| Where are you Located? |
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| We can be found at: 14 Brassey Parade Hampden Park Eastbourne BN22 9NG It's next door to the Tesco, close to Hampden Park train station. |
| What are your opening Hours? |
| Opening hours vary every day. Best to look directly at our booking system on www.bluelagooncentres.com. If the date and time you prefer isn't currently open, please get in contact to let us know. |
| What are your pool chemicals? |
| Our pools run Chlorine to keep them safe. We run the very latest technology that computer controls both the chlorine level and the pH. This means that chlorine is micro-dosed during the day to demand rather than a large amount being dumped in. |
| Do you have a Hoist? |
| I’m afraid we don't have a hoist. We are currently researching if we can get a grant to install one. The rest of the centre is very disabled friendly with wide corridors, gentle ramps, disabled toilets and disabled reception desk. We welcome people with many disabilities, but those unable to go up and down the pool steps without a hoist will not be able to use the pools currently. If you are uncertain please get in contact with us and we can arrange a one to one appraisal of suitability for you. |
| Can I swim with jewlery? |
| We won’t stop you, but you should be aware that chlorine can accelerate tarnishing of metals. Some are more prone to it than others. For example Pandora specifically recommend against swimming with any of their products. Blue lagoon does not accept any liability should you choose to swim with jewelery. |
| Help! I haven't answered my question! |
| Drop us a line to info@bluelagooncentres.com and we'll do our best to answer your question as quickly as possible. We usually reply within a couple of hours. |
| How do I reset my Password |
| If you already have an account with us (Perhaps if you swam here before!) and you don't know the password, you can reset it. On the LOGIN box there's a link called RESET PASSWORD at the bottom. Press this, and the system will email you a link to allow you to set up a new password. |
| Can I pay by Bank Transfer? |
| I'm afraid we don't accept payment by BACS (Bank Transfer) - only by Direct Debit, or Credit Card. This is because of the high workload that BACS payments cause in having to reconcile bank statements, often with payments unclear where they came from. We want to secure your place onto a booking, and we can only do that if you pay through a method we can instantly recognise - and that's why we've chosen Direct Debit with GoCardless as our preferred method. |
| Who do I set the account up for? |
| We don’t mind who’s account name you use, but it should match the name of the account used to make the payment. You can use one account to book tor you, partner, family, friends. If you have children, one account in the adults name should be used for the children. If you book swimming lessons for them, you will set them up as “swimmers” under your adult account. |
| Is it safe to swim whilst pregnant |
| Yes! Our water is 34 degrees or less, which is fine for when you are pregnant, any time during the pregnancy. Of course, if you start to feel too hot you should exit the water. We also don't recommend you exercise heavily in this temperature water. |
| Where can I park? |
| There’s plenty of parking available around, on the street and in the car park behind the centre. |
| Using My Account |
| The MY ACCOUNT section of our website is great - it shows all the courses you are subscribed to, along with every detail you need, including: -The exact time and date of each lesson -The payment schedule with due dates and amounts -Photo session booking It also allows you to cancel any bookings you can't make and book makeup classes. |
| Chicken Pox |
| Chickenpox is most infectious from one to two days before the rash starts, until all the blisters have crusted over (usually five to six days after the start of the rash). Once the blisters of the chickenpox rash have dried out and crusted over, there should be no risk of the infection being passed on to someone else. However... It takes between 7 and 21 days (most commonly 10-14 days) to develop symptoms after catching the virus (the incubation period). Chickenpox is a highly contagious virus, and while it is primarily spread through the air, it can be contracted through physical contact and water. While the chlorine in swimming pools kills bacteria, it does not kill viruses like chickenpox. Furthermore, the chickenpox virus is very easily contracted through the respiratory tract in indoor or outdoor pool areas where children eat, drink and play. Therefore, children or adults infected with the chickenpox virus should not swim in public swimming areas, including swimming pools, hot tubs, or water parks, until all blisters have healed. It is preferred that all scabs have fallen off before recommencing swimming as it is not pleasant to swim in water containing someone else’s floating debris! |
| How do I add myself to a waiting list? |
