Pools & Sports Centres
NB: The Daily Information Pool Assessor has seen fit
to make the point that a number of Council-run pools "are cold, uncomfortable,
and beset with timetabling issues which, if you're not careful, lead to your
turning up in the middle of 'toddler & rhino' hour, or suchlike, and thus
being unable to use the pool at all." He does, however, concede that
they have the virtue of charging only per swim, rather than requiring you
to purchase membership, as is the custom with some of his alternative suggestions,
also included below. In addition, purchase of a 'Slice
card' will entitle you to discounts at seven public leisure centres (marked
S below). We have listed all
the public and larger private centres we know of (some smaller private gyms
are excluded).
Full info on Oxford's public leisure facilities can be
found via the specific pages of www.oxford.gov.uk
which many of the links below will direct you to.
- Blackbird
Leys Leisure Centre, Pegasus Road, Blackbird Leys. Map: H9.
Tel: 467020
- Open Mon-Fri 08.00-23.00, Sat 09.00-20.00, Sun 09.00-21.00.
Badminton court, snooker table, fitness room, bar, function rooms. Hirable
hall for football, hockey etc. Exercise class also available.
S
- Blackbird
Leys Pool, Blackbird Leys Road, Blackbird Leys. Map: H9.
Tel: 467040
- Open for General Public Swimming as follows: Mon 17.45-18.45,
Fri 17.45-18.45pm, Sat & Sun 11.15-1.15. Ladies
only: 19.00-21.00 Mon; Aquafit classes: 12.00-13.00 Tues & Fri; over 50s: 12.00-13.00
Weds. Adults: £3.20 per session, children & pensioners: £1.70
(aquafit not included). Approx. pool temperature: 86-88°F S
- David
Lloyd, Oxford Business Park North, Garsington Rd., Cowley. Map:
H7.
Tel: 748828
- New to Oxford in 2004, David Lloyd incorporates an air-conditioned
gym with two studios and all the usual equipment; health and beauty centre,
hair salon; indoor pool (25m x 12m) with children's splash pool; three outdoor
and three indoor racquets courts; spa with sauna, steam room, hot tub. Also:
creche and playden; cafe bar serving breakfast, lunch and evening meals.
Various membership deals. Enquire for prices.
- East Oxford Games Hall, 5 Collins St. Map: F6.
Tel: 467050
- Facilities for badminton, basketball, gymnastics, martial
arts etc. Floodlit pitches also available. Commonly hired by teams. Situated
behind Tesco on the Cowley Road.
- Esporta,
St Edward's School, Woodstock Road. Map: C3.
Tel: 318300
- Upmarket centre in a leafy location incorporating: 9,000
sq ft fitness arena, toning suite, 2 air-con. aerobic studios, 32 outdoor
and 4 indoor tennis courts, 25m indoor pool with separate baby pool, squash
courts, sauna, steam room and jacuzzi, health and beauty salon, children's
activity club, creche, restaurant, free parking and more. Times for specific
sessions can all be found online under 'Timetables' on the website. Various
organised social events for members. Various membership rates.
- Ferry
Sports Centre, Diamond Place (off Banbury Rd), Summertown. Map:
D3.
Tel: 316091
- Ferry Sports Centre re-opened on Mon 4 Apr 2005 after a £3.4 million refurbishment with a new 50+ station gym, dance studio & refurbished
changing and viewing facilities. The pool, squash courts & sports hall have also reopened. Click here for times and prices.S
- Hinksey Pool (open air), Lake St. (off Abingdon Rd). Map: D7.
Tel: 467079
- Adult swim £3.70,under 17's & over 60's £2.30.
SUMMER ONLY. S
- L A Fitness,
Littlegate House, 16/17 St Ebbe's St. Map: D6.
Tel: 0870 224 5506
- Mon-Thur: 06:30-22:00, Fri: 06:30-20:00, Sat & Sun:
09:00-19:00 (last entry 45 mins before closing). Pool, saunas and steam room, studio where various classes are held; large gym with
usual variety of equipment (for pictures, go to the general website linked
to above, select 'Oxford' from the clubs list and take the virtual tour).
