# Anybody know of a cheap swimming pool in London?



## fakeplasticgirl (Jul 20, 2013)

Can anybody recommend a place to swim where you can pay as you go and don't need to join a gym. Looking to do a bit of swimming, but on a budget and don't plan on using a gym  TIA
eta: that stays open until at-least 7.30pm


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## Thimble Queen (Jul 20, 2013)

I think you can use the pool at oasis in Holborn/Covent Garden way without joining... 

If you're in Brixton then the lido and the rec....


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## Thimble Queen (Jul 20, 2013)

Oh and the pulse centres seem to offer pay as you go aswell...


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## fakeplasticgirl (Jul 20, 2013)

Cheers...meant to be checking out the lido tomorrow. hope it's sunny!


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## fakeplasticgirl (Jul 20, 2013)

Ohh that "oasis" place is really close to my work - will need to check it out. Thanks


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## not-bono-ever (Jul 20, 2013)

MrsDarlingsKiss said:


> Oh and the pulse centres seem to offer pay as you go aswell...


 

yup = peckham is only £4 or so for a swim if you arent a member- family membership is like £60 PA and means we only pay a quid or two each time we go- and we can use the gym for a little bit more


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## fakeplasticgirl (Jul 20, 2013)

that's good, although i reckon i'd be too lazy to go to peckham... I am generally a very lazy person!


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## 5t3IIa (Jul 20, 2013)

fakeplasticgirl said:


> Ohh that "oasis" place is really close to my work - will need to check it out. Thanks



I go there! I go there! It's Camden council, it's £4.95 for a non-member swim, it opens at 0630 but the outdoor pool opens at 0730. THEY HAVE HAIRDRYERS. 

 

Ime all local authority pools are around £5 for a non-member swim. I've been in Tower Hamlets ones and Newham ones too  they might appear 'private' because theyre all under 'betterness companies' now, rather than caaaahncil so the websites look suspiciously slick but, ime, it's still the corporation pool


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## fakeplasticgirl (Jul 20, 2013)

5t3IIa said:


> I go there! I go there! It's Camden council, it's £4.95 for a non-member swim, it opens at 0630 but the outdoor pool opens at 0730. THEY HAVE HAIRDRYERS.
> 
> 
> 
> Ime all local authority pools are around £5 for a non-member swim. I've been in Tower Hamlets ones and Newham ones too  they might appear 'private' because theyre all under 'betterness companies' now, rather than caaaahncil so the websites look suspiciously slick but, ime, it's still the corporation pool


 

i've just found their website - it looks perfect! 15 minute walk from my work, less than a fiver and an OUTDOOR POOL!  thanks urbs!

eta do you know when the pool closes? can't find that on the website. i'd be far too lazy to get there in the morning.


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## 5t3IIa (Jul 20, 2013)

fakeplasticgirl said:


> i've just found their website - it looks perfect! 15 minute walk from my work, less than a fiver and an OUTDOOR POOL!  thanks urbs!
> 
> eta do you know when the pool closes? can't find that on the website. i'd be far too lazy to get there in the morning.


 http://www.better.org.uk/leisure/oasis-sports-centre

1730 unfortunately. Don't be lazy - I'll see you in there at 0725 Monday morning


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## fakeplasticgirl (Jul 20, 2013)

5t3IIa said:


> http://www.better.org.uk/leisure/oasis-sports-centre
> 
> 1730 unfortunately. Don't be lazy - I'll see you in there at 0725 Monday morning


 
oh that sucks 
might have to be weekend visits then! hate getting up early


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## fakeplasticgirl (Jul 22, 2013)

Yay! the oasis pool is open until 9pm this eve - see you after work stella?


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## 5t3IIa (Jul 22, 2013)

fakeplasticgirl said:


> Yay! the oasis pool is open until 9pm this eve - see you after work stella?


 

Goddammit, no stuff


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## gaijingirl (Jul 22, 2013)

It totally depends what time of day you swim.  The lidos are generally more expensive anyways - around £3.50 off peak but £5 plus during peak hours.  If you can get to a public baths during the day you can get swims for as little as £2.55 (Crystal Palace) - £3/£4.  I swim as much as I can and my swims range from a free swim (which I get with entry to a badminton club) to £5.50ish.  My most regular swim is £3.50 - which is probably about average.


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## quimcunx (Jul 22, 2013)

Oh, what counts as off-peak at the lido?  I'm off tomorrow. I don't do early.


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## gaijingirl (Jul 22, 2013)

quimcunx said:


> Oh, what counts as off-peak at the lido? I'm off tomorrow. I don't do early.


 

i think the evening off-peak is 6-8pm (if you don't do mornings).. but check it's open - it was closed today.  Also if there are storms they won't let you swim.


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## quimcunx (Jul 22, 2013)

I want to swim in a storm.


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## gaijingirl (Jul 22, 2013)

quimcunx said:


> I want to swim in a storm.


 

not if there is lightening you don't...


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## gaijingirl (Jul 22, 2013)

or in any case - that's why they won't let you swim - I agree it could be amazing though - as long as you don't get fried.....

otoh - it is very lovely swimming in rain at the lido - largely because you often get the pool to yourself and the ducks.


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## quimcunx (Jul 22, 2013)

I'll make someone taller go with me.


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## gaijingirl (Jul 22, 2013)

quimcunx said:


> I'll make someone taller go with me.


 

shouldn't be too difficult..

