Haringey fails to keep lido open during daylight hours

Haringey fails to keep lido open during daylight hours

Tuesday 17 March 2026

Haringey (owner and operator of Park Road Lido) has re-engaged with us (Park Road Lido User Group — PRLUG) and met us twice in the past six weeks. A new senior management team is on board, and we’ve had some productive discussions.

Nevertheless, two major issues are currently affecting lido users, and we’d encourage you to share you views on them with relevant members of the council (links below).  

Mandatory changes to memberships & increase in fees

We still don’t have a clear explanation of Haringey’s new “streamlined” Active Wellbeing memberships, or the rationale behind them, despite repeated requests.

Nevertheless, a generic email from Haringey Active Wellbeing apparently sent to all members on 19 February and another personalised one sent on 3 March make clear that everyone will be moved to (or needs to move to) one of the new memberships by 1 April.

In most cases, the cost is going up. Current “swim & gym” members, for example, will see their monthly fee increase by almost 30% to £45.

The Memberships at Park Road page on Haringey’s website talks about “customised memberships [that] allow you to select the package which works best for you. That means you get what you need from your membership without paying for features you don’t want.” But the reality seems to be the reverse: removal of all customisation (“gym and swim” and “gym and classes”, along with the very old “swim only”), leaving a choice of either “all-inclusive” membership of Park Road only or all-inclusive across all four of Haringey’s leisure centres.

We’re pleased the sauna and steam room are back in operation, and that in a month or so the gym will have been extended and refurbished. But we’re also aware that many lido users visit the centre solely to swim outdoors and are concerned that the price increases (and late notice) may lead to people missing out. We’ve regularly requested the return of swim-only memberships.

If you’re unhappy or unclear about your new membership (some have been told theirs will be “discontinued”, for example), get in touch with the centre. You should be able to sign up for a new membership online. If not, again get in touch with the centre directly. If you want to, you should be able to cancel or pause your membership, without issue. 

Let us know how you get on. You may also want to share your thoughts on the new memberships or how they’ve been communicated with Haringey’s Cabinet Member For Leisure, Emily Arkell (Emily.Arkell@haringey.gov.uk) copying in your local councillor (and parkroadlug@gmail.com). 

Opening hours

Haringey have repeatedly committed to open the lido fully during daylight hours. They have also agreed to work with us on and then publish what this means month to month over the year so that members can plan ahead and are no longer left guessing whether the lido will be open when they need it.

Current weekday opening should be 07:00–17:30 and then, once the clocks go forward at the end of the month, 06:30–19:30. It’s still 07:30–16:30.

At our last meeting, Haringey were unable to confirm when the current hours would be extended, citing (once again) a shortage of available lifeguards. They have promised to get back to us after a review of recruitment plans and current deployment of staff — we’ve yet to hear back.

It’s hard to believe we’re here again. We know it’s not due to a shortage of applicants, of which there were plenty last time around, with well qualified candidates turned away. Haringey won’t increase use of the lido or improve its financial sustainability without maximising its opening hours. If Fusion-run (and unheated) Brockwell Lido can open 06:30–18:00 in March, why can’t Park Road?

Again, please share your thoughts on the need for full daylight opening at Park Road with Haringey’s Cabinet Member For Leisure, Emily Arkell (Emily.Arkell@haringey.gov.uk) copying in your local councillor (and parkroadlug@gmail.com).