Sutton Council has asked leisure operator Everyone Active to review procedures at Westcroft Leisure Centre after multiple complaints about men washing their genitals in communal showers, with customers now being asked to keep swimming costumes on while showering.
The complaints, raised by Councillor Nick Mattey, concern the poolside communal shower area at the Carshalton facility, which has been in place since 2013. Users have described the design as “poor” and have called for segregation by gender to ensure privacy, particularly for women and children.
Complaints detail uncomfortable encounters
Cllr Mattey, of the Beddington Labour Co-op and Independent group, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that he had received several separate complaints about the showers. “You have people going in there facing women and children and giving their genitals a good washing,” he said.
He noted that some complaints came from mothers who attended the pool with their children. “Can you imagine you are taking a five-year-old kid in there and you have got some bloke with masses of lather?” he added.
The LDRS spoke to a Wallington mother, who asked not to be named, who learned to swim at Westcroft and now takes her children for family swims. She said: “There are often some elderly gentlemen there who pull their shorts down and wash their privates. It’s just about people feeling uncomfortable, and it’s not good for young people either.”
She acknowledged that some people used the showers for their “daily wash” due to the cost-of-living crisis and rising water bills, and that others wanted to rinse off chlorine after swimming. However, she argued that privacy should be an option, pointing to nearby Waddon Leisure Centre, where separate private showers are available. “That way you have the privacy and you’re not exposing yourself,” she said.
Council and operator respond
The mother, who said some friends had made similar complaints, believed the issue was one of “poor design” rather than individual behaviour. Cllr Mattey suggested a simple solution: “All they would need to do is put a dividing wall in there and then you have a dividing wall for men and for women. It’s well within their remit to do it. It’s not exactly rocket science.”
This week, Everyone Active informed members that Westcroft’s wet-side changing area would close for up to eight weeks while flooring is replaced. Swimming will continue as normal, but changing cubicles, showers and hairdryers will be unavailable during the works. The Wallington mother welcomed the investment but said the works also presented an opportunity to address the shower issue. “I get that it must cost a lot to maintain a swimming pool, but it would be good to look into that issue,” she said.
Sutton Council has confirmed it has asked Everyone Active to review its facility procedures to “ensure Sutton leisure centres are safe spaces for everyone”. Everyone Active Contract Manager Rebecca Eyles told the LDRS that the operator takes privacy and safety “extremely seriously”. She stated: “Customers are asked to keep swimming costumes on while showering. They are expected to behave in a considerate manner and inappropriate behaviour towards other customers or colleagues will not be tolerated. Anyone with concerns around this is encouraged to speak to our colleagues.”
Eyles added that the wet-side changing village includes communal showers and an individual accessible shower within the accessible changing room, and that colleagues regularly monitor the area, with increased staffing during peak periods. “We will continue to monitor use of the changing facilities, ensuring they remain welcoming and comfortable for everyone,” she said.
A Sutton Council spokesperson said it “takes concerns about privacy and safety extremely seriously” and added: “Inappropriate behaviour towards other customers or colleagues will not be tolerated.” The review follows the council’s request, and the operator has committed to ongoing monitoring of the changing facilities.
