Brockwell Lido: How To Get A Spot At South London’s Favourite Pool
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7 minutes ago
Here's how to book a session during the heatwave
With sizzling temperatures forecast for London this week, we’ll soon all be on the hunt for ways to cool down. And, of course, there’s no better way to beat the heat than with a refreshing dip in a pool. There are a handful of them dotted around the capital, from the historic Hampstead Ponds to The Berkeley’s glitzy roof terrace. But in south London, the place to be in a heatwave is Brockwell Lido, the historic pool perched within leafy Brockwell Park. Naturally, it gets extra busy during the summer months, so plan ahead to guarantee a spot – here’s everything you need to know.
Brockwell Lido: History & How To Book
History
Brockwell Lido as we now know it opened in 1937, but the site dates back much further to the late 1800s. Following a petition from a group of locals, the London County Council (LCC) agreed to create a pond within Brockwell Park. However, initially only men and children were allowed to swim there – it wasn’t until 1929 that women were allowed to bathe in the lake.
A few years later, the LCC decided to close the lake, proposing a new open air swimming bath, which formally opened on 10 July 1937 – marked, rather oddly, with a local schoolgirl being thrown into the pool by the Mayor of Lambeth. The pool stayed open during the war, although a gala was forced to be cancelled in 1944 due to flying bomb attacks.
The Lido did close, though, for a period during the 1980s, before being leased by new owners, Paddy Castledine and Casey McGlue. In 2001, Fusion Lifestyle was appointed to manage the site – and two years later, the site became Grade II listed by English Heritage.
After some more renovations which saw the south facade extended by six metres, Brockwell Lido reopened on 2 July 2007 in its current guise.
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What To Expect
Brockwell Lido is a 50m, unheated pool. Despite its chilly climes, it attracts swimmers year-round, but it gets very busy during warmer periods. The pool is attached to a gym with changing rooms and showers, as well as a cafe serving pizzas from 400 Rabbits, plus brunch, coffee, ice cream and drinks. There’s also space around the pool to relax and even sunbathe on sunnier days.
How To Book
You can book sessions via the Fusion Lifestyle website – either lane swimming or a lido session for those more interested in floating and chilling poolside. If you book a lane swim, you must arrive within 10 minutes of your booking, but for lido sessions you can turn up whenever you like within your slot (though it’s worth getting there near the beginning to make the most of it). Bookings go live seven days in advance.
Lido bookings are free for members, otherwise a session costs £9.50pp. Some walk-in spaces are also available, subject to availability. If you’re a member, you can swipe through without having to queue; if not you may have to wait a little during busy periods, particularly if you haven’t booked in advance.
The opening times are changeable, so it’s worth checking the Instagram page beforehand. Generally, the pool opens at 6.30am.
Find out more at brockwelllido.com and book at fusion-lifestyle.com
