Come on in, the water's...
| Monday 9 July, 2007 |
 Feel the love of the Lido |
The South wall was knocked down over the winter months, and then brick by brick, re-built some six feet further to the edge of the park. The extra space will house a fitness studio, scheduled to open sometime in September.
Regular readers will be aware that I have been suspicious over the whole shifting of the South wall. The Lovely Lido was perfect the way it was. Except the way it was only meant that it made money (or at best, broke even) for two months of the year.
Adapt or die, etc, which is exactly how I felt at 7am this morning as I took my first swim in the not quite Mediterranean temperature pool.
But first things first - what of the re-design?
With the South side now a designated sweat yer arse off area, the main entrance to the Lido has shifted to the West wing. My first 'bloody hell!' moment came when I saw the addition of around two dozen bike racks, something which the Lido has always lacked.
It has paid in previous seasons to get friendly with the management, just for that nod and a wink to allow you to take your bike inside the Lido. The surrounding area is a notorious stalking ground for bike thief scum, and I have had a crappy Halfords bike fall victim to the fuckers in the past.
I would still hesitate in leaving any one of the onionbagblog cycling fleet (FIVE!) outside the Lido, if it wasn't for the wonderful open facade to the front.
Large viewing windows have opened up the Lido, making a view from outside in possible, and more importantly for bike lovers, a view from the inside looking out. You've got to have some bottle to try and nick a bike that is now on full show from the reception desk.
But the real beauty of the glass frontage is that the Lido is now opened up in all its beauty for all to see from Brockwell Park.
My second 'bloody hell!' moment was the price of a season ticket. �145 for the season (up until 16th September) or �5.25 (!) for an individual swim. That's just over a whopping 80% price increase from twelve months previous!
And what do I get in return for my investment? A fucking freezing cold shower, with the water temperature squirting in my face even colder than the temperature I had to suffer whilst supposing pleasuring myself in the pool.
Isn't it always that way?
This is apparently a short term problem, with hot water showers promised later next month. But at least I have the choice of three hairdryers in the Gents to justify that 80% increase. All I need now is to find some hair to dry.
I decided to buy a season ticket. Waking up at 6am midweek when it's still raining isn't much of an incentive for me to cycle down to Brockwell Park. With a �145 ransom hanging over my head, I'll be as regular as my bowel movements have now become following a freezing cold swim.
The Fusion front of house staff were actually fantastic. Very friendly, very helpful and they seemed to have carried the Lido Love baton and stuck with the old ambience.
And then the LOVE of the Lovely Lido hit me. I entered the pool area for the first time in nine months, and I had shivers running down my spine as I saw a mass open air public pool in South London, lit up with brilliant sunshine and blue skies.
Or maybe I was just shivering ahead of the swim?
I surveyed the scene to try and get my bearings. Twelve summers of swimming in SE24 has made the Lido my official summer home. But I've been away for a bit and the builders have moved in.
Would the Lovely Lido pass the Extreme Makeover test? Or would I find a shopping mall lined Pizza Huts and a little paddling pool placed in the middle?
I marveled at the dedication of the design job. Little has seemingly changed since last September, and if it has, it has been well masked. Like for like has been the buzzword, with even the wonderful art deco windows being lovingly replaced in the exact same style.
A familiar face for South Londoners has kept his connections with the Lido, and a summer in SE24 just wouldn't feel right without Casey spreading his love of the Lido around the place. As a reward, yer man has a larger beach hut, and an increased selection of incredibly tempting foods on offer.
Time to get changed. I tracked down the new changing facilities, and although I admit I was disappointed with the shoe box size, they were clean, functional and kept the feel of the old place. I can't help thinking though that they will be woefully inadequate during a long hot summer spell (assuming that ever happens in South London over the next few weeks.)
The blue mosaics on the shower walls were both modern and suitably fashioned to fit the art deco splendor. I didn't see a great deal of them though as my eyes were firmly shut as I grimaced through my cold shower.
And so I reckon it's finally time for Fusion to lose the 'self-styled leisure lifestyle knobbers' status from around these parts. This is indeed a rarity - I have no reverse gear (or little money after forking out for my season ticket.)
But I was impressed with what I saw this morning, and my day started off all the better for it. Didn't take long to go downhill, mind.
The Lovely Lido still has an ambient anarchic feel; it gives the impression of running itself, something that will hopefully continue as long as Fusion do their 'caring capitalism' thing from behind the scenes.
Golden Days.
Plus: Lookey here - there's even a Lovely Lido Facebook group set up by some handsome young chap wearing his Speedos.
