It’s one of 13 designated swimming sites being proposed by the government
There are already lots of places to go for a dip in the city, and there’s a new floating lido opening in Canary Wharf this summer, but there might be another new swimming area on the way. A spot on the Thames between Kingston and Ham could become the first official bathing site on the river as part of a plan by the government to increase the number of official bathing sites in England to 464. Pollution has affected the Thames for decades, with the river even being declared biologically dead in the 1950s, so this designation would represent a “vast transformation” in water quality.
Thousands of swimmers, including community group the Teddington Bluetits, already swim in that section of the Thames but the official designation would mean that the site would be subject to regular water quality testing, something that campaigners hope will increase pressure to clean up rivers and coasts in other areas.
Speaking about the plans, Emma Hardy, the water and flooding minister, said: “Rivers and beaches are at the heart of so many communities – where people come together, families make memories, and swimmers of all ages feel the benefits of being outdoors safely. Our plans to designate new bathing water sites show how we are backing local ambition and recognising the pride in places that matter most to people.”
Amongst the other twelve sites under consultation are East Beach at West Bay in Bridport, Dorset, which was a filming location for the ITV drama Broadchurch; Pangbourne Meadow in Berkshire, which was the inspiration for The Wind in the Willows; the River Fowey in Lostwithiel, Cornwall; the River Swale in Richmond, North Yorkshire; and New Brighton Beach (East) at the mouth of the Mersey Estuary.
