A South London lido is set to reopen to the public in spring next year after a near-£4million revamp was hit by delays, including the discovery of buried asbestos. Wandsworth Council said the major repairs at Tooting Bec Lido, the biggest open-air freshwater pool in the UK, are almost complete.
Ahead of the formal reopening to the public, the 91-metre-long lido will reopen to members of the South London Swimming Club (SLSC) on Monday (December 18). This follows normal practice as the pool usually only opens to the club during winter every year, while it is typically available to the public from April to September. SLSC’s website said the lido will open to the public from April 1 to September 30, 2024.
The works aim to prevent future unplanned closure of the lido and make sure it functions efficiently for the next 50 years. The existing systems at the lido, the council previously said, had reached the end of their life and a budget of £3.93m was agreed in November 2022 to fund the maintenance works.
The scheme includes replacing the pumphouse, which controls the pool’s water supply, and building a new electrical substation to power the pumps, along with installing a new pipework and UV filtration system and pool liner. It also involves improving the landscaping around the water’s edge.
The lido shut in November last year and it was originally set to close for around nine months for the works. But the council later revealed it would not reopen in time for summer due to “unavoidable delays” caused by issues encountered during the repairs – including the “discovering of unknown buried asbestos following demolition”.
A council report in November 2021 said the “iconic” lido holds a special place as the borough’s “jewel in the crown” and has attracted generations of Londoners since opening in 1906. A Wandsworth Council spokesperson said: “The council’s £4m extensive refurbishment of the lido – which will ensure its continued use for many decades to come – is now largely complete, so in line with normal winter practice when the pool is open only to members of the South London Swimming Club (SLSC), who have contributed around £100,000 towards this landmark scheme, the lido will reopen to club members on December 18 ahead of a formal reopening to the general public in the spring.”
Image: Tooting Bec Lido. Credit: Wandsworth Council
