Brockwell Lido Breakfast Club 2008

[RubyToogood]

I was telling a friend who is an engineering student about how sad it is when the Lido closes, and he immediately started working out a plan on the back of a fag packet for solar heating it during the winter using recycled beer cans! He seemed to think it should be perfectly possible.

How sad it is to be swimming indoors Tried Streatham out this evening but wasn't wild about it. Next stop South Norwood I think...

 

[Meltingpot]

Well it's probably goodbye to the Breakfast Club thread for another year - but just to say that there was a really good atmosphere at the AGM on Saturday. Many things were discussed, including the possibility of a winter opening and heating, getting someone good in to do the cafe, sorting out the changing room problems and a lots of support for the poor yoga/meditation people who are finding their peace shattered by the adjacent gym classes.

Fusion, to be fair, seem to be doing all they can in their power to work with the needs and wishes of the local community and I, at least, felt like we will continue to see improvements at the Lido.

I saw this on TV once, it looked great (if a bit chilly). Does that senior civil servant guy still swim there, Robin Butler?

 

[gaijingirl]

I was telling a friend who is an engineering student about how sad it is when the Lido closes, and he immediately started working out a plan on the back of a fag packet for solar heating it during the winter using recycled beer cans! He seemed to think it should be perfectly possible.

How sad it is to be swimming indoors Tried Streatham out this evening but wasn't wild about it. Next stop South Norwood I think...

Well it seems they're doing feasability studies into doing it using biofuel and also some other method I've forgotten. There were a few people there who had ideas using woodchips from the park and solar panels on the lido roof. The problem is they also feel that there wouldn't be enough usage to make it viable (going on September's figures). However, a few people pointed out that London Fields is practically too crowded during winter with its heated pool. I think that if they heat it over winter it will become a real swimmers pool - I think almost everyone prefers to swim outdoors if the conditions are right.

(eta is South Norwood open now? I used to swim there about 3 years ago and passed it the other night on my bike wondering...)

 

[gaijingirl]

Does that senior civil servant guy still swim there, Robin Butler?

Are you Robin Butler?

(I don't know tbh.....)

 

[Meltingpot]

Sadly not, he seemed quite a character. I think I'm younger than him too, he was probably in his late fifties then and could be in his sixties now.

 

[RubyToogood]

Well it seems they're doing feasability studies into doing it using biofuel and also some other method I've forgotten. There were a few people there who had ideas using woodchips from the park and solar panels on the lido roof. The problem is they also feel that there wouldn't be enough usage to make it viable (going on September's figures). However, a few people pointed out that London Fields is practically too crowded during winter with its heated pool. I think that if they heat it over winter it will become a real swimmers pool - I think almost everyone prefers to swim outdoors if the conditions are right.

My friend claims and I do not insist he is right, that using solar heating the only other energy input it would require would be a pump to pump the water round the system. So apart from that the only real cost that I can think of to them would be lifeguards and cleaning costs and they wouldn't have to pack it out to break even.

 

[Choc]

THAT (a heated lido open most of the year) would be the bees knees and the kind of thing i would expect fusion to do!!!

they have a lot of staff there anyway so one trained person could be responsible for the pool.

 

[Tricky Skills]

Just a reminder that there will be a (brief) meeting of the U75 Lido Breakfast Club on Saturday 20th Dec, midday

Come on in - the water's... lovely

Brrrrr.

 

[snowy_again]

I saw that in my diary this morning and winced. Like last year, I aim to be there, but sometimes the will isn't strong!

 

[Tricky Skills]

Aw, it will be fine. It's not really a swim, more of a quick jump in and then out again.

 

[snowy_again]

I'll dig out a wooly hat then!

 

[gaijingirl]

Aw, it will be fine. It's not really a swim, more of a quick jump in and then out again.

It's swim a width and then run around the pool to get the blood back (at least that's what I did last year). (then I came down with the worst man flu ever!)

 

[RubyToogood]

Oh what a shame I missed this. It could have been just the thing to cure me of the tail end of this flu

Are there no survivors to report back?

 

[lang rabbie]

Are there no survivors to report back?

The lack of an Onionbagblog of the great event is worrying.

 

[gaijingirl]

Oh what a shame I missed this. It could have been just the thing to cure me of the tail end of this flu

Are there no survivors to report back?

We went past briefly. Unfortunately today I had a "family event" to attend so we couldn't go. This is because we're leaving the UK for Xmas, so I'll get my NY Day swim in the Adriatic instead.

 

[Tricky Skills]

I survived - more than that, you couldn't drag me out

It was a great morning, and looks like becoming a firmly established event in the lido calendar. There was well over 100 swimmers, each making a donation for Help the Aged.

Fusion's Jeremy confirmed that he was looking at an "early May" opening for next year.

The water wasn't that bad (...if you were wearing a wetsuit )

Brief report and video over HERE.

Full flickr set over HERE.