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List of long course swimming pools in the United Kingdom

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This is an annotated list of swimming pools in the United Kingdom which conform to the Olympic standard. Additionally, it lists other long-course facilities that do not quite come up to the full standard of 50 × 25 metres, 10 (middle 8 used) lanes.

At the start of the 21st century, the provision of 50-metre swimming pools in the United Kingdom was very poor for a developed country. Few universities possessed 50-metre pools, and there was a marked reluctance on the part of municipal authorities to build new public long-course facilities. However, the successful bid to hold the 2012 Summer Olympics in London added impetus to the development of new pools. A number of new venues were completed before and after the Games, although some existing pools were demolished and not replaced by 50-metre facilities.

As of 2022, no university in the UK possesses an Olympic standard pool, though several have an 8-lane 50-metre pool. The Aberdeen Aquatics Centre, being part funded by the University of Aberdeen, is the main pool facility for the university.

Olympic size pools

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Location Pool/centre name Pool dimensions Opened Further information
Length Width (lanes)
Aberdeen Aberdeen Aquatics Centre 50 m 25 m (10) 2014 Opened 5 May 2014 as part of the Aberdeen Sports Village complex.[1]
Bangor, County Down Bangor Aurora Aquatic and Leisure Complex[2] 50 m 25 m (10) 2013 Plus a 7 lane (15m?) x 25m diving pool at the end of the main pool.
Bristol Hengrove Park Leisure Centre 50 m 25 m (10)[3] 2012 Opened 29 February 2012.[4]
Cardiff Cardiff International Pool[5] 50 m 25 m (10) 2008 Part of the Cardiff International Sports Village. Opened 12 January 2008.[6]
Derby Moorways Sports Village 50m 25m (10) 2022
Glasgow Tollcross International Swimming Centre[5] 50 m 25 m (10) 1997,

2013

The pool was reopened on 24 May 2013 after refurbishment. Second 50 m pool was added for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
50 m 15 m (6)
Leeds John Charles Centre for Sport 50 m 25 m (10) 2007 Formerly South Leeds Stadium.
London London Aquatics Centre 50 m 25 m (10) 2011 Venue for the 2012 Summer Olympics. Includes 25 x 25 m diving pool adjacent to main competition pool.
50 m 20 m (8)
Plymouth Plymouth Life Centre[7] 50 m 25 m (10) 2012 Part of the new £46.5m Life Centre. Opened in March 2012.[8]
Sandwell Sandwell Aquatics Centre 50 m 25 m (10) 2022 Venue for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, at Londonderry Playing Fields, Smethwick.[9]
Sheffield Ponds Forge International Sports Centre[10] 50 m 25 m (10) 1991 Used for a large number of English and British National events
Sunderland Sunderland Aquatic Centre[11] 50 m 25 m (10) 2008 Opened 18 April 2008.[12]

Planned or under construction

[edit]
Location Pool/centre name Pool dimensions Further information
Length Width (lanes)
Cambridge Cambridge Sports Centre 50 m 25 m (10) Planned for Phase 3 of the new sports centre (currently at Phase 1) for the University of Cambridge on the West Cambridge Site.[13]

