South London Swimming Club (SLSC) publicises plans for Tooting Bec Lido

staged an exhibition to promote its plans to further enhance facilities at the popular Tooting Bec Lido.

The club has been working with WR-AP Architects to develop a series of proposals that would improve visitor facilities at the pool’s shallow end changing area and in the lido’s café.

These include a new entrance with improved security, a more flexible café, accessible from the common as well as the pool, more toilets and showers and a club room for winter use.

Judi Gasser, Wandsworth Borough Council’s cabinet member for environment, said: “The South London Swimming Club is an important and valued partner in our work to improve and safeguard the future of our wonderful lido.”

She added the exhibition gave local people a chance to find out more about the club’s plans “to enhance and support the work we are doing to preserve and protect the lido for many decades to come”.

If approved, the proposals would further enhance the lido, complementing the council’s current and ongoing £3.8m refurbishment of the much-loved open-air pool, which is designed to safeguard its future for the next half century. This involves the replacement of the existing pumphouse, which controls the pool’s water supply and construction of a new electrical substation to power the pumps and a modern UV water purification system.

New pipework and a filtration system, new pool liner and improved landscaping around the water’s edge also form important elements of the scheme.

The 90-metre-long lido dates back to 1906 and is the largest open-air freshwater pool in the UK, occupying a unique position in the history of British lido’s due to its size and the era in which it was built.

It is regularly described as the “jewel in the crown” of Wandsworth’s sports, leisure and fitness facilities. For more information about the club’s proposals please visit https://www.slsc.org.uk/future-lido/

Queen Consort “privileged and honoured” by visit to Wandsworth family centre

Her Majesty met with volunteers and local people at the centre, even trying her hand at an art class, as she heard about the positive work that goes on to support victims of domestic violence.

Other guests at the event included Jeremy Ambache, the Mayor of Wandsworth, Simon Hogg, leader of Wandsworth Council and supporters of the centre, including entrepreneur Kanya King CBE and Rose, Bishop of Dover.

The Queen Consort cut a cake for the centre’s 19th birthday, and unveiled a plaque celebrating her visit. She said: “I want to say a huge thank you to you for all you are doing to help the victims of domestic violence.”

“I feel very privileged and honoured to have come and visited you all today.”

STORM, on the Doddington Estate, was founded 19 years ago to enable single mothers to help and support each other.

Since then, its work has expanded to help other members of the local community, including by offering counselling, free courses leading to qualifications and employment support.

Cllr Ambache said: “It was such an honour to visit STORM today and meet Her Majesty.

“The centre is such an important part of the local community and I’m delighted its work has been recognised in this way.”