Getting a bit bored with moaning about the pools but here we go.
Tonight my other half and I fancied going for a swim, we checked the online timetable and it appeared that although one lane in the large pool was being used for lessons the rest were all open for general swimming.
We went along (this was about 6pm) but upon glancing through the windows at the pool it appeared that only the wide general swim area was open to the general public with the remaining three lanes closed for lessons. As he is a serious lane swimmer he gave up and went home, as last week when the same thing happened he found it impossible to do a serious length without colliding with someone. As a new swimmer I decided to carry on regardless and paid my £3.50 (Im not a member he is). The general swim area was like hell on earth, dive-bombing and splashing kids, people just standing and talking in the pool, etc etc etc.
I stuck it out for 20mins and then gave up, there were a few other people trying to do lengths in the general swim area and finding it just as impossible. The timetable is really hard to decipher as to how many lanes are out of action at any given time, you look-see 'general swim' 6-9pm great! Then scroll further and realise that this seems to mean only the wide lane with no other lanes available for fast or slow swimmers.
I would suggest that general swim is renamed 'general splash' cos there is very little swimming going on, and not for the first time I suggest that from 7.30-10pm we have adults only with a wide lane for slow swimmers and another lane for serious faster swimmers.
It seems there are only about two evenings a week where there is open lane swimming in the pool. which is a bit rubbish really for those of us who work.