Washrooms and changing areas at leisure centres and gyms must be robust and easy to maintain since these are high traffic areas which get busy at peak times.
Health and safety is paramount, and hygiene is high up the priority list for such venues. The state of washrooms and changing rooms can make all the difference to whether visitors return, and with review sites like Trip Advisor, a bad review can be costly to business reputations.
We’ve highlighted the key factors you should consider when building or redesigning leisure centre washrooms to make sure you get the optimum combination of function and form that will keep your visitors coming back again and again.
Design and layout
Firstly, you must consider the layout to make the experience a positive one for your visitors. All wet changing areas should be based near the swimming pool, whilst dry changing areas should be separate for gym users. Strong and secure lockers should naturally be positioned near to the facilities for ease of use, and benches and chairs should be fitted in changing areas.
It is recommended that there should be two toilet areas as well – one for swimming pool users and one for gym users. Consideration should also be given to the design of the cubicles and locker doors to fit in with the centres’ aesthetics. Our team recently completed a project at Henley Leisure Centre and we used bold yellows, greens and grey to complement the style of the venue and brighten up the area. You can read more about this project here.
Robust materials are a must
You must also consider the durability of not only your cubicles, but also your fixtures and fittings, and sanitary ware – remember that leisure facilities can now be in operation up to 24 hours a day so they need to robust and of high quality to withstand heavy use or vandalism. When we worked on a recent project at Dicot Leisure Centre, we ensured that only the most robust materials were used that were waterproof and vandal proof.
Advice and industry standards
Our highly qualified team would be happy to advise you on your next washrooms project as we have vast experience in the leisure sector and last year alone, we refurbished over 200 washrooms. Simply get in touch on 01707 254170 today.
And for more information around best practice design and planning for sport and leisure centres, you can go to the official Sports England website – the leading authority in the UK.