| You can now manage your own waiting list entry. Login to the website and go to BOOKINGS / WAITING LIST. Here you can specify exactly what you are looking for, and the system will automatically email you. |
| How do Direct Debits Work |
| Direct debits will try to establish a fortnightly schedule, always paying 2 weeks ahead of each lesson starting. When you first sign up - things might not quite be lined up immediately, especially if you join the course late. This can result in 2 payments coming out quickly, sometimes even on the same day. For example, if you join up on the first day of term, you will immediately need to make 2 payments - which will then cover the first four weeks worth of lessons. This is because the first payment was due 2 weeks ago... and the second is due now. Once the first payment is out of the way, it will settle down to standard payments every 2 weeks. |
| Can I have a refund? |
| Sadly if you have booked into one of our Non Refundable sessions we are unfortunately unable to offer a refund or credit for any reason as per the terms. We do try and make this very clear when making the booking in both the grey terms and conditions box and the green confirmation box where you press make final booking. We understand that sometimes you may have to cancel for an unavoidable reason and as such we do offer FREE cancellation to our club members which we would recommend for future bookings. Club membership starts from just £9.99pm and not only gives you at least 25% off your swim, but also discounts on Private Hire and in our coffee shop. You also get increased availability and you can make changes to your booking subject to suitable periods per Club level. In this circumstance, if you were able to purchase a subscription, we would be happy to retrospectively cancel the booking and credit your account. You can then use your subscription to make future bookings at a reduced rate and use your credit towards these bookings. |
| Can Baby swim before Immunisations? |
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| Yes! This is an 'old wives tale'. Babies can swim before immunisations. To read the NHS guidance Click here |
| Does my baby need special nappies? |
| Yes, You will need two special nappies. The first is a swim nappy - you need these because a normal nappy will swell up in water. Most people use Huggie's little swimmers which are available in most places. Secondly you need a neoprene over nappy, this will stop the nappy leaking if an accident happens. Google "swim nappies neoprene" to see some examples. We do have a large stock of these at our centre ! |
| At what age can my baby start swimming? |
| You can start anytime from birth, infact the youngest we have taught was just 2 days old ! There is no need for immunisations as recommended by the NHS Immunisations web site, but the average age mummies and daddies to swim is between 10 and 12 weeks. This is a great time to start as being in warm water is very natural for your little one. |
| How long do I have to wait to swim after diarrhea? |
| As our water is very warm we have to take steps to keep it safe for all swimming. this means if you or your little one have had a bout of diarrhea we request that you do not attend classes or sessions for two weeks. For our baby swimming classes we obviously don't want you to miss out so simply let us know you wont be attending in advance and you can have a free make up class. |
| My baby is not enjoying it. What can I do? |
| It's very rare that a baby doesn't enjoy swimming, but if they are unhappy this can be for a variety of reasons,. We'll always work with you and your baby to get baby back to loving the water but its worth while mentioning that for some babies they may be unhappy for a few weeks until it becomes familiar. In this case we recommend some confidence classes, more fun bath time activities or you just taking baby swimming on their own outside of class which will really help to build babies confidence. If you are at all concerned please do speak with your teacher who is there to help. |
| When do Levels Move Up |
| For Baby Swimming as a general rule, you will move up a level each 6 week course - so Baby Swimming Level 1 becomes Level 2, etc. However, at this level there is not an enormous difference - and children can stay one or two levels higher or lower without it causing any issue to them. Once you progress to STAnley courses, these are more formal and children must achieve goals in order to move up. The teacher will decide when this happens - it could be mid-course, or it could be when the course moves into the next term. In some cases most of the children in a class are ready to go up, but one or two are not. The teacher will try to accommodate this as best they can, but sometimes you will be asked to change course to something more suitable, which will mean you changing your day and/or time. Sometimes, due to low numbers in classes, a day and time cannot follow the same rules and we'll need to alter it to ensure more people join the class. For example, if we had a Level 8 and a Level 10, we might merge these. |
