Willesden Sports Centre image

Willesden Sports Centre

Gym Fitness center Personal trainer Physical fitness program Swimming pool Leisurecentre Swimming instructor Athletic track

One of the Most Reviewed Physical fitness programs in London


Address

Donnington Rd, London NW10 3QX, United Kingdom

Website

www.1life.co.uk

Contact

+44 20 8955 1120

Rating on Google Maps

3.40 (648 reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Thursday: 6:30 AM to 10 PM
  • Friday: (Good Friday), 6:30 AM to 10 PM, Hours might differ
  • Saturday: 8 AM to 6 PM
  • Sunday: 8 AM to 6 PM
  • Monday: 6:30 AM to 10 PM
  • Tuesday: 6:30 AM to 10 PM
  • Wednesday: 6:30 AM to 10 PM

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: pool (31) swimming (28) membership (13) area (12) swim (11) book (11) changing (9) children (9) people (9) time (8)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 1/5 natad93 1 year ago on Google
    Came for the first time to check out the gym expected some sort of customer service support to show me around the facility instead the card was made and haven’t received no information whatsoever about the venue and availability, classes or anything relevant as a new customer that wants to join in. I’ve started to swim regularly however the cleanest of the whole area around the swimming pool including bathrooms, changing rooms and the floor is disgusting. There is no hygiene in place the management should organise deep clean of the whole area. The pool inside it’s dirty it’s self as well plenty of human hair in the water, water is yellowish not blue. I should really contact Council to investigate this facilities.
    12 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 C 2 months ago on Google • 81 reviews New
    The sports centre provides a good area for children’s birthday parties with a few add ons such as electric go karts and an inflatable assault course. Nice and friendly staff with a tiny cafe, with less than average coffee. Also, bring your own cup as they don’t like giving away disposable cups and the lugs are for staff (that’s what I was told).

  • 1/5 Michelle C. 4 months ago on Google • 38 reviews
    This is the worst gym I’ve ever been too. I’ve been going here for a while but it really needs a complete makeover and it’s too small. The staff are not friendly at all and the bathroom facilities are horrendous plus it’s not even 24hrs. Really not worth the money.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Sean 1 month ago on Google • 77 reviews New
    Tried this sports center with 3 days free pass. I only use swimming pool, so my experience is all swimming pool. First you need to book, which is a bit annoying because almost everything is booked in the coming one day week. But luckily I booked one on Sunday. There is 2 pools kids pool and pool with lanes. The adult pool is a bit a strange on the shallow end, it’s around 1 meter deep so you can’t easily turn around at the shallow end. The downside of the swimming pool is the shower and change area. Basically, there is no separation between man and woman, they share the same area. You have to have a shower in the front of the pool and go grab your cloth from the locker to a small chang room with wet and dirty floor. Although the membership is quite affordable but you can’t swim anytime you want and the whole experience is not great. I think I won’t go for this gym, it’s not tick the box of the basics I need

