Parliament Hill Lido has banned children under 16 who are not accompanied by adults after a second 'serious incident' which followed the 'unacceptable' brawl earlier this week. The ban will remain in place throughout the warm weather this weekend (Saturday, May 30 and Sunday, May 31), with children required to visit with a responsible adult over 18, parent or guardian.
The North London lido has also confirmed bag searches will be taking place over both days, while visitors are advised to take relevant ID. The City of London Corporation, which owns the lido, said the measures are necessary to ensure the safety of all swimmers.
A message posted on Instagram by the Parliament Hill Lido account reads: 'IMPORTANT - due to two serious incidents which have now occurred at our beloved lido, both of which have required emergency services and involved unaccompanied teenagers, the City of London Corporation have made the decision to insist that anyone under the age of 16 is accompanied by a responsible adult. There will also be additional security to keep swimmers, their families and staff safe.'
The site in Hampstead Heath was forced to shut on Bank Holiday Monday (May 25) after a fight broke out in the sweltering 35C heat shortly before 5pm. A boy, 17 and 25-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of affray after another boy, 15, and a man in his 40s suffered minor injuries.
A regular at the lido told MyLondon they heard one person had hit another over the head with a vodka bottle and added there were reports of people being found with knives. Parliament Hill Lido also remained shut throughout Tuesday before reopening on Wednesday.
Following the first incident, a Corporation spokesperson said: 'We condemn the unacceptable behaviour that led to the temporary closure of the lido on Bank Holiday Monday. Following an altercation involving a small number of individuals, we took the decision to close for the safety of our staff and the public. The Metropolitan Police Service attended and are investigating. We will reopen as soon as it is safe to do so.'
MyLondon has contacted the City of London Corporation for comment regarding the latest incident at the lido and decision taken.
