DL and kids swimming

hi23068

I joined DL in April 2018 and my kids started swimming lessons at a cost of £25 per month each term time only. I have now been told that their swim prices are to increase to £37.00 each per month!.

I've written to the relevant DL and explained that for us this makes swimming lessons unaffordable and would like to cancel our membership which is a family one, but have been told that this is not possible as I'm still within the 12 months contract. I made it very clear at the time of taking out the membership that one of the main factors for a family membership was so that the children could do the swimming lessons they offered. Does anyone have any thoughts on this. My children don't use the club outside of swimming lessons as its so hard to book them onto any clubs as its always full so only go for swimming lessons..

I also mentioned that I heard this third hard from another parent and was not contacted directly for this price increase but they have confirmed this price rise when I contacted them...

Sibz

On one hand I have some sympathy for DL on this one (not often I do) - Swimming pools are very costly to run - they need equipment running all year round, night and day, heating, chemicals etc are exactly the same - massive overheads. As a 'classy establishment' they have to have one for appearances at least.

This used to set these sort of gyms apart from other gyms (local authority etc) but the quality of equipment in many council gyms now is really good. Having worked in private and council gyms over the years I've seen the closing of this gap. Your budget gyms are what council gyms used to be. Council gyms are what private gyms used to be. Private gyms are there for people who don't want to sweat beside the working classes now... Their staff turnover is higher, they generally pay minimum wage so the best staff leave to work in council facilities where they are (currently) better paid.

Regarding your swimming lessons - £74 a month is quite a whack - for 4 or 8 lessons a month? Not sure where you are in the country but where I am - that would cover (or come close to) private lessons...