Rainbow Centre

Learnt my swimming lessons here, sadly did not keep them up.

GREAT FACILITIES. POOR SERVICE.
I always think it’s a shame when an organisation invests in its building and infrastructure and then doesn’t ensure its customer service is up to scratch ruining the investment. The Rainbow Centre is a good example of this.
Hidden well behind some offices, you almost drive past the poor sign to the centre. Once you drive down the short access road you are greeted with a reasonable car park. Parking is £1 an hour in 1 hour increments. The machine prints 2 tickets and, only on my second visit — even though I told the receptionist on my first visit I was new, I was told that if you hand in the second ticket you get a reduction on your swim fees (even though on both tickets it says to leave visible in the car!). When I was told this I asked how I would have known as I saw no signs. Apparently, it is written on the side of the machine in 14 point typed text — brilliant!
In line with the Car Park, communications is not a strong point at the Rainbow and the staff don’t explain how anything works. A couple of examples — when you enter the communal changing area (don’t worry there are individual changing booths) you are supposed to instantly take a couple of plastic bags from a dispenser and put them over your feet until you take your shoes off. Sounds sensible (until you realise that there are changing booths about 4 yards from the dispenser — health and safety is a wonderful thing) but I walked past the dispenser as it is right inside the door and I could only see a tiny picture of a foot. I only twigged when I heard one of the staff telling people to take their shoes off (they are hired for their swimming ability not their customer service, evidently), I walked in to the Pool area, jumped in and when I turned around I saw a sign next to some showers saying please shower before getting in the pool. Again, this is behind you as you walk in, so you aren’t going to see it.
Having said the above, the pool is clean and its got an excellent baby/​learner pool with a sloping end so you can carry babies in safely. The 2 jacuzzis looked great. Staff are constantly on duty and, apart from looking really bored, seemed OK. The glass wall onto the car park could put some people off but I thought it filled the place with light. The row of parking spaces along the glass wall are for disabled parking and I have never seen a car parked there — maybe they should convert a few of them into mother and baby spaces as there are a lot of them and the parking space is not generous.

Fees at your local posh gym too high? Don’t need expensive coffee bar? Over-​trendy snooty members getting on your nerves? The Rainbow Centre is what you need!
The Rainbow Centre is the council run leisure centre in Epsom. You can either attend and pay as you attend or become a member which reduces your entry fee and allows you to book courts.
There’s a 25 metre pool with some hot tubs in the swimming area. A large sports hall has different activities at different times but I usually play badminton though you can join things like a 5 a side league. There’s a well equipped gym upstairs. All available for a fraction of the price of one of the posh chains.
Another cool thing is that they offer discounts to hospital staff.
If all you need is a sports facility, the Rainbow Centre will meet your needs