Sudbury Vale Farm Swimming Pool - image

Sudbury Vale Farm Lido – 1932  A family treasure with wide open spaces

Sudbury Vale Farm Lido above.  Pictures from “Wembley Matters” – Wembley History Society 50s – click

 

Sudbury Vale Farm Lido saw families treasuring the wide open spaces around. 

Sudbury Vale Farm Lido was inspiringly large

sudbury vale farm lido - image

The Lido at play.

Sudbury Vale Farm Lido saw families saw  time spent with with fun, and excitement. It was valued as a great asset in many ways. Many children must be filled with memories of learning to swim in this delightful large lido. There were playing fields a stones throw away.[…]

 

Swimming in Danson Park Lido – Welling

 

…from Sudbury Vale Farm Lido.   Children must remember splashing around wildly within the confines of its 55 yard by 25 yard capacity.
The pool held 400,000 gallons, turned around in 6 hours.
The 3 metre firm board, 3 metre springboard with two 1 metre springboards facilitated children to learn to plunge into the 8 ft. 6 inches deep sparkling water.

Sudbury Vale Farm Swimming Pool - image

A crowded Lido at Sudbury. Will expand +

In those days, the pool would have met the criteria for staging serious diving competitions.

The bathing pool had a heating plant but due to high costs and extremely high heat losses, the heating unit was not used following the war. As well as a social venue, the cafe was always there to provide a hot cupper on the chillier occasions It could be hired out for private functions.

Lady swimmer at Sudbury - image

Lady swimmer about to enjoy her daily swim

 

OUTCOME:  Swimmers were asked to make the most of it during 1978, as the pool would be closing for good.

Not all bad news as it would be replaced by an indoor complex. One particular “regular” was a little unhappy at the thought of losing her therapeutic dips twice a day.

 Concern  was that the new pool would be half the size of the old one and would have to accommodate the same number of Vale Farm users.

 

Sudbury Lido site today - image

Sudbury Lido site today. Gone the fresh air, the cool invigorating water, the sunbathing and the picnics…

However, despite protesting letters, the council saw there was not the demand for an open-air pool used for just 5 months of the year, where as an indoor pool would be open all year round despite smaller dimensions.

Sudbury Vale Farm Swimming Pool - image

A crowded Lido at Sudbury. Will expand ++

 

Sudbury Vale Farm Lido - image

Original plan of the Lido . Will expand++

 

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