History & Museum Listings

DIPPING INTO LONDON'S HISTORIC LIDOS

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24 February 2009

Photo taken in 1938, a year after it opened

Oliver Pugh
news@southwarknews.org

It's one of only nine left in London.  But, even in the depths of winter, bitter winds and a layer of ice, people are determined to enjoy swimming outside in Dulwich.

Plunging into the freezing water at Brockwell Lido in the middle of December is part of an initiation ceremony for a local swimming club, but the enthusiasm of this small band of die-hards shows how popular the pool still is, seventy years after it was built.

The unheated 50m Olympic-size pool backs on to the park of the same name in Herne Hill.  It was designed to replace the ponds used for same-sex swimming at the beginning of the 20th century, which were closed because of complaints about poor water quality.  

The £26,000 lido was formally opened in 1937 at a time when they were very much in vogue in the capital.  Future deputy-prime minister, but then London County Council (LCC) chairman, Herbert Morrison, promised to turn London into a "city of lidos" where no one would have to travel more than a mile-and-a-half to find the nearest pool. 
Though this never happened, 68 were built and the idea left a lasting legacy.  Until the 1950s lidos were very much the place to be seen with friends and family - they provided a cheap day out that all families could enjoy.  Sadly, a period of relative decline came after this and thanks to cheap flights, foreign holidays, and indoor pools, lidos began to close.

By 1990, ownership of the Brockwell Lido had been transferred from the LCC (Greater London Council) to Lambeth Council which was forced to close the facility because it was losing money. But, thanks to the enthusiasm and efforts of Paddy Casteldine and Casey McGlue, the pool was able to reopen and in 1994 the pair took on a seven year lease.  At the end of this, the Brockwell Lido Users (BLU) was founded to look after it, but the future of the pool was only ensured in 2003, after a charity was brought in to run the pool, organise a refurbishment, and install a new gym. 

Brockwell Lido Users Group (BLU), Friends of Brockwell Park and Lambeth Council are among the many stakeholders at the lido who worked to get it ready for the reopening.  

Jo Edwards from the architects that designed the building's additions was keen to keep the character of the original lido.She said: "What was important about the building and its character - its amazing strong horizontality, and the verticality of the windows - and also a very strong feeling from so many people that they didn't want it to change.   She added: "We were saying, let's change some little things in certain places to achieve interesting connections between the Park and the inside and the pool - but let's not make it look like a totally different building, let's keep it very much Brockwell Lido."

The charity, Fusion, invested £3million in the project, which was topped up with £500,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund.  Fusion CEO Peter Kay, said: "We're intent on providing inclusive and accessible services for everyone at a price that they are willing and able to pay."

Work on the grade II listed building and installation of the gym was finished in July 2007 to mark its 70th birthday, while profits from the new additions now keep the lido open.

London Pools Campaign spokesperson Liz Hughes said it's one of the only lidos run by a community group or charity.She said: "It has a great local aspect to it - it's always attracted different parts of the community.  It is one of the best at it." 

The lido now offers more than the traditional outdoor pool. 
Thanks to the investment there is a new reception, café, changing rooms, a gym with 100 pieces of equipment, and studios for exercise classes.
Some of the sessions on offer include yoga, meditation, aerobics, belly dancing, and children's games.  Both floors have views of the pool and out on to the park, and for the less energetic there is also a hydrotherapy pool, steam-room and sauna.

The pool is now closed for the winter, but last year it cost £5.20 for an adult ticket, though there was no time limit.
Other lidos include Parliament Hill Fields, London Fields, Uxbridge (under development), Tooting Bec, Charlton Lido, Hornsey Park Road Lido, Hampton Heated Open Air Pool, Serpentine Lido, Richmond Lido and Oasis Swimming Pool in Camden.

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