| Can I Book a Swimming Lesson |
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| We offer swimming courses for baby swimming, and swimming lessons for school children to adults. Go to our website and 'Book' to see availability and book online. Meanwhile if you'd like to just come and have a swim, or rent the whole pool for yourself, you can do so from this website. |
| Do you offer 1:1 lessons for Autistic Children? |
| Yes we do. You will need to private hire one of our pools, and we can then arrange a teacher for you. Private hire price can be found on the price list. We are able to put you in contact with a teacher who has specialist skills in teaching children with autism and their rate is £30 per half hour. These sessions can be shared with a sibling or friend. |
| Do I need to be in the pool with my child? |
| For the baby swimming classes from birth to starting school - YES, one parent must always be present with their young child. For the child lessons older than this - If they are self-sufficient they can swim on their own. If you're not sure, the parent should be in the class at first until the swimming teacher confirms they are OK on their own. Only one adult is allowed per child. |
| Do I need to bring anything to a swimming lesson? |
| No, it's the same as a normal swim. Any teaching equipment will be provided by the teacher. Consider goggles (Only for children old enough to wear them happily). |
| Can I carry over my make up class to next term? |
| We realise that from time to time you will need to miss your class. This can be for a variety of reasons, therefore we do offer free make up classes. In order to qualify for make up classes you need to have an active membership. This means you need to be assigned to a course in order to organise a make up class. In this case we would happily carry over any make up classes into the next term however these need to be taken within 6 weeks of your missed class. If you are not signing up to future terms, unfortunately your membership benefits will expire and you will loose any unused make ups. |
| Membership Benefits |
| In order to join a swimming class you will need to be a member. This means you need to pay a £15 sign up fee to register onto a course with us. Membership fees are waived if you sign up for future classes so you will only need to pay for this once, however of you do not sign up to future terms or miss a payment plan scheduled payment your membership will lapse and you will need to pay your membership fee again to sign up to a course. An active membership includes : * You get 10% off food and drinks in our coffee shop * You can organise free make up classes and carry them over to the next term * You get 10% off all of our products at Blue Lagoon * You get 10% off Open Swim sessions to practice the skills you have learnt in class. |
| How many people are in a swimming class? |
| We book to a maximum of 7 in a swimming class. We do hold a 8th place for any make up people, but from experience classes often run with much less that this number. |
| How do your photography sessions work? |
| Our unique photography sessions occur each term and as an active member you will be able to book an underwater photography session completely independently of your class. These sessions last 30 mins and will have both a teacher and photographer present. They will guide you through the process in order to get the best shots possible. Preview Images will be available to view with in 5 working days. If you choose to order images, we will send these to our Lab and this can take an additional 10 working days. We will release different dates and times during the term as they fill up, with the full schedule expected to be available in the middle of the term 3 weeks in. Sessions will almost always be in the afternoon, as normal lessons tend to run in mornings. |
| Do you have any other days or times available? |
| If you would like to change your date and time, you can do so for free. Just log into your account and choose change day/time and we'll let you know whats available. During sign up weeks things tend to change quite a lot so keep checking back as other slots may become available. You can also request to be notified if a space in a class becomes available. |
| Im missing a session, what can I do? |
| For our baby swimming classes we understand that you may miss a class from time to time. With this in mind if you miss a session we offer free make up classes if you notify us up to 1 hour in advance. All you need to do is log into the website and go to "MY ACCOUNT". From here choose the session you will be missing (And click Cancel!). Once this is cancelled, a new link 'RE-BOOK' will appear next to that class. You can use this to book a replacement lesson or just an open swim. Please note you need to have an active membership in order to get a free make up class so if you are not signing up to the next level we cannot carry over to following terms, therefore please ensure you take your make up class during your existing term. Even with a membership you can only carry over make-ups one term and no further. |
