Posted on 17 July 2020
Places Leisure has announced that Tooting Bec Lido is unlikey to re-open before mid-August.
Specifically the announcement, in collaboration with Wandsworth Council, says that “the earliest possible opportunity for any re-opening would not be within the next four weeks”.
Places Leisure has made no announcements as to when its other facilities, including indoor pools and gyms, will re-open.
Posted on 11 July 2020
Quickly following on the heels of the government’s announcement that pools and gyms may re-open, Better Leisure has re-opened the open air Charlton Lido, close to Blackheath.
This will come as a surprise to many, who thought that it may take some weeks for pool operators to bring back their staff and recommission pools.
Charlton Lido is unusual in being open air, and heated. Better Leisure’s indoor pools are currently indicating that they will re-open 25 July 2020.
Places Leisure is yet to make any announcement as to when Tooting Bec Lido, or its indoor pools, will re-open.
Posted on 09 July 2020
The government has announced that pools and gyms are to be allowed to re-open from 25 July 2020, with outdoor pools allowed to re-open from 11 July 2020.
Read the government’s announcement.
While the government has made this announcement, it should be recognised that this is only an enabling regulation – it may take longer for pool operators to bring back their staff and make pools available to the public. Swim England envisages it taking two to three weeks for pool operators to recommission facilities.
The club currently has no information from Places Leisure or Wandsworth Council as to when Tooting Leisure Centre will re-open.
Posted on 07 July 2020
Swim England’s #OpenOurPools has had more than 50,000 signatures and has been handed-in to the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
As a result of this effort the government has announced that it will develop a timetable for the re-opening of pools.
Posted on 23 June 2020
Swim England has launched a new campaign to have swimming pools re-opened, following the government’s recent announcement on relaxing Covid-19 restrictions – which had no provisions for re-opening pools.
Swim England is calling on its members, clubs, coaches, teachers, swim schools, swimmers and facility operators to back its #OpenOurPools campaign. Chief Executive Jane Nickerson has said millions of people are being let down by the Government’s decision not to allow pools to reopen on 4 July.
Swim England is therefore urging Prime Minister Boris Johnson to re-open facilities up and down the country as soon as possible.
View Swim England’s information on the #OpenOurPools campaign.
Posted on 15 June 2020
Swim England has developed new guidance for returning to swimming, aimed at pool operators, casual swimmers, clubs, coaches and those attending swimming lessons.
Swim England Chief Executive Jane Nickerson said: “While the guidance contains vital information on how to reopen facilities, unfortunately it doesn’t include the key date on when pools can open”.
“We will continue to lobby the Government for a reopening date but, ultimately, we have to be guided by them on this. However, it will not be a case of ‘business as usual’ and we know that things will have to be different.”
Posted on 18 March 2020
We have heard today that Wandsworth are going to close Tooting Leisure Centre from tomorrow. So, unfortunately, Battersea Jacs sessions will have to stop until further notice.
As schools are also closing, we will not be able to have the Sunday sessions at St Joseph’s either.
We may be able to arrange some ad hoc sessions at at other pools. We will contact you with details if this is possible, but it is likely that other councils will follow Wandsworth’s lead, so don’t hold your breath!
Please suspend your standing order to Battersea Jacs while there is no club swimming. We will contact you again as soon as swimming (and payments!) can start up again.
We would like to send our best wishes to you and your families at this difficult time, and we look forward to seeing you all again in the not too distant future.
The Battersea Jacs committee and coaches
