Parliament Hill Lido Closed After 'Unacceptable' Fight Sparks Safety Concerns
The London lido was incredibly busy on Bank Holiday Monday when the fight happened and remains closed until it is deemed 'safe' to reopen. Hampstead Heath’s Parliament Hill Lido has been forced to temporarily close after a fight broke out on the sweltering Bank Holiday. The popular swimming spot was shut yesterday afternoon (Monday, May 25) following the incident and remains closed at the time of writing. It is expected to reopen tomorrow (Wednesday, May 27), according to the Lido's webpage.
A spokesperson for the City of London Corporation, which manages the Heath as a registered charity, said they 'condemn the unacceptable behaviour' which led to the site's closure. The Parliament Hill Lido is one of the capital's most well-known outdoor swimming spots. Before the incident occurred it was particularly busy as crowds of people sought an escape from the Bank Holiday heatwave, with reports on social media of people queuing for an hour and 40 minutes to get in.
One regular café user told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) they heard one person had hit another over the head with a vodka bottle and added there were reports of individuals being found with knives. The LDRS has contacted the Met Police for confirmation on exactly what happened. The café user said the lido had issues with gangs pre-Covid though that since then the space had been better managed. They added that during hot weather the clientele changes as more people seek an escape from the heat.
On the lido security, they said: 'They didn’t do body searches. People should have been searched. The security seems to have been really light.' 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.'
The Met Police has been approached for comment. Fights have previously broken out at the lido before over-heated swimmers have even entered the facility. In 2018 a teenager was injured as fights broke out in the queue. Police were also called the following year after 'minor scuffles' broke out among some of those waiting to get in.