| How does the payment schedule work? |
| It is designed so you pay 2 weeks at a time, 2 weeks in advance. Your first instalment secures your booking, and the deadline for this is 2 weeks before the first day of the term. Two further instalments follow at 2 weekly intervals after that. Alternatively - you can choose to pay up front the entire amount. Or, you can make payments early as the plan progresses. |
| How do Sibling Discounts Work? |
| Once you've signed up your first child at full price, and paid, you will then receive the sibling discount when you sign up your second child - it's automatically applied to the course price for you. |
| Private Lessons |
| We now offer private one-to-one lessons. These do have to be arranged over email so we can find a time slot to suit. The lessons will always need to be at a time that works for the teacher, which typically means it will be in a spare space in our diary - almost always at the end of a block of lessons. We have two separate prices which reflect the type of lesson you need. "Standard" Lessons are £60 per half hour, and will run our normal standard syllabus. "Special/Custom" lessons are £80 per half hour and are customised. This price applies if you request a specific teacher, or the teacher needs special additional training in order to run the lesson. If you are in any doubt about which level you need please email us with full details about the child or children who will take part in the class. You can share the class between 2 children as long as they are at the same syllabus level as each other. If they are at different levels, then it would be better to keep them separate, or if you do need them together then you will need to upgrade to the special/custom class which is a higher price. For private lessons, the 1 hour notice does not apply and instead we require 24 hours notice for a cancellation. This is inline with the fact you are 'private hiring' the pool for this time, and we need a chance to allow someone else to book it. |
| Cancellation |
| If you cancel the course, your membership will end. Any future unused lessons will be credited back to your Blue Lagoon account at the standard rate (i.e. their share of the course price). This credit can be used to spend on anything at the centre, but it is not refundable. It will expire at 90 days if not used. Direct Debits that have not been submitted to the bank yet will be cancelled, however because the Direct Debit System is so slow there could be payment(s) that have already been submitted but have not yet left your bank. We have no control over these and cannot stop them. These will be added to your Blue Lagoon account as credit to spend on anything at the centre - but it does expire if not used in 90 days. Any cancelled classes ("Make ups") from the past that have not been used as make-ups will be lost, they cannot be used once the course is cancelled. Any make-ups that you have already booked for the future will also be lost. Having cancelled the course, if you then re-join you will need to pay the membership fee to rejoin once again. If you keep your courses going, this fee is waived. TO CANCEL - go to My account, and look at the section showing your current course. In here, is a link "Cancel Whole Course". Click this, and the screen will walk you through the process. |
| Can I Pause the Course? |
| I’m afraid that we don’t have a ‘Pause’ option as such. If you need to take a break from lessons - whatever the reason, holiday, medical etc - you have a few options. 1. Just stay as a member. This is easiest, and any lessons that you miss need to be cancelled individually on the ‘my account’ page. Those lessons can then be used as ‘make up’ lessons when you return. Remember that these cannot be used as a substitute for your main lessons, so it means you will use these by swimming twice a week when you return. 2. Cancel your course. This will credit back any lessons you haven’t used and that credit can be used with a future booking. The only downside here is that someone else will be able to book your space. We’ll always have space somewhere in the diary to book you back in, but it might not be the exact day/time/level that you had before. If you cancel and then book back into the future, you’ll have to pay a membership fee again, unless you can provide medical evidence of why you had to take a break. You can cancel the whole course from ‘my account’ on the link ‘cancel whole course’ We are occasionally asked if we can hold your space open without you paying each week - sadly we cannot do this, we need to give the space to someone else if you are not able to swim. |
| How do I change course Day, Time or Level? |
| If you login to the website and go to 'My Account' you should see the course(s) you have joined. You will find a button 'Change Level, Day or Time'. Clicking this will show a list of all our courses and allow you to change to a different one in a single click. |
