NORMAL LIFE: A Full Fee For Half A Service!

You won't believe what happened to me today! You'll just die when I tell ya! Well, that's not altogether true, but I'm hoping you'll at least sympathise with me. It all happened earlier today when I visited the local swimming pool with one of my sisters. Upon our arrival, my sister and I were informed that the male and female showers were not working and that the female changing rooms were out of order. While we admittedly chose to accept what can only be regarded as a substandard level of service, we paid the FULL fee of ₤6.80.

Within five minutes of having entered the swimming pool, swimmers were asked to leave the pool area; apparently, there had been a lightning strike, which resulted in a power surge. After I got dressed, I headed to reception and asked to speak to the on-duty Manager. He explained that it was necessary, due to Health & Safety, for swimmers to leave the pool. While I understand this, I asked for his opinion as to whether first being denied a shower and then only being able to swim no more than six lengths constituted a swim. I requested a refund, which he refused.

He argued that the pool was emptied in line with Health & Safety legislation. This raises an interesting point for if the management was looking out for the best interests of the customer, isn’t it also in the swimmer’s best interest, whether covered by health and safety legislation or not, to be able to clean after an hour or so in chlorine-rich water? And isn’t it furthermore wrong that swimmers are charged a full fee for half a service?

The treatment I received was akin to being sold a cinema ticket while being denied somewhere to sit. Furthermore, if a cinema presentation was cut short for whatever reason, even as a result of an act of god (as was the lightning strike), I think the management of the cinema would surely feel that a refund was in order. I wrote a letter of complaint to the swimming pool - let's see what they have to say!