Flexible membership packages.
- Northway Sports Centre, Maltfield, Headington. Map: G4.
Tel: 467085 (beware: not updated)
- Facilities for badminton, basketball, table-tennis, gymnastics
and so forth. Weights room, two outdoor pitches, outdoor basketball court.
Open Mon-Fri 10.00-19.00, Sat & Sun 10.00-18.00. Over 50's activities
10.00-12.00 each morning. All facilities available for hire, also open to
individual members of the public. Price examples: badminton £1.80,
table-tennis £1.50, weights room £2.80. Complete with bouncy
castle and balloon flume for children's parties.
- Oxford
Ice Rink, Oxpens Road. Map: C6.
Tel: 467000
- General skating sessions £5.50 inc skate hire, under 17 & over £60: £4.20 Concessions down
to £2.80 for particular sessions. Skate disco and skate lessons are
also possibilities. Skating sessions daily 10am -12pm and 2-4pm, plus 8-10.30pm (not weds, 9-10.30pm sun), PLUS
5.45-7.15pm Mon, Tue Thur,
6.00-7.30pm Fri. S
- Oxford Brookes University, Centre for Sports, Cheney Lane, Headington.
Tel: 484374
- Mon-Fri: 7.30am - 11pm, Sat & Sun: 9am - 10pm (Last entry 1 hour
before closing). Sauna, Steam Room, Dojo / Dance Studio for classes, Circuit Class. 80 Station Cardio & conditioning gym, full air
con. 30 station free weights room. 14m high Climbing Wall, children's
parties. Floodlit Astro pitches. Pay as You Go and Pre Pay options
available.
- Oxford
University Sports Complex, Iffley Road. Map: E6.
Tel: 240476
- Myriad facilities for Oxford University members, of which
full details can be found on the website. Opening hours for these are Mon-Fri
07.00-22.30, Sat & Sun 09.00-19.30. Open May and August bank holidays;
closed over Christmas and for 4 days over Easter. For non-University members,
membership can include all facilities, although these may be heavily booked in termtime. Membership prices vary according to offers on at
the time and how close you live to the centre. Details on website.
- Peers
Sports Centre, Sandy Lane West, Littlemore. Map: G8.
Tel: 467095
- Opens 09.00 daily, closes Mon-Thurs 23.00, Fri 22.30,
Sat 19.00 & Sun 20.00. Public swimming: Tues 18.30-20.30, Weds 17.30-20.00,
Thurs 19.45-21.00, Fri 16.30-19.45, Sat 15.30-18.30, Sun 09.00-12.30 &
16.30-20.00. Adults only: Mon & Tues 20.30-22.30, Weds 21.00-22.30,
Thurs 21.00-22.30. 50+ sessions : Mon 15.15-16.00, Fri 10.15-11.00 and 15.00-16.00, Sat 9.00-9.45 (free). Swimming lessons are available for both adults and children.
Call the number above, or see our Classes
and Clubs page. Classes are also available in trampolining and gymnastics,
and numerous forms of exercise, some aquatic. Swimming
is £3.20 for adults, £1.50 children & pensioners. Pool
temperature 30-31°C. S
- Temple
Cowley Pools, Temple Road, Cowley. Map: G7.
Tel: 467110 (recorded times); 467124 (enquiries)
- Timings complex and subject to variation - see website
for latest info. Prices £3.20 adult, £1.70 children & OAPs.
Main pool 25m x 18m (26.7-27.8°C), learner pool 11m x 11m (30-31.7°C);
20+ station gym; sauna and steam rooms; various activities, including swimming
sessions and lessons, fitness classes, teen training, etc. S
- Willows
Leisure Club at Oxford Spires Four Pillars Hotel, Abingdon Rd. Map:
D7.
Tel: 324324
- Annual memberships: Full £620, Midweek £495,
Daytime £365, Children £180. Members are entitled to full use
of pool and gym facilities. Open 07.00-21.00 daily. Pool temperature
32°C. Review here.
Also Jerome's
at Oxford Thames Four Pillars in Sandford-on-Thames, just south of Oxford.
