Leisure Centres and Swimming Pools Near Catford

Lewisham Council's leisure centres page lists six centres. Two are in SE6, and the nearest pools are a short bus or train ride away. Hours, prices and timetables change, so the operators' own pages are the place to check before you go.

Which centres are in Catford and Bellingham?

• The Alex Yee Ladywell Arena, Silvermere Road, Catford, SE6 4QX. Better describes it as Lewisham's only athletics venue, at the back of Ladywell Fields near Catford Bridge and Ladywell stations. It has a floodlit running track, a compact gym, outdoor pitches and a multi-functional room. The centre was renamed in 2024 after Alex Yee, the Olympic gold medallist who trained there, according to Better's page. It lists no car parking spaces, bike storage for six bikes, and buses 47, 54, 75, 136, 185, 199 and 208 from Mount Pleasant Road.
• Bellingham Leisure and Lifestyle Centre, 5 Randlesdown Road, Bellingham, SE6 3BT. Better says it is less than five minutes from Bellingham station and next to Beckenham Place Park. It lists a gym, group exercise studios (Pilates, HIIT, boxfit and strength conditioning), soft play, a 3G football pitch, a cafe, and a gymnastics hall run by Ladywell Gymnastics Club. Parking is listed as 64 paying spaces including 10 disabled spaces.

Both are managed by GLL under the Better brand, which describes itself as an agent working in partnership with Lewisham Council. For the week commencing 28 September 2026 Better published Bellingham's centre hours as 9am to 10pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 5.30pm at weekends. The Ladywell Arena's centre hours that week were shorter and varied by day, including 7am to 3pm on Mondays and Fridays and 1pm to 5pm Tuesday to Thursday. Treat both as a snapshot, not a standing timetable.

Where are the nearest pools?

Neither SE6 centre is listed with a pool. The council's swimming page names these pools:

• Glass Mill Leisure Centre, 41 Loampit Vale, Lewisham, SE13 7FT, moments from Lewisham station. Better lists a 25-metre pool, a teaching pool, a gym, studios, a sauna and steam room, a crèche and a cafe, with 54 paying car spaces.
• Forest Hill Pools, Dartmouth Road, Forest Hill. Better says it has been part of the community since 1885 and has a six-lane 25-metre pool, a learner pool, a 35-station gym, studios and women-only swimming sessions.
• Downham Health and Leisure Centre, Moorside Road, Bromley, BR1 5EP. The council links to the 1Life website for its hours and booking.

The swimming page also says the pool at Wavelengths Leisure Centre in Deptford is unavailable because of essential maintenance. The council's page for the three working pools does not say which is closest to your home, so use a journey planner. The trains guide and buses guide cover how to get around from SE6.

How do I book?

Booking and timetables for the Better centres are on each centre's page on the Better website, which the council links to. The council says five borough centres run swimming lessons and the borough swimming club, Saxon Crown, runs sessions at several locations. For Downham, the council points to the 1Life website.

Are there discounts?

The council's Be Active page says Lewisham residents aged 16 or over who receive certain benefits, hold a Blue Badge or disability Freedom Pass, or are eligible carers can register for automatic casual membership at all Lewisham leisure centres and 25% off most activities. Disabled residents also get free swimming, free gym use and free use of the athletic track, according to the page. You register at a centre; the page says registering at one lets you use the others, except Downham, where you must register separately.

Parks and other activity

The Ladywell Arena sits inside Ladywell Fields and Bellingham's centre is beside Beckenham Place Park. For free green space and play areas, see the parks and things to do with kids guide. The Blue Badge guide covers accessible parking near these centres.