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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be really fed up about the club changing its child free times?

101 replies

Sixweekstowait · 28/12/2016 17:14

I belong a leisure club (which is attached to a hotel) which I joined for two reasons - the easy to enter swimming pool and its rules on limited sessions when children are allowed. Swimming is the only exercise I can do because of my disability. The child sessions are 3-5 weekdays and 9-11, 3-5 Saturdays and Sundays. I went along this morning to find the pool full of squealing excited youngsters and parents shouting and yelling to each other, and with no concept of lane etiquette. I had picked up the flyer about revised opening times over the holiday period before Christmas and there was nothing about changes to child sessions. When I complained, it was finally decided that until the new year, children will be allowed at any time. I feel very marginalised and discounted - AIBU?

OP posts:
Enidblyton1 · 28/12/2016 19:38

YANBU to expect management to inform members in advance if they are changing anything.

I'm a member of a Hotel pool and we always get emails for this sort of thing and they put up notices in reception the week before. You should ask your pool to do the same (I assume they don't do this already and you just missed it?!).

Your reaction on this thread is a bit OTT. I'm afraid you sound rather intolerant of children. You say you're annoyed that you weren't informed, but I expect you'd still be annoyed at the presence of children in the pool even if you had been told.

Next time you're swimming alongside children who are not behaving appropriately, just ask the pool staff to sort it out - don't say nothing and then moan on Mumsnet Wink

rookiemere · 28/12/2016 19:38

The leisure club is attached to a hotel. Not unreasonable that hotel residents - who presumably get access as part of their hotel deal and may have picked the hotel for this very reason - might want to use the pool.

Spikeyball · 28/12/2016 19:40

A few people I know who have children with asd, use them because they create fewer sensory difficulties than the larger echoey public pools.

BikeRunSki · 28/12/2016 19:42

YANBU OP, and I say that as a gym user and mother of 2 young dc who both love to swim!

Because of the ages of my dc, I can not take them both to a public pool together with only me supervising. We joined a private gym/pool that will allow me to, but always follow the timetable of who is allowed in the pool when!

It was U of the hotel to change the pool schedule at no notice. I can see that a large section of the membership will benefit, but there should have been consultation across all members, and notice given.

sailorcherries · 28/12/2016 19:43

Yabu. Most places like this have differrent operating times in the holidays, to accommodate members with families and hotel guests.

They weren't adhering to lane etiquette, something you could have had solved then and there by informing a member of staff.

You might like to swim in peace and quiet but heaven forbid someone pays for a room in that hotel for their child, normally at the inclusion of hotel facilities, and then uses it. Or, you know, they could be members paying the same amount per month as you and paying for their child too.

Also, contracts do not need to provide particular session times as they can be changed to suit business needs, at the discretion of management. All this talk about compensation, renumeration and breach of contract is ridiculous - the change of hours has not stopped you using the pool in any way, shape or form: your own stubborness and sense of entitlement to quiet swimming is.

You sound like someone who wants it all her way and you are getting in a right strop with anyone who disagrees. You asked the question, we responded.

sailorcherries · 28/12/2016 19:44

Also, if the times had changed at no notice I doubt so many people would have been there. Perhaps it was changed, a newsletter/flyer/email/notice and it has went unnoticed.

TrustySnail · 28/12/2016 19:50

Yabu. Most places like this have differrent operating times in the holidays, to accommodate members with families and hotel guests.

The OP went out of her way to ask about changes over the Christmas period, and wasn't told about this.

Also, if the times had changed at no notice I doubt so many people would have been there. Perhaps it was changed, a newsletter/flyer/email/notice and it has went unnoticed.

The children seem to have been hotel guests, not members of the general public.

OddBoots · 28/12/2016 19:50

I don't understand why the hotel would change it so children could go in all day, I would understand a relaxation of the rules so weekend hours but not a full free for all. YANBU to feel what they did was unfair.

