A petition has been launched to entirely separate Rushcliffe Arena’s changing rooms to male and female after a man was allegedly spotted poking his phone under a cubicle wall to film a woman changing.
The incident is being investigated by police after reports the man was spotted at the West Bridgford leisure centre on Tuesday (April 25).
The petition, started since by Katie Kidd, says ‘many people have previously complained’ about the changing rooms at the arena, which have private individual lockable changing rooms used by both sexes.
A Notts Police spokesman: “Officers received a report at 2pm yesterday (Tuesday 25 April 2017) that a man placed his mobile under a female changing area and tried to make a video recording at the Rushcliffe Arena, Rugby Road, West Bridgford.”
According to the petition, the woman was 25 and the man seen with the phone was in his early 50s.
So far 66 people have signed the petition, which is directed at Rushcliffe Borough Council.
It also complains that the “swimming pool area is completely open to anyone who wants to watch from the cafe, which has caused concern for many people”.
The petition aims to have a divide put up between the cafe and swimming pool windows, as “the lack of security makes it very easy for predators to sit and watch, or even film individuals”.
Supporters of the petition said the current changing facility is “not safe for women, or appropriate”.
It is common for public swimming pools to have private individual cubicles which are used by both sexes, but some have group changing rooms designated to both sexes.
Jennifer Hughes, from Watnall, wrote on the petition page: “From experience I felt unsafe changing in the changing rooms. I also felt uncomfortable with my child in the pool for anyone to view us from the cafe or outside. Very poorly designed and desperately needs a rethink.”
“The changing rooms must either be ‘perv proof’ or changed,” added Graham Drew from Nottingham.
Rushcliffe Arena opened in January as part of a £10 million-plus build.
Peter Linfield, Executive Manager at Rushcliffe Borough Council said: “The Council is aware of an alleged incident where a man appeared to film a woman getting changed in a poolside cubicle at Rushcliffe Arena yesterday.
“The Council has been made aware of the incident and it has been reported to Nottinghamshire Police and is being investigated.
“Parkwood Leisure run the leisure centre, but we’re working with them to support the investigation, whilst they review current arrangements and identify if improvements are needed.
“The Arena changing area has been designed in accordance with Sport England’s swimming pool design guidance which recommends village changing rooms for various reasons.
“These include providing greater flexibility to accommodate varying mixes of male and female users, including family changing and changing for people with disabilities.
“Village changing also minimises perceived sense of insecurity for sensitive users, offering privacy through adequately-sized, good-quality cubicles.
“Lastly, they give flexibility to allow staff of either sex to supervise, clean and maintain the area.”
