I've asked repeatedly for improvements to the overall cleanliness of the centre -- which at best is patchy, at worst, terrible. The showers are usually dirty, with hair stuck to side screens (even ve... See more
Company replied
Location
Switch location15 Ely Leisure Village, Downham Road, CB6 2SH Ely, 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
Hi I'm glad I joined - the staff are very recieving and other members polite. The one thing I would say - and that's why I didn't give full stars - is the way the showers work - I understand regarding... See more
Company replied
The "Hive" gym in Ely is a fantastic place! The staff are all very friendly & professional & the facilities are fantastic! I have also been to lots of the fitness classes which are very enjoyable & fu... See more
Company replied
I have recently joined Better and am really enjoying every visit. The staff are so welcoming and nothing is too much trouble. It's easy to book classes and swimming etc. I really love going t... 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
15 Ely Leisure Village, Downham Road, CB6 2SH, Ely, United Kingdom
4.2
Great
65 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.
Big cleanliness issues!
I've asked repeatedly for improvements to the overall cleanliness of the centre -- which at best is patchy, at worst, terrible. The showers are usually dirty, with hair stuck to side screens (even very first thing in the morning) and the dust levels on top of rails and lockers reveals a consistent lack of deep cleaning. Some aspects have been broken now for months and months -- the sound system and air con in the changing rooms (especially important in these heat waves!), the sound system in the pool, and general signs of maintainence defects. The whole place needs a good overhaul, and very deep clean. We pay hard earned money for use of the facilities, and are fed up with being constantly gaslit re things improving. The tidemark around the waterline in the pool is just one example of how bad things have become...
August 10, 2026
Reply from Better - The Hive Leisure Centre
Hi Samantha,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are sorry to hear that the cleanliness and maintenance standards at The Hive Leisure Centre have not met your expectations.
We understand your frustration regarding the condition of the showers, dust build-up, ongoing maintenance issues, and concerns about the pool environment. We also appreciate your comments regarding the changing room facilities, particularly during periods of warmer weather.
Providing a clean, safe and well-maintained environment for our customers is extremely important, and we are sorry that your experience has left you feeling disappointed. Your feedback has been noted and will be shared with the relevant teams for review.
Warm Regards,
Hazal
Always a great experience
Always a great experience, all the staff at my brand are personable and friendly
June 24, 2026
Reply from Better - The Hive Leisure Centre
Hi Lewis,
Thank you for your kind words!
We’re delighted to hear that you always have a great experience with us, and it’s especially lovely to know that our team makes such a positive impression with their friendly and personable approach.
We look forward to welcoming you again soon!
Warm Regards,
Kaisha
Reply from Better - The Hive Leisure Centre
Hi Ian,
Thank you for your wonderful review!
We're thrilled that you appreciate our facilities and the affordability of our activities at our Hive Leisure Centre.
We also really appreciate your 5-star award.
We hope to see you again soon!
Warm Regards,
Kaisha
Great experience
Great experience. Sam is very good teacher she teaches me swimming in very detailed manner and monitoring my every move and correct me .
May 7, 2026
After making a mistake with trying to…
After making a mistake with trying to book a day pass I contacted customer services about a refund. Nicole replied promptly with the refund.Fantastic customer services
April 16, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Better - The Hive Leisure Centre
Hi there,
Thank you for taking the time to share your great experience.
We’re really pleased to hear that Nicole was able to assist you quickly and resolve the issue with your refund.
Providing prompt and helpful customer service is very important to us, so it’s great to know we met your expectations on this occasion.
We hope to welcome you again soon!
Warm regards,
Azaria
Helpful friendly staff
Classes to suit all levels . Health wise classes particularly good . Lots of encouragement and help which makes it easy to keep going and have a regular exercise routine .
April 21, 2026
Reply from Better - The Hive Leisure Centre
Hi Mary,
Thanks for your lovely feedback!
We’re really pleased to hear you’re enjoying the variety of classes and Healthwise sessions.
It’s great that the support from the team is helping you stay consistent with your routine.
We really appreciate you taking the time to share this and look forward to seeing you at your next class!
Warm regards,
Azaria
Friendly staff and the place is close…
Friendly staff and the place is close to where I live and have everything that I need
April 21, 2026
Reply from Better - The Hive Leisure Centre
Hi Jose
Thanks for your review.
We are so pleased to hear that you are enjoying The Hive Leisure Centre and that the staff have been friendly.
Great to hear that the location is very convenient for you, too.
We hope you continue to enjoy your membership with Better.
Warm Regards
Rachel
Clean and modern facilities
Clean and modern facilities. Well sign posted within and plenty of lockers to store stuff.
April 17, 2026
Reply from Better - The Hive Leisure Centre
Hi Michael.
Thank you for your review.
We are very pleased to see that you are enjoying the facilities at The Hive Leisure Centre and that the centre is well sign posted!
We hope your experience continues!
Kind Regards
Amir
People can't actually use the facility as it is.
The classes I need for my therapy are always booked and near impossible to get in. The classes don't have
any distinction between expert and beginner. There is only one of each strength training equipment but too many cardio machines. To make the fitness center better I suggest breaking down the classes by experience level, offering more class by doing it that way, and replacing some of the cardio machines with strength training to make it more balanced.