Other 50 metre pools

[edit]
Location Pool/centre name Pool dimensions Further information
Length Width (lanes)
Aldershot Aldershot Garrison Sports Centre 50 m 18 m (8) This is a British Army swimming pool, but it is open to the public at certain times.[14]
Banbury Woodgreen Leisure Centre[15] 50 m (8) Heated open air pool.
Basildon Basildon Sporting Village 50 m (8)[16] Constructed by Basildon District Council in time to support the 2012 London Olympics.[17]
Bath University of Bath Sports Training Village[18] 50 m (8)
Birmingham University of Birmingham Sports Centre 50 m 17 m As part of new University Sports Centre.[19]
Brighton and Hove Sea Lanes Brighton 50 m
Cheltenham Sandford Parks Lido 50 m 27 m (10) Heated open air pool, open seasonally between March and October.[20]
Corby, Northamptonshire Corby East Midlands International Swimming Pool[21] 50 m (8) Opened July 2009.
Coventry The Alan Higgs Centre[22] 50 m (8) Built to replace the previous 50m pool at Coventry Sports and Leisure Centre which was closed in February 2020
Crawley K2 Crawley[23] 50 m (8)
Dagenham Becontree Heath Leisure Centre 50 m (4) Built in addition to current 10 lane 25m pool, which opened late 2018 [24] The 50m pool is now open for public swimming on weekday mornings and at weekends.
Dundee Olympia[25] 50 m (6)
East Kilbride The Dollan Aqua Centre 50 m (6) Recently refurbished, reopened May 28, 2011.[26]
Edinburgh Royal Commonwealth Pool 50 m 21 m (8) Built for the 1970 British Commonwealth Games. Refurbished 2012.[27]
Guildford Guildford Lido 50 m 27.4 m (10) An outdoor pool that is open during the summer months only.[28]
Guildford Surrey Sports Park 50 m 20 m (8) Part of the University of Surrey.[29]
High Wycombe Wycombe Leisure Centre 50 m (8) Opened Jan 2016 Replacing Wycombe Sports Centre. 8 Lane pool 50m Competition Pool with 4 Lane 20m Community Pool
Hillingdon Hillingdon Sports & Leisure Centre[30] 50 m 20 m (8) The new indoor pool adjacent to a refurbished Uxbridge Lido, opened on 23 March 2010.[31]
Hitchin Hitchin Swimming Centre[32] 50 m Hitchin Swimming Centre sports indoor and outdoor pools. Outdoor pool opens between May–September
Letchworth Letchworth Outdoor Pool[33] 50 m Open between May–September
Liverpool Liverpool Aquatics Centre[34] 50 m (8)
London Borough of Ealing Gurnell Leisure Centre[35] 50 m (8) The centre has been permanently closed
London Brockwell Lido 50m
London Charlton Lido[36] 50 m (4) Lido, Re-opened in 2013; closed from Nov 2013 until April 2014 for refurbishment.
London Crystal Palace National Sports Centre[37] 50 m (8) The Olympic pool has been closed for a while. The 25m training pool is available
London London Fields Lido[38] 50 m 17 m (8) Lido, opened in 1932, closed in 1988, and re-opened in 2006.
London Park Road Lido[39] 50 m 23 m Lido, opened in 1929, significant restoration and redevelopment in 2014/15.[40]
Loughborough English Institute of Sport 50 m 20 m (8) Based at Loughborough University.[41]
Luton Inspire: Luton Sports Village 50 m (8) A 50m, eight lane pool, a diving training centre and a 20m x 10m community pool.[42]
Manchester Manchester Aquatics Centre 50 m 20 m (8) Built for the 2002 Commonwealth Games.
50 m 8 m (4)
Norwich Sportspark[43] 50 m 17 m (8) Part of the University of East Anglia.
Nottingham Speedo Sports Centre at the Harvey Hadden Sports Village 50 m 21 m (8) Completed in Summer 2015.
Peterborough Peterborough Lido[44] 50 m 18.5 m (8) Open air heated lido. Open from end of May to September.
Portsmouth Mountbatten Centre[45] 50 m 17 m (8)
Stirling National Swimming Academy 50 m (6) Part of the University of Stirling.[46]
Stockport Grand Central Pools 50 m (8)
Street, Somerset Millfield School 50 m (8) School's private pool, only open to staff and students.
Stonehaven Stonehaven Open Air Pool, Aberdeenshire 50 m (8) Council run public pool, only open June to September.
Swansea Wales National Pool[47] 50 m 21 m (8) Part of the Swansea University.
Tavistock Mount Kelly Swim Centre[48] 50 m 16 m (8) Part of Mount Kelly School and funded by Sport England. A 50m long, 8 lane indoor pool, which is open to the community, swimming clubs and pupils of the school. Opened in September 2016.
Winchester Winchester Sport & Leisure Park 50 m (8) Operated by EveryoneActive for Winchester City Council. Opened in May 2021.[49]

Planned or under construction/refurbishment

[edit]
Location Pool/centre name Pool dimensions Further information
Length Width (lanes)
Redbridge, London 50 m Architects appointed for new 50 m pool.[50]

Other notable long-course pools

[edit]

Open

[edit]