  • 2/5 Simone C. 2 months ago on Google • 6 reviews New
    Hello everyone, I joined the gym here to try it and after around a month I think I will stop to go. The main reasons are the opening time (until 10 p.m. on week days that can be fine, but at 6 p.m. on weekends that's bonkers), the space and equipment. They have some nice bodybuilding brands such as Hammer Strength, but the number of machines and especially the cables (only 1 double cable and 1 single) makes the workouts a bit stressful. For £40 per month is not worthy at all. Some of the staff are friendly and some are not. I don't talk about all the other activities they offer because I didn't try any of those, but If you are interested in the gym you can try few day with the pay as you go option and see yourself if it fits you. It doesn't to me. I repeat closing at 6 p.m. in the weekends sounds crazy to me. (Update 7 January 2024) I gave another chance to this facility, but unfortunately after the extra charge of £20 because I didn't have funds in the bank account, I finally cancelled my membership.
    5 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Sarah B. 2 years ago on Google
    To access the facilities at this sports center you require a 1Life card or pin to allow you to make bookings. I requested one online 10 days ago and when I did not receive anything automatically (as you are supposed to) I contacted the sports center via facebook directly to ask them to look into. After several follow up messages I still have received no response or update and no pin. Very disappointing for something that should be relatively simple.
    5 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Mike S. 1 year ago on Google
    What a horrible experience. Duty manager Jose absolutely lacking the customer service skills. Firstly not hello or any acknowledge of people coming in. Secondly he didn’t know how the Gympass app work and lastly he didn’t know what is included in the video plan. Unacceptable behaviour from someone who works with a customer. Avoid this place when he’s at work
    5 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 oscar 2 years ago on Google
    If you looking for a good Gym that´s not the one. 1. There is not many equipment on weights (just a pair of each kg, that means 90% of the time you must wait to get the weights you looking for because probably someone else is using it, the other 10% you are trying to find the weights as they are spread around the gym and rarely they are in place). 2.They have a lot of space wasted as soon as you get in the gym just with six cardio machines taking all the space, when they could be facing a wall and use the rest for more machines, for example more all in one functional trainers, not just one for all the gym.) 3 even if is not peak hours everything is normally busy all time and you will must wait to do any exercise. 4.You can not even get a seat in the swimming pool bleachers to wait for a friend, because someone will go to kick you out, don´t know exactly why as they did with me today. 5.About the swimming pool it is quite often to find hair floating around as many people do not wear a swimming hat.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Lukasz J. 1 year ago on Google
    Be careful when you want to book evening swimming slot, one lane usually gets blocked for staff training purposes and then around 30 people need to squeeze in on 3 other lanes. That was the reason I cancelled my membership. Other than that, all good, simple facilities worth the price you pay. (£4.75 single swimming, £25 a month for membership with gym included).
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Gem B. 1 year ago on Google
    Been swimming Busy for holidays but enjoyed Lane swim while son free swim! Lifeguards controlled pool , saw team cleaning at changeover which was good to see. Also managing group non swimmers. The changing areas could do update but it is busy in holidays. Whilst bit annoying to book swim - it works as not too overcrowded and enabled to get swim . 3,Staff in front desk dealing customer at all times. Overall good day. Frustrating to see parents standing changing rooms rather than going viewing areas, they asked to move but team member was shouted at. Rude ! They congregate near where showering - Annoying plus have shoes on!
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Tosiek U. 1 year ago on Google
    Me and my partner was looking for a local gym at a affordable price. We found Nuffield a bit expensive and we decide to get a membership at the Willesden sports centre. When I got my membership at the reception they explain that I had to get 1Life to book classes, sauna etc. Apparently to book certain things you need to go to reception who seems really frustrated. They don’t even have Time to answer a phone call. Tried to call 15 times and no answer. Also I think there Is a bad luck of customer service. No one showed us around where this and That is. I had look around my self and ask people where how to move around the premises. The Gym seems to be very small. Just with the basics. I don’t even see PT around to ask something. Toilettes are dirty, not even soap to wash your hand. Most of the people who go in That gym are kids/teenagers that make massive noise. For the price this gym is basic / average as I think this area should have more gym centres like The Gym or Pure Gym
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Nick V. 5 months ago on Google • 9 reviews
    Purely for weights, this is the worst gym I've ever been to. I work from home and have tried to come at almost every hour, it's always a slog to get to use most equipment. Barely any benches or cables. The worst thing is that they could easily fit out the indoor running track area, which is always empty, with more equipment but don't. No comment on the wider facilities but the running track is a plus.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 KT D. 1 year ago on Google
    The sports center is really nice. It has a lot of facilities, you can work around your schedules when it comes to group exercises or using the swimming pool and spa section. Deep clean should be done better in the spa facility as sometimes you really wonder why the "remainings of the hurrican" are still there when weeks have past? Dojo could be cleaned better, you go in with white socks and come out with a grey one. Staff are nice, they do try to help where possible. Would recommend the place despite the flaws. They really have decent options for both standard or pay as you go members. In my opinion it is also the best priced in the area, I hope they won't raise the prices further though anytime soon. :D Swimming lanes do get crowded a lot at times actually and when kids are on holiday just swim once a week,it is packed. Which is understandeable. Would be amazing if people not showing up for bookings do cancel their scheduled slot on time. .
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Proma H. 4 months ago on Google
    The gym has a lot of space and equipment however, majority of the time the equipments are out of use and dirty. There are kids who come to the gym to relax instead of working whilst taking up space. Whilst the space is relatively large, it needs to be cleaned regularly and kept sterile at all times. The machines a lot of the times have used tissues in them.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 CD P. 1 year ago on Google
    Hopeless all around. Staff even acknowledge that there’s no point in calling up because they’ll never answer the phone. Unbelievably disorganised and poor attitudes on the front desk. Manager lacks very basic people skills and seems to just make up his job as he goes along.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 RupertD23 1 year ago on Google
    My son comes here for swimming lesson. His teacher is quite good but elsewhere the customer service here is atrocious. The reception tend to ignore you and other staff relish any chance they get to tell you off over the most stupid things. Staff 1: "You cant stay here. You need to go to the viewing area by the closed cafe" Staff 2: "You cant be in the viewing area as we need to clean the floor" Staff 3: "Health and Safety - You cant charge your phone there." Staff 1: "You cant stand here sir. As I told you before, you need to move to the viewing area" Me: "But its closed..." Staff 1: "Well you cant stand here" My son's half hour swim lessons is half an hour of mindnumbing hell for me. I was seriously considering joining the gym here (as I live next door) but the thought of having to deal with the mini hitlers here is too awful to bear!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Emma B. 1 year ago on Google
    The centre offers a range of classes which are suitable for all abilities. The premises are clean and the equipment in the gym is to a great standard. The air conditioning works wonders and staff are friendly and willing to crack a smile. This gym offers comfort and is a peaceful place. The new smoothies on the menu are top class!! Thanks for everything.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 James S. 3 months ago on Google • 4 reviews New
    The policy for membership payments sucks. Late fees happen but not often, this is one of those places and it already costs £40 without the 20£ late fee! Have to sort this out in the next couple of days
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Seb F. 2 months ago on Google • 17 reviews New
    The actual pool is OK but it’s virtually impossible to book a swimming slot less than 3 days in advance. I feel they need to sort out the booking system - when I went the pool had no slots left but there was hardly anyone in it. I feel you should just be able to turn up and swim.

