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

Heated floors is an excellent idea, larger changing cubicles, very high cleaning standards are a must, my local pool definitely needs a seriously good clean. Larger lockers are essential and perhaps an area next to the pool to store shampoo and towels so you can go straight from pool to shower without having to bother with the locker again.

Hate Dirty floors yuk! :( horrid when they are covered in grime and hair and already wet, it's so hard to get dry when the floor and benches are already wet. So someone washing and drying floors between use.. Or disposable floor mats that can be used fresh for each person.
Bags for wet costumes.
Less expensive!
Family shower cubicles.

Definitely heated floors and lockers that don't need a £1. Really bugs me getting purse out whilst trying to watch kids as they are anxious to get in the pool but undoubtedly you can't find a £1.

Somewhere to safely place a mobile baby makes such a difference - our local pool has a travel cot which makes life so much easier! I also wish there were door locks high up, as I find myself repeating to my toddler to leave the door alone over and over for fear of being flashed to the world!

Cubicles big enough to fit you and your children in.
They are always cold
The floor is always filthy
They are too small
Those costume spinners
More hooks to hang clothes on
They need that thick waterproof none slip matting because getting try when the floor is sopping wet and filthy is a nightmare.
Bigger lockers.
More showers

Yes yes yes CLEAN often. In an ideal world there would be fluffy towels and bath mats too.

In an ideal world:
Bigger family changing rooms - to fit a family of 4 at least.
A dry area for babies: there's nothing worse than keeping a hand on your baby lying on the bench whilst trying to get changed!
Hooks, hooks and more hooks: it's a no brainier! Why would I want my clothes on a wet floor!??
A lock which is higher up on the door: to save your toddler from escaping.

For me it's size, we so often seem to be cramped. It makes life very difficult when everyone's wet and cold. Keeping the rooms warmer would be nice. Would it be possible for the rooms to be built on top of a grill so that the water falls through rather than making puddles on the floor?

Maybe.. you know you get the Dyson Hand driers? Could you have a "whole body drier" you can walk through after you've had your shower, so that everyone goes into the changing rooms dry? That'd be awesome

I no longer need this, but designated buggy parking which doesn't involve them being wheeled across wet floors trailing mud everywhere. And some way of stopping shoes by the poolside, I can't bear dirty floors and our local pool's always seems to be filthy as a result of shoes on wet changing room floors. It really puts me off going and I'm far from precious about dirt generally, but grubby wet floors and bare feet are my kryptonite!

Also, lockers that are wide enough please.

Somewhere to put your wet stuff so that everything doesnt end up being wet before you put it on. Maybe a talc dispenser to get you dry. Or a heated towel rails.

Better baby changing facilities and bigger lockers.

More family changing rooms - there are never enough. Our local pool could do with showers that are easier to access too - they're a bottle neck round lesson times and it's near impossible to press the buttons to turn them on without getting wet yourself.

I have an autistic child, so definitely bigger changing rooms. Also could do with showers that are not scalding hot or freezing cold, as this can upset my children. Toilets that are clean, as toilets in changing rooms can be urgh! Definitely bigger lockers.

Family changing rooms with a bin in each.

Big lockers with a way of holding the door open!

Really really clean, and warm.

My local pool has the best changing rooms. It's one room - for both genders. There are family cubicles with baby changing facilities in each - ideal for us. Everyone else can get changed in their own personal changing cubicle. There are plenty of lockers, heated floors, lots of hairdryers, and a machine to help dry wet swimsuits. The shows are warm, again - individual cubicles. I use my swimming pool a lot more because the facilities are so user, and family friendly.

changing rooms can often be too small if you are a wheelchair user and they often don't look that clean on the floor. They are also often quite cold.

What do you find particularly frustrating when using changing rooms at the swimming pool?
Broken lockers, or lockers that are too small to put everything in.
Not realizing you need a 50p for the locker until you have got yourself and everyone else changed.
Cubicles that don't lock, or are too small for a family.
The arctic wind that seems to whip through the changing room despite it being 25degrees outside.
The low level of hygiene - dirty floors, mouldy grouting, blocked drains, manky smell.
Not enough showers, or too cold / too hot showers.

In an ideal world, can you think of anything which would make your life easier and solve these problems?
Heated floors and a warm, draught free environment.
clean, well maintained changing rooms.
plenty of warm showers.
large family changing rooms with nearby access to large lockers that don't require a coin.
Or for the receptionist to check you know which coin you need and whether you have one.
A permanent, and proper, cleaner.

We recently went to France and went swimming a lot, in different pools. In all of them we had to take our shoes off before going in to the changing rooms. This made a massive difference to the cleanliness of the floors.

Large changing rooms big enough for a whole family as usually hubby and I have to take one child each and it is still a bit of a squeeze.
An area where you can put the wet costumes while you are getting changed - maybe a shelf with some drainage.
A swimming costume wringer would be helpful - although I understand this would be expensive for each cubicle. Maybe two or three in the main area would be good though.
An area to put your dry clothes so that they remain dry before you put them on - even if it is just a peg or a hanger somewhere.

Clean quick dry flooring, lots of bins in area, large roomy lockers and lots of family cubicles.

Family size lockers and none slip floor mats would resolve most of my problems :-)

My dd is terrified of the pool changing rooms :(

For her it is the noises. She would be absolutely fine if there were some music played over a speaker system or something.

At the moment I have to play uptown funk on my phone to distract her which leads to some reaaally odd looks when we are out of our cubicle!

Make them warm, clean, dry and spacious. Big lockers would be good with hooks for hanging coats/tops on, a little shelf at the top for keys, glasses purse would be good too.

Wet, dirty, smelly floors are the worst. Particularly when you have a young toddler on your hands as they will always manage to sit/fall in the puddle while you're getting dressed - need better drainage and more regular cleaning. Also could enforce removal of shoes before entering changing area?
Also the lack of a safe place to put a baby or toddler - a playpen or travel cot would be ideal in a big family changing space.

I think there should be more hooks in the cubicles as the clothes always fall on the floor and get wet. They need to be warm and with plenty of comfortable benches. Also good hairdryer and maybe a swimming costume spinner (I saw it once in an hotel) that is takes the water out of the clothes.

I think there should be footbaths at entrance /exit to toilet areas. From the shower area at a local pool you walk through the toilet area to changing rooms - picking up urine on your feet as you go and then disperse it all over the changing area-yuck!