Original poster
Sixweekstowait · 30/12/2016 12:43

Update - so following my email, I have had two lengthy phone calls with management. I have received profuse apologies, an acknowledgement that it should never have happened, that it was unacceptable and will never happen again. Well they would say that but they have taken some action - they have reinstated an adult only slot for the rest of the holidays, which although limited, I'm prepared to compromise on. I am also getting £30 of vouchers for the swimming pool which I will be able to use when I take my dgc( which costs £2.50 per child per session). They are having a meeting after the holidays to discuss the way forward to make sure it doesn't happen again which will include training of staff re timings of child sessions, producing a written policy about this and putting up the rules more clearly throughout the hotel and the club.(Of course I will be monitoring all that.) I was surprised at the posters on this thread who thought I should just suck it up - how will things ever improve if we are not prepared to complain when we have unacceptable service? Anyway, thanks to those of you who said I was NBU (and in fact, those who thought I was) you all helped me sharpen my arguments

OP posts:
cansu · 30/12/2016 12:49

They should have told you about the change in times. There should still be some chid free times. I dont think its unreasonable to expect this.

WellErrr · 30/12/2016 12:52

Good result, well done.

ilovesooty · 30/12/2016 14:41

Great update.

Original poster
Sixweekstowait · 30/12/2016 14:43

And.....a huge bouquet of flowers has just been delivered by Interflora to underline how sorry they are.Smile

OP posts:
TrustySnail · 30/12/2016 17:56

Fantastic result - and should improve things for everyone else in the future, too. Well done OP!

SnatchedPencil · 30/12/2016 18:03

YANBU. You signed up to be a member of the club in the belief that there would be child-free times you could go. The club is obviously just chasing the money, they believe that they can get more money out of parents than they can out of a disabled person like yourself.

It's pretty much an open and shut case of discrimination. A disabled person cannot be expected to compete in a crowded, violent pool with hoards of kids on the loose. It might be worth you seeing a lawyer about making a claim - the fear of damages to their image and finances might make them think twice about making such discriminatory changes in future!

To be honest normally I'm fairly sceptical about claims of disability discrimination, but I am shocked by such a blatant case as this. It is very clearly a case of them chasing profit above accessibility, and is frankly disgusting.

Sue them for every penny they've got!

DailyFail1 · 30/12/2016 18:12

Well done OP. Still remember when a family with unruly kids were allowed to use the local pool outside of child mandated times & one of the kids kicked a pregnant woman into the shallow end. The lady didn't lose her baby but did break her leg & the pool was forced to close pretty soon afterwards.

SolomanDaisy · 30/12/2016 18:19

We stayed in a hotel with similar restricted swimming for children, last Christmas. It didn't occur to me that it was a problem, two hours a day is plenty for kids to spend in the pool.

RichardBucket · 30/12/2016 18:21

Good result!

PlayOnWurtz · 30/12/2016 18:32

What a great result! Well done! I hate parents who feel their kids should be allowed anywhere at any time. And as someone with physical and mental health issues I understand why this was such a big problem for you and I'm pleased the club could too

Marynary · 30/12/2016 19:04

I'm glad they listed to you. The leisure club I go to allows children in at all hours during the holidays which is very annoying as there is hardly any "adult only" time as it is (1 hour at midday and from 7 to 9 p.m during term time).

SilentBatperson · 30/12/2016 19:07

Indeed purpleminion, and it's not as if OP would know whether they were staying at the hotel or not.

Original poster
Sixweekstowait · 30/12/2016 21:21

Sorry to rain on your parade Silent but I absolutely knew - goodness me - It's quite amusing isn't it the number of patronising, presumptive posts from some people who are clearly unwilling to accept that I was NBU

OP posts:
MistresssIggi · 30/12/2016 21:33

Managing a difficult customer is part of being in the hospitality business.

Original poster
Sixweekstowait · 30/12/2016 21:46

Oh dear here we go again - I think I've had enough f these childish responses. I've made my point and as the grown up will respond no further

OP posts:
Mum2jenny · 30/12/2016 21:53

Go Bourdic go, good for you in getting clarity and a huge bunch of flowers Flowers, people need to take a stand against this sort of thing.

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