Great gym, facilities and staff. The frustrating part is the gender-specific days for the sauna, etc (I'm sure there's a reason e.g. cultural, or women feel more comfortable that way?). Also, why is... See more
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Location
Switch location1 MacDonald Road, N19 5DD London, GB
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Had a query Sunday morning about a £3 fine for not attending an event when in fact I had attended. Sent an email to Customer Services not expecting an answer until Monday at the earliest. Within an h... See more
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So many improvements! Many of the issues have been addressed and the centre is feeling well taken care of. Mens changing room toilet is fresh, updated and clean. They have changed the water filter,... See more
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I had a great experience at Better Archway. It was my first visit, and I really enjoyed it. It’s a fantastic place for children and families, with a welcoming atmosphere and great facilities. I a... See more
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Company details
Written by the company
Welcome to Better! We’re a charitable social enterprise, committed to the health and wellbeing of everyone in our community. From gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools to lessons and courses for both adults and juniors - plus libraries and children's centres - we've got it all. So whether you’d like to try something new, keep the kids entertained or have a dip in the pool, discover our inclusive range of activities, suitable for all ages and abilities at your local Better centre today.
Contact info
1 MacDonald Road, N19 5DD, London, United Kingdom
4.2
Great
52 reviews
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Fun swim admission for Children
I attended a fun swim with my son. My son is currently in the better Bronze swimming class at Archway, however was not allowed to go in by himself with his friend. He did a swim test but they would not let him in because he stopped during the length. Bearing in mind there were other people in the pool. He was very upset. They offered to let him do it again but he was very nervous. A couple of weeks ago i took him to fun swim, the lifeguard did not realise i was in the pool with him and called him outr, she made him do a swim test and rhen let him back in the pool. At what point in the Better swim school programme are children allowed in the pool by themselves. Considering it is just fun swim and all they are doing is splashing around and he can stand up in tve water as he is tall for his age. He was not even allowed in shallow end. I did not get a refund so that was a waste of money.
August 9, 2025
Reply from Better - Archway Leisure Centre
Hello Noreen,
Thank you for your feedback.
I am sorry to hear your experience with BETTER has not been so great.
The regulation regarding children in our swimming pool stipulates that they must be capable of swimming 25 meters without interruption in order to be permitted to swim independently. Typically, if your child is in the Gold level, they are considered competent swimmers. However, a swim test will still be conducted.
I hope this information is of use. Thank for your understanding and i hope you continue to enjoy our facility.
It’s really weird that you suspended my…
It’s really weird that you suspended my membership as l uploaded all the documents already paid 52£ for a month
July 17, 2025
Reply from Better - Archway Leisure Centre
Hi Habtam
Thank you for your review.
Upon looking at your membership, I can see the document was not approved, which resulted in your membership being suspended.
We have also replied to your email regarding your membership. Please respond to this email, and we will be happy to assist.
Kind Regards
Amir
Longer opening times please!
Longer opening times please. I can only speak for the Archway branch but what is 17:00 on a weekend? and event 21:30 on a weekday isn't long enough tbh...
June 4, 2025
Reply from Better - Archway Leisure Centre
Hi R,
Thank you for your feedback!
We really appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts about our Archway Leisure Centre. We understand that longer opening hours would be helpful, especially on weekends and evenings. Your comments have been passed on to the team for consideration as we continuously strive to improve our service.
Thanks again for helping us serve you better!
Warm regards,
Charmaine
Nathan was super friendly and helpful
Nathan was super friendly and helpful, helped my daughter feel confident to do the zipline. Makes such a difference when theres happy attentive workers. Definitely coming back.
May 30, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Better - Archway Leisure Centre
Hi Sophie,
Thanks for your review.
We are so pleased to hear that the staff at Archway were so supportive and made your daughter feel so confident!
Warm Regards
Hazal
Very helpful and supportive swimming…
Very helpful and supportive swimming instructors.
April 20, 2025
Reply from Better - Archway Leisure Centre
Hi Kadiatou,
Thanks for your review.