April 21, 2026
Reply from Better - The Hive Leisure Centre
Hi James,
Thank you for your review!
We’re sorry to hear that you’ve been finding it difficult to access the classes you need, particularly as they are an important part of your therapy.
We apologise for any frustration caused by the popularity of these sessions amongst our Healthwise members.
Your suggestion around offering classes by experience level is really helpful, and we're more than happy to share your comments with the wider team to review this further.
We also appreciate your comments regarding the balance of equipment on the gym floor.
Thank you again for raising this with us!
Warm Regards,
Kaisha
My opinion
I love the staff there who are so nice and caring however, there are kids my age 13 who are constantly blocking off equipment and saying they are using it when they are actually on their phones and they were giving me and my dad weird looks which I found quite uncomfortable especially elderly.
January 14, 2026
Reply from Better - The Hive Leisure Centre
Hi Morgan
Thank you for your review.
It is great to see that the staff at The Hive Leisure Centre are providing a great service and creating a nice atmosphere.
We also appreciate your feedback regarding the rest of your experience, and we will pass your feedback on to the team at the centre.
We hope you and your dad can enjoy the facilities and reach your health and fitness goals with us!
Kind Regards
Amir
Having been GP referred I have found…
Having been GP referred I have found all aspects of the Hive in Ely excellent. Staff go above and beyond to make everything easy for a new user of the facilities. Thanks to Jack for planning my programme and recommending certain activities suitable for my condition and to Nash on reception.
January 6, 2026
Reply from Better - The Hive Leisure Centre
Hi Jayne,
Thank you so much for your kind review!
We’re delighted to hear that your experience at The Hive in Ely has been excellent, and that the staff have helped to make you feel supported as a new member.
We’ll be sure to pass on your thanks to Jack for planning your programme, and to Nash at reception.
Warm Regards,
Kaisha
Reply from Better - The Hive Leisure Centre
Hi Janice,
Thank you for your kind feedback!
We’re delighted to hear you find The Hive Leisure Centre clean and fresh.
We're also happy to know that the staff have been so helpful and motivating.
Warm Regards,
Kaisha
Reply from Better - The Hive Leisure Centre
Hello Gyuzel,
Thank you for your comments and feedback.
Kind Regards
All done with ease moving from one…
All done with ease moving from one class to another,staff can’t be more helpful (Jack) .
November 5, 2025
Reply from Better - The Hive Leisure Centre
Dear Jeremy,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts about our staff.
We genuinely appreciate your kind words and feedback. It’s always rewarding to hear that our team has made a positive impression on our guests. Your support motivates us to continue providing excellent service.
Warm regards,
Sara
Confusing, irritating company
Better has a way of making every interaction as complicated and unhelpful as possible. The website is terrible and has built in bugs which never go away despite persistent emails explaining the flaws. The booking process is cumbersome. The site map is as confusing as possible. There is no way of getting through to anyone at an actual centre; only national customer service emails. Local employees are enslaved to a tyrannical system which takes away all agency and turns them into automatons.
So many frustrations with them over the years it would take pages to describe them all.
Having said all that, they get two stars for having taught (albeit slowly and expensively) my children to swim.
October 25, 2025
Reply from Better - The Hive Leisure Centre
Hi Monica,
Thank you for taking the time to leave your review!
We're sorry to hear about your frustrations regarding our website, booking system, and our communication channels.
We always aim to make our customers journeys with us as smooth running as possible, so we appreciate the feedback you've provided.
We’re continually working to improve both our online systems and how we support our customers.
We're also happy to hear that you found our Swim School useful, despite the slow progress they made.
Thank you again for your feedback.
Warm Regards,
Kaisha
Reply from Better - The Hive Leisure Centre
Hi Phyllis
Thank you for your review.
It is great to see the staff at The Hive Leisure Centre receiving such wonderful feedback.
We will be sure to pass this on!
Kind Regards
Amir
Excellent start to swimming lessons for…
Excellent start to swimming lessons for my daughter (age 2). Teachers are kind, engaging, encouraging and well organised with a good variety of activities.
September 12, 2025
Reply from Better - The Hive Leisure Centre
Hi Lime
Thank you for your email.
We are very pleased to see that your daughter is enjoying her swimming lessons at The Hive Leisure Centre, and the instructors are creating great lessons for the attendees.
We hope your daughter reaches the skills and confidence she desires.
Kind Regards.
Amir
Reply from Better - The Hive Leisure Centre
Hi MC,
Thanks for your review.
We are so happy to hear that Steve at The Hive Leisure Centre have been so supportive!
Warm Regards
Hazal
The Hive Leisure Centre
The speed of joining.
The induction.
The flexibility of activities and ways to increase fitness
Warmth and general friendly atmosphere
August 26, 2025
Reply from Better - The Hive Leisure Centre
Hi Customer
Thank you for your review.
It is great to see that you have had a positive journey with Better so far, and you are enjoying the different activities available at The Hive Leisure Centre.
We hope your experience continues, and thank you for choosing Better.
Kind Regards
Amir
Don’t miss out on a life changing opportunity.
Friendly, encouraging staff. Excellent clean modern facilities. Wide range of activities available for all ages and abilities. Easy to book activities online.
September 3, 2025
Reply from Better - The Hive Leisure Centre
Hello Birmingham Flyer
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
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.