South Lake Leisure Centre in Craigavon

Gym - an accident waiting to happen. The leisure centre gym is a Health & Safety hazard!! It all started well whenever there was limits on the people that can use the gym, now it's absolutely packed - with children, nonetheless. Between 4pm - 18pm this gym is an after school club... teenagers hog on machines and snap picture while doing a rep every 10mins, teens congregate at the back where the weights are, and, are 10cm from other people doing their exercises, can't move, can't rep properly (due to fear of hitting someone) can't focus as I'm wary someone will eventually hit me. Today, 15 Mar 2022, there was 3 girls - aged 14-17, doing legs, they were constantly lifting and then dead dropping the weight resulting in such noise you thought you were inside a metalworking factory; the staff - one, yes ONE - was looking on unbothered. Cancelled my membership.

Great centre and staff. The restaurant is good with affordable dishes for all tastes

Far too many machines out of order and take ages to repair. Need more kettlebells for the amount of people who attend.

Looks great. I have only visited soft play area with grandkids will update later when i get to the gym and pool

Gym, swimming pool and outdoor sports. Possibility to rent bicycles and kayaks. A great place for the whole family.

It's always pretty busy - car park, facilities, cafe. Very.modern, and very nice - but very very busy.

Lovely big space for variety of activities. The biggest downside for me are the changing rooms in swimming area..it's a fish market there at kids lessons time..there's no separation between men , women or family rooms...everyone is just in that one big place , one cubicle might be a little child, next is a grown man and next a woman...it's crazy! At least in waves ( lurgan) there were separate rooms and showers for men , women and families!

Lots of things for all ages to do

Lovely new build and staff are lovely but the building just was not thought out well when being built. Brilliant when not to busy and u can actually swim

All new and large scale leisure center, best part is in the summer you can rent kayaks with your membership

Great new centre, friendly trainers, nice and clean - but the last two times I've rang up to organise table tennis the tables were never put out for me on arrival. The first time, when someone came to put it up, it was half hour into our time. The second time they never even showed up so we had to do it with the help of a kindly couple playing beside us. Also, the app could do with having more options for booking these things. Not just grouped as classes or lessons. You should be able to book a court and specify what you want to play on it and when if available. Also, it's rare anyone ever picks up the phone to allow me to book a court. This is the third time I've tried to ring to book in a couple of months and no answer. Update: Months later I've tried again to get through to reception. It's worse than ringing a doctor. Rings and rings for ten minutes at a time until I give up and try again - still no answer. Needs more staffing, or more efficient staff.

SLLC is the best public facility I have ever visited - anywhere. Something for everyone regardless of age or ability. And the icing on the cake is of course the guys and gals at Incredables cafe

Great centre with excellent range of activities and super staff

Visiting place from the centre opening. Mostly squash court.. Equipment is broken, even building (new building) is falling apart! Holes in walls, courts dirty. And seams that there is no one who cares or are responsible for all of it 🤷

Main pool is absolutely freezing had to take the three kids out after a few minutes

Ordinary swimming pools without any attractions

I’ve been a member since it opened and I have recently cancelled my membership. (Please also note you must cancel at least A WEEK before your payment comes out or else you’ll have to pay for another month). First of all the parking is atrocious - paying a monthly membership fee and not being able to park at the centre most nights is a bit of a joke. The gym itself is too busy and is filled with groups of teenagers standing about and messing around on the machines. The classes book up very quickly and are actually held in the gym itself so if you haven’t booked the class you will not be able to use many of the machines in the gym. The swimming pool has a long history of complaints about booking and problems with the pool. It is almost impossible to speak to anybody on the phone and yet the price of membership has gradually increased throughout the years.

Staff on reception always rude. Always talking to each other leaving you standing there. Tell you to book through the app instead of just helping you book it there and then.

Great leisure centre with fantastic facilities including a great cafe, unfortunately the parking leaves a lot to be desired, I regularly bring school groups here on buses but there is little to no facility for bus parking and constant parking on hatch markings make it almost impossible to manoeuvre around what bus parking there is.

Terrible communication. Emailed online form regarding info and induction tour as specified.....didn't receive any communication back. Emailed regarding membership after laspe and no communication back. Pathetic and plenty other establishments in the area are glad of the custom and treat members with respect so joined Flexion in Lurgan and they couldn't be better at responding and replying to emails. Customer service matters South Lake Leisure Centre!

