Three of London’s lidos have ranked among the most popular pools in the UK, according to recent data from Betway Casino.
London Fields, Brockwell, and Tooting Bec Lido secured the top three spots, with two more London pools, Parliament Hill – despite missing annual search data – and Hampton Pool, also making the top 15.
Margy Sullivan, membership secretary of Tooting Bec Lido-based South London Swimming Club (SLSC), has witnessed a sharp rise in visitors.
Sullivan said: “There’s a lot more people visiting the lido.
“It’s increased year on year, over the last three years, tremendously.”
Betway measured popularity using a combination of annual search volume and the number of Instagram hashtags.
Although Instagram tags accounted for a smaller portion of the ranking compared to search data, they were key in separating Brockwell and Tooting Bec from Thames Lido in Reading, with all three tied at 397,200 annual searches.
London Fields took the title of the UK’s most searched-for lido, with 486,000 annual searches.
While the reasons behind each lido’s popularity aren’t entirely clear, the top three pools each offer something unique.
Tooting Bec, the oldest of the trio, has been operating since 1906 and is the largest freshwater lido in the UK.
While especially popular in the summer, it remains open through winter thanks to SLSC, with many swimmers citing the mental health benefits of cold-water swimming.
Sullivan said: “Some people do the Wim Hof thing, others do quite a bit of swimming.
“But there’s more and more research around cold water therapy and the fact that it helps you with mood.
“It’s really just about getting in for a couple of minutes and getting out again.”
SWIM-PLY THE BEST: Entrance to Tooting Bec Lido (Image Credit – Fergus Sowrey)
As for the other lidos, London Fields in Hackney features a 50-metre Olympic-sized, heated outdoor pool and is open year-round.
Brockwell Lido, which opened in 1937, has evolved into a full-service fitness destination, with a gym, group exercise classes, and a yoga studio.
That possibly explains its strong Instagram presence, with over 15,000 hashtag mentions.
While Betway’s data confirms these lidos are no hidden gems, with temperatures rising and the school holidays approaching, Londoners won’t be short of places to cool off this summer.
Featured image: Chelsea Audibert/Unsplash
