave the facilities and wait outside to be picked up when this has never once happened before and I and other customers have been allowed to wait until the ACTUAL advertised closing time. OJ then said that he can't have me waiting near the desk and asked me to leave the facilities and go outside before 9pm because the employees count the money at the end of the day? What kind of logic is that? The other employees on duty told me that they understand, and that other customers have sent feedback about this, but failed to understand how my issue was not just with false advertising, it was with being asked to leave the facilities when all I was doing is waiting to be picked up BEFORE the advertising closing time and NOT once have I been told to leave for the last year by other staff. Never had to deal with disrespect from the staff at Swell until today either. OJ's behaviour was very childish and the junior employees behaviour was quite frustrating and dismissive, OJ was extremely passive aggressive and dismissive of my inquiry and concern and pushed me to a point of great frustration. While two other employees dismissively told me that they've had to wait outside after closing time. I very clearly communicated multiple times that my problem is not with waiting outside after closing time. It's with being told to wait outside and leave BEFORE closing time and then having to deal with a manager that can't admit that his behaviour was unprofessional and extremely rude. OJ also passive aggressively asked me if I'm going to remain here until closing and smiled when I asked him why he's being passive aggressive. What a nutter. I have never been more disappointed with the customer service and policy at Swell until today. Which is unfortunate because for over a year the staff have been nothing but polite and respectful and don't ask you to leave the waiting area until the actual bloody closing time. I'd like an apology from Swell and from OJ who needs to grow up. And for the love of god, CLEAR UP when you're closed!