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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Why is there no where to swim after school in North London?

29 replies

mypethip · 13/05/2025 22:11

To think that there should be provision at council owned facilities for families to swim together after school?

My DS (4.5) is learning to swim and is suddenly very interested in it and wants to go all the time. I am overjoyed as I'm a very keen swimmer myself and I love taking him.

Feeling incredibly frustrated though as I've just realised that there is nowhere within driving distance of where we live that I can take him for a 'family swim' (chilled out splashing around and playing underwater etc, not lane swimming which he is obviously unable to do at his age - after school)

New Barnet leisure centre (who have benefitted from £44milion of council funding) is our closest pool and have a fantastic learner pool - but it's only open at 10am on a week day for a short 50 minuite session. I take him to this but when he starts school after the holidays we won't be able to go.

Park road haven't gotten back to me and won't pick up the phone but it doesn't seem they offer a family swim indoors at all at the moment (as per their booking app anyway) at any time.

Same with Copthall.

Same with Finchley Lido. They have the wave machine but he is too little for that at the moment.

I feel like better leisure just prioritise things like swim school which brings in a lot of revenue for them.

My mum taught my siblings and I to swim in our local pool after school and we had such a good time together and are all very competent swimmers as a result. I feel really sad that I can't do this with my own child.

OP posts:
FancyCatSlave · 13/05/2025 22:18

It’s the same in most of the country, after school it is swimming lessons that are profitable. Most parents do not want to go swimming with their kids after school, it’s a mad rush after work to pick up and do supper, reading, bath and bed. I manage a swimming lesson on one evening but even that 30 mins is a struggle to fit in. Absolutely not a chance in hell I’d want to join in.

It might be different for parents that aren’t working but all the parents I know work full time and are up against it for time and energy.

xmasdealhunter · 13/05/2025 22:18

Barnet Copthall do a swim for all session on a Tuesday between 15:45-17:15. Southbury Leisure Centre (Enfield) do several swim for all sessions on several days of the week :)

YetAnotherNewUserMoniker · 13/05/2025 22:25

Same where we are, OP. Swim lessons:clubs take all the pools between c. 4pm and 9. Might get a lane or two around 8pm!

DelphiniumBlue · 13/05/2025 22:26

Southgate might do after school sessions, I think they used to.
I agree OP, it's ridiculous that you can't take them to practise in a relaxed environment after school, it would be the perfect time to do it if you enjoy swimming. This was an issue in the area 20 years ago, and nothing has improved.

endofthelinefinally · 13/05/2025 22:36

It is all about swimming lessons and clubs. Very little for the public at all. Yet we pay for it too through our council tax.

MissJeanBrodiesmother · 13/05/2025 22:38

It's the same everywhere. Outside of the weekend here it is just lane swimming and lessons. I have joined a private place so we can go when we want now.

StillTryingtoBuy · 13/05/2025 22:42

The learner pool might be booked but is the regular pool open for a public swim? Our local pool (not north London) has a small learner pool which is used for swimming lessons after school but the main 25m pool has maybe 3 lanes for lessons and the rest in use for a public swim, pretty much every day. I think that’s quite a common set up, to have some lanes for lessons / some for public swim so it’s worth checking by calling or asking in person.

parietal · 13/05/2025 22:47

have you looked up swiss cottage - they have 2 pools so more availability. weekend mornings used to be good in the kids pool - they would have floats and slides out. and also great in the school holidays.

similarly, ironmongers row (near Old St) is an odd location to get to but the pool is lovely when you get there.

Original poster
mypethip · 13/05/2025 22:55

Xmasdealhunter thanks! I'd somehow missed that Tuesday session, we will definitely check it out.

OP posts:
Davros · 13/05/2025 23:16

Archway?

IwasDueANameChange · 13/05/2025 23:23

It is all about swimming lessons and clubs. Very little for the public at all. Yet we pay for it too through our council tax

No, we don't really any more and its a factor in why the cost has risen. Local government funding for leisure has plummeted as care costs dwarf everything

WinterFoxes · 13/05/2025 23:26

Southgate or Arnos Grove?

CarpetKnees · 13/05/2025 23:28

FancyCatSlave · 13/05/2025 22:18

It’s the same in most of the country, after school it is swimming lessons that are profitable. Most parents do not want to go swimming with their kids after school, it’s a mad rush after work to pick up and do supper, reading, bath and bed. I manage a swimming lesson on one evening but even that 30 mins is a struggle to fit in. Absolutely not a chance in hell I’d want to join in.

It might be different for parents that aren’t working but all the parents I know work full time and are up against it for time and energy.

I agree with this.

I'm not in London, but, overwhelming around here, after school time is the best time for lessons.
I'd say prioritising teaching children to swim is pretty important myself, I don't have a problem with that.

As @FancyCatSlave suggested, I think you might be in quite a small minority to think there are shed loads of families wanting to go for a 'fun family swim' after school / before tea.

midlandsmummy123 · 13/05/2025 23:28

I'm not in north London but my local private gym has twice daily family swim sessions for about a third of the cost of the local council pool, so worth exploring.

Livingmybestlifenow · 13/05/2025 23:36

Not sure where in North London you are but if you’re Barnet way, The venue in Borehamwood has a section of the pool for public swim 9am-7pm Monday-Friday. Probably best to call and check if that’s what you’re looking for, lane swimming is listed separately on the timetables.

Original poster
mypethip · 14/05/2025 07:55

Some interesting replies here. To clear up a few misunderstandings - our tax absolutely does fund local pools. Most in my area (excepting a couple of fancy private gyms) are owned by the council. My closest one has received £44 million pounds in government grants for regeneration for example. Then it was promptly handed over to a third party to run it, who make sure to tick a couple of boxes but really don't care about the community at all. They have a brand new learner pool and it is just covered and unused for the whole day (other than the early session I mentioned)

To the people saying prioritising swimming lessons is a good thing as learning to swim is important... Yes it is important that is why I made this post. First of all - only kids in a position of some privelage can access courses of private swimming lessons, which pools prioritise to make a profit - not because they care about families and children.

