Brixton news, photos, features, listings, music, arts and activism

A planning application has been submitted for the refurbishment of Brockwell Lido, which will include “repainting and lining the pool, repainting and replacing like-for-like the existing flag stones surrounding the pool, and installation of under-water lighting.”

The work – which will take several months – will see a plastic pool lining installed, which campaigners say will fundamentally alter the “swimming experience and look” of the Grade II listed structure.  A petition opposing the plastic lining has been launched by Brockwell Lido Lovers , the text of which we’ve reproduced below:

Swimmers at Brockwell Lido are alarmed that a plan is in place to install a plastic pool lining, fundamentally changing the swimming experience and the look of this iconic feature. It will require the closure of the pool for months from September 2019.

We call on all those who share our love for the lido to petition Fusion, Brockwell Lido Steering Group and Brockwell Lido Users Group to reconsider this plan and instead look to work with the historic fabric of the pool.

The justification for this work, as outlined in the submitted planning application, is largely focused on ‘modernising’ the pool. This is despite the fact that Brockwell Lido is a grade II listed building, and its appeal lies in the preservation of its original features.

Anyone who swims in Brockwell Lido knows that it is a magical experience; it gives you a small sense of the wild even in the middle of London. Looking down at the floor of the pool as you swim does not need to be a sanitised experience. Unfortunately the pool has been allowed to become rather dirty of late, but this is merely down to the fact that it has not been regularly cleaned, and should not be confused as justification for needing a plastic lining.

At a time when we need to consider our environmental impact we should do everything we can to avoid investing in huge swathes of plastic.

We believe that it is vital that every effort is made to keep the original pool lining so as to preserve the swimming experience that distinguishes Brockwell from a regular pool. It is a special place for many people and any plans to alter its appearance should be subjected to the highest possible scrutiny, and justification should be, just like our lido, watertight. We believe that the current plans fail on both counts, and therefore call on all lido users – and indeed anyone who believes in preserving heritage – to sign this petition.

LOVE THE LIDO. HATE PLASTIC

Read more about this proposal here and sign the petition here

Chat about Brockwell Lido on the Brixton forum (over 270 posts).

Sat 10th September, 2022Fri 9th September, 2022

Fri 9th September, 2022Fri 9th September, 2022

I swim at Brockwell, but also swim at other pools. These other pools in the main have modern linings and consequently are CLEAN. It is about time money was reinvested into the Lido to bring it up to date.

This should also includes under-water lighting enabling the pool to be used before and after sunset. This would increase the time it could be hired in the evening, and also ensure regular morning hours for cold water swimmers in the Winter.

The more this pool can be used, the more money it can generate, the safer its future for everyone.

I suspect the ‘plastic’ argument suspect and made by people more concerned about their own little worlds changing, rather than the bigger picture of a Lido made fit for purpose for generations to come.

I find the comment, “…people more concerned about their own little worlds…” rather disrespectful of people who swim alongside you and quite frankly unhelpful to any debate. In fact the way you ended your post completely dismantles everything that you have said prior to that.

People do use the space for individual reasons and should have the aspiration to do so without been challenged on ‘bigger pictures’ and ‘money making schemes’. Let’s allow people the right to diversion and escapism rather than creating a pool one might find in Faliraki.

If we modernised everything in London to make more money would we still be as proud of the capital we live in?

Sometimes paying a bit more attention to the metaphorical smaller picture may embrace a larger health and wellbeing picture. Let’s embrace what is good and what people are currently enjoying.

My observations of the winter swimmers are not people living in their ‘own little worlds’ but a community of people that are ever growing and inviting people into their warm, tolerant and larger lives.

Maybe you have excluded yourself from that community and that may be lending itself to some of your deconstructive and unhelpful stance. Just some food for thought and self reflection.

Kind regards – and please continue to enjoy something that is beautiful.

It is has been proved that Fusion are incapable of maintaining a painted concrete pool.

A lined pool is much easier to look after and needs less chemicals.

The facts are obvious, we need a lined pool.

Couldn’t disagree with you more here Tim. I also swim at Brockwell and having spoken to people for quite a while about this, find that there is little to no support for this initiative. That’s for those who even know about it. The fact is that this is not something that swimmers are asking for.

Why should swimmers care about Fusion profiting further from running the lido? If the lido was empty and in danger of closing then your argument about modernising it might have some relevance but people are coming in record numbers and using the pool.

It is perfectly feasible to clean a pool that does not have a plastic lining, if you have swum there at any point then you will know that the pool has often been clean. It hasn’t been clean for months, not because it desperately needs a plastic lining, but because they haven’t bothered to clean it. The vacuum cleaner they normally use is broken and rather than fixing or replacing it, they’ve just left the pool to get into a bad state.

