Maximising Space and Style: Optimal Layouts for Leisure Centre Washrooms and Changing Rooms

Designing or refurbishing a leisure centre’s washroom and changing room space is about more than aesthetics. These spaces need to be:

• Highly functional during peak usage
• Visually appealing to reflect your facility's quality
• Easy to navigate for all types of users

By selecting the right purpose-designed washroom products - from robust changing cubicles to moisture-resistant lockers and benches - leisure centres can solve these problems proactively.

As experts in bespoke washroom solutions for the leisure sector, with over 80 years of experience within the washroom industry, TBS Amwell are here to help clients achieve this balance with function, comfort, and flair.

1. Benefits of Smart Leisure Washroom Layouts

A well-planned layout from a trusted leisure washroom manufacturer is useful, as it improves:

• User flow: Eliminates bottlenecks and congestion to combat even the busiest periods
• Hygiene: Strategically separates wet and dry zones and provides suitable materials to reduce slip and contamination risks
• Maintenance & durability: Less infrastructure and future budget stress and easier cleaning
• Inclusivity & compliance: Ensures ease of access for all users and meets building regulation requirements
• Customer experience: Maximise your space to your customers’ advantage, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience, even during busy periods

2. Crucial Pre-Refurbishment Considerations

There are some crucial aspects to consider before opting for a leisure washroom refurbishment:

A. Space & Traffic Analysis

Understand how your visitors use the space by analysing the following:

• Track peak times: swimming sessions, gym classes, school visits
• Define different user types and their needs: gym-goers, swimmers, families
• Map daily usage and user journeys

Then ask yourself - can your current layout support these user journeys and level of activity? Or should you be making changes.

Recognising and understanding these points will help you be prepared as possible before your leisure centre washroom construction or refurbishment.

B. Legal & Accessibility Requirements

UK regulations to follow:

• Part M of the Building Regulations
• Approved Document T accessible toilets and universal washroom design guidance.
• British Standard BS?8300-2 highlights inclusive facilities such as wheelchair-access cubicles and ambulant toilets.

Guidance to consider:

Sport England Design and Cost Guidance

Any reliable manufacturer should be well versed in these regulations, so always feel free to ask any questions on this if you’re eager to know more.

C. Budget & Durability

Balance cost between aesthetics and longevity. Solid-grade laminate (SGL) changing cubicles, such as our Splash Freestanding Cubicle, come with a higher initial cost but are the perfect option for leisure centre washrooms as they are durable and perfect for moisture-heavy, high-traffic areas. High Pressure Laminate (HPL) offers a cost-effective alternative; however, it is vulnerable to damage when exposed to prolonged moisture. This can cause the laminate to swell or delaminate, leading to premature replacement.

3. Optimise for Space Without Sacrificing Style

A. Dividing Wet and Dry Zones

Think about peak usage: gym classes, swimming sessions, school groups, sauna and steam room usage. Facilities like Eversley Leisure Centre (a TBS Amwell project) benefited from a clear wet and dry layout, as it guided users through their space logically and safely.

Wet areas (e.g. showers, pools, etc) should be physically separated from changing cubicles, lockers and benches to allow users a space to dry off.

B. Efficient Traffic Flow

• Logical circulation: Users move from entry ? showers/toilets/changing rooms ? lockers/benches ? leisure activity ? showers/toilets/changing rooms ? exit.
• Visual cues: Flooring transitions and lighting can differentiate zones, making the layout clearer to navigate.
• Cubicle placement: Put cubicles away from entrances to reduce waiting queues and enhance privacy

D. Light & Colour

Bright palettes can make a space feel larger and more cheerful, while natural light (where viable) can enhance comfort. TBS Amwell offer a wide colour selection from bright and bold to natural and earthy tones.

E. Privacy & Choice

Combine open bench areas with private changing cubicles. UK users often appreciate private cubicles for comfort however, some centres retain communal showers for those who prefer them. It’s best to base this off your facility and your customers. If privacy is valued, include an option to privately change and wash off by offering full height cubicle systems. If customers are just looking to wash off after exiting a pool, a communal shower wouldn’t be a bad inclusion and help improve traffic flow in busy periods. 

Key Product Recommendations from TBS Amwell

At TBS Amwell, we offer a full range of bespoke washroom and changing room solutions for the leisure sector. Here are some recommendations from our selection.

Changing Cubicles

Our Splash freestanding changing cubicle is designed specifically for leisure environments. It offers exceptional moisture resistance, durability, and easy maintenance — key for high-traffic areas like swimming pools and gyms.

• Back-to-back design utilise floor space
• Resistant to wear, moisture, and vandalism
• Available in a bespoke choice of colours to complement your design

Toilet Cubicles & Shower Cubicles

TBS Amwell offer a wide variety of toilet cubicles. Our Impact toilet cubicle would be a good choice from us for toilet cubicles separate from the shower area, as it offers privacy to customers and allows for a bespoke solution without being too costly.

If you’re looking for a cohesive solution that combines both toilet and shower cubicles, our Splash range could be the ideal choice. Designed with moisture resistance in mind, it’s perfect for wet environments and can be installed at full height to provide users with maximum privacy when they need it most.

Leisure Changing Room Lockers

Our Aquasafe Leisure Lockers are ideal for leisure buildings, offering water-resistant durability to keep your customers’ contents dry. Our Aquasafe Lockers also offer a:

• Ventilation for hygiene
• Modular designs to suit available space
• Moisture-resistant materials

Changing Room Benches

Our Aquabenches are the perfect pairing to our Aquasafe Lockers. These changing room benches optimise for space and ease of cleaning. Durable and hygienic, they are suitable for both wet and dry changing zones.

• Space-efficient design, easy to clean underneath
• Robust materials withstand high traffic

Vanity Units

Our vanity units are designed to complement both style and hygiene needs, with water-resistant materials and a choice of finishes, making them perfect for any leisure facility.

6. Health, Safety & Hygiene: Non-Negotiables

Some final health and safety tips to ensure:

• Use slip-resistant flooring and monitor spills promptly 
• Implement frequent, cleaning regimes with approved materials 
• Regularly audit your leisure washroom for any signs of wear and tear 
• Ensure temperature control and ventilation to maintain comfort and well-being for customers

7. Case Study: The Eversley Leisure Centre

At Eversley Leisure Centre, TBS Amwell delivered a full refurbishment with a focus on:
- Splash changing cubicles for wet changing areas
- Modern Aquabench and Aquasafe lockers to maximise storage within tight footprints
- Solid Grade Laminate (SGL) as the focal material throughout the project, chosen for its water resistance and durability 

The result? A clean, bright, and welcoming space that’s stood up to daily wear while enhancing user satisfaction and operational efficiency.

8. Final Changing Room Design Tips

• Colour & branding: Use custom colours for lockers and cubicles that reflect brand identity and mood
• Engraved signage: Improves way-finding and adds a polished aesthetic
• Flexible layout: Modular benches and furniture that can be reconfigured to adapt to future demands

Opting for a bespoke solution can guarantee your leisure space feels unique. That’s where TBS Amwell can help!

Conclusion

A well-designed leisure centre washroom marries efficiency, inclusivity, and visual appeal, ultimately leading to smoother operations and happier visitors. TBS Amwell’s expertise in bespoke design and full range of high-quality leisure washroom products can make your next leisure refurbishment both stylish and smart.

A common question is, how large do Changing Rooms need to be? Read our next article to find out more.

Ready to maximise your space and raise standards? Get in touch with TBS?Amwell’s leisure specialist for a free consultation on your washroom and changing-room plans. You can reach us through our contact page, telephone: 01763 276210 or email: [email protected]