From a visit to my Doctor, had a swift referral to BETTER. Then 2 days later got a phone call telling me all about it, then an appointment to see Tanya at the leisure centre. Tanya went through all... See more
Company replied
Location
Switch locationShibdon Road, NE21 5NW Blaydon-on-Tyne, England, GB
•While we don't verify specific claims because reviewers' opinions are their own, we may label reviews as "Verified" when we can confirm a business interaction took place. Read more
To protect platform integrity, every review on our platform—verified or not—is screened by our 24/7 automated software. This technology is designed to identify and remove content that breaches our guidelines, including reviews that are not based on a genuine experience. We recognise we may not catch everything, and you can flag anything you think we may have missed. Read more
See what reviewers are saying
The booking system is not fit for purpose when trying to book the site just clogs up and you can wait anything unto 10 minutes to find out if you have managed to get a booking and at 22.00 hours its... See more
Company replied
Music that better use is not good. The equipment although new is poor, not enough classes are available at certainly non early afternoon. The cyclecise class area has been renovated at Dunston but is... See more
Company replied
I was a bit overwhelmed by the membership choices and they emailed me back so politely and helped me pick the one that works best for me. Not to mention when I clumsily made Apple hide my email they c... See more
Company replied
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
Shibdon Road, NE21 5NW, Blaydon-on-Tyne, England, United Kingdom
3.8
Great
59 reviews
Asks customers to review
This company invites their customers to review, whether positive or negative
At Trustpilot, it's all about human content. This business can also access our AI-assisted response tool which helps them draft replies.
How this company uses Trustpilot
See how their reviews and ratings are sourced, scored, and moderated.
Friendly and efficient help.
May 7, 2026
Reply from Better - Blaydon Leisure Centre
Hi,
Thanks for your review.
We are so pleased to hear that the staff at Blaydon Leisure Centre have been so friendly!
Warm Regards
Hazal
Easy sign up and excellent booking…
Easy sign up and excellent booking system. Great value for money.
May 5, 2026
Reply from Better - Blaydon Leisure Centre
Hi Mr Ross,
Thanks so much for your review!
It's really great to hear everything was smooth for you, from sign-up through to booking.
We appreciate you taking the time to share this and hope to see you again soon at Blaydon Leisure Centre.
Best wishes
Azaria
BETTER
From a visit to my Doctor, had a swift referral to BETTER. Then 2 days later got a phone call telling me all about it, then an appointment to see Tanya at the leisure centre.
Tanya went through all the medical details and explained everything in detail. Made a program tailored for me and went through an induction in the gym. The staff I have met have all been friendly and helpful,
April 23, 2026
Reply from Better - Blaydon Leisure Centre
Hi Tony,
Thank you for your lovely review!
We’re really pleased to hear your referral was handled quickly and that you felt well-supported from the very beginning.
It’s great to know your appointment with Tanya was so thorough, we will pass your comments on to her,
We’re also glad you’ve found the wider team friendly and helpful during your visits.
We really appreciate you taking the time to leave such thoughtful feedback and look forward to continuing to support you.
Warm regards,
Azaria
So helpful and friendly
I was a bit overwhelmed by the membership choices and they emailed me back so politely and helped me pick the one that works best for me. Not to mention when I clumsily made Apple hide my email they called me and help me fix my login issues. I had such a lovely welcome when I went for my first swim
March 9, 2026
Reply from Better - Blaydon Leisure Centre
Hi Katie,
Thank you for your fantastic review!
We are so delighted to hear that our Customer Service Team were able to assist you.
We pride ourselves on providing excellent customer service and are happy that this has been reflected in the service you have received.
We have also passed on your comments to the agent who assisted you!
Warm Regards
Azaria
Put prices up extortionate amount.
Put prices up extortionate amount.
Air-conditioning not worked in the gym for months.Gym is like a sauna. Alot of new kit is no better than old kit.No bar bells
April 8, 2026
Reply from Better - Blaydon Leisure Centre
Hi,
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We are truly sorry to hear of your experience at Blaydon Leisure Centre.
We have passed on your feedback to the centre so they can look at improving.
Kind regards,
Hazal
Reply from Better - Blaydon Leisure Centre
Hi Robert
Thank you for your review.
This is great to see, and we will pass your feedback on to the team at Blaydon Leisure Centre!
Kind Regards
Amir
The booking system is not fit for…
The booking system is not fit for purpose when trying to book the site just clogs up and you can wait anything unto 10 minutes to find out if you have managed to get a booking and at 22.00 hours its frustrating to find out that you are not successful. this has been since you took over the blaydon lesiure centre 12 months ago
April 2, 2025
Reply from Better - Blaydon Leisure Centre
Hi Kathleen
Thank you for your review.
We are sorry to hear about the frustration you've experienced with the booking process, particularly regarding the long loading times and uncertainty in securing a slot.
The team are continually working to improve our booking system, and we will share your feedback with them to review.
Kind Regards
Amir
Repairing equipment and unnecessary music
I think that the length of time before broken equipment is repaired is unacceptable, especially as this is supposed to be new. It seems that it breaks down more often than the equipment it replaced.