No one I’ve spoken to is opposed to change if it’s required, or if the case for it is well argued and justified. If you think that’s the case here then you appear to have an especially low bar to clear, as the justification for this put forward by Fusion is vague and muddled at best.

I went to the meeting where we were told by Fusion that paint would only last 5 to 10 years while the two lining options would last over 10 years. Most modern pools are now lined, as are sister lidos Tooting and Parliament Hill. Investing in the long term future of the pool is a good thing for both the Lido and the local community.

Tim, we’d all like a pool that is clean and open. It doesn’t need to be plastic though.

If you want a modern looking and feeling pool there is always Tooting I am sure you will be welcomed with open arms there . . . .

There is no justification as far as I can see to line this fine pool with plastic . . . where is the evidence that the pool is in fact leaking. As Tom elequantly points out the pool is dirty because it has not been cleaned regularly.

Tim, I’ve no doubt that you care about the lido, and you obviously have your own interpretation of what you think it should be like. I’ve swum at various pools and by far the most pleasant ones to swim in are the ones that retain as many of the original features as possible, and the lining being a major one of these. I don’t know the exact reason why those two you mention went ahead with their lining, perhaps there was genuine need. Where possible all efforts should be made to preserve these historic pools, of course to a point where they’re still usable today. Very little reasoning has been given to exactly why this is needed now.

Unfortunately it seems like some people are very keen to be seen to deliver something and just doing what has gone before and been fine (e.g. make small repairs, and periodically repaint) is a bit boring. It’s very useful for them to have this parroted as ‘investing in the pool and local community’ but underneath the scattergun reasoning it seems like this is really about a very subjective ‘sprucing up’ (and no doubt generating more money).

It is fact that lined pools have a smoother surface and are easier to clean.

It is a fact that a painted concrete pool has a rougher surface and consequently in a larger surface area for algae to grow. Because of this a painted pool needs more chemicals.

It is a fact that a painted pool needs to be regularly re-painted. According to poolstore.co.uk this should be done every 3-5 years (Brockwell has not been painted for well over 10 years). That would mean the Lido being regularly closed for a month every 3 to 5 years.

Planning permission has been granted for a lined pool. I would prefer this to done so I can swim in a clean pool for the next 10 years rather than lose my Winter swimming every 3 to 5 years.

A quick lick of paint might be a cheaper option, but this is not good long term.

More information here: https://poolstore.co.uk/blog/putting-a-liner-in-a-concrete-pool/ https://www.riverpoolsandspas.com/blog/fiberglass-vs-vinyl-liner-vs-concrete-pools-comparison

‘According to poolstore.co.uk’, slogan “Nobody sells more swimming pool liners in the UK”. Poolstore also say a liner will last 7 to 10 years

the second link says “Concrete pools will need to be renovated every 10–15 years”

Plastic pool linings discolour when they get an overdose of chemicals eg the standard cleaning process after someone poops or is sick in the pool. Will also discolour if the ph balance isnt right like those times Fusion shut the lido a few years ago

Not sure where you get your assertion that the pool hasn’t been painted for well over 10 years? It was 7 by my reckoning and proposals by fusion began to be made to renovate it last year..

The pool was closed this morning:

DUE TO BAD WATER CLARITY WE HAVE HAD TO CLOSE THE POOL.

I don’t understand what the problem is. The petition doesn’t explain itself:

“fundamentally changing the swimming experience and the look of this iconic feature” (How ? Presumably the liner will be the usual light blue colour) “Looking down at the floor of the pool as you swim does not need to be a sanitised experience.” (Only affects people wearing goggles, and doesn’t explain the disadvantages of “sanitised looking”, a concept that I find difficult to grasp anyway)

If fitting a liner reduces the need for maintenance, then presumably the pool will need to be closed less frequently (good), and if it’s more sanitary, then also presumably the amount of chemicals used can also be reduced (also very good).

Some sanity at last, well put.

We’ve a poll on our Twitter page if anyone want to vote:

https://twitter.com/brockwellswim/status/1156565382574088192

I guess that the liner will be the synthetic rubber known as EPDM. If so, recycling won’t be much of a problem, as EPDM has many end-of-life applications, eg chopping it up and using it in making road surfaces and pathways. Overall it might be environmentally beneficial, as smaller amounts of pool sterilising chemicals will be needed in a lined pool.

Our current poll of 105 voters is 88% supporting lining and only 12% paint.

https://twitter.com/brockwellswim/status/1156565382574088192

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.