Hackney Lido seems set remain the preserve of the (predominantly white) middle classes and bring few to an emerging future generation of swimmers as it has been exempted from the Free Swimming for under 16s scheme on the basis that “it would be too popular with young people”. This allows staffing levels to be kept low.

A Hackney swimmer commented elsewhere that the Lido was, “Just fine for middle-aged, middle-class people in expensive wetsuits who believe that a heated pool without a roof and the great unwashed in their bermudas or bikinis (who after all only paid for the thing with their taxes) is Outdoor Swimming in the raw.”

“It struck me, ploughing up and down in my eccentric, yet effective freestyle, that the lido, patronised almost exclusively by the middle class (it’s easy to tell, even in these so-called classless times, even without clothes) is an excellent advertisement for a range of middle-class virtues commonly thought to have gone out of fashion.”

(CLICK ON -> The lido rage that simmers under the surface | Robert Crampton – Times Online: .)

“A week-long Extreme Makeover of Portishead Open Air Pool by American presenter Ty Pennington starts today. More than £120,000 will be spent upgrading the pool before it opens next Saturday, in time for the bank holiday weekend.

Among the energy saving devices to be installed will be solar panels and a new pump controller. Other improvements will include refurbishing the children’s pool, painting the pool and installing new lockers.”

(CLICK HERE FOR MORE -> Latest News Extreme Makeover of Portishead Open Air Pool begins: .)

(Via Latest News Extreme Makeover of Portishead Open Air Pool begins: .)

Broxbourne Council, which boasts the lowest council tax of all the 238 English Shire District Councils in England, has decided to call time on the downright delightful Hoddesdon Open Air Pool. This is part of an increasingly gloomy picture for public swimming in an extremely riparian neighbourhood. Last year the LVRPA-owned Broxbourne leisure Centre closed , this is only about 2 miles from Hoddesdon Lido. It is only a few months since Geoff Schooling of Broxbourne Council was hopeful of a reopening.

“AFTER months of speculation Broxbourne Council have confirmed that Hoddesdon Open Air Pool will shut for good.

The decision to close the 72-year-old facility on Broxbourne High Road was made at a community services meeting, despite earlier claims that the council would be doing “everything” to keep the pool open.

The council concluded they no longer have the funds to keep the pool running.

A council spokesman said: “The council fully appreciates the value of the pool for some members of the community.

“Regrettably, however, the 72 year facility has come to the end of its working life and in the current economic climate the council does not have the large sums required for its refurbishment or replacement.”

With the pool needing a hefty subsidy, Broxbourne Council say they cannot sustain the costs.

Last season the council’s cost per visit crept to over £15 and if this continued, they say other services would be jeopardised.

Broxbourne Council are now looking at options for the re-use of the site.

Any proposals will retain the Grade II listed spinning wheel building which adjoins the open air pool while aiming to accommodate the neighbourhood recycling centre on the site. “

(Via The East Herts Herald – Hoddesdon Pool To Close For Good: .)

Well almost, as far as we know Mr Stanford’s interests didn’t spread to swimming but we couldn’t resist the headline.

“A Grade II-listed 1930s lido will be demolished and the Hall’s theatre foyer will be replaced with a bigger, more modern foyer, but overall the estate will be renovated to its former glory and maintained under the scheme.”

(Via Hurdle overcome for Chek Whyte’s vision for Stanford Hall retirement village: .)

“The delicious SLSC calendar is full of fabulous photographs from members. The calendar includes key SLSC dates and plenty of space to write on each day. It is 30 x 30cm and only costs £8.

Order online and collect from the lifeguards at the Lido or by post.”

(Via South London Swimming Club – SLSC Calendar ‘09: .)

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There is some consternation at the costs:

I’m glad that the lido lives on.

“THE new Bristol Lido has opened its doors to the public for the first time, but it will be more than a week before the swimming pool is warm enough to use.

Solar panels on the roof are currently heating the 24m pool to a welcoming 35 degrees, but it currently remains bitingly cold.

Adventurer and Clifton resident Jon Bradshaw became the first person in almost 20 years to take a dip just before lunchtime yesterday.

“I certainly felt very cold and there wasn’t much time to take in the beautiful surroundings as I tried to catch my breath,” said Jon, who has trekked to the South Pole and is planning his next adventure, swimming 3,400 miles across the Atlantic from the USA to Ireland.

Yesterday, he only had to swim 24 metres, twice for the benefit of the gathered photographers and cameramen, before being wrapped in a warm towel and led to the sauna where he could warm up.

Although the general public are yet to be allowed into the pool, the rest of the Grade II*-listed former Clifton Victoria Baths was open for business, from the bar and restaurant overlooking the pool to the spa and treatment rooms.”

(Via Bristol Lido officially open ¦ Bristol News ¦ This Is Bristol: .)

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The South London Swimming Club is hosting the third UK Cold Water Swimming Championships on the 24 January 2009 at Tooting Bec Lido in South London.

Just as most sane people are hibernating for the winter, hundreds of swimmers will be braving water temperatures as low as 4 degrees centigrade. Taking on fellow cold water enthusiasts from around the UK and Europe, swimmers will go head-to-head in classic championship races such as the one-width head up breaststroke and 30m freestyle sprint at this year’s event.

BOOK HERE

“This web site has been set up to help publicise the campaign to save the Portishead Open Air Pool, and to provide ways to coordinate all the various efforts people are making to take the fight to North Somerset council.

PLease note that everything with an asterisk * is either an idea or will be working soon. Please keep coming back as new information is being added nearly every day, and also send your ideas, pictures,copies of letter to councillors, MPs and the media, etc. etc.. To email me (David Coombes) click this link. Please also visit Roger Whitfield’s Save the Pool web site (http://www.nortechcomputers.co.uk/pool/), which amongst other things has information about the campaign for a Community Trust to run the pool.”

(Via Save Portishead Open Air Pool: .)

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From the marvelous Lidos Yahoo Group

Anne O’Connell, a Twickenham-based film maker, wrote to Oliver yesterday:

“I wanted to let you know about a short documentary I have made about Hampton Pool. It is a 10 minute film featuring the ex-chair of the board of trustees talking about the local struggle to save the pool, and features some cine film of the pool from the 1920’s and 1930’s.

We are screening the film this Sunday 5th October at the pool at 10am and copies of the film will be on sale in the pool shop, price £3, with proceeds going to support the pool See http://www.hamptonpool.co.uk/ [The pool is open for swimming, as usual on Sundays from 9am to 5pm - and 365 days a year - OM.]

It would be great if members of the Lidos Yahoo Group could tell people about this new film.

The film will also be shown at “Arthur’s on the Green” (a restaurant in Twickenham) as part of their film nights:

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Oliver Merrington tells us “Steve Hanson has spent the best part of the last two years photographing some of the existing lidos. Let him know what you think. Some of the work can be
found on his website..Ultimately he would like these published as a book, but seem to be struggling at the moment, with the political climate in such a state???”