Royal Victoria Docks tests the water on making 'pilot' lido permanent

A permanent lido is being planned for an east London dock following the popularity of a “pilot” pool this summer.

The urban beach at Royal Victoria Docks has already welcomed more than 25,000 sunseekers since opening on July 18.

While some of London’s other outdoor pools have seen clammy crowds queueing for up to four hours to take a cooling dip, the free-to-enter 22 metre by 18 metre main lido and smaller children’s pool, overlooked by the Emirates Air Line cable car, have been large enough to accommodate a throng of bathers.

The pilot beach is managed by City Hall’s Royal Docks Team and is due to close on September 2.

If the project is deemed successful the team will put in place plans for a permanent pool in the docks “subject to feasibility work”, a Mayor’s office spokesman said.

Programme director Daniel Bridge told the Evening Standard: “We are going to expand the idea. We are testing the water to see if we can open something more permanent.”