Consultation on future access to the Hampstead Heath Bathing Ponds - Closes 25 November 2025

Done.

I’ve filled it in. And made choice comments, reminding them they are in breach of the law. I ticked prefer not to say to every question on the last screen (including postcode) I’m not letting them gather data on me after treating women so badly.

Yes.

I have filled it in but am now worrying that responses seem to be published on a website called commonplace. I don’t wish my comments to be public - does anyone understand this? Will my email address be publicly attached to my comments?

@MissScarletInTheBallroom, that deserves many, many rounds of applause!

1. Please state whether you agree or disagree with the following options for the future operation of the Highgate Men’s Pond and the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond?

1(a) They should be strictly single-sex facilities - Under this option the Highgate Men’s Pond would only be accessible to biological men and the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond would only be accessible to biological women.

Answer: Strongly agree.

Comments: There are three ponds, one of which is mixed sex. Anybody who does not feel comfortable using the pond which corresponds to their own sex, or who wishes to swim with someone of the opposite sex, is free to use the mixed sex pond. The single sex ponds are the only options which exist for people who, for very good reasons, are unable to swim with members of the opposite sex. This includes women from religious minorities and survivors of sex based violence.

1(b) They should continue to be trans-inclusive spaces as currently operated - Under this option the Highgate Men’s Pond would be accessible to all biological men and trans men and the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond would be accessible to all biological women and trans women as at present.

Answer: Strongly disagree.

Comments: I disagree for two reasons. Firstly, as previously stated, there is also a mixed sex pond which is completely trans inclusive. There is already a perfectly acceptable alternative for trans people. Secondly, the law requires that women-only and men-only spaces are actually single sex. This was confirmed by the Supreme Court judgment in April. I do not understand why you think the law does not apply to you.

1(c) They should be trans-inclusive spaces based on how people have decided to live their lives Under this option the Highgate Men’s Pond would only be accessible to people who have decided to live their lives as men (including trans men but excluding trans women) and the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond would only be accessible to people who have decided to live their lives as women (including trans women but excluding trans men).

Answer: Strongly disagree.

Comments: Please see answers for 1(b).

1(d) They should be trans-inclusive spaces, but the communal changing rooms and toilets should not - Under this option trans men would have access to the Highgate Men’s Pond and trans women would have access to the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond and Meadow, but would be required to use the separate accessible toilet, shower and changing room at each facility.

Answer: Strongly disagree.

Comments: Please see answer to 1(b).

If you are genuinely committed to trans inclusion you should install some unisex, fully enclosed changing and showering facilities at the mixed sex pond, rather than breaking the law by allowing people to use facilities for members of the opposite sex or reducing the number of facilities available for disabled people by allowing able bodied people to use them.

In short, if you actually care about trans people, put your money where your mouth is and actually spend some on individual-user showers and changing facilities for them.

1(e) A hybrid approach where they are trans-inclusive spaces at stated times but are operated as strictly single-sex facilities at other times - Under this option, the Highgate Men’s Pond and the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond would continue to be trans-inclusive spaces at certain specified times, but there would be other advertised sessions/times when these facilities would be operated as strictly single-sex spaces.

Answer: Strongly disagree.

Comments: Please see answer to 1(b). You are not above the law. You need to comply with the Equality Act, which requires women-only and men-only spaces to be single sex. This is not optional and you can no longer plead ignorance.

1(f) They should be mixed-sex spaces - Under this option both the Highgate Men’s Pond and the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond would be accessible to everyone regardless of sex or gender. The City of London Corporation does not currently favour this option, as it is believed that it would be unpopular with most users, due to the unique nature and historic significance of these Bathing Ponds. However, it has been included as an option for completeness and to evaluate support for it. This will be considered alongside other options.

Answer: Strongly disagree.

Comments: What would be the point of this option? Then you would have three mixed sex ponds and people who require a single sex option would have nowhere to go.

1(g) Are there any other options that you think we should be considering? If so, please tell us about them below.

The only option you should be considering is complying with the law. I am not sure what the point of this consultation is. You should be complying with the law even if most respondents to the consultation are advising you to break it.

2. If you have any other comments relating to this consultation, or access to the Hampstead Heath Bathing Ponds, or about how these proposals for the Highgate Men’s Pond and the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond might affect you, please provide them below.

The City of London Corporation is funded by taxpayers. It is there to serve the public, not advance the political agendas of people like Edward Lord (they/them), who will not be the one paying the legal costs when you inevitably lose in court.

Then on the final pages I answered "gender is sexist, imaginary nonsense" to the gender identity question, and "none of your business" to the sexual orientation question.

Odious man.

I assume they are avoiding referring to the mixed sex pond until the very end so that people will fill in the consultation from the point of view of "oh no but then the poor trans people will have nowhere to swim!" rather than "OK but trans people can still use the mixed sex pond".

Either way, it shouldn't fucking matter what the consultation says because they still have to obey the law regardless of what any members of the public think about it.

Yes. The response needed to each one is “that will create 3 mixed sex ponds”!

I see Edward lord is still there they/theming away
democracy.cityoflondon.gov.uk/mgCommitteeDetails.aspx?ID=1390

No - I agree. That is exactly what they are doing.

I've filled it in. I thought the questions were incredibly loaded, they didn't make it clear there was a mixed sex pond until the final question. Please take five minutes to fill it in and add your comments.

I've filled it in

TWATS

Hopefully this link works:
https://x.com/cityoflondon/status/1973063510549475596?s=46&t=MMiDcyvYeq7lcAKloXsKVg

"Reviewing their access rules to ensure they remain fair, lawful and respectful"

Erm, "remain"??

Also did the survey. As pp said, so many options to desperately avoid following the law and being women-inclusive.

I’ve submitted my response.

The consultation suggests 6 or 7 different ways of making all the ponds ‘trans inclusive’ & mixed sex, the final one being to make them openly mixed sex & noting that they don’t like that idea.

As for trans inclusive, making the women’s & men’s ponds single sex would give trans people the option of their own sex pond or the mixed one.

Women claiming to be men have been thrown out of the men's pond.

And since when was 2019 "many years" ago? I've got spices in my cupboard older than that.

I do not share your pessimism and in this paticular case it is going to be in front of the high court and the Corporation will lose.It’s your thread @IwantToRetire so i will go no further,

thank you for your extensive efforts to keep us all informed it is much appreciated.

"Because whether you like it or not, in the UK many laws are not upheld"

I'm a man and not trans so not allowed in the ladies pool.

Since some men are that is discrimination against me and I could sue.

Then my neighbour could and his neighbour and so on.

Meanwhile every woman in the country could sue because not allowed in the men's pool

Their only escape would probably be to make them all open to all, but the men using the men's pool might have something to say about that. I'm amazed they have allowed transmen in.

No simple amendment will fix it because allowing members to choose would wreck the equality act and we'd be back to "but our members are fine with white men, white women, but not black people"

I’ve done the consultation. Most of the questions are multiple choices and the survey is run be an independent company so I think the results could be useful. Like any survey, it is biased by who fills it in, but if you live in the area then it is worth completing.

I live very locally and I haven’t seen anything about this. I will be responding of course. How they can say that trans men can go in the men’s pond I do not know. It’s just lies