*scarpers*


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## gaijingirl (Jul 22, 2013)

or you could swim in wellington boots...


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## quimcunx (Jul 22, 2013)

As long as I don't swim while flying a kite I'm sure I'll be fine.


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## gaijingirl (Jul 22, 2013)

quimcunx said:


> As long as I don't swim while flying a kite I'm sure I'll be fine.


 

*packs away parasail*


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## quimcunx (Jul 22, 2013)

*takes off tinfoil bathing cap*


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## gaijingirl (Jul 22, 2013)

*folds up large metal spike on head*


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## gaijingirl (Jul 22, 2013)

anyway quimcunx - this is the latest update from the lido.. As it stands the Pool pump is still not operational and the pool will not open tomorrow at 6:30am - if anything changes we will update


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## quimcunx (Jul 22, 2013)

I wouldn't have ended up doing it anyway.


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## nagapie (Jul 23, 2013)

Don't know if anyone's mentioned this, but if you join the South London Swimming Club you get free entry to the Tooting Bec Lido for a year. Unfortunately the year I did it, it rained all summer but this summer seems like it might be worth it. It is outdoors so you need to be brave and the membership is quite pricey but worth it if you go often.


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## gaijingirl (Jul 23, 2013)

I did do that one year - but it's only really worth it if you winter swim at Tooting, you have to swim a good deal to break even.  A better deal,if you are in South london, is to get what used to be a monthly swim pass (but is now called something else) through Better (GLL) because they run the majority of S. London pools.  It's worth checking out depending on which pools you actually use though.  It doesn't cover lidos - but obv that's when you buy a Lido pass for either Brockwell/Tooting - or even better a full on Brockwell Lido membership for gym and pool.

You do really need to work out what you use when though.  In the past I've had the Brockwell membership, the Tooting membership and the monthly swimming pass for pools (in its old guise) but now, even though I swim sometimes 4 times a week, I do it at such different places that it doesn't work out to have membership.

When W. Norwood pool opens in Spring though, if I'm working in the same place I may well be tempted to get membership - especially if it's GLL - as I'd like to go back to my pre-breakfast swims and that wld also allow me to use The Rec and Crystal Palace - both of which I use a lot too.


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## gaijingirl (Jul 23, 2013)

anyway.. Brockwell is still closed so it's Tooting today and hopefully, since it's not sunny and likely to rain, it will not be busy.


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## RubyToogood (Jul 23, 2013)

At the moment they're letting people in at Tooting but not letting them swim due to thunder (they're assessing it half an hour at a time).


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## RubyToogood (Jul 23, 2013)

We swam, but they have raised the price to £6.20 which I think is excessive and definitely not cheap!


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## gaijingirl (Jul 23, 2013)

we grumbled about it loudly and at length as we left...   Still we got our monies' worth in lazing around... (and a little bit of swmiming).


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## Greebo (Jul 23, 2013)

RubyToogood said:


> <snip>they have raised the price to £6.20 which I think is excessive and definitely not cheap!


 
WTF?


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## gaijingirl (Jul 23, 2013)

Greebo said:


> WTF?


 

school holidays...


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## Greebo (Jul 23, 2013)

gaijingirl said:


> school holidays...


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## ShiftyBagLady (Jul 23, 2013)

Isn't Hampstead Heath's pond cheap? Go there.


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## Greebo (Jul 24, 2013)

ShiftyBagLady said:


> Isn't Hampstead Heath's pond cheap? Go there.


 
Too expensive to get to, not to mention the journey takes too long from South London. It's going to be a long summer of swimming pool zoos.


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## RubyToogood (Jul 24, 2013)

ShiftyBagLady said:


> Isn't Hampstead Heath's pond cheap? Go there.


This is true. You can just walk past the machine at the Ladies' Pond, nobody challenges you.


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## RubyToogood (Jul 24, 2013)

Also, I don't massively like the Oasis, I went a couple of times maybe a year or two ago and found it a bit grim. If you want a central London pool, Marshall St Baths is very nice, tucked away off Carnaby St, and opens late. I went on a Sunday though when it was half dead, it might be a nightmare during the week, I have no idea.


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## jakejb79 (Jul 24, 2013)

How much does it cost to go swimming at Brixton Rec, i was going to go last week but couldn't find the prices on the website.


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## Tricky Skills (Jul 24, 2013)

jakejb79 said:


> How much does it cost to go swimming at Brixton Rec, i was going to go last week but couldn't find the prices on the website.


 

£4.10 for non-members. £3.50 would sit about right with me.


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## 5t3IIa (Jul 24, 2013)

RubyToogood said:


> Also, I don't massively like the Oasis, I went a couple of times maybe a year or two ago and found it a bit grim.


 
Must say it's having a refurb as we speak  I didn't see the changing rooms before Feb this year but they aren't the least bit grim now.


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## lazythursday (Jul 24, 2013)

have a look at www.payasugym.com - includes lots of gyms with swimming pools - lots of hideously expensive places in hotels but sometimes some surprisingly good deals esp in the suburbs. I use it all the time when travelling.


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## Greebo (Jul 24, 2013)

Tricky Skills said:


> £4.10 for non-members. £3.50 would sit about right with me.


 
Even cheaper if you can prove that you live in Lambeth and receive one of several lowish income benefits, at which time you can swim offpeak for free.


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## Greebo (Dec 19, 2013)

Albert Grissom
Easy to say, let's see you deliver on that, preferably without spamming the thread.


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