Charlton Lido
Charlton Lido to Re-open 29th May 2005 - read details here!
Check out the Charlton Swimming Club movie and open letter to Mayor Ken Livingstone HERE
2005 has got off to a good start with the lido open from 30 May as shown on the Greenwich Leisure website
Charlton Lido in need of medium-term funding
Charlton Lido's medium-term future is uncertain while no funding source is found for repairs. However while the lido is in need of funding, the swimming club say that closure is not on the cards yet. The Council and the swimming club have a good working relationship that keeps the lido open all year. The Council run the lido for the general public in the 8 weeks of mid-summer. The rest of the year the swimming club use the lido in the mornings, providing their own safety cover, buying their own chemicals for the pool and doing basic maintenance of the site. One year they emptied the pool and painted it. The advantage to the council is that the swimming club are looking after the pool for them - they don't have to refill the pool each year, and don't have to provide security. Good to hear about such a mutually beneficial arrangement.
The swimmers pay £5 a week for year round swimming - but be warned it is not heated at all, and there are pictures in the changing rooms of swimmers breaking the ice before jumping in. It is a very atmospheric place - like stepping back into the 1930's and one of only 3 lidos left in South East London. While the pool tank and plant are in working condition the Council are looking for funds to renovate the buildings. Doug Minde, who works for Greenwich Council, but in his spare time is a channel swimmer and volunteer at Charlton Lido says that even its medium term future is far from certain.
See below for Charlton's intrepid swimmers taking the plunge with snow surrounding the pool.
Photos by photo©balthazar serreau
Link to Charlton Lido on Greenwich Council website
Link to Charlton Lido on Greenwich Leisure's website
News story about Charlton Lido on Greenwich Council website "A LIDO could undergo a huge facelift and a new deep diving centre could be built under plans to go before Greenwich Council next week.
Planning permission is being sought to renovate Charlton Lido, Hornfair Park, Shooters Hill Road, and build a diving facility - described as the only one of its kind in the country.
The move by Open Waters Ltd would secure the future of the popular open-air pool, built in 1939, which is badly in need of work.
In the summer of 2004, it was forced to close due to health and safety fears and repeated vandalism, but reopened after pressure from angry swimmers.
The plans would see the existing lido refurbished with new toilets, changing and shower room facilities, a diving shop and a cafe.
A three-storey building would be constructed alongside it, boasting an indoor 35m-deep diving centre, a gym, a club room, teaching space and a manager's flat."
(Via Plans To Give Lido Major Facelift (from News Shopper): .) | Charlton Lido | 23 January 2008; 3:50:52 PM |# | | Discuss | "Charlton Lido will open to the general public from Saturday 21 July to Sunday 2 September 2007.
Opening hours will be 10.30am - 6.00pm at all times (weekdays and weekends) during the holiday period, the morning session 10.30am - 12.30pm will be designated for families only (children under 16 years of age to be accompanied by an adult). Opening will be subject to weather conditions."
(Via Charlton Lido : .) | Charlton Lido | 15 July 2007; 3:28:40 PM |# | | Discuss (1 response) | CAMPAIGNERS say they are "over the moon" after it was revealed a popular lido is set to re-open. Charlton Lido, Charlton Park Lane, Greenwich, was forced to close last summer due to health and safety fears and repeated vandalism. But now the 57-year-old lido has been granted a reprieve after pressure from angry swimmers. Charlton Lido Swimming Club one of the many clubs which uses the facility throughout the year maintains the facility at its own expense. Club secretary Graham Jones said: "I'm over the moon for the community. This is not a very affluent part of London and the lido provides enjoyment for families and gives mums somewhere to take their kids." (Via News Shopper) | Charlton Lido | 28 April 2005; 4:27:25 PM |# | | Discuss | The cross London endurance cyclists arrive at Charlton Lido to be met by protestors calling for the re-opening of the lido last Saturday 21st August. Greenwich Council are carrying out temporary works at the lido, and are in negotiation with the swimming club to re-open the lido within the next few weeks for club use only. The lido is used by the Charlton Swimming Club, the Cross Channel Swimming club, the Charlton Canoe Polo club and Greenwich Titons triathletes. The lido will not open to the public this year. The costs estimates for re-opening the lido are £120,000 for club use and £500,000 for public use. More info in our press release... | Charlton Lido | 29 August 2004; 8:51:11 AM |# | | Discuss |
The BBC covered the day with reports on their website HERE and HERE ...more ---> ... | Charlton Lido | 8 July 2004; 10:45:46 AM |# | | Discuss |
Graham Jones celebrates news the Charlton Lido is set to re-open 
"The Council's Cabinet Committee was due to make a decision yesterday (6th July) on the short-term future of Charlton Lido. The recommendation was that the pool be closed with immediate effect and that it shouldn't open to the public this summer. The reason is concern over water quality. There's nothing on the website at present, but Greenwich Council is normally much slower to announce bad news than good news."
This is very sad especially coming on such a great day with so many people swimming across London with swim London 2004 and the exhibition at Brockwell Lido open to the public. Quite how a local authority and its Leisure Contractor get themselves into the position of having to close a Lido in the first week of July due to an inability to maintain a good water quality is anybody's guess.
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