  • 5/5 Jessie 1 month ago on Google • 3 reviews New
    My favourite thing there has to be the volleyball club. Everyone there is so friendly and it's a perfect opportunity for anyone who wants to start out volleyball . Coaches are so kind and patient.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Christophe S. 2 years ago on Google
    Update: I initially gave one star following the review below. However the swimming school manager came back to me and asked if we could come back so she could re-evaluate my son level in person. I really appreciated that and must thus highlight that the swimming school manager is helpful and willing to help. Instead we decided to place our son elsewhere (a kind of private school with 2 children per instructor) where they recommended some more lessons in stage 2 for my son. They also did not understand the recommendation from the swimming instructor to place him in stage one. Hopefully the way the instructors assess the levels will be controlled by the school manager and more consistent with Swim England levels for future recruits. ####### Initial review: Avoid children lesson there at all cost. My son was supposed two move from stage 2 to stage 3 from another swimming pool. At the start of the lesson I accompagnied with my son to let the instructor know that my son was new in this swimming pool and whilst supposed to move to stage 3 he didn't swim for 5 months due to covid. The instructor was very rude and asked why I came to talk to him as children were supposed to be dropped near the shower... After 2 meters of a shameful swimming test, the instructor, named Tony, asked another instructor in stage 2 to take care of 2 of his 3 students for the lesson. The other instructors were fully booked and seemed to accept reluctantly to take care of our children. For the remaining of the lessons my son and the other child kept bumping to other children in stage 2 which were much less advanced than them. At the end of the lesson, Tony, asked the other instructor to ask the children to ask us, the parents (10 meters away) to change their children to level 1. It doesn't make any sense, it is an appealing way to assess children ability and left my son and the other child nearly in tears. Sad but it seems the monthly subscription fees don't go far in term of service there.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Silvana B. 2 years ago on Google
    The sistem is ridiculous like the place. They ask us to book in advance but it's not work ! At the end you have to go to the place to fill the form in person and wait for a pin number, and your child start cry because it's already fully booked.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 P J. 8 months ago on Google
    Unhygienic gym, areas not cleaned or maintained regularly at all. Machines are dated. I was asked for feedback months ago via their survey and they responded very nicely acknowledging my concerns, yet now when I want to cancel membership due to lack of action on those concerns they could not care less! Join the gymgroup instead - it’s clean and much nicer people!!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Laura R. 7 months ago on Google
    I have joined this club because it is a walking distance and has a swimming pool. In my view, if you work 9-5:30, selection of classes are very minimum, incl. weekends. Swimming pool is constantly very busy and they have only several slots in the evening after 7pm or not all.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Roman L. 8 months ago on Google
    The pool itself is not bad. But the changing area in the pool is awful - it's a complete mess. Am I wrong when I think that lady's changing room should be ONLY for ladies?? But a lot of female visitors use women's changing room with their little sons. I don't want any male (even little) to see my daughter changing swimming suit. But administration does nothing to resolve this issue.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 J T. 3 weeks ago on Google • 7 reviews New
    I have been trying to get in touch with your team for the past couple of weeks. I have filled out multiple enquiry forms, and called many times but no one ever answered. I wanted to freeze my gym membership because I won’t be able to attend for religious reasons, but I was charged for this month yesterday. I would like a refund and for my membership to be frozen for the next two months. It should not be so difficult to get in touch with your team!! At this point I am considering cancelling my membership all together because going to the gym should not be so complicated and stressful!!

