Swimming pools without timed slots?

[2CatsAndABoy]

Hi lovely people. Does anyone know if there any swimming pools (south London ideally but happy to travel) or water parks near London that don't require a membership where you can stay as long as you like? My 2 local pools only book 1 hour slots since covid and haven't got rid of the stupid idea. I hate it as it takes all the spontaneity away and 1 hour is so short once you've factored in changing and showering time 😡

I‘m in London. All the leisure centres near me are Better ones. They do have one hour slots to book but nobody polices it. I am sure I regularly stay over one hour and I can’t be the only one. Do you have Better centres near you?

Hiya, everywhere seems to do it now. Better You don't require membership. They have a great App where you just book the slot, the thing is you can cancel last minute so just book if you think you might want to go. It makes me go more lol!

They have 50 min slots, so if I book for 11am I can access the pool changing rooms 10 mins before at 10.50am, be in the pool at 11. I can then swim straight for 50 minutes and takes as long as I want in the changing room. If there is another slot after yours (i.e. the pool or lanes are not closing) then of course just overstay, no one is really policing it. I sometimes like to swim a bit longer.

Not from around London, but do you have any university swimming pools near you? Mine (membership open to the public) reverted back to come whenever in 2022 or late 2021. Unfortunately since this time it's taken to renting out the pool a lot to children's group classes, so it's frustrating in another way. The one benefit of the limited sessions was that you were guaranteed a not overcrowded lane.

I agree that an hour is very short. I like to swim for at least 1.5 hour.

Ours have booked slots (lanes) that no one polices, too. Often the slots are back to back, say 11:30-1230 & 1230-130pm. Obviously you can turn up just before 1130 (when family session is still finishing) & not get out until 1:30pm.

Surely your shower time and getting dressed doesn't come into the hour . I go with my swim suit on under my clothes so literally takes me a minute to whip it off and get poolside . I get the full hour in the pool then shower and dress at my own leisure.