Campaigners want Olympic-sized swimming pool to ‘transform’ community

RESIDENTS in West London have launched a campaign for a new Olympic-sized pool near Ruislip lido that would “transform” the local community.

The campaign, run by the West London Lido volunteer group, aims to drum up support for a new lido, claiming there is a lack of local swimming baths.

The group’s ambition is to build an Olympic-sized outdoor swimming pool, with poolside changing rooms and a sunbathing terrace, that would be affordable and accessible to everyone in the area. The idea would be to provide a similar concept to the Ruislip lido, a 60-acre lake with sandy beaches in Hillingdon.

As well as providing a safe space for swimming and sunbathing, visitors to Ruislip are able to go running, swimming and boating. Similarly, the West London Lido could host a variety of community activities and exercise classes.

West London Lido campaign spokesperson Eddie Morgan said: “Anyone of any income or age ought to have the option, affordably, to go to a beautiful, well-designed, safe lido.”

The inspiration for the lido campaign came to Mr Morgan, 53, through spending a lot of time outdoors during the Covid lockdowns. He said: “I have always liked Brockwell Lido and

Tooting Bec Lido and it just occurred to me that in west London, Shepherds Bush or Ealing or Brent, you’re stuck. If you’re money poor or time poor you effectively can’t swim outdoors in west London.”

The campaign group has yet to settle on a site for the proposed lido, but is considering Gunnersbury Park and Dukes Meadow in Hounslow, as well as other locations in Brent and Hammersmith and Fulham.

Determined not to be reliant on council funding, the campaigners estimate they will need to raise at least £15 million to build it.

Mr Morgan said campaigners are determined to build up support before approaching their chosen local authority for discussions in the autumn.

The campaign for the new lido was launched at the start of December last year and has already attracted wide support from more than 1,500 west Londoners. Pledging their support for the campaign, one resident wrote: “Fantastic idea. This would transform our community.”

A second resident said it would be very convenient, writing: “As an Acton resident, I have to cycle across London for the chance to swim outdoors in a lido. I would love this in west London. The other London lidos are too far away or too crowded.”

A third supporter of the campaign wrote: “I work in Shepherd’s Bush as a GP. This would be so good for so many people.”

Another resident said how nice it would be to take their children to the lido and wrote: “I have always wanted to take the family to a lido. I have five children, and London’s lidos are too far from us.”

Setting out reasons why residents should support the lido on its website, the West London Lido volunteer group cites the health benefits of outdoor swimming: “A quick splash or a couple of lengths is good for the body and the soul.”