Although I accept that music in the gym is inevitable, I cannot understand why it is played in the changing room and corridor. It is both unnecessary and extremely irritating!
March 31, 2026
Reply from Better - Blaydon Leisure Centre
Hi Karen,
Thank you for raising this with us!
We apologise for any frustration caused by the equipment you're referring to in your review, particularly as you've mentioned that these issues are ongoing.
We're more than happy to raise your comments regarding the music in the changing room and corridors, as well as the issues with broken equipment, with the wider team for further review.
Thank you again for your feedback!
Warm Regards,
Kaisha
Nice facility and friendly staff 😃
March 23, 2026
Reply from Better - Blaydon Leisure Centre
Hi Melissa
Thank you for your fantastic review regarding Blaydon Leisure Centre.
We pride ourselves on providing excellent customer service and are happy that this has been reflected in the service you have received.
We have also passed on your comments to the centre!
Warm Regards
Rachel
Poor and certainly not worth the money
Music that better use is not good. The equipment although new is poor, not enough classes are available at certainly non early afternoon. The cyclecise class area has been renovated at Dunston but is extremely poor.
February 28, 2026
Reply from Better - Blaydon Leisure Centre
Good Afternoon,
Thank you for your review!
We're saddened to hear that you're not enjoying the recent refurbishments at our Dunston Leisure Centre
We're more than happy to raise your feedback with the wider team about the equipment being poor, as well as there not being enough variety in our fitness class times.
Regarding the change in our music licence, we’re aware that there has been some concern and confusion about the changes to music licensing in our fitness classes from this Spring.
In late 2025 we became aware that the cost of our current music license that covers all our 250 leisure centres and gyms across the UK would increase significantly. As a charitable social enterprise focused on community benefit, we carefully reviewed our options to ensure we continue to invest our resources responsibly and sustainably.
Following this review, we asked our fitness instructors to transition to PPL pre-cleared, royalty-free music. This approach allows us to manage rising costs while continuing to deliver the high-quality classes you expect.
In practical terms, all instructors are being provided with free access to Power Music; one of the most widely used fitness music platforms. Power Music enables instructors to create their own playlists using professionally recorded studio tracks (not AI-generated), giving them flexibility while ensuring full compliance with licensing requirements.
We hope this provides reassurance and clarity about why we have made this decision, the care we have taken to engage with and support our instructors and our commitment to maintaining your class experience. As we implement these changes we will continue to monitor feedback and engage with staff and customers.
Warm Regards,
Kaisha
Water was warm changing rooms and…
Water was warm changing rooms and showers clean. Blaydon
March 26, 2026
Reply from Better - Blaydon Leisure Centre
Hi Mr Brian Coding,
Thank you for your fantastic review!
We are so delighted to hear that you are enjoying your time at Dunston Leisure centre.
We pride ourselves on providing excellent customer service and are happy that this has been reflected in the service you have received.
We have also passed on your comments to the centre!
Warm Regards
Aaiasa
Mainly good. Some niggles.
I find the app quite finicky to use. I was told I didn't need to book swimming or the gym and could just self check in, but now discover that I have to book and then can self check in. I don't like the fact that booking for a class only opens at 10pm, whereas the old system opened at 7:30am, which was much easier.
You have got to take your smartphone with you to scan in. I don't like taking it in with me when going swimming or to the gym, and used to leave it in the car
We still have issues where there are some shortages of instructor for aquafit and not enough morning aquafit sessions to satisfy demand. The sessions are also around an hour later than they were pre-pandemic, meaning that some people who used to attend can no longer attend before going to work, as it's too late.
Lovely staff. Need to add coat hooks in the accessible changing rooms. Raised a number of times with managers, but nothing done yet.
June 20, 2025
Reply from Better - Blaydon Leisure Centre
Good Morning E,
Thank you for your detailed feedback!
We appreciate you raising your concerns around our booking and self-check-in process, and we apologise for any misinformation you've received.
We always advise our customers to book in advance to avoid missing out on their preferred session timing, and this will include swimming slots.
For gym access, we are more lenient during off-peak times, but we'd still recommend booking before you attend.
We also apologise for any frustration caused by the 10 pm booking time and the need to bring a smartphone.
We also recognise that there may be issues with Aqua Aerobics availability and timing, and we’re more than happy to raise this, along with your other points, with the wider team for further investigation.
It’s great to hear your kind words about our staff.
Thank you again for your feedback!
Warm Regards,
Kaisha
Went swimming today
Went swimming today, staff and facilities were great, will definitely be going back
March 5, 2026
Reply from Better - Blaydon Leisure Centre
Hi David,
Thank you for your wonderful review!
We're so happy to hear that your recent swim session with us at Blaydon Leisure Centre was great.
It's amazing to know that you also appreciated our staff and facilities.
We're thrilled that you'll be coming back, and we can't wait to see you again!
