Tooting Bec Lido celebrates 115th birthday
Tooting Bec Lido, one of Britain’s oldest open-air pools and the largest freshwater swimming pool by surface area in the UK, celebrated its 115th birthday this week.
The 100-yard lido opened to the public in 1906, and has hosted swimming races since 1908.
It was nearly closed in the 1990s, when Wandsworth council financial cutbacks resulted in the closure of the borough’s other lido at Kind George’s Park.
The lido was saved after campaigning by the South London Swimming Club, a volunteer group who now manage the site.
In 2006 it hosted the UK’s first Cold Water Swimming Championships in 2006, attracting 320 swimmers from the UK and abroad, and has regularly hosted the event since.
Outdoor Swimmer
Outdoor Swimmer is the magazine for outdoor swimmers by outdoor swimmers. We write about fabulous wild swimming locations, amazing swim challenges, swim training advice and swimming gear reviews.
