‘There must be a better system than queuing for hours’

Feb 9 2008 by Abby Alford, South Wales Echo

‘There must be a better system than queuing for hours’

FAMILIES are being put off using Cardiff’s leisure centres because of an outdated booking system, claims a senior councillor.

Sophie Howe has branded the current way of working, which means classes and activities cannot be paid for over the phone with credit and debit cards, as “queue-creating madness”.

Labour’s deputy leader, who is mum to Jude, 21 months, Finley, four, and Morgan, eight, said: “In the 21st Century, people expect to be able to make bookings on the internet or, at the very least, on the phone.

She said parents wishing to register their children for swimming classes have to queue in their local leisure centre every 10 weeks for anything up to two hours, as the lessons are booked in blocks.

Councillor Howe, of Merthyr Road, Whitchurch, Cardiff, added that when she rang Llanishen Leisure Centre and tried to book and pay for go-karting sessions for Morgan and Finley during half-term, she was told she would have to visit in person to make the booking.

She complained to the council’s chief leisure officer Trevor Gough, but said she was left incredulous when told they had been looking at the booking system for three years and had not yet come up with a better system.

“At a time when budgets are tight and leisure centres are heavily subsidised, you would think the council would be looking at ways of making the centres more customer-focused in order to increase usage and income,” said Coun Howe.

abby.alford@mediawales.co.uk