My own child attends a swimming lesson each week (lucky him!) It is worth pointing out that a 30 minute swimming lesson once a week is the absolute bare minum of swimming and that no child is going to make much progress if this is all the swimming that they do. They will (EVENTUALLY) get to a point where they (maybe) won't drown if they fall in to some water but if you want to enjoy water activities as a family (snorkeling, surfing, paddling etc) then you may need to swim together outside of that.

Perhaps it is a cultural thing? In Southern Europe where my parents are from swimming is an extremely popular family activity so perhaps I am making some assumptions based on my own childhood (although as I said my mum took us several times a week in London in the 80's/90's and the pool was absolutely packed with kids every afternoon) but in any case, families have a right to use pools. Our tax has paid for them and I see them as belonging to us all in the way that parks and green open space do. I have followed up all of the suggestions made in this thread and apart from the one session on a Tuesday (which we will definitely check out - thanks that person!) all the others are restricted to lane swimming or weekends. As others have pointed out club swimming and paid for lessons are prioritised, and I don't think this is right as there is a barrier to entry but also because that is not the only kind of swimming that is necessary and important.

OP posts:
Original poster
mypethip · 14/05/2025 08:11

@Livingmybestlifenow thanks a lot I don't know this pool - will give them a call and see what's up

OP posts:
twosmallbuttons · 14/05/2025 08:11

Have you tried Southbury in Enfield? They have a huge pool as well as a learner pool; whenever I've been there with my kids there are enough lanes for people to splash about as well as lane swim etc.

MyOliveHelper · 14/05/2025 08:14

Archway?

Purpleisnotmycolour · 14/05/2025 08:15

Look at high schools as well. Also lane swimming often means half with lanes up, half free to play in.

Comtesse · 14/05/2025 08:22

Agreed. The provision for unstructured swimming is PANTS. It’s a complete protection racket for the swimming schools. It excludes families from teaching their own kids. And instead people have to spend a fortune per term and go for years and years. It’s a massive scam if you ask me.

minnienono · 14/05/2025 08:27

It’s lessons 4-6pm here then lane swimming for adults 6-7 after which it’s private hire or closed. Family swimming is on weekends.

the outdoor lido (April -October) is family swimming 2-5 then lane swimming 5-7. They need the lane swimming because it’s the adults paying the membership fees to keep our self funding pool open, and they want lanes.

WhatNoRaisins · 14/05/2025 08:41

Not in North London myself but yes, I'd love to take mine swimming after school and have found it's impossible as this is lesson time.

SpanThatWorld · 14/05/2025 08:53

The wave pool at Finchley only goes for about 5-10 mins once an hour. Lots of time it's flat and little ones can sit in the shallows while the waves are high. Mine loved it at that age.

It is tricky looking for afternoon swimming sessions. I had the same issues 20 years ago. Swimming pools are expensive to run and councils have less and less money to subsidise them.

Bourbonversuscustardcream · 14/05/2025 09:15

mypethip · 14/05/2025 07:55

Some interesting replies here. To clear up a few misunderstandings - our tax absolutely does fund local pools. Most in my area (excepting a couple of fancy private gyms) are owned by the council. My closest one has received £44 million pounds in government grants for regeneration for example. Then it was promptly handed over to a third party to run it, who make sure to tick a couple of boxes but really don't care about the community at all. They have a brand new learner pool and it is just covered and unused for the whole day (other than the early session I mentioned)

To the people saying prioritising swimming lessons is a good thing as learning to swim is important... Yes it is important that is why I made this post. First of all - only kids in a position of some privelage can access courses of private swimming lessons, which pools prioritise to make a profit - not because they care about families and children.

My own child attends a swimming lesson each week (lucky him!) It is worth pointing out that a 30 minute swimming lesson once a week is the absolute bare minum of swimming and that no child is going to make much progress if this is all the swimming that they do. They will (EVENTUALLY) get to a point where they (maybe) won't drown if they fall in to some water but if you want to enjoy water activities as a family (snorkeling, surfing, paddling etc) then you may need to swim together outside of that.

Perhaps it is a cultural thing? In Southern Europe where my parents are from swimming is an extremely popular family activity so perhaps I am making some assumptions based on my own childhood (although as I said my mum took us several times a week in London in the 80's/90's and the pool was absolutely packed with kids every afternoon) but in any case, families have a right to use pools. Our tax has paid for them and I see them as belonging to us all in the way that parks and green open space do. I have followed up all of the suggestions made in this thread and apart from the one session on a Tuesday (which we will definitely check out - thanks that person!) all the others are restricted to lane swimming or weekends. As others have pointed out club swimming and paid for lessons are prioritised, and I don't think this is right as there is a barrier to entry but also because that is not the only kind of swimming that is necessary and important.

Speaking of privilege, around here a parent and child swim at the leisure centre is over £10, plus parking fees. If lessons are unaffordable to you then family swimming will be too. It’s expensive because it’s not subsidised as much anymore (the council may give capital grants, they don’t pay for staff) and the costs of heating, lifeguards etc have risen a lot. It is nothing like open green space - your tax might have paid for the pool to be built but operating it safely costs money. The local council has to prioritise statutory services like adult social care so there is no one to subsidise it. Lessons are commercially viable, poorly attended family swimming sessions aren’t. Families don’t “have a right to use pools” - would be lovely if they could, but in a world where councils are cutting back all non statutory provision why should swimming for kids at a time convenient to you be prioritised for taxpayer subsidy?