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The Corporation of London @CityCorpHeath are raising prices at the ponds, by the rate of inflation (and above inflation for concessions). They’re removing cash payment options and re-instituting pre-booked slots only. 1/10
They seem at pains to stress how reasonable this all is. On the contrary, let’s try and recall some history to regain perspective. 2/10
For over 150 years Londoners enjoyed life-guarded free swimming on the Heath. Then last year @CityCorpHeath, Britain’s richest local authority, started to brow-beat swimmers about the costs and imposed compulsory charges, despite unanimous opposition from swimmers groups. 3/10
Let’s not forget last year’s price increase was ONE HUNDRED PERCENT, from £2 (voluntary) to £4 (not voluntary). The latest hike is just a logical consequence of the ponds’ commercialisation. 4/10
The ponds are now subject to market forces and will always be benchmarked against other open-air swimming facilities, where private companies have exploited the popularity of open air swimming and currently charge up to £10 a swim. 5/10
HMPA believes it is only a matter of time before prices at the pond more closely resemble those at such privately-operated facilities. Londoners have lost what has traditionally been an open access urban beach, with a unique and irreplaceable culture. 6/10
Heath managers @citycorpheath have shown contempt for the views of swimmers groups, who have been at pains to find a constructive way forward to help raise funds, while never excluding any swimmer on account of cost. 7/10
We have been rebuffed every step of the way by dismissive managers who evidently see themselves as running a commercial operation and demonstrate none of the public-service attitude required of custodians of the public realm. The swimmers themselves are a mere inconvenience. 8/10
No previous authority in charge of the ponds saw fit to behave like this. Not the LCC, nor the GLC. One can’t help but wonder if the total lack of democratic connection between the Heath’s actual users and the @cityoflondon is the reason for this. 9/10
Under COVID it has been difficult for swimmers to mobilise to regain what we have lost. But we have not given up and, alongside the other swimmers associations, will continue our campaign until we have won. 10/10
