All the lidos

Lidos are magical and we want in. Rowan Clarke chats to Jem Collins to find out how we can collect them all

Take the lid off a swimming pool, and the magic pours in. What is it about exposing that rectangle of clear, blue water to the elements that transforms it into a swimming nirvana? We spoke to Jem Collins, founder of All the Lidos, about what makes outdoor pools so special, her mission to ‘collect them all’ – and how we can join in by taking part in her British Summer Time Lido Challenge (and earn beautiful badges).

Why do you think lidos are having such a renaissance?

I feel like my experience of swimming outdoors mirrors what’s happened more broadly in the UK. I grew up in Devon, and a core part of my childhood was going to Topsham outdoor pool. Then foreign holidays became a lot more accessible, the British climate wasn’t great, and all that fell away. To think how many pools disappeared is genuinely heartbreaking.

There’s been a growing awareness of these amazing community assets that we have on our doorstep, which, especially in a busy world allow you to switch off properly. I think the pandemic gave that more visibility. When you couldn’t go away for a weekend in Spain, you found this place on your doorstep. It really opened people’s eyes to what we have here in the UK.

What is about open air pools that’s so special?

You’re in this rectangle with a walled rectangle around you, and all that’s missing is the roof. So what’s so different? For me, it’s those atmospheric changes that you’re more connected to and more aware of. You can feel the wind, or sun, or it might be raining on you, which I think is the best time to go for a swim.

I think outdoor pools also attract more of a community. They become part of a ritual, so you go to the pool and you see the same people and start to get to know them.

And then there’s such variety. That’s what makes it so fun to try and visit as many as possible. It could be an incredible view or amazing architecture; sometimes it’s just awe that it’s survived. I go to the Oasis in London quite a lot. I call it the washing machine because it’s very small and it churns when it’s full, but I’m always like ‘Wow, how is this here?’ So, whether it’s a tidal pool, a grand piece of architecture, or a community-built pool made with concrete blocks, there’s always something special.

What made you want to visit all the outdoor pools and lidos that you could?

Well, I have to give full credit to the wonderful Emma and Janet (authors of The Lido Guide). I was living in London and stumbled across London Fields. Then my partner bought me The Lido Guide, and I just needed to try and visit as many of them as possible.

There are sad stories where pools have shut down or public places have become private. But I the more I look for lidos, the more I find. My partner and I joke that we’re not making any progress because we keep finding more, and I get emails from people saying, ‘Did you know about this pool? It’s just opened up.’ It’s a bit like a treasure hunt.

It takes you to places that you probably wouldn’t have seen otherwise, especially a lot of these community pools. I’ve got to see a snapshot of each community in a place that I wouldn’t have seen. And I think sometimes we forget all the amazing places we have across the UK.

What inspired you set up your Lido Challenge?

I guess I just wanted to inspire people to go on mini adventures. I often feel that when we think about adventures; it’s a big, grand word, but I don’t want to cycle the world. You can find adventure in your everyday. And there are so many outdoor pools all across the UK that it’s really not hard to fit visiting them into your summer.

I also wanted to support the sector because so much of it is community run and led by volunteers. So going and swimming somewhere on a rainy day makes a lot of difference to their bottom line.

Equally, I think that having something to aim for pushes you to do new things. So, it’s for people to feel like they’ve had a small adventure, seen something different, met other people, and earned a badge at the end – and they’re proper embroidered badges.

We love a badge. Tell us more!

You can earn six badges this year, half of them are numbers so, for swimming in five, 10 and 20 spots. We’re always conscious that, depending on where you live in the country, you might not have the time and money to visit 20 places. So the other three are challenge badges like swimming in the rain, and a bravery badge to do something that’s out of your comfort zone.

It sounds like such an inclusive challenge.

I think swimming by its nature is very inclusive, but it’s still an overwhelmingly white space and disabled access in a lot of places isn’t great. So, a large part of this is inspiring people who wouldn’t have thought about doing a swimming ‘event’, so to speak.

I find that the perception of events is worse than the reality. So, I wanted to build something that wasn’t about racing or completing, but that was something people could build themselves. It runs through the whole of British Summer Time, March to October and it can be whatever you make it.

Find Jem’s interactive outdoor pool map and take part in the challenge: allthelidos.com