The Lido
Tooing Common, Tooting Bec Rd, London SW16 1RU
Brockwell Park, Dulwich Rd, London SE24 0PA
T: £7.45 B: £6.10
In the overwhelmingly blissful weather we’ve been having, it is only natural to dream of a pool of cool water to jump into and refresh. You wouldn’t think that these came by easily in the smog of England’s capital, however, London itself boasts 7 Lido’s alone. I have been to two: Tooting and Brockwell, both nestled in the homey confines of South London. Despite both offering outdoor swimming in South, these two sister venues couldn’t be more different from one another.
Tooting Lido is HUGE, and when I say huge I mean literally massive. The largest outdoor fresh water pool in the UK, and one of Britain’s oldest open air pools; Tooting Lido opened in 1906 and is 100 yards long and 33 yards wide. Due to its vastness, the water remains very cold even after a supersonic heatwave like the one we’re experiencing now. Although this might put some off, it is safe to say that the perks lie in the open space, as no matter how busy the lido gets during the summer months, there will always be a spot for you to submerge and enjoy some swimming and splashing.
Tooting is famous for its multi-coloured changing room doors which line the sides of the water. Red, yellow and green are the colours of choice and help the place remain cheery and attractive despite the fact that it is, frankly, a bit on the shabby side. Tooting Lido is nestled in Tooting Common, which means that if things do get a bit crowded you can venture outside for vast areas of green which are not dominated by screaming kids/soppy couples. The lido is open from 6am-8pm every day, and is complete with a café serving basic pool side snacks in case all that swimming makes you peckish! Top tip: try and sit on the left hand side of the pool as this keeps the sun for most of the day.
Brockwell Lido is much smaller in comparison to Tooting, however, is still big enough to beat your average gym pool. 54 yards long and open since 1937, the numbers aren’t quite as impressive as Tooting, but for what is lacks in size and history, it makes up for in added extras. For starters, Brockwell is open from 6:30am-10pm and boasts a trendy café where you can sit it and dine on anything from Quinoa super food bowls to all day breakfast. Time Out has rated the Lido Café as one of the best Brunch spots in London, making this now not only a swimming pool but a culinary destination. Brockwell Lido is also home to a gym, group exercise classes and a Hydro Spa, Sauna and Steam room on Friday’s.
I went to Brockwell Lido on a sunny Friday afternoon in early July, assuming all the kiddiwinkles would still be at school and, therefore, the place relatively quiet. Oh no… I was very wrong. Arriving at around 2pm, there was a longish line filled with people of every age it made me question how so many people didn’t have a job to be at (unemployment crisis discussion for another time…) The entrance fee was as expected, at £6.10 for an Adult all-day access and we managed to find a spot at the Deep End, as far away as possible from all the screaming kids, with relative ease. The water felt freezing at first after sweating it out in London’s 30 degree muggy heat, but once you were in and moving it was really pleasant and didn’t feel cold at all!
After a few hours, two dips, some obligatory sunbathing and a bit of reading we decided to call it a day. The Lido is great but you do need to expect crowds, especially in this marvellous British summer we’re having at the moment. Worth a trip overall, but don’t expect to get any R&R at either of these venues.
OVERALL RATING: ***
https://www.placesforpeopleleisure.org/centres/tooting-bec-lido/
https://www.fusion-lifestyle.com/centres/brockwell-lido
