Bluetits sea swimming group don period costume as Lymington & Pennington Town Council opens lido

MEMBERS of a local swimming group celebrated the opening of Lymington’s historic sea water baths by adorning period costumes.

As reported in the A&T, the Milford branch of global group the Bluetits is calling on Lymington & Pennington Town Council to open the lido over winter so they can enjoy their hobby there year-round.

Following their dip to mark the facility’s reopening for the summer season, leader of the campaign Mandy Jones said in a recent survey she had conducted across local cold water swimming groups, more than 180 people had said they would use the pool in chillier months.

Mandy said: “In winter it can be difficult to go into the sea because it can be really rough. Having the baths open from January onwards would mean we are