History of lidos in the United Kingdom facts for kids
Lidos are special outdoor swimming pools, often found in beautiful settings. They became super popular in the United Kingdom during the 1930s. Back then, outdoor swimming was a big hit, and local councils built 169 lidos across the UK for people to enjoy. Many lidos closed later when going on holidays abroad became cheaper. But the ones that are still open today have many fans who love them! The word Lido actually comes from a famous beach area in Lido di Venezia, Italy.
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When Lidos Were Popular
The 1930s were a "golden age" for lidos. People loved swimming outdoors. The very first open-air swimming pool officially called a lido was "The Edmonton Lido" in London. It reopened on July 27, 1935, after being updated. Other lidos, like the "Tottenham Lido" (opened June 5, 1937) and the "West Ham Municipal Lido" (opened August 30, 1937), were also called lidos from the start.
Even some private places started using the name "lido." For example, Ruislip Lido, which is part of a reservoir, opened in May 1936. Rush Green Lido in Essex, built in old gravel pits, opened in September 1935.
Saving and Opening Lidos
Many lidos have closed over the years, especially in London and the south-west of England. But there have been many efforts to save and reopen these historic pools!
In 2005, a book called Liquid Assets - the lidos and open air pools of Britain was published. It explored the past, present, and future of outdoor pools. This book helped start two big meetings in 2006 about bringing lidos back to life.
Thanks to dedicated campaigns, many lidos have been saved:
- The London Fields Lido in Hackney reopened in October 2006 after almost 20 years of campaigning.
- Droitwich Spa Lido also reopened after a six-year fight by a group called SALT (Save a Lido Today).
- Brockwell Lido celebrated its 70th birthday in 2007.
- Clifton Lido reopened in 2008.
- Wood Green Pool in Banbury reopened in 2009.
- Charlton Lido reopened in 2012.
One amazing success story is the Saltdean Lido in East Sussex. It closed in 2010, but a campaign helped raise over £2 million to restore it. A new community group started work on the pool in 2015, and it reopened in 2017!
Other lidos are also being restored:
- The old Edwardian King's Meadow swimming pool in Reading is being brought back to life by the same group that saved Clifton Lido.
- The old Ynysangharad Lido in Pontypridd is also being fixed up.
- Woburn Lido in Bedfordshire, which opened in 1911, was saved from closing in 2013 by local people.
Lidos You Can Visit Today
There are many fantastic lidos still open across the UK. Some famous ones include:
- Brockwell Lido in Herne Hill
- Parliament Hill Lido in Hampstead Heath
- Tooting Bec Lido in South London (it's the largest swimming pool in England!)
- Jesus Green Swimming Pool in Cambridge
- Sandford Parks Lido in Cheltenham
Arundel Lido is located in the town of Arundel, inside the South Downs National Park. It has heated pools and grassy areas perfect for sunbathing and picnics. There are plans to make it an all-year-round facility with heated changing rooms, a gym, a community hall, and a cafe.
Plymouth is home to the Tinside Lido. This cool Art Deco seawater pool was built in 1935 right on the coastline. It's shaped like a half-circle and has fountains. It's open from May to September.
New Ideas for Lidos
People are still coming up with new ideas for lidos!
- A group called Thames Baths wants to build a new floating lido on the River Thames in London.
- There are also plans for a new lido at Peckham Rye, where an old one closed in 1987.
- A new 40-meter swimming pond has already been created as part of the King's Cross developments in North London.
Clevedon's Marine Lake also got a big update. It's a pool that gets refilled by the tide. Workers removed about 16,000 tonnes of mud to make it better for swimming and easier to access.
See also
- Open water swimming
- Swimming hole
