Sauna outrage as wife taken aback by Chepstow nudists

10:13am Wednesday 9th January 2013 in News

‘FURIOUS’: Norman Williams, and his wife Helen, whose session in the sauna at Chepstow Leisure Centre was interrupted by a group of nudists ‘FURIOUS’: Norman Williams, and his wife Helen, whose session in the sauna at Chepstow Leisure Centre was interrupted by a group of nudists

A MONMOUTHSHIRE man was “furious” that his wife’s session in a sauna was interrupted by dozens of naturists.

Norman Williams, 70, said Helen, 54, who is originally from China, came home confused on Friday after being confronted with the scenes at Chepstow leisure centre, at around 8.30pm on January 4.

He said: “She went in as normal to the gymand swimming pool. She was then in the sauna, when men and women came in with no clothes on at all.

“They were all in the swimming pool. She went into the changing room and there were men and women in there naked.

“My wife changed quickly and came home. I was furious.

What if there were children about?”

Mr Williams phoned the leisure centre to complain, and was told it was a naturist meeting which had taken place for years.

He asked if staff had checked if there were other people in the centre beforehand.

“My wife didn’t know whether it was a culture thing. It’s a place for public use. We’re not going there again,” Mr Williams added.

The couple, who met through friends, married in Xi’an, China, in 2008.

Monmouthshire Council’s leisure activities manager, Ian Saunders, said: “Chepstow leisure centre has two sauna areas, one downstairs and one upstairs, and the Western Swimming naturist group, who privately hire the swimming pool each Friday evening, use the upstairs sauna area to change.

Approximately 40 members of the club attend on a regular basis.

“Unfortunately a lady booked a sauna and found herself in the upper sauna area. Usually our staff clear the public from the areas used by the Western Swimming group and we are naturally very disappointed that on this occasion the lady concerned was left in the sauna as the group entered.

“This is the first problem we have encountered in 25 years that the club has hired the pool. I apologise to the lady concerned and wish to assure the public that we will look into this incident.”

Comments(33)

portman says...
10:26am Wed 9 Jan 13

Is this story really worth reporting!

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muzzy73 says...
10:48am Wed 9 Jan 13

don't mean to be rude but what is wrong with this fella ?,yes i can understand his wife was shocked & that she should have been warned that a group of naturist 's were going to the centre but why furious i could understand if it she was a 13 or 14 yr old girl but she is a grown women!

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pds says...
11:00am Wed 9 Jan 13

He does look furious.

Good job he wasn't with her at the time, he could have had a stroke.

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portforever says...
11:27am Wed 9 Jan 13

he looks ready to blow, if anyone has been to china you would know she has seen many things worse than a few naked bodies.waht a waste of argos ink

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let em swing says...
11:43am Wed 9 Jan 13

Nudists in no clothes shocker, get over yourselves.

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pds says...
11:53am Wed 9 Jan 13

let em swing wrote:
Nudists in no clothes shocker, get over yourselves.
Nice user name...

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Robindabank says...
12:29pm Wed 9 Jan 13

There'll be 80 there next week!...

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Katie Re-Registered says...
12:58pm Wed 9 Jan 13

Hmm...Ironically, people who wear clothes that don't gender conform are banned from leisure centres (yes, even though they pay council tax towards these facilities - they're somehow not allowed to use what are increasingly men-only and women-only areas if you don't gender conform enough).

Yet apparently, however, it's okay to turn up naked. It's a funny old world, eh?

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Gareth says...
1:06pm Wed 9 Jan 13

Katie Re-Registered wrote:
Hmm...Ironically, people who wear clothes that don't gender conform are banned from leisure centres (yes, even though they pay council tax towards these facilities - they're somehow not allowed to use what are increasingly men-only and women-only areas if you don't gender conform enough).

Yet apparently, however, it's okay to turn up naked. It's a funny old world, eh?
I'm not sure what "people who wear clothes that don't gender conform" means.

Can you explain, Katie?

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Independentvoter says...
1:40pm Wed 9 Jan 13

News flash !

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Mr Bump. says...
1:53pm Wed 9 Jan 13

rhinestine wrote:
It's disgusting!!! In a public leisure facility! Should not be allowed for health and hygiene reasons for a start.

