Ben W

Review of Kaisha y South Pool

It really pains me to leave this review as we are ...

It really pains me to leave this review as we are long-time Hampton Pool fanatics (3 generations). My family has supported the pool when it looked like it would close for good in the 80s, and more lately with their redevelopment plans. Sadly, the pool is now run by a combination of teenagers and officious management who simply couldn't care less for their customers. I learnt to swim here in 1976 so I was keen that my daughters do the same. I should say, the swimming teachers are excellent and this review is by no way a reflection of them.

Despite being top of the waiting list for several months there was no space for my daughter in the higher level. We patiently waited, continuing to pay for the classes in the lower level for several months until I noticed that another student in her group had been moved into the class before her. When I queried this I was first told that she had been removed from the waiting list (this turned out to be untrue). I was then told they must have booked it using the "online portal" (something they later also admitted was impossible). They had, in fact, given the place to someone else but didn't have the dignity to admit it. To protect identities I won't mention names, but after several telephone calls, both my wife and I were treated to a cocktail of nonchalance/rudeness and generally made to feel like this whole thing was our fault. Things were finally resolved (minus an apology) but given our support for the pool for over 40 years, it has left a very bitter taste.