'Dire Standards Continuing' At Chiswick New Pool and Brentford Leisure Centre
Council accused of failing to keep promise to tackle issues at the facilities
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Hounslow Council has failed to keep a promise to improve facilities at both Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre and New Chiswick Pool, local councillors have been told.
Chiswick resident Charlotte Kimpton told the Chiswick Area Forum (CAF) meeting in Chiswick Town Hall (4 February ) that she had been campaigning for years for improved standards.
She showed photographs of the facilities at the two leisure centres and councillors agreed this was unacceptable. A petition set up by Mrs Kimpton has gathered over 185 signatures.
Hair collecting in a shower at NCP
Charlotte Kimpton said she had over the years highlighted some of the continuing issues include a leaking roof at Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre, unusable lockers, security issues, broken or filthy gym equipment, no lights in the showers and inconsistent pool or air temperatures, usually very hot. Despite all the problems she lists, she says that membership fees continue to increase ever year.
Last year, Cllr Samia Chaudhary, Cabinet Member for Leisure Services at Hounslow Council, said the Council was working closely with its operator Fusion to ensure corrective actions were undertaken to resolve these concerns, whilst also having plans in place to bring about longer term improvements.
The complaints have ranged from cleanliness, to broken equipment, a lack of lifeguards, temperature control problems and even cockroaches in Brentford.
However Charlotte Kimpton said she had personally met twice with Fusion management, in November 2019 and last January, relating to Chiswick Pool and none of the issues had been addressed.
Councillors at the Chiswick Area Forum said it was an unacceptable length of time for the Council to take action in responding to the complaints raised by the Chiswick resident and others. They agreed in a resolution to direct the senior leader responsible for Leisure in Hounslow Council to instruct the operator to remedy the numerous deficiencies raised.
Stairs have to be closed off at Brentford FLC when it rains because of a leak. Picture: Charlotte Kimpton
Mrs Kimpton told chiswickw4.com that the lift at New Chiswick Pool had been out of order for a very long time, (seen below) therefore people with mobility issues were unable to use the facilities upstairs. She also recently had complaints from customers that the gym was not cleaned properly.
Having written to Leader of Hounslow Council, Steve Curran, she said she was pleased to receive a response from him today saying that he took the matter seriously and that the Council will hold Fusion to account. She also made a similar presentation to the Brentford Area Forum last night.
Hounslow Council did consider a £68 million redevelopment of the Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre back in 2017 with funding provided from the sale of the site to the developer. Their plan was to move the facility to the adjacent Citroen site with housing above, developed in partnership with London and Quadrant.
A disabled shower without a curtain or shower for some time at Brentford Fountains. Picture: Charlotte Kimpton
A Hounslow Council cabinet meeting in 2016 was told that the 30-year-old facility would not be fit for purpose in another few years. It was planned to complete the new centre by 2021 but the scheme fell through.
The 2.2 acre site where the current centre is situated, which also includes a car park, would be of considerable value if released for residential use, use way above its last valuation of £3.85million in 2009.
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February 6, 2020