We are so happy to hear that the instructors are Archway are so helpful and supportive!
Warm Regards
Hazal
Very happy great place to go to get a…
Very happy great place to go to get a workout from both woolwich & Eltham
April 7, 2025
Reply from Better - Archway Leisure Centre
Hi Nicholas,
Thank you so much for your kind words! It truly means a lot to us to receive such positive feedback.
We're absolutely thrilled to hear that you're enjoying your workouts with us at the Waterfront & Eltham Leisure Centre. It's fantastic to see our members actively engaging and making the most of our facilities and classes. If there's anything specific you love about your experience or if you have any suggestions for improvement, we’d love to hear them!
We look forward to welcoming you back soon. Keep up the great work and continue pushing towards your fitness goals—we’re here to support you every step of the way!
Kind regards,
Charmaine
I always enjoy my swims
I always enjoy my swims. I am autistic and have learning difficulties but this is my favourite activity. This was written for my son Aaron.
April 6, 2025
Reply from Better - Archway Leisure Centre
Hi Elayne,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us!
We're so glad to hear that swimming is your favorite activity and that it brings you joy. It's wonderful that you’ve found something that makes you feel good, and we’re happy to be a part of it. Keep enjoying your swims, and we look forward to welcoming you back to the Archway Leisure Centre soon! 🌊😊
Kind regards,
Charmaine
Reply from Better - Archway Leisure Centre
Hi Nathan,
Thank you so much for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that you had a positive experience with our customer service at the Archway Leisure Centre. We always strive to provide the best assistance, and we're happy to know it made a difference for you! If you need anything else, feel free to reach out. 😊
Kind regards,
Charmaine
Cleaner changing room
I would like to see a cleaner pool and especially the place of the locker room. It is also desirable to make cosmetic repairs
March 26, 2025
Reply from Better - Archway Leisure Centre
Hi Vasylyna,
Thank you for sharing your feedback!
We truly appreciate your comments and apologise for any inconvenience you experienced at the Archway Leisure Centre. We are committed to maintaining high standards, and we will certainly look into improving the cleanliness of the pool area and the locker rooms. Your suggestion for cosmetic repairs will also be taken into consideration as we work on enhancing the overall experience for our guests. We hope to welcome you back soon and provide you with a better experience!
Kind regards,
Charmaine
Overall happy
Staff are lovely and incredibly helpful.
However, there need to be higher cleanliness standard consistently.
The pool itself needs a detailed clean!
February 19, 2025
Reply from Better - Archway Leisure Centre
Good Evening Catherine,
Thank you for your feedback.
We're so glad to hear that you found our staff to be lovely and helpful – we truly appreciate that. We also take your comments about cleanliness seriously, and we will definitely work on improving the consistency of our cleaning standards, especially in areas like the pool. Your input helps us make necessary improvements, and we hope to welcome you back soon with an even better experience!
Kind regards,
Charmaine
It’s our local pool and we love it but…
It’s our local pool and we love it but Better are not heating it well enough. Within 5 mins of the family fun swim session most children had blue lips whether wearing wetsuits or not. This is not the first time this winter. I think if Better need to raise the prices to raise the heating as it’s not fit for purpose at the moment. Also cleanliness of pool area, changing rooms and showers also needs to improve!!
January 19, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Better - Archway Leisure Centre
Hi Lara,
Thanks for your review.
We are sorry to hear your recent experience was not as it should have been.
We have forwarded your feedback to the centre so they can look at improving for future visits!
Warm Regards
Hazal
Lack of support/advice
I needed some help with the machines as it was my first time after my induction. However, after my warm up I tried to use a chest machine but was unsure what to do. As I couldn't find any worker in the gym I had to go downstairs and ask at reception who told me that they don't start work until 2pm. That leaves people like me without any one to turn to for advice.
January 15, 2025
Reply from Better - Archway Leisure Centre
Hi Stella,
Thanks for your review.
We are sorry to hear that you did not have the best experience in the gym.