Closed

[edit]
  • Derby Baths, Blackpool – 50 metres × 21 metres (8 lanes), with diving area and 1,800-seater viewing stadium. Opened in 1939 and closed in 1991.[54]
  • Broomhill Pool, Ipswich – 55 by 20 yards (50.3 m × 18.3 m) open air pool, plus 5-yard (4.6 m) diving pit. Subject of campaign to reopen.[55]
  • Earls Court 1, Earls Court Exhibition Centre. 60m × 30m pool, up to 4m deep. Opened 1937. A 750 tonne retractable floor in three sections covered the pool when not in use and is lowered using water hydraulic rams. Demolished along with the rest of the Exhibition site. Last filled with water (2,250,000 gals) as a feature for the Ideal Home Show in 2011. Technical Manager Ray Simpson, who had maintained the pool since 1969, retired in July 2013. Earls Court has hosted both the 1948 and the 2012 Summer Olympics, but swimming was not held there on either occasion. The pool was most closely associated with the London Boat Show which was held annually from 1960 until 2003.
  • Gurnell Leisure Centre, Ealing. Opened 1981, closed in 2020 (it did not reopen following the COVID-19 lockdowns). The council plans to redevelop the centre, with a new 50m pool.[56]
  • Empire Pool, Wembley (now Wembley Arena). Venue for the 1948 Summer Olympics.
  • Grange Lido, Cumbria. Open-air sea-water Art Deco 50m pool, opened 1932, closed 1993, with an undecided future but a vigorous campaign for its reopening for swimming.[57]
  • Leeds International Pool, Leeds – 50 metres, 8 lanes. Closed 21 October 2007; now demolished.
  • Murton Colliery Pool, Murton, County Durham – 50 metre open air pool, built in 1961, and closed in 1991 following the closure of the colliery; filled in.[58][59]
  • Wales Empire Pool at Cardiff. Venue for the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games; demolished in 1998 during construction of the Millennium Stadium.[60] Replaced by the Cardiff International Pool.
  • White City Stadium swimming pool. Venue for the 1908 Summer Olympics; site demolished in 1985.
  • Wigan International Pool, Wigan – 50 metres, 8 lanes.[61] Closed 21 September 2008, and subsequently demolished. Replaced by a 25 × 21 m pool at the Wigan Life Centre.[62]
  • Coventry Central Baths, Coventry - 50 metres, 8 lanes. Closed 15 February 2020 and will be demolished. Replaced by new 50m pool at Alan Higgs Centre.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "North East & Tayside".
  2. ^ Bangor Aurora Aquatic and Leisure Complex
  3. ^ "Hengrove Park Leisure Centre". Bristol City Council. Archived from the original on 8 May 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  4. ^ "New Olympic-standard pool at Hengrove Park Leisure Centre looks to make a big splash". Bristol Evening Post. 29 February 2012. Archived from the original on 2013-03-23. Retrieved 2012-05-17.
  5. ^ a b "Tollcross Park Leisure Centre". Glasgow City Council.
  6. ^ "£32m world-class pool is opened". BBC News. 2008-01-12. Retrieved 2010-01-06.
  7. ^ "Plymouth Life Centre". Everyone Active. Archived from the original on 2012-05-12. Retrieved 2012-05-18.
  8. ^ "Plymouth City Council Life Centre". Plymouth City Council. Archived from the original on 2011-12-30. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  9. ^ "Commonwealth swim centre site revealed". BBC News. 2018-01-23.
  10. ^ "Ponds Forge ISC". Archived from the original on 2006-10-15. Retrieved 2006-03-16.
  11. ^ "Sunderland City Council". Archived from the original on 2008-05-12.
  12. ^ "Celebrations mark 'Olympic' pool". BBC News. 2008-04-17. Retrieved 2010-01-06.
  13. ^ "Work under way on Cambridge Sports Centre"., published 1 May 2012, accessed 5 November 2014
  14. ^ "Aspire Defence - Aldershot Garrison Sports Centre". Archived from the original on 2013-06-22. Retrieved 2013-08-28.
