Tell Butlin’s what you would change about swimming pool changing rooms - £300 voucher prize draw! NOW CLOSED

[AngelieMumsnet]

Butlin's is redesigning one of its swimming pools and needs your help to make it as family-friendly as possible. In particular Butlin’s wants your help to understand what it’s like as a parent using a swimming pool changing room – and your input will genuinely help inform the new design and build on resort.

Why the changing room? Butlin’s have done research which shows that most parents love going swimming with their children – until they get to the changing room. From the wet floor, the often-freezing temperature, the small cubicles not suitable for a family to the fact you can never get your child dry – there’s a lot to be desired! Which is why Butlin’s wants the opinion of Mumsnetters to identify the biggest issues you face – and your ideas on how to solve them.

So two important questions:

What do you find particularly frustrating when using changing rooms at the swimming pool?

In an ideal world, can you think of anything which would make your life easier and solve these problems?

Everyone who posts on this thread will be entered into a prize draw to win a £300 John Lewis voucher!

Thanks and good luck,
MNHQ

Large family cubicles with some mats to keep the floor dry

family size changing cubicles

I'd install the body driers, have music playing. More private areas.

More changing tables and baby prisons just so the little people can be placed in a place of safety whilst I quickly get dressed. I would love large changing rooms for families with seating, hooks and chairs for little ones to sit in

Places to hang things up so they don't get wet.
The dry side/wet side thing with cubicles in the middle works for me.
Lockers should never keep your money. If you have kids you can be in them 5 times in a day and it feels like a rip off (because it is)
Bigger lockers with hooks in the top so you can hang a few things up to keep at least one layer not scrunched up.
The shower area should be imaginatvely shaped to give the (flase but comforting) impression of a level of privacy and remove that cattle in a truck feeling.

More lockers and changing rooms

Lack of privacy is a big issue so I would like to see this addressed.

Also, a comprehensive cleaning schedule to be in place and rigorously monitored.

i would have heaters installed in each cublicle that you could press and warm yourself up.

Some careful thought to nappy bins - at least empty them. If we go swimming in the afternoon they are overflowing. Perhaps a bit more focus on cleaning all round.

Make sure there are enough cubicles for busiest times, and provide enough shelving and hooks to place garments on. Also, secure lockers which are big enough to hold several items should be available.

Family cubicles with possibly a small playpen in them? That would def make trips to the swimming pool with the family a lot less stressful :-)

I prefer cubicles, especially when there are children around

be great to have dryers for towel and costumes - they do in the Olympic pool

heated floors would be a Godsend. Not sure how feasible it is. Also some stronger hooks for hanging bags would be great.

When we're getting changed I sort out my son first but then he's off out the door, I'd prefer a lock higher up so he can't reach so I don't have to try and get myself dressed pressed up against the door

Make family rooms, but include little changing areas for older children, so they can keep their decency away from the younger children, My daughter is 18 and I hate her going into separate changing rooms from me and my 12 year old son.I like to know that both my kids could be with me.

Family cubicles would be ideal. In a perfect world underfloor heating on a non slip surface would be lovely plus a quick dryer so you could stick in your wet towels and swimmers to dry them off before putting them in your bag...but that would probably be asking a little too much? ;)

Larger sharing cubicles.

Bigger family changing cubicles with something to stop your feet getting wet whilst you're trying to get dry, maybe fine grates in the floor to drain the water away?
Big body dryers they have at theme parks near the water rides.
Places to safely put tinies to stop them legging it while I'm trying to change.
Antibacterial hand gel dispensers like in hospitals, I always feel a bit grubby and icky in a changing room

Men's changing rooms rarely have decent father and child facilities like a baby changing table or family cubicles. This may be slowly improving, but it can't come soon enough!

Last Time I was there the changing rooms were nice but I do think you should brighten the colours to reflect that children use them as well as adults

The best designed changing rooms I have seen are at Centreparks in Bedfordshire. They have an "exit/entrance" passageway, which obviously people walk in, with their shoes, and enter into individual changing rooms. The changing rooms have two doors, so you leave into the locker area, i.e. without shoes. They also have two main branches, one of which is for families, the other then for individuals. The temperature is set quite high, so its warm enough to get changed. They also have separate "people dryers" that you can pay a £1 for, which is a novelty but the kids enjoyed it.

Separate changing rooms & more showers.

A 'spinner' machine to get the excess water out of costumes before putting them in your bag is so useful. Regular drying of the floor and a non slip surface to prevent little ones falling over.

Dry floors and bigger lockers.