Great gym. Lots of varying classes. Lovely cafe with good variety of meals and snacks.

Great place to spend a Sunday large cafe as you enter the front doors security gates to enter the sports hall where I was going to a Judo competition

Always too crowded and if your a newcomer to the gym then forget about it. Evenings times the place has to many members with waiting times for all the machines

Love coming here. They have lots of great programmes. And open late all week

For swimming I wouldn't recommend this place, you cannot book online and there's only around 25 spaces for the learner pool/kids pool. I arrived on time for the kids pool session at 11:30 and was told that all the spaces where already gone. While sitting and waiting in the cafe for the next session, people who where members and are able to scan their phones to get through the gates were just bringing their kids into the swimming pool with them, yet non members where bring told they had no spaces and weren't allowed in. They built this place and took down 3 pools around the surrounding towns and said this would be enough, 25 spaces in one pool in exchange for 3 pools. Absoluteybrilliant design.

Amazing facilities, pity it is always extremely full, you can never get on anything at the gym and the pool is always full with swimming lessons, the public get one or two lanes if they are lucky. The last two times I went for a swim I had to leave because there literally was no room. Why they closed three centers and opened one 'large' in place I will never understand.

Had a wonderful treatment here in the spa my daughter and j enjoyed all the facilities here

We went to the learner pool recently on a Sat morning. Very limited swimming times (11.30am-1 window) - fully booked at 11.25am before it even opened so we had to queue a while before getting in. There was no other option for young children at that time as the main pool is 2m deep therefore far too deep as most adults couldn't stand in it, nevermind support and hold up babies or young children. The learner pool is far too cold, so unfortunately, it is useless for babies who can't try moving more to keep warm. My 3 year old said she was cold immediately, clung to me and her lips chattered and went blue. The bottom of the learner pool is tied off for swim lessons. I wouldn't recommend this place anymore for swimming for young families (babies or toddlers). Pity. Needs more family swim times available, or adjust the main pool to be shallow in sections to accommodate younger families, and the water should be much warmer. The learner pool is generally very boring, and occasionally, there's extra out for kids to use (floats, tubes) but not consistently. I don't think we will be back again. Banbridge is better locally for toddlers, etc.

Out of my last 5 visits with my children i have managed to get in twice. The first was a techncal diffucutly in the learner pool and the other two were full to capacity. The pool is generally overcrowded and not built for purpose. I wont even bother anymore, I will travel to banbridge where you can use the facilities and avoid disappointed children. A major review needed. Who would have thought closing 3 centres and opening one wasnt going to work...

Anazing leisure centre and amazing lake.

I went for something to eat there. Amazing food, friendly staff.The whole environment was nice

Main halls floors were black with dirt and dust havin an activity barefoot was not nice, good gym pool hit and miss as when clubs in get evicted from lanes

Staff were extremely helpful and kind.

Is there any point in having a telephone number when no one answers the call any time I have called???? Shocking customer service!!

Good for pool, eating and chatting

Pools are awful, the entire place is far too overcrowded or taken up by classes/clubs. It's clearly not functional for the general public... why ABC closed all those pools to give us this mediocrity is beyond me

Extremely disappointed with the swimming pool if your looking a swim forget it as there is at least two swimming clubs in everyday which take ALL the lanes leaving approximately 1/8 of the pool for the public even Armagh and Banbridge clubs are using it even though there is a pool in each town/city you won't be told this at reception it's only when you pay and get changed you realise that there's a tiny area for the public in my opinion it's not a public swimming pool seems to me its for swimming clubs. Best to keep your £4.10 and buy a paddling pool more room in it.

Over crowded overrun with kids leisure attendants ignorant staff at counter need customer service training people throwing up at dead lifts the list goes on

Hard to get into classes gym is very busy

Always good for training the body and mind

I attend to do the aqua Fit they need to add many more classes and also to swim its great place unfortunately one down side is the lockers could do with be fixed and the machine to empty the water from your costumes is always broken

Enjoyed a excellent lunch at the cafe.

Gym equipment not repaired quick enough. Intermintent pool opening times. Good facility but could be a lot better.