  15. ^ "Woodgreem / Swimming". Retrieved 2013-08-28.
  16. ^ "BASILDON SPORTING VILLAGE" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-04-24. Retrieved 2013-08-28.
  17. ^ "£35m sports complex given backing". BBC News. 12 July 2006. Retrieved 2013-08-28.
  18. ^ "Team Bath / Swimming".
  19. ^ "New Sports Centre". University of Birmingham. 2012-07-30. Archived from the original on 2013-06-23. Retrieved 2013-08-28.
  20. ^ "Sandford Parks Lido".
  21. ^ "Corby International Pool".
  22. ^ Hunt, Will. "50m pool at the Alan Higgs Centre now open". www.coventry.gov.uk. Retrieved 2020-02-25.
  23. ^ "Crawley Borough Council:: K2 Crawley".
  24. ^ Barking and Dagenham Post: Groundbreaking ceremony takes place for Dagenham's 50m Pool
  25. ^ "The New Olympia". Archived from the original on 2013-06-14.
  26. ^ "South Lanarkshire Leisure - Dollan Aqua Centre".[dead link]
  27. ^ "Edinburgh Leisure - Royal Commonwealth Pool".
  28. ^ "Guildford Spectrum - Guildford Lido Introduction". Archived from the original on 2007-01-02. Retrieved 2013-08-28.
  29. ^ "Swimming Pool Surrey Sports Park". Retrieved 2013-08-28.
  30. ^ "Hillingdon Sport & Leisure Centre". Archived from the original on 2013-08-13. Retrieved 2013-08-28.
  31. ^ "Olympic-size pool costing £31m opens in Hillingdon". BBC News. 2010-03-23. Retrieved 2013-08-28.
  32. ^ "North Hertfordshire District Council - Hitchin Swimming Centre". Archived from the original on 2013-08-28. Retrieved 2013-08-28.
  33. ^ "North Hertfordshire District Council - Letchworth Outdoor Pool". Archived from the original on 2013-08-13. Retrieved 2013-08-28.
  34. ^ "Liverpool City Council - Liverpool Aquatics Cente". Archived from the original on 2008-03-31. Retrieved 2013-08-28.
  35. ^ "Gurnell Leisure Centre".
  36. ^ "Charlton Lido". Archived from the original on 2014-05-06. Retrieved 2014-05-06.
  37. ^ "Crystal Palace National Sports Centre".
  38. ^ "London Fields Lido". Retrieved 2013-08-28.
  39. ^ "Park Road Lido".
  40. ^ "Park Road Lido, historicpools.org.uk".
  41. ^ "Loughborough Sport - Loughborough Pool". Retrieved 2013-08-28.[permanent dead link]
  42. ^ Inspire: Luton Sports Village, archived from the original on 2012-12-26, retrieved 2013-08-28
  43. ^ "Sportspark - Swimming". Archived from the original on 2007-01-07. Retrieved 2013-08-28.
  44. ^ "Peterborough Lido". Retrieved 2018-05-24.
  45. ^ "Portsmouth Council August News". Archived from the original on 2007-09-21. Retrieved 2013-08-28.
  46. ^ "University of Stirling - Sports Facilities". Archived from the original on 2007-04-22. Retrieved 2013-08-28.
  47. ^ "Wales National Pool Swansea". Retrieved 2013-08-28.
  48. ^ "Mount Kelly Swim Centre". Retrieved 2016-09-15.
  49. ^ "Winchester Sport and Leisure Park is OPEN". Retrieved 2021-07-02.
  50. ^ Connor, Christina, ed. (2012-07-15). "Olympic Legacy: 50 m pool stock-take". Pool & Spa Scene. Retrieved 2012-08-28.
  51. ^ Bourne Lido
  52. ^ Yearsley Swimming Pool
  53. ^ History of Yearsley Pool
  54. ^ Lost Lidos
  55. ^ Broomhill Pool Trust
  56. ^ "Gurnell Leisure Centre redevelopment". Ealing London Borough Council. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  57. ^ "A Brief history of Grange Lido". Save Grange Lido. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  58. ^ "Murton Heritage Society - History of Murton". Retrieved 2013-08-28.
  59. ^ "1961: Murton splashes out". Retrieved 2013-08-28.
  60. ^ "Fears for Cardiff swimming pool". BBC News. 2001-12-13. Retrieved 2010-05-08.
  61. ^ Wigan International Pool (archived wepage)
  62. ^ "Wigan Life Centre". Retrieved 2013-08-28.
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