Warm Regards,
Kaisha
Too difficult to book activities
It was impossible to book any classes as they were always full. Having to book a class one week in advance at 10pm was bad enough (very inconvenient) but to ty several times at 10pm and still not be able to book a class and not being able to book a fitness swim at the time I wanted to go meant there was no point in being a member as I was not interested in the gym alone (which was the only thing you didn't have to book). The online courses are also not convenient as you can only view on a mobile phone (not a computer or a smart TV) the screen is too small to be able to follow so this was no good either.
February 9, 2026
Reply from Better - Blaydon Leisure Centre
Hi Lesley,
Thank you for sharing your feedback with us!
We’re sorry to hear you’ve had difficulty booking classes and Swim Fitness sessions, and we apologise for any frustration this has caused.
Some Fitness Classes are in high demand, which can mean that our members miss out on their preferred bookings.
We also understand that our current release time may not suit everyone, and we're more than happy to review this and make changes where possible.
Thank you again for taking the time to share your experience!
Warm Regards,
Kaisha
Broken process
Since better took over, the gym going experience consists of getting an access code for the door from reception, which seems to be hit and miss often involving going back downstairs to ask for another code. Today neither codes I was given have worked. Do better, Better
February 11, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Better - Blaydon Leisure Centre
Hello Henry,
Thank you so much for sharing your comments and feedback with us!
We're really sorry to hear that you've been having trouble with the access code at the Blaydon Leisure Centre.
We've shared your feedback with the centre manager to take a closer look, as it sounds like this has been a recurring issue.
We truly appreciate your patience and apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Kind regards
Great Facilities and Fabulous Staff
Staff are an absolute credit to the organisation. Always welcoming and helpful.
Facilities always spotless
February 2, 2026
Reply from Better - Blaydon Leisure Centre
Hi,
Thank you so much for such wonderful feedback!
We’re incredibly proud to hear that you see our staff as a credit to the organisation.
We’ll be sure to share your kind words with the staff at our Blaydon Leisure Centre.
It’s also great to know that you find the facilities spotless.
We really appreciate you taking the time to leave a review and look forward to seeing you again soon!
Warm Regards,
Kaisha
Reply from Better - Blaydon Leisure Centre
Hello Jackie,
Thank you for your fantastic review!
We are so delighted to hear that our Customer Service Team were able to assist you.
We pride ourselves on providing excellent customer service and are happy that this has been reflected in the service you have received.
We have also passed on your comments to the agent who assisted you!
Warm Regards
Aaiasa
My local leisure centre has recently…
My local leisure centre has recently been transferred to Better and the are doing very well as far as my experience is concerned. The same staff works at the centre and they keep up the good work like before. The poolside and changing rooms are tidy, staff friendly and helpful. They offer really good value for money too.
January 8, 2026
Reply from Better - Blaydon Leisure Centre
Thank you for sharing your experience with us, Jakub.
We are very happy to hear you are having a great experience at Blaydon Leisure Centre.
Kind Regards
Weekend Opening
I have recently celebrated my 70th birthday and have been a regular user of Gateshead Council's gym facilities for nearly 50 years, mainly at Gateshead Stadium but over the last few years also using the Blaydon Leisure center gym, to take advantage of their later weekend opening hours that were no longer available at the stadium. We have all recently been informed, without consultation, that Blaydon gym will now close at 4pm on a weekend. This is disastrous for me as I have grandchildren and my time on a weekend with them is precious and I do not want to be training in the middle of the afternoon.
When the gyms were council run they were, for many years, ran as a service to the public and the opening hours reflected this. Since Better have taken over, the centers are now run in a way that suits Better and the thoughts and convenience of the public no longer matter.
For the first time in nearly 50 years I am having to reconsider where I am going to work out. This is a major thing in my life as I have many friends in the two gyms I use and I do not take this decision lightly.
Also, a little birdie has told me that my membership fee, which always covered the use of all gyms, will now increase if I want to use more than one gym.
Great customer care after 50 years.
Jack Rutherford
January 3, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Better - Blaydon Leisure Centre
Thank you for sharing your experience with us, Jack.
We would like to wish you a happy birthday!
Your feedback is really important to us, and we are happy to hear that you have been one of our customers for such a long time.
We hope we will make you appreciate your visits in the future.
Our opening times are decided locally and are based on the community's requests.
Kind Regards
Reply from Better - Blaydon Leisure Centre
Hi Mrs Ball,
Thank you for the great feedback!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the friendly, welcoming, staff at the Blaydon Leisure Centre, as well as the down-to-earth atmosphere.
It’s amazing to know that you felt right at home!
Warm Regards,
Kaisha
The Trustpilot Experience
Anyone can write a Trustpilot review. People who write reviews have ownership to edit or delete them at any time, and they’ll be displayed as long as an account is active.
We use dedicated people and clever technology to safeguard our platform. Find out how we combat fake reviews.
Learn about Trustpilot’s review process.
Here are 8 tips for writing great reviews.
Verification can help ensure real people are writing the reviews you read on Trustpilot.
Offering incentives for reviews or asking for them selectively can bias the TrustScore, which goes against our guidelines.