Mac Rating: 5.00 | Votes: 1 | Date: 10/07/2026 23:13:00

Opened on 10 July 1937 by the Mayor of Lambeth, this 50-metre open-air swimming pool in Brockwell Park replaced an earlier bathing pond and was designed by Harry Rowbotham and T. L. Smithson in the Moderne style for the London County Council. The pool is enclosed by a three-metre red brick wall and flanked by single-storey flat-roofed pavilions with original Crittall metal-frame windows, a design almost identical to the now-demolished Victoria Park Lido in Hackney. In 1990 Lambeth Borough Council closed the lido as a cost-saving measure. A grassroots campaign by local residents, backed by a petition of over 4,000 signatures, forced its reopening in 1994. The pool became affectionately known as Brixton Beach, a nickname reflecting both its proximity to Brixton and the community atmosphere of its sun terraces on hot summer days, when attendance can reach 4,000 swimmers. The facility was Grade II listed in 2003, recognising its architectural significance as one of the last surviving LCC Moderne lidos. A major refurbishment completed in 2007 added a gym, spa, hydrotherapy pool, fitness studios, and a year-round cafe while preserving the original poolside structures. Since 2012 the Brockwell Icicles winter swimming group has helped establish all-year access to the unheated outdoor pool. The lido sits on Dulwich Road at the southern edge of Brockwell Park, between Herne Hill and Brixton. It is managed by Fusion Lifestyle on behalf of Lambeth Council. The original square clock, period signage, and Art Deco detailing on the cafe building survive, lending the site a distinctly 1930s atmosphere despite the modern additions. The pool measures 50 metres in length and ranges from shallow paddling depth at one end to 2.9 metres at the deep end. Water is filtered and chlorinated fresh water, unheated throughout the year. The original changing facilities included 162 cubicles and 880 lockers, with separate dressing rooms for children's groups. Two spectator terraces overlook the pool from the south side. The surrounding Brockwell Park offers further recreation including a walled garden, BMX track, and miniature railway.