Whilst we do understand your point, we do not always have fitness instructors in the gym and sometimes they may be in an appointment with another customer or cleaning the gym etc.
We offer inductions, so if you do require additional support you can receive this (which we are happy to see you have attended) but we would not always have a member of staff available to assist our gym members.
Warm Regards
Hazal
Reply from Better - Archway Leisure Centre
Good Evening Zoe,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We truly appreciate your kind words and are thrilled to hear that you find our app user-friendly and easy to navigate. Our team works diligently to ensure a smooth experience for our users, and it's wonderful to know that this has resonated with you.
Additionally, we are delighted that our staff members at the facilities have consistently provided you with friendly and welcoming service during your visits. We take great pride in our team and their ability to create a positive atmosphere for all our visitors. Your comments validate our commitment to excellent customer care, and we are grateful for your support.
If you have any further suggestions or would like to share more about your experiences, please don't hesitate to reach out. We value your input as we continually strive to improve our services.
Warm regards,
Charmaine
Swimming Class Archway Leisure
Swimming Class Archway Leisure
I just wanted to say thank you so much for the incredible progress on my little 6 years old boy has made in such a short time with his teacher. At the beginning, I was a bit unsure about the teaching style, but I've seen how effectively the team works with the kids, and the results are amazing. I’m so grateful for the support and care the swimming team has shown. Thank you for everything you do for the kids!"
October 17, 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Better - Archway Leisure Centre
Hi Esen,
Thanks for your review.
We are delighted to hear how well your son is progressing and hope he continues to improve.
Warm Regards
Hazal
Reply from Better - Archway Leisure Centre
Hi Marina
Thank you for your review.
We are delighted to know you have received excellent service and hope you enjoy your time at the Archway Leisure Centre.
Kind Regards
Amir
Such a wonderful experience,
November 19, 2024
Reply from Better - Archway Leisure Centre
Hi Janet,
Thanks for your review.
We are delighted to hear that you had such a wonderful experience at Archway and hope to welcome you back again soon!
Warm Regards
Hazal
Good but messy gym
This is a reasonably good gym equipment wise. In fact the range of equipment is really impressive and they’ve used the space really well. There’s a culture however, of not putting weights away which makes it both dangerous in terms of tripping over equipment and not very inclusive if a person new to weight lifting wants to use a barbell but it is loaded up with 200kg and lying on the floor.
The gym can do so much more to promote a culture of putting weights away.
November 9, 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Better - Archway Leisure Centre
Hi Samara
Thank you for your review.
We want to address the issue of weights being left out and bars being loaded with plates. It appears to be a common challenge, and we value your feedback.
It is also great to see you are happy with the facilities and equipment available.
Thank you for choosing Better.
Kind regards
Amir
Good classes, but cleanliness needs improving
I really enjoyed the Legs, bums, tums class. The facility looks really good, class is a small group with an experienced teacher.
However the shower facilities were very unclean.
October 28, 2024
Reply from Better - Archway Leisure Centre
Good Afternoon Sanya,
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with us.
We’re delighted to hear that you're enjoying the Fitness Classes at the Archway Leisure Centre. It’s wonderful to know that our programs are meeting your expectations and contributing positively to your fitness journey.
However, we are truly sorry to learn about the concerns you've experienced with the shower area. We take cleanliness and maintenance very seriously, and your feedback is invaluable as we strive to provide a safe and pleasant environment for all our members. We will investigate the issues you mentioned and work towards a prompt resolution to ensure a better experience for you and our other guests.
Thank you once again for your feedback. We appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you at the centre soon.
Best regards,
Charmaine
Reply from Better - Archway Leisure Centre
Hi Dawid
Thank you for your review.
We are very pleased to see you find the App useful and hope you enjoy your bookings with us!
Kind Regards
Amir
Reply from Better - Archway Leisure Centre
Hi Ali
Thank you for your review,
We are very pleased to see the instructors are providing an excellent service.
Thank you for choosing Better.
Kind Regards
Amir
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