The council should be taken to court over this; the woman was obviously disgusted and disturbed about what she had seen.

Could have been all sorts going on in the pool, they may have been gay etc.... it's really disgusting, in a public leisure facility too!!
This is the stupidest post i have ever read on here. Rhinestein you've made my day.

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portforever says...
2:23pm Wed 9 Jan 13

does anyone know if this is a monthly meeting or just as and when, just curious,,,

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Gareth says...
2:36pm Wed 9 Jan 13

I find it interesting that the hubby is taking centre stage and talking all about his fury... whereas the person central to this story is not even interviewed.

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Ivan Hackingtackle says...
2:45pm Wed 9 Jan 13

I'm sure I can't be the only one who finds the choice of headline rather amusing, in a childish sort of way.
I wonder if Mr. Williams was wishing he could have been "taken aback" by a few of the nudists?

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areyour4real says...
2:54pm Wed 9 Jan 13

Finally a real story of interest in the SWA, well done. Wonder who wrote it?

More like this please.

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Dolieboy says...
4:45pm Wed 9 Jan 13

My wife didn’t know whether it was a culture thing. It’s a place for public use. I am not allowing her there again,” Mr Williams added.

There that's what he meant.

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elise12 says...
5:45pm Wed 9 Jan 13

Oh and the quote 'what if there had been children about' well, if the swim in question was like the one I go to, there would have been children there. There are naturist families believe it or not. And so what anyway. Kids won't drop dead from seeing a normal human body in comparison to the airbrushed anorexics the media like to portray as normal. Why do mythical children and little old ladies have to be added to a spurious complaint. Stick to complaining on your own behalf if you must.

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Convinced says...
6:17pm Wed 9 Jan 13

Now Gareth, you know they don't do the cultural tolerance thing in South Wales ---- hence the immigration policy snipe.......

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ancient brit says...
6:55pm Wed 9 Jan 13

There is something ridiculous about the British habit of wearing clothes in a spa or sauna. In civilised countiries such as Sweden, Denmark and Germany you might well be banned from a sauna if you wear clothes because it is unheigenic to wear clothes in a sauna or spa.
Forget the usual excuse of children being harmed. There is absolutely no evidence that children are harmed by seeing nudity. There is a lot of evidence that children are harmed by the body shame that many parents inflict on their children by the prudish attitude to nudity.

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elise12 says...
7:31pm Wed 9 Jan 13

The point also is that the Western Swimming Group were in the facility on a private hire as they always have done. The only fault such as it is lies with the leisure centre staff for not ensuring the area was cleared. I also know that this particular session being the first of the month was 'costumes optional' and not strictly naturist which may have led to this lady being overlooked or assumed to have been part of the group.

But as far as the husband is concerned we can't let reason and a sense of proportion get in the way of a non story can we.

No there would not be 'all sorts' going on in the pool. It is a peculiar British mindset that cannot understand simple nudity as a non sexual thing. Thank the media for brainwashing you to believe that it is.

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Milfordian2 says...
8:30pm Wed 9 Jan 13

This story is outrageous! No, not the fact that some people are sensible enough to go without clothes in a sauna but the fact that the wife is apparently not allowed an opinion of her own. The husband is quoted getting all upset on her behalf, but nothing is said of the wife's reaction and the "journalist" has not taken the trouble to ask what she thinks. What is she? Property? If that is how little Mr Williams thinks of his wife, it is hardly surprising that his views on sauna use are so ridiculous.

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Grahame01 says...
8:37pm Wed 9 Jan 13

What is wrong with people. Surely everybody knows that saunas are only healthy places if you are naked. If you wear any sort of clothing it is just a haven for germs.

I had a similar experience in a Hotel sauna in Portugal. I was using it nude, as saunas were intended to be used, when another hotel guest decided to peer through the window in the door. I think she ran away screaming; stupid woman.

If people aren't prepared to use facilities as they are intended then they shouldn't use them at all.

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paoftwo says...
8:58pm Wed 9 Jan 13

Its not mentioned what, if anything, Mrs Williams was wearing at the sauna before she was disturbed. If she was naked she obviously wouldn't have been worried by other women or girls seeing her.
If she was clothed....why?
http://en.wikipedia.
org/wiki/Sent%C5%8D
Public bath houses in China traditionally are places where people go naked, but yes they are normally single sex.
The centre has apologised for missing her when checking the sauna's, it was an accident, she's a grown woman who has seen (I assume) at least one naked man...
Maybe the naturist group should invite them both for a visit?