Sloppy, amateurish, apathetic, unprofessional, dirty, just a sheer joke. From rude staff, to half hearted work from them, this is in no way a calming or comfortable place to be. Classic NI apathy.

No one answers the phone.. EVER!!

Excellent place for leisure and great for working body and mind

You can not even get a swim it is a joke

Been using the South Lake Gym for over a year I'll explain its positives and its negatives, Positives: Lots of cardio machines It's got alright music playing It's got the things you need for a gym Good for people who are starting off Negatives: Overcrowded (even off peak times) Some staff seem to be rude and unenthusiastic Gym equipment seems to always have one thing broken Not enough weightlifting equipment for the demand of people Bit expensive for what it is This gym is always a bit busy even when it's off peak, and it's at insane levels when it's at around New Years and Christmas time, some staff especially one who told me off for something that isn't really in the rules and came off as being rude and aprupt, there's always one piece of gym equipment seems to broken for some reason, My final opinion overcrowded and needs better planning.

I attended South Lake leisure centre on 20th June 2023 with a group of friends. The desk staff and Sean from the watersports section were amazing. They went about and beyond with our group. We had a great afternoon 👏👏👏

Lovely leisure centre unfit to serve the local community either booked out or closed due to unforeseen circumstances on a weekly basis etc

Pristine leisure centre. So many facilities available including squash, swimming pools, fully equipped gym, basketball and tennis courts. Lovely cafe with lunch and snack items and a good coffee. Service is quick and informative, access cards are easy to use. I highly recommend the spa, especially Sara if you’re looking for a professional back massage.

Very busy. Water Park with 🛝 just open for two days and specified time. Disappointed and not recommended.

Was up for The Ulster Masters Gala, fabulous facility and a well organised, enjoyable Gala.

The gym is not fit for purpose. It is simply not built for such high demand. There is no time of day where it isn't insanely busy. Makes working out stressful and annoying. Not worth the money.

Swimming lessons on most of the day. No fun for younger kids. Cascades was a far better pool there was classes on for babies and they had the slide in the baby pool for younger kids

Main reception ladies providing very poor customer service. Not interested in anything or anymore.

This place is only for schools.and they don't answer the phone.went the other day was told to wait till 3.30 for the kids to get into the pool.then were told 6,00 then we were told 8.00 won't be back

It’s OK. I've been using the gym for a couple of months and find that its is mostly over capacity, even at 6am. But you can usually work around and get a reasonable workout. The changing rooms need addressed though. They have never been clean.

Shambles of a place, the app for booking squash etc is always down, the cleanliness of the squash courts is shocking!They need to up their game as there is a new 24 hour gym opening in Rushmere so there could be a mass exodus of this place if they don't sort it out!

No enough 1-10's dumbbell station's, resistance bands. No gym chalk. Windows are dirty.

Gym well equipped, small and large swimming pool. Fitness classes. Perfect to keep the family healthy

Special Olympics day - exceptionally well run and a great day for all involved

Lovely place to go 4 swim with family

Visited the cafeteria. Great selection of food

Changing areas and overall cleanliness need reviewed quickly. For a new centre it's very disappointing, kids pool and slide facilities are extremely poor, when you consider what they could have duplicated from Lisburn and other new Belfast leisure centres, a missed opportunity.

Top gym equipment brand new and up to date stuff there cafe , cafe incredible was not to pricy and cost for 1 adult and 1 child is just 10 pound

Would not recommend this place at all. Expensive membership packages and no membership options just to use the health suite, have to then pre-book using an app, only get an hour and school swimming tends to mean it can be difficult using the pool as well.

What a place not big enough for the public around that area but very good and lovely place

Had coffee here yesterday. Nice one shot cappuccino. I asked specifically for this. Pretty busy. Good fayre in the cafe. But not cheap.

I go for the gym which is good, but seems to be a hang out for young kids who take up a lot of the equipment doing nothing and messing around.

its modern Leisure Centre but..... if you want to go to sauna or jacuzzi you have to be a member, but not only that, you pay your membership and if you want to use sauna or any H&F facilities you have to pay EXTRA £10.50, every month on top of your membership bill!!!!! And people that are not a members, they cannot use it, not even once. I found this so ridiculous and disgusted with this type of service!!! there is no place to go if you only want to relax in the sauna or jacuzzi once a month or whatever... you must be a member to go to these facilities, they don't do pay as you go... this is madness...... swimming classes are on all the time, no time for people to enjoy just swimming.

