Park Road Lido & Indoor Pool closed until further notice

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Permalink Reply by Gordon T on January 28, 2023 at 19:50

Well another London council has also had enough:

https://www.brixtonbuzz.com/2022/09/lambeth-set-to-take-leisure-man...     Austerity

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Permalink Reply by RD on January 29, 2023 at 20:28

Typical council MO to wait until the facilities are run into the ground before intervening. There have been years and years of complaints about both sites to warn them that something was wrong. Now there are no public swimming facilities open in the borough. Shameful.

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Permalink Reply by adamvietnam on January 30, 2023 at 8:21

Hi Gordon,

This is interesting. Do you have any evidence you could send me that the shutdown is due to energy costs. I can pass it on to the Park Road Lido User Group (PRLUG) who would be EXTREMELY interested in this.

Thank you.

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Permalink Reply by Gordon T on January 30, 2023 at 20:45

Hi Adam, my previous comment was simply circumstantial based on picking up news reports of other leisure centres not getting the continuing energy support that other industries have.

I'd think it's a contributory factor, not the main one. At the moment...

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Permalink Reply by adamvietnam on January 30, 2023 at 22:21

Fair enough

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Permalink Reply by S Williams on February 2, 2023 at 22:36

Some of you will have read that I asked questions about Fusion in another posting.  I wrote to Fusion, Councillor Davies and Catherine West. I even turned up for a meeting at Park Road with the managers (that they arranged) - but they didn’t!!!  There is clearly enormous frustration with Fusion at all levels from all stakeholders.  Catherine West responded to say she and David Lammy are meeting the Council tomorrow and directed me to her open letter  https://www.catherinewest.org.uk/swimming/2023/01/30/closure-of-par...

Please let’s try to support the Council in finding solutions. No point second guessing stuff.  We need facts and evidence.  

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Permalink Reply by Elizabeth M on February 3, 2023 at 8:32

Park Road Pool including the diving pool which has been shut for months are reopening on 8 February according to Fusion's email to users today. 

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Permalink Reply by tigha on February 3, 2023 at 11:21

I used to use Park road few years back when London fields was closed for refurb.it was shockingly badly run even back then. Would often turn up to find the pool was closed due to staff not turning up. Much prefer to travel out of borough to the Better run superb Londonfields lido

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Permalink Reply by Sapphireblue on February 4, 2023 at 14:27

I use the heated lido regularly and am a member of PLUG - the Park Rd Lido Usr group.  

I spoke to a guy called James sent by Fusion to see what the situation was 'on the ground'.  Also, I heard from PLUG that as their membership numbers are now c. 980 the protests about the closures and poor management had suddenly got clout - together of course with the intervention of our two MPs. 

I too was actually phoned up subsequently to say a Monday pool booking must be cancelled due to closure - which in view of the usual dismissive minimization by management of customer's concerns and keeping us informed was very surprising. My observation (ad I've been going to the lido for many years) is that most of the staff are very approachable and friendly, but are often kept in the dark as much as we the punters.

Already an improvement is in evidence on the front desk - instead of one staff member dealing with a big line of 'customers,' there are now 2-4 staff on the front desk, keeping the queues down and dealing with some of the tricky problems being presented so that punters can get in quickly.  

However - the showers and toilets in the women's changing room have been closed for several days. Why? and Why so long?  They still haven't sorted out whether people over 65 - who should go in for free, are still to get in free and how should they therefore, book online as the online booking system continues to charge people 65+ - £8 when they should go in for free.

There is some good news - the lido is re-opening on Wed Feb 8th - let's hope the water is a good temperature (ie. over 21C) so I can go back to my 2-3 times a week swim - great for health and well-being.

Anna

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