Dawlish Discussion

Has anyone else noticed a distinct lack of customer service at Dawlish Leisure Centre or is it just me?  I've been going there for many years with my children and the bad attitude displayed by the staff and manager, in particular, is getting worse.  Are they trying to get themselves shut down?!  You do wonder why people work with the general public when they obviously can't stand them.  I'm not sure what the problem is as I've very rarely seen anyone being at all rude to them.  Just standing there waiting to be served can incite an eye roll or tut.  You are lucky if they can break out of conversation to serve you.

I also notice the TDC cards will no longer be around from April too, you will now only get a discount if you are in receipt of benefits. 

And, no, I probably won't make a formal complaint as I go there on a regular basis and they know my name.

Rant over!  And breathe.

I agree, the customer service is awful there. They always keep you waiting for ages to get served and it is frustrating and irritating. 

The last time I went there, the lady behind the counter was on the phone to someone for quite some time when eventually another member of staff turned up. However, he just looked around and then walked off.

Yes, I'm still around miss me. The problem i find is that the British public will always complain amongst themselves, but don't say anything for fear of offending someone. Speak up let people in service postitions know how you feel. Believe me I do and don't give a rats arse what they think.

I filled in a feedback form to no avail. If this was a privately run place it wouldn't happen.

Isn't the leisure centre on TDC's list of assets it wants to be rid of?  If it does go private I imagine there will be a few changes.

The biggest change will be the building of more houses in its place, public facilities are no longer on the agenda as they cost to much to run. Dont forget that Tesco wont be far behind either

Well yes FB I guess that if the Leisure Centre does gets sold off to the private sector and then the private finds there's no profit to be made, then I guess they will be looking to sell it on to whoever is interested in buying it with whatever they may have in mind to do with it.  As with everything, once something in the public sector gets sold into the private sector anything can happen - subject to planning regs of course.

All the more reason then why the playing fields at Sandy lane need to stay in public ownership.  

@Lynne you know as well as i do how these things are dealt with at TDC. everything will be decided behind closed doors and the general public will only be informed when someone like millwoods or our mate Gerald from shutterton park submit a planning appliction. by that time its to late to do anything about it.

Oh I agree entirely that those  public 'consultations' for major planning applications are a joke. As you say, by the time these things go public for 'consultation' the dye has already been cast. Very difficult to do anything about such planning apps. if the land in question is in private ownership.

However. the public can still have a bit of clout if the land concerned is in public ownership. How many times already have the playing fields at Sandy Lane been saved from development? I know of two - one since I've been living here and that was the Tesco planning app. to build a store there in 2007/8 and then another back in 2002 or so. Something to do with a Sainsbury's being located right on the top of the fields where that lovely view is? Along with some housing as well I believe. Wasn't it the case that the 2002 proposals caused DARE to be formed?       

The Lido is already undergoing consultations with community groups being asked to submit proposals to run it.  Will they get rid of the Leisure Centre too?  

I don't think the Leisure Centre do enough to promote itself in the community.  Getting rid of the cafe completely was such a stupid idea.  It's now difficult to host any competitions where people have to travel.  Perhaps a change of management with someone a bit more dynamic would help?  It so reminds me of the Brittas Empire up there.

Just come back from taking the dog for a walk on the playing fields. Doesn't take a lot of imagination to see that the size of the leisure centre footprint plus its carparking area might do very nicely for a supermarket site. Not saying that is what will happen of course rather just pointing out the possibility. After all it would be situated very near to a lot of new housing development ...............       

There isn't the need for more supermarkets, Sainsburys is hardly overrun.  Tescos has already tried it once already and failed.  The last thing we need is to completely remove any soak away for flood water from the area.

And another thing:

When I was out with the dog this morning (when we had a cloudless clear blue sky and the sun was shining, unlike now when it's pouring again) I walked along that ridge at the top of the playing fields and it struck me, and not for the first time, that some of the houses being built on the new estate, although facing in a southerly direction, were hardly getting any sun. This is because -  1. they have been built very near where there is a slope on the playing fields and 2. because in addition to being in the playing fields lee they also have tall trees in front of them. These trees, on the playing field side, form the boundary between these new houses and the playing fields.

My point is this. These houses, even though they face south get little benefit from it in the winter because the sun is so low in the sky and the slope on the playing fields helps block what little light they might get. Also however, and this is the more important thing I think, these houses also have sun blocked from them by the trees that I mention above. If these houses get little enough light now I suspect that in the summer when the trees are in full leaf, and even though the sun will be higher in the southern sky, they will get even less light.

So how long I wonder before someone who moves into these new houses requests that the trees be cut back/cut down?

Note that the trees were there first. The planners must have known they were there. The architects must have known they were they. Ditto the developer. Ditto whoever moves in..       

If there new houses the windows wont be big enough to let much light in anyway. Wooden shacks dont have big windows as they let the heat out, and the developers have to consider thermal efficiency etc. Cant understand why anyone would waste money buying one may as well buy a mobile home on the Warren.