Great facilities but I paid in for a swim and there was clearly too many people using the lanes, so I couldn't get one! Queues to use each swimming lane

Cafe, good coffee and scones seems popular always a good crowd.

The kids love swimming here but opening times for the learner pool can be quite limited and often you need to wait to get into the pool if it's full. Changing facilities are good and staff are always helpful and friendly.

2 stars to friendly staff, very little amount of benches and space for free weights, very machine heavy gym, very difficult to get a time when it isn't packed and can be difficult to get a training session in without standing round waiting for equipment

I decided to try the facilities as I had used the ones it replaced. When I arrived I was told that I needed to have a membership at £15 per month and book in advance for the use of the health suite. This is supposed to be a public facility and for someone like me who travels a lot, booking in advance us just not possible and £15 per month would not be worth it. Extremely disappointed with the service from ABC Council.

Such a lovely new site and great staff

Considering cancelling my membership, full of children wearing tiktok pants, I looked away to see blokes in their early 20s drooling at them while reps, I saw one girl hopping on machines while a boy accompanied her, he was in a Lismore School uniform eating a Mars bar, just following her and talking to her, this happened around November time during school hours, showers is horrible, snot is on the cubical walls and doors, someone trimmed their Bush and left the hair on the ground. I'm still attending but I think I'll change gym after New Year. They need to ban children from the gym.

Sorry for the nice people who works there( there is some) . But stuff very unplite. Went with two kids and got in to verbal argument. After kid was told ,,out of the pool,, . so after argument , I have find out about maintenance. Why I wasn't told about it when buying tickets. All this could be avoided. If people care a bit or have some respect to others. Some people act like they own that place instead of be helpful.

Fantastic place and facilities. Great membership, clean and tidy facilities. Restaurant is excellent

It is terribly used, it is a spectacular building but the classes have terrible schedules and the gym at rush hour is very small, having an incredible empty space.

Best place for fitness and sport 👍👍👍👍

Not even 2 minutes after joining , my financéé and I are very aggressively spoken to by a member of staff and made her feel very uncomfortable while we were having a look around, hopefully the experience there will be better next time if I can get her to go back .

The fireworks were so amazing and spectacular, I loved the display the community showed, props to them! I may be going there again just to be bewildered at how amazing it was this year, so many colors and patterns, the finale was phenomenal, well done once again to them, I really recommend you going there for the firework show next year!

Great if you don't work. After 5.30pm the sheer volume of people at this place is ridiculous. Nevermind the part about not working, full of school children during the day too.

Wow...absolutely fantastic facility. From the amazing pool area to the unbelievable gym area...just outstanding.

Motorcycle parking bay always full of cars . Can people not read 🙄

Great place for a walk round the lakes. Good cafe in the leisure centre.

Another family weekend together. 🙂

Well run leisure centre. Staff have been helpful and friendly at every visit. It has become a real focal point for the whole community.

Love the place we are never out of the place

Great facility well trained staff very clean changing areas. Staff very aware of mobility issues and alert to all who are using the pool.

Excellent spot, but the parking is an issue as it took a few laps to get parked. Others drove around with nowhere to park.

Amazing building looks excellent with great facilities. The car park was an issue, it was difficult to park hardly any parking spaces left I had to drive around twice and there were lots of cars looking for places.

Very friendly staff, clean, modern and the most beautiful location. Attending a meeting and the food was plentiful and extremely fresh. This was the best food ever provided at a meeting I’ve attended. Cafe food looked gorgeous too. Kids out on canoes etc from school having fun. Highly recommend a trip here. Photos don’t do it justice as there was no time to walk about - another time…

Love it ..they would benefit from an atm on site.

This is a massive centre has every discipline in it from martial arts to fitness gyms and alot more 👏

Phone lines awful. Bad booking system

I love South Lake Leisure centre. I go to the gym here its so clean great staff to advise you especially Kevin. The swimming pool is fantastic and lots of friendly staff. I love the coffee area great area to socialise in. The staff at the cafe are so friendly especially Leah. HIGHLY RECOMMEND

Lovely meal good service and good company x