Every year we get a heatwave. And every year the authorities issue the same message: Swimming is dangerous! Children should avoid lakes, ponds, canals and reservoirs and use designated pools. Swimming in outdoor stretches of water is strictly forbidden!
But it’s the authorities who need to get the message: Children are risking getting drowned or poisoned because Manchester lacks proper swimming facilities. There are no outdoor swimming pools anywhere within a 30 mile radius of Manchester. The only outdoor location where children can cool off in cold water is the walk through fountain at Piccadilly Gardens, a wholly inappropriate place, not intended for such use, and with no toilets or changing faciltiies.
In Germany, outdoor swimming is part of the culture, and every town has a lake where people go in the summer. There are also pools and spas generally of a far higher standard than any in Britain.
And to say that the weather in Manchester is miserable all the time doesn’t wash any more, not after the heatwave we’ve had. Instead of closing swimming facilities, e.g. Gorton, Didsbury and the Victoria Baths, the authorities should be providing much needed new ones.
Nantwich Brine Pool located in the town of Nantwich, Cheshire, 40 miles SW of Manchester. Local authority Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council. Postcode CW5 5LS
Ilkley Lido located in the town of Ilkley, West Riding of Yorkshire, 53 miles NE of Manchester. Local authority Bradford Metropolitan District Council. Postcode LS29 0BZ
Please contact if you know of any other outdoor swimming pools within a 50 mile radius of Manchester.
5 responses so far ↓
1 caroline // Apr 15, 2007 at 12:17 pm
i totally agree! how killjoy is it when we cannot swim in lakes. and why not? if its a hygiene/sanitation issue then they should clean it up. i really miss the german accessibility of free, natural water swimming!
keep up the campaign!
2 Ruth // Jul 23, 2008 at 11:42 am
I’m glad my son hasn’t drowned in a reservoir. Swimming in lakes, rivers etc is dangerous. Apparently there is an open air heated swimming pool in Castleton, Derbyshire, which is probably nearer than Ilkley.
3 Aidan O'Rourke // Jul 23, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Whilst in Germany, thousands of people swim in lakes without any problem, if they did that here, no doubt many would drown. People, especially young people, just seem to be more sensible there. For instance in Leipzig, there are no railings next to railway lines, even in the city. Youths on the line doesn’t seem to be a problem. So I don’t think swimming in lakes will ever catch on here. It would be nice to have indoor swimming pools with an open-air section, but that doesn’t seem to have occurred to anyone here. I’ll shortly be booking another trip to Germany!
4 johnWoj // Jul 23, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Most places in Europe have outdoor swimming places. People are allowed to swim in lakes and other public water pools like natural spas etc. In Manchester and the UK in general (apart from about 6 places I know of), it is forbidden. Why? I guess it’s that Brits can’t be trusted to be sensible and drink far too much lager on hot days and simply can’t behave themselves like normal Europeans. Let’s face it - the country is full of louts - and they all come out to play on a hot summer’s day.
Now if you go up to Calderdale, there are lots of little valleys and streams, pools etc where local folks can splash around and generally have a ‘cool’ time!!
5 Ian Yates // Jul 28, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Here in Burbank, a town roughly the same size as Ashton under lyne, has two outdoor pools.
I’m sure you have to consider climate as a factor in spending taxpayer money for facilities that will only be popular 5 or 6 days a year compared to 300 days as we here in Burbank. It’s almost August and last weekend was the first nice weather of summer in Manchester.
There is of course, the paddling pool in Stamford Park, Stalybridge, in what is today called Tameside.
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