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guidayz says...
10:08pm Wed 9 Jan 13

There is a bit missing in this report...which day is nudist day ??

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elise12 says...
10:17pm Wed 9 Jan 13

guidayz wrote:
There is a bit missing in this report...which day is nudist day ??
You are at a computer I assume. Western Swimming group have a website, there is nothing mysterious about it.

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portman says...
11:47pm Wed 9 Jan 13

I withdraw my original comment,how wrong could i be!

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BritishNaturism says...
11:49pm Wed 9 Jan 13

As most people commenting here have recognised, this really is a non-story.

I am told by those present at the time that the lady in question didn't rush to change and leave, she didn't move to an area where she could have changed in private away from the Naturists. Instead she lingered for over half an hour taking her time to get changed! It would seem she cannot have been upset by the situation at all and she made no complaint at the time either. But clearly her husband is the one who got upset when she told him later...

As for any arguments about children or hygiene, Naturism scores on both counts, it is well known that it is more hygienic, for both the sauna and for swimming. It is also well known that children are not born afraid of naked bodies, we have to be taught to have hang-ups about nudity and it is far better if we are not.

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elise12 says...
12:14am Thu 10 Jan 13

One day in about a hundred years the British media will have grown up and stop giving the time of day to these timewasters. It's always nice as a naturist as well to be assumed to be somehow deviant. Swimming nude is lovely. Why not try it, then you'll be able to comment. It's freedom.

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smokintheweed says...
1:25am Thu 10 Jan 13

Every post on this story makes me lol.

Arguing over a non-story.

Lol.

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maninundy's says...
4:53am Thu 10 Jan 13

Tell me does Chepstow leisure pool have a viewing area?

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Western Swimming Club says...
7:08am Thu 10 Jan 13

Western Swimming Club have been using Chepstow Leisure Centre for naturist swimming, sauna and steam room sessions for well over 30 years. We have an excellent relationship with the Leisure Centre management and the staff are always very friendly, helpful and professional.
The staff put notices up before our session clearly stating that the public need to vacate before 8:15pm for a private booking. We also put notices on the doors when we arrive to say it is closed for a private booking that clearly state that one of the changing rooms is for "Mixed Changing". None of our members enter the pool or sauna before we are given the all clear by the staff. On this occasion, the centre staff happened to miss someone and have apologised to us and the woman concerned. We would also like to apologise if she was actually shocked.
What we find strange is that she did not appear concerned or mention it being a problem at the time. If she had, she could have easily used the family changing room where she could have got dressed in private, instead of taking over half an hour to get changed in the mixed changing room. She certainly did not rush to get changed and leave.
It was also one of our "Costume's Optional" sessions for partners and friends where we reserve the family changing room for those new females that don't want to undress with others when they are trying a naturist swim or sauna for first time.
We have about 50 club members who attend regularly and a large number of visitors that attend when they can.
If anyone is genuinely interested in joining us for a naturist session take a look at our website westernswimclub.org.
uk for more info.
Club Secretary
Western Swimming Club

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Philostratus says...
11:00am Thu 10 Jan 13

What is it about the British and their coy attitude to the human body?Naturism is a beautiful thing,as is the human body.If this was Holland or Germany or even France they would not even find this as news of any interest.I am sorry that members of the Western Swimming Club were embarrassed to find a non member present.This is a weekly pre-booked session at the Chepstow Leisure Centre.The Western Swimming Club welcomes new members and people who would like to try naturism and enjoy a warm sauna and steam room and the company of civilised and intelligent people. Naturism is by its nature a family activity and yes children might also be present, accompanied by family members.The Western Swimming Club does not discriminate against sexual orientation,creed or colour.I wondered what the "Free" in the newspaper's title meant.The answer is free publicity in this case for a legitimate and healthy and life enhancing activity.I continue to be proud to be a member and hope next time that staff at the leisure centre double check that the swimming pool and changing rooms are empty before the pre-booked activity begins.

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pds says...
2:47pm Thu 10 Jan 13

Goodness me, it doesn't take much discussion before some people expose the cracks in our community.

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