Managed decline or lack of imagination?
The idea of open air swimming in the middle of winter might be scary enough to make you curl up under a blanket, but a surprising large number of people have discovered the massive health benefits of doing so – especially (and you might want to get a hot water bottle before reading on) if that water is not heated! Unfortunately, with the water companies turning our rivers into extensions of the sewage works, the Lido was one of the few places where it was safe to swim. That’s no longer possible. The decision last year to close the pool over the winter for renovation was a blow to these hardy souls, but understandable given the scale of the works. The decision to close again this year (just before the only warm week in September) was purely on cost saving grounds. According to Cllr Houston, the Lido runs at a loss of £150K each year, and the council can no longer afford to keep it open all winter. The question is, “Is this an inevitable consequence of the rising cost of living, or would it be possible to keep it open with more imagination?”.
Cllr Dawn Bennett has been investigating what happens with other open air swimming pools. Are they all cutting back, or is it possible to make them profitable? Hampton Lido remains open all winter, every winter, and make a profit. How is that possible, given the costs of our own Lido?
Part of the difference can be explained by the fact that Hampton is not council owned. Anything that involves public money comes with rules about what you can do with that money, but she does not believe this is the whole picture. Hampton Lido has a whole range of activities and events that attract people throughout the year. What does Guildford Lido offer? Swimming! That’s it.
Dawn Bennett
The contract for the running of the Lido is up for renewal. Cllr Bennett is campaigning for a contract that rewards imagination and flexibility. “I want to see a contract that encourages usage of this precious gem, rather than leave it hidden away behind the church, only to be remembered when the temperature soars. Is that too much to ask?”