  • 1/5 Ali A. 1 year ago on Google
    Because I want to book morning for my son swimming pool they say 1 pm Saturday and Sunday morning they are hove some morning don 10 kids i am already 4 months membership in 4 months I couldn't take my son even t time to the swimming pool

  • 5/5 B K. 6 months ago on Google
    The best gym experience iv ever ever had!!! I would like to give a special thank you to Jose, Evelyn, Terry, Abel for being so helpful and giving their best everyday so that everyone has a enjoyable experience ❤️ love this team

  • 5/5 Matt 2 years ago on Google
    One of the best gyms I have been in my whole life ASA athlete. And it turns out in the subscription all the sport centre activities are incluided. I can book myself into the swimming pool or even the sauna. I go 5 times a week at least it's one of my favourite places.

  • 1/5 Rahim Z. 1 year ago on Google
    STAY STRONG AND PUT THE WEIGHTS BACK In the gym, you all should print these out and put them in every corner of the gym in Portuguese English, Spanish

  • 2/5 Theo J. 1 year ago on Google
    The changing room is damp and there are always swimming trunks and plastic bags on the floor of changing rooms as well as half of them not having locks on the doors. The baby pool is always rammed and poorly life guarded as well as feeling really dirty. The main pool often is really warm which makes it uncomfortable to swim in. I once saw a rucksack lying at the bottom of the pool as well. The only reason I give it more than 1 star is because I have lots of good memories there but I mean no reason I haven’t been for 5 years.

  • 4/5 Robin C. 2 years ago on Google
    This is a pretty big sports centre with a pool, gym, running track, badminton courts and rooms for other classes like yoga and karate. SKCE, the karate club that runs a lot of classes here is excellent, with great instructors.

  • 4/5 Chris r. 2 years ago on Google
    It's a great place to go especially if you enjoy swimming and weight training, and also an outdoor track for those who enjoy a good run. Excellent space for cardio training

  • 5/5 David G. 2 years ago on Google
    Great local gym. Has everything you need including pool, outdoor running track and classes. Only been going for 2 weeks but it’s definitely worth a visit.

  • 1/5 Richard 3 months ago on Google • 1 review New
    The bathroom facilities are far below standard. Most of the staff are not friendly at all, particularly the one called Jose. He behaves like he owns the gym and like he's doing you a favour. He talks to people disrespectfully even though you're the one paying his salary...total disregard of customers. Opening times need reviewing. You don't operate a gym like you are operating a cooperate organisation or a limited company. People have more time for sporting activities on weekends, but you choose to open late and close early on weekends...unbelievable 😉
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Pooja P. 6 months ago on Google • 1 review
    Swimming tutor was excellent but admin team is not helpful. They never understand customers situation. Even they didn't inform if lesson was cancelled. 1 month notice period for membership cancellation which is very unfair for those who has some genuine reason to leave.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 SM D. 2 months ago on Google • 1 review New
    No idea how this gym has 3.6 stars. It’s been terrible for ages. Tried to book a badminton court on Sunday through the spaghetti code application that they switched to. After finally managing to book the court from 12-2, I was unpleasantly surprised that on Sundays all the courts are blocked out for Volleyball. Of course they only tell you this when you arrive at the venue to tell you it’s an error it’s on their side and there’s nothing you can do. The booking was automatically cancelled according to the lady behind the desk and credit was put back to my account automatically. Yet there was no E-mail correspondence from them aside from the booking confirmation, no information that Sunday afternoons til closing, the courts are blocked for Volleyball. If you’re thinking of skipping all of the application booking nonsense and phoning in, I wish you all the luck in the world reaching through their horrendous customer service reception.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Yara I. 3 weeks ago on Google • 1 review New
    swimming pool was really nice and everything but big problem at the LADIES ONLY pool , because I seen atleast 2 men and one constantly coming and watching all the women swimming. Really uncomfortable and they need to sort that out.


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