A group of 20 Labour MPs, alongside the Fabian Society, is calling for water companies to fund the reopening of Britain's lost lidos, aiming to make outdoor swimming accessible for all. The campaign comes as outdoor swimming surges in popularity, with Better, the nation's largest public swimming operator, reporting 542,998 swim visits between June and August 2025—a 30% increase from 416,847 in 2024.
Water companies urged to fund lido revival
A new report from the Fabian Society calls on Andy Burnham, expected to become the next prime minister, to use the forthcoming water bill to make water companies responsible for funding local swimming places like lidos. The report states that the bill could include a duty for water companies to “promote and facilitate public access to safe outdoor swimming” in their regions, potentially requiring cooperation with local authorities to ensure a minimum provision of lidos per population or area.
Andrew Pakes, Labour MP for Peterborough and founder of the campaign group of Labour MPs with derelict or at-risk lidos, said: “Andy Burnham talks a lot about pride in place and this could therefore be a small but important part of his policy agenda.” Pakes successfully campaigned to keep Peterborough's lido open after council budget plans threatened its closure.
Historical decline of lidos
Lidos were built across the UK in the 1930s as affordable public outdoor pools, but by the end of the 1980s, nearly two-thirds were derelict or demolished. Of over 300 lidos in the 1930s, only about a third remained open by 1990. Some continue to close today, though communities have fought to preserve them. For instance, Tooting Bec lido, the UK's biggest freshwater outdoor pool, was saved from closure in the 1990s by the South London swimming club.
Former Conservative cabinet minister Penny Mordaunt campaigned for years to renovate Hillsea lido in Portsmouth, even appearing on the television show Splash to raise funds. The lido opened to the public this year.
Benefits of outdoor swimming
The Fabian Society report emphasizes that lidos are more than swimming pools, stating: “The idea behind the architecture was that the factory worker, the coalminer, the office clerk, the apprentice, and the housewife had as much right to lounge on a sundeck or enjoy a swim in clean water as the aristocrat on an ocean liner or the stockbroker on a Monte Carlo beach.”
Pakes noted that outdoor swimming is becoming increasingly important with hotter summers, providing public health benefits. He said: “Outdoor swimming is becoming much more important for everyone, with hotter summers we need people to have the public health and public benefit.”
MPs backing lido campaigns
Several Labour MPs are championing lido restorations in their constituencies. Beccy Cooper and Tom Rutland of Worthing are working to restore the Grade II-listed seafront lido. Stroud MP Simon Opher campaigns to fix the art deco lido, built in 1937, which closed in 2025 due to £5m refurbishment costs. Bishop Auckland MP Sam Rushworth supports reopening Stanhope lido. Ipswich MP Jack Abbott has championed the restoration of Broomhill lido, closed since 2002, with a £10m restoration under way aiming for a 2026 reopening.
