Thames Lido is the result of a painstaking and sensitive 3-year restoration of the disused King’s Meadow swimming pool located by the river Thames on King’s Meadow in Reading, Berkshire.
The original pool was designed and built by John Bowen, Borough Engineer and Surveyor, at a cost of £4890. It first opened to the public in 1902 as the Ladies Swimming Bath and is believed to be the oldest surviving outdoor municipal pool of the early Edwardian era. With no windows giving onto the pool itself, it was built to allow Edwardian women to bathe in privacy and was originally fed from the Thames though it was converted to mains water supply in the 1950s.
The pool was closed to the public in 1974. In August 2004, as a result of a public campaign, the building was awarded Grade II listed building status.
On 23rd September 2013 Reading Borough Council voted to give Arne Ringner and his management team from Bristol Lido, the opportunity to develop the site; once again we enlisted the help of Bristol Lido architects Marshall and Kendon.
In October 2017 we reopened the pool to the people of Reading and beyond. We are very proud to be part of this building’s history and we all look forward to welcoming you through our doors.