| Can I pay my Direct Debits early? |
| If you wish to pay your course all in one go, or just more than one payment at once, you can do this as follows: First, login to the website and go to the Direct Debits page. On here you will see all future direct debits with their dates and amounts. You can click 'PAY NOW' next to any that you would like to bring forward and pay immediately. Before you do this, be careful to make sure you are ready to make the replacement payment immediately - if you leave an outstanding balance on your account the system will automatically cancel the whole course after a few hours. One you have flagged one or more payments to pay now, your account will clearly state how much you owe. You now have two options. Either you can schedule a single direct debit payment to cover the entire amount (and this will take 3-7 days to leave your account) or you can pay by credit/debit card on the “make payment” screen. |
| Making Payments on Time |
| We have designed our pricing model to be easier to pay by creating the instalments system, this means that only one small payment is needed to guarantee your booking, and Further payments then come out as the course progresses. The first payment that guarantees your booking is due 2 weeks before the term starts. If you cannot make your first payment deadline, I’m afraid we cannot guarantee your space, and it’s possible someone else might jump in and book. If your day and time is a popular and a busy one this is obviously more likely than if your class is at a slightly quieter time. Your membership status requires that you remain signed up to courses continuously. If you drop off and need to rejoin you will need to pay the £15 membership fee to sign up again. If you miss any of the payments mid course, we will send an email to remind you and chase this up. If it still goes unpaid after 5 days, you will be removed from the course. This is why it’s best to sign up for the direct debit scheme, so that payments cannot be forgotten. If you prefer to pay earlier and up front because you have just been paid, you can do this too. |
| How to I search for classes? |
| If you go to the Blue Lagoon website and click 'Find a Session', and 'Swim School' you will be able to search for all the classes we have available, and book into the one of your choice. Once booked in, you can freely change between classes, days, times and levels as you wish (subject to availability) Alternatively try this link: https://www.bluelagooncentres.com/coursenew |
| Which Make Up Classes Can I Book Into? |
| We only allow one person to book into each future class as a make up. 36 hours before the date of the class it will then allow more people to book in, as long as it’s under the maximum capacity. So: if you can’t find the class you want now, there’s a chance it will become available at very short notice. The other option you have is to book into a class of a different level. Dropping back a level or three won’t do any harm, and even going to a higher level or two could give you a taste of what’s to come for your course. |
| Am I guaranteed the same teacher? |
| We do try to keep your teacher consistent throughout the course, but of course teachers need holidays and can be off sick too. When this happens we'll substitute one of our other fantastic teachers in their place. You'll always get someone with the same training and the same qualifications. |
| How do I find out about availability and book? |
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| You can use the website to search for available sessions, and then make a booking. Go to https://www.bluelagooncentres.com and go to "Find a Session" or "Book". You choose the type of session you want, and you can then choose a date and time to book. In order to do this, you'll need to create an account and sign in. Once you've got an account you can use the 'My Account' page to look at bookings, cancel them, and rebook them. We cannot make any bookings for you over the phone or email. if you can't make your booking online your only option is to visit the centre where one of our receptionists will do it for you. All bookings must be paid for at the time of booking. |
| How many Children can I Bring? |
| This depends on how well they can swim and their ages. All but one need to be able to confidently swim ten meters unaided by people or floats. This is so that you can hold one child and the others must be safe. You are only allowed a maximum of 2 under ten year old children per supervising adult, regardless of how well they can swim. For example if you have three children aged 1,6 and 10 - and the two older kids can swim confidently, you can bring all three. Please be aware that we don't have a lifeguard. Our sessions are small - it's possible you might be completely alone in the pool, so you need to be totally confident you can take care of your children on your own. For Groups, again this depends if the children can swim 10 meters unaided by floats. - If they cannot, ratio is 1 Adult to 1 Child - If they can, ratio is 1 Adult to between 3 and 5 Children (a max of 2 if they are under 10) Note that adults must be in the water to count in this ratio. |
