Modernising access, membership, and payments for swimming facilities

<p style="text-align: left;">Hampstead Heath’s swimming facilities have served Londoners for generations, with the bathing ponds in use for over a century and the lido providing a distinct open‑air swimming experience. The operating model combines heritage public access with modern operational needs: high footfall on peak days, multiple ticket types, and a membership base that expects fast entry and minimal queueing.</p><div class="cs-video cs-video-right" data-video="true" data-align="right" data-width="75%" style="width: 75%;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/782872196" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="true" loading="lazy"></iframe></div><p style="text-align: left;">Before Facilipay, access relied primarily on cash and voluntary payment models, limiting revenue capture and creating unnecessary friction at busy times. The City of London Corporation partnered with Facilipay to introduce an enforced, flexible, cashless access and membership system — enabling fast entry for casual swimmers and a premium “tap‑and‑go” experience for regular members.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">The challenge</h2><p style="text-align: left;">Transitioning from a cash/voluntary model to enforced payment required a solution that preserved simplicity for visitors while supporting a broad set of access products.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The site required:</p><ul><li><p style="text-align: left;">A fast, intuitive cashless flow for walk‑ups (pay‑as‑you‑go)</p></li><li><p style="text-align: left;">A scalable membership model (6‑month / 12‑month passes; adult / concession)</p></li><li><p style="text-align: left;">Support for multiple facilities (ponds only / lido only / all facilities)</p></li><li><p style="text-align: left;">A robust solution for peak‑day throughput, minimising queues</p></li><li><p style="text-align: left;">A way to extend member value beyond entry (e.g., lockers)</p></li></ul><h2 style="text-align: left;">Facilipay’s role in the ecosystem</h2><p style="text-align: left;">Facilipay was implemented as the access and payments layer across Hampstead Heath swimming.</p><img src="https://pdxgybcqigjepeuikhea.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/media/case-studies/imports/1776961648696-2.png" alt="FaciliPay ecosystem diagram" width="100%" data-align="center" class="cs-img cs-img-center" style="width: 100%;"><h3 style="text-align: left;">Core flows:</h3><ol><li><p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Pay‑as‑you‑go entry:</strong> staff select the ticket type on the terminal; visitors tap their card to pay and gain access.</p></li><li><p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Season membership:</strong> visitors purchase season tickets online and receive a <strong>waterproof RFID wristband</strong> that acts as their membership credential.</p></li><li><p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Tap‑and‑go access:</strong> members tap their wristband at entry points for quick access — particularly valuable on busy days.</p></li></ol><p style="text-align: left;"></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Season tickets and wristbands: reducing friction at peak times</h3><img src="https://pdxgybcqigjepeuikhea.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/media/case-studies/uploads/1776961818438-eqf9vs-cropped.jpg" alt="Visitor tapping card for entry at Hampstead Heath" width="56%" data-align="right" class="cs-img cs-img-right" style="width: 56%;"><p style="text-align: left;">For regular swimmers, Hampstead Heath promotes season tickets with multiple product combinations. The wristband acts as a durable credential that swimmers can wear during use, supporting a smooth entry experience and reducing dependence on phones or wallets.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The wristband model also created a strong member experience: it signals “regular swimmer” status, reinforces a community feel, and saw strong adoption with high repeat use.</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Locker access: extending membership utility</h3><img src="https://pdxgybcqigjepeuikhea.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/media/case-studies/uploads/1776961859690-q84t5q-cropped.jpg" alt="Waterproof RFID wristband for swimming members" width="58%" data-align="center" class="cs-img cs-img-center" style="width: 58%;"><p style="text-align: left;">Season ticket wristbands are also used to access lockers at the lido. Members tap to lock/unlock, store valuables during swims, and retrieve items on return — reducing operational burden and improving visitor confidence.</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><img src="https://pdxgybcqigjepeuikhea.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/media/case-studies/imports/1776961649605-5.png" alt="Member using RFID wristband to open a locker" width="36%" data-align="right" class="cs-img cs-img-right" style="width: 36%;"><h3 style="text-align: left;">Branded member app: engagement and operational comms</h3><p style="text-align: left;">Facilipay supported a branded member app experience to strengthen ongoing engagement:</p><ul><li><p style="text-align: left;">Secure member login</p></li><li><p style="text-align: left;">Visibility of pass expiry dates</p></li><li><p style="text-align: left;">Operational notifications (e.g., facility closures)</p></li></ul><p style="text-align: left;">This created a direct communication channel for members while reducing inbound queries.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Role-based pricing and product segmentation</h3><p style="text-align: left;">The solution supports multiple ticket categories and role assignment (e.g., adult vs concession, facility scope). This ensures members and visitors are charged correctly based on eligibility and access type, while simplifying front‑line operations.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Client perspective</h2><p style="text-align: left;"></p><blockquote><p style="text-align: left;">Before we brought in Facilipay, previously you could only pay by cash… when we introduced enforced payment we needed to give people the chance to use cashless… With Facilipay the member of staff presses the public access button… chooses the ticket type… they tap their card and that’s them accessed.”</p><p style="text-align: left;">“The season ticket wristband… has been really popular… we have a large number of members… It means our members can access the ponds and the lido really quickly, even on really busy days.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: left;"></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Key takeaways</h2><ul><li><p style="text-align: left;">Enforced cashless access can modernise heritage facilities without complicating visitor flow</p></li><li><p style="text-align: left;">Wristband memberships enable <strong>fast entry</strong>, reduce queues, and improve repeat experience</p></li><li><p style="text-align: left;">RFID can extend beyond entry into lockers, increasing member value</p></li><li><p style="text-align: left;">Role/ticket segmentation supports fairness and operational simplicity</p></li><li><p style="text-align: left;">A branded app provides a lightweight channel for member management and communications</p></li></ul><p style="text-align: left;">Together, these elements demonstrate how Facilipay supports parks and recreation operators in delivering high‑throughput access, strong membership value, and modern payments across multi‑facility estates.</p>

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