Call for longer opening hours for Lido backed by City of Peterborough Swimming Club
A call for Peterborough’s Lido to be open longer has been supported by a leading swimming club concerned at a drop in pool provision across the city.
The chairman of the City of Peterborough Swimming Club (COPS), which is the county’s premier competitive swimming club, says that its swimmers need more time in the pool.and any action that can achieve that goal is welcome.
The call for the Lido to be open for more days during the summer was made after it was revealed that the Jack Hunt Swimming Pool in Peterborough will be closed for 24 weeks this year while repairs take place at the same time as the Whittlesey swimming pool is closed, also for a revamp.
Morgan Stevenson, the COPS chairman, said: “Put the numbers in context: the former Regional Pool, which closed in 2023, Whittlesey and Jack Hunt together are the equivalent of losing over half the pool space in Peterborough.
"Imagine losing over half the city's football pitches for six months between September and May.
“That's the scale of what we're dealing with.
Mr Stevenson said: “It's a genuine failure of local government over the last 10 to 15 years.”
He said: “Of course we should look at extending the length of opening for the Lido.
"When the Jack Hunt pool closes, we're desperate for pool time, so anything that adds capacity is worth pursuing properly.”
However, Mr Stevenson said that further investment would be needed at the Lido to ensure swimmers could keep warm after getting out of the water.
He said: “One key issue as the temperature drops is less about the pool water itself and more about what heating is provided outside the pool and in the changing rooms.
"Wet bodies exposed to any breeze or drop in air temperature is the real challenge, not the water temperature.
He added: "Some investment here would be a smart move it would give much greater consistency and let us extend Lido use even when the weather isn't playing ball.”
Peterborough MP Andrew Pakes, who has officially requested Peterborough City Council examine ways of keeping the Lido open for longer, said: “We are now facing the long tale of austerity and poor management of swimming in the city over a number of years.
“Funding cuts to the Lido have meant it hasn’t been kept up to a level we deserve and the last administration’s decision to bulldoze the Regional Pool without a plan for a new one was a disaster.
He said: “Summer Lido usage shows how popular swimming is.
"I’d like to thank COPS and the Friends of Peterborough Lido for speaking up for swimmers and working with me to improve local facilities.
He added: "Whilst we push ahead with a new indoor public pool we need to make better use of the Lido for pleasure and training.
"I hope the council will work with partners to deliver a longer season next year, especially with Jack Hunt pool also closing for repairs.”
However, work is under way to boost swimming facilities in Peterborough.
Just a week ago, a planning application was formally submitted to the council’s planning authority to build an eight lane indoor swimming pool and sports centre on the Embankment.
Construction is not expected to be completed until late September 2028.