Helmsley swimming pool opens for the summer

ONE of the first things that people make sure of when booking their summer holiday is that their hotel has a fabulous outdoor swimming pool; somewhere they can spend time swimming in the sun at their leisure, or lounging, poolside, an ice cold drink in hand.

However, this year, thanks to the credit crunch and also the decrease in value of the pound against the euro, many people are choosing to holiday in the UK.

For some, this is perhaps the first time they will think about spending their main summer holidays here, as package holidays to sun-drenched destinations have been the popular, and often cheaper, option since the 1960s.

Yet, prior to then, it was the norm for families to head to the coast – or holiday camps – in this country during their summer vacations, and many towns, both inland and coastal, had lidos – outdoor pools with facilities where you could relax with a bite to eat or a nice cool drink.

The golden age of the lido was the 1930s, when swimming became very popular and people wanted to enjoy the great outdoors and get a tan at the same time. As a result, hundreds of lidos popped up across the UK, built as recreational facilities by local councils, a number of the most well-known, Tooting Bec and Peckham Rye, being in inner London, where people could escape to for a rare day off work.

However, with the advent of foreign holidays, many of these lidos were closed, and this was further exacerbated by them falling out of fashion.

Interest in the humble lido has, however, undergone somewhat of a resurgence in recent years, with a dedicated following of supporters, and even a Lidos History Society, with information on all the lidos and outdoor pools dotted around the UK.

In 2005, a true lido revival took place when English Heritage published ‘Liquid Assets – the lidos and open air pools of Britain’, in which author Janet Smith – who spent many years researching and testing out the pools featured – explored the past, present and future of open-air pools.

With forecasters predicting that we are in for a hot and sunny summer, there’s never been a better time to spend time at a local lido – if you’re lucky enough to have one, that is.

Some people will travel miles to experience the delights of outdoor bathing in Britain, but here in Ryedale, we have an excellent outdoor pool on our doorsteps.

Helmsley open-air swimming pool opens for the summer on Saturday until September.

The pool, launched in 1969 by the Duke of Norfolk and built by the Feversham Memorial Trust at a cost of £8,000-£9,000, was described in the June 13, 1969, edition of the Gazette & Herald as “fulfilling a long awaited amenity in Ryedale”.

It has been through highs and lows over the years, facing the threat of closure in the late-80s and mid-90s, but is now looking forward, hopefully, to a promising future as part of the proposed multi-million pound upgrade of Helmsley’s sports and recreation ground.

The pool is open seven days a week with sessions for all, including dedicated adult-only swims and fun sessions for children. There are also snacks and drinks available on site, and the pool is used by Ryedale Sub-Aqua Club, which is offering free scuba diving trials to the public on Saturday, July 4, from noon-2pm. There are only around 100 open air pools left open in Britain, and they are getting rarer and rarer,” said pool administrator Chris Parkin.

“We are hoping to get the go-ahead on the refurbishment of the pool soon, which would make it as green and as user-friendly as possible.”

Of course, the one problem with the British weather is that rain showers are not an unusual occurrence, and so Chris advises visitors to the pool to check its website, www.helmsleysports.org, or phone 07772 395368, for updates on whether the pool is open or closed, and also for times and prices.