| Can i bring Spectators? |
| Yes, although please be aware that it’s very hot in the pool room and it is standing space only. |
| Can I just turn up without Booking? |
| Yes... but ... Using our website you can make a booking for same day, as little as 15 minutes before the session. The benefit of doing this is that you know exactly what time you'll get in the water, and know it's available. Because we run very specific sessions, there may be times when you are not allowed in - for example if we've got an Adults only session running and you want to bring kids. It's therefore always best to book online, even if it's just before you leave home to visit us. However - you're more than welcome to just turn up, and our receptionist will look for the next suitable session and book you onto it. They'll do exactly the same as you would do yourself through the website. If you don't want to pay online using a credit/debit card and would rather pay cash or in store, you can still book online - you need to do so within the hour. We will hold a booking for you for up to one hour, and you can pop in and pay for it. |
| I need to Cancel or Move my Session |
| You can do so on the website. Once logged in, visit Here |
| How long is a session? |
| A normal session is 30 minutes. This is the recommended time in toasty warm 34 degree water. |
| Can I swim for longer than 30 minutes |
| Yes! Our diary is arranged into 30 minute sessions, but there's no reason you can't attend two in a row. If you're a member you can do this as a part of your membership at no extra cost. The toasty 34 degree water means you can overhead and dehydrate if you stay in a long time, so if you are staying for a double session we strongly recommend drinking plenty of water during and after the session. Always follow medical advice if you are concerned. |
| Can I book a Birthday Party? |
| We love birthday parties at the Blue Lagoon Centre! Read all about our parties Here |
| How much is a carer for a disabled person? |
| If the disabled person is an adult, they pay the disabled price and then one carer is free. If the person is a child of any age, then the carer can use the disabled rate for themselves and then the extra child price for the disabled child. Additional carers can be added at the disabled rate. |
| Can I swim without an Adult |
| Unfortunately due to our insurance requirements, children cannot swim without an adult present in the pool with them, regardless of age or competency. |
| I need to rearrange a swim (Less than 24 hours notice) |
| Unfortunately if you've given us less than 24 hours notice we can't rearrange your swim. This is because you've booked into a time and used up a slot that is now very unlikely to be sold to someone else. |
| What age do we consider a BABY versus a CHILD |
| We draw the line at 30 months - that's 2 and a half years. However, sometimes a bit younger might more more appropriate - it depends on your child. Parent and Baby sessions need to be calm with the baby under the direct control of the parent at all times. Having a child swimming around, and away from their parent is inappropriate and could upset other parents with young babies. |
| Do I have to be a member to swim? |
| No, you don't have to be a member. All our swims are simply pay as you go. |
| What time is Quietest? |
| It's extremely variable so it's difficult to give you a guide on when is quietest. Generally speaking afternoons are quieter than mornings. If you absolutely want the pool to yourself, why not consider a private hire? |
| Birthday Parties |
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| We don't offer birthday parties as such, but you are welcome to hire one, or two, pools at once. Please make sure you have a maximum capacity of 10 - and babies (under 2) count as a third. So you are, for example, allowed 7 adults and 7 babies. Children MUST be supervised by adults IN the water. For each child that cannot swim 10 meters unaided, they must have a dedicated adult. For children that can swim, one adult can supervise up to 5 children as long as they are not supervising a non-swimmer at the same time. Bookings are available 14 days before the party. Simply remind yourself to come online and book it at that time. There will always be space - the pools never book fully up 14 days before - most bookings don't come in until only a few days before. |
| How many people in the pool |
| We're asked all the time how many people are allowed in a private hire session. Our capacity is 10 - and babies (under 2) count as a third. So you are, for example, allowed 7 adults and 7 babies. Children MUST be supervised by adults IN the water. For each child that cannot swim 10 meters unaided, they must have a dedicated adult. For children that can swim, one adult can supervise up to 5 children as long as they are not supervising a non-swimmer at the same time. |