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Leisure centres and facilities
There are seven leisure centres in Tower Hamlets, all of which are managed by Better, offering a wide range of facilities and activities.
Online booking is available for exercise classes and court hire where available. Use of leisure centre facilities will usually require a Better membership.
More info about each centre is available by clicking on the centre's name below, and disability access by clicking on the relevant 'DisabledGo' logo.
If you would also like to find out about what sports clubs and other opportunities there are to be active near you then please check out our Find A Sport section.
Reopening our leisure centres
FAQs
- Answer:
- John Orwell Sports Centre in Wapping, Mile End Park Leisure Centre, Poplar Baths Leisure Centre and York Hall Leisure Centre in Bethnal Green are now open as part of phase one of plans to open leisure centres in a safe and viable way.
- Answer:
All Better members are being given borough-wide access to all Better-operated facilities for the foreseeable future.
Members of centres that aren’t re-opening in the initial phase, such as St George’s Leisure Centre, Wapping; Tiller Leisure Centre on the Isle of Dogs; and Whitechapel Sports Centre, can use alternative facilities.
- Answer:
Members who don’t feel confident returning to the centres initially or who might have health conditions that put them at higher risk of infection from Covid-19 can continue to freeze your membership fees.
- Answer:
Safety is our priority. Equipment within gym areas has been reduced to ensure that two metres social distancing between users is maintained. Other fitness classes will be relocated to sports halls or even outside if the weather is suitable.
Staff have adopted a new, enhanced cleaning regime, while customers will be asked to wipe down the equipment that they have used.
Hand sanitiser is available throughout leisure centre buildings.
Health suites are closed until further notice due to the increased risk of COVID-19 associated with these areas.
Swimming pools are restricted to lane swimming only and visitors must attend the leisure centre wearing their swimming suits/trunks and ready to swim.
- Answer:
- Leisure centres that are open have reduced capacity due to social distancing measures in place. Anyone who wishes to use gyms, studio space and pools at the centres, must pre-book a time slot on the Better app or website.
- Answer:
Phases two and three of our opening plans from October to December 2020 and from January 2021 respectively, include reviewing the closures, extending opening hours, subject to demand and working towards a normal programme.
- Answer:
- Phase one of the re-opening plans include a revised pricing schedule which will be reviewed in advance of next year’s fees and charges. With social distancing measures in place and a restricted capacity at the centres, the pricing schedule gives us an opportunity to increase income levels, while still offering concessions for certain users and groups.
For questions and answers about membership, how to prepare to attend classes and booking activity sessions, visit the Better FAQ page.
Find a sport
John Orwell Sports Centre
Tench Street, Wapping, E1W 2Q
Tel: 020 7488 9421
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Mile End Park Leisure Centre & Stadium
190 Burdett Road, Mile End, E3 4HL
Tel: 020 8709 4420

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Poplar Baths
170 East India Dock Road, Poplar, E14 0ED
Tel: 020 3795 0599

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St George's Leisure Centre
221 The Highway, Wapping, E1W 3BP
Tel: 020 7709 9714

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Tiller Leisure Centre
Tiller Road, Isle of Dogs, E14 8PX
Tel: 020 7987 5211

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Whitechapel Sports Centre
Durward Street, Whitechapel, E1 5BA
Tel: 020 7247 7538
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York Hall Leisure Centre
Old Ford Road, Bethnal Green, E2 9PL
Tel: 020 8980 2243
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Facility map
See below for a map of the sport and leisure facilities in Tower Hamlets, with links for more info from Google. To filter by category, click on the menu icon in the top left.
Key
- Blue: council run facility
- Green: free open access facility
- Orange: commercial / private facility
New activities in and around leisure centres
I Am Tower Hamlets is a partnership between the council and Better that provides activities for the whole community in and around the borough's leisure centres. You can try a new sport, take your first Brazilian dance class, learn how to swim, and much more, all without the need for a leisure centre membership.
For more information you can visit the I am Tower Hamlets website.

A Better membership for disabled people
The Better Inclusive membership is now available at GLL leisure centres giving disabled people access to gyms, pools and group exercise classes at Better leisure centres across London and southern England.
Join now with a special introductory offer of only £19.95 per month.
Many of the Better leisure centres are part of the Inclusive Fitness Initiative, being fully accessible, DDA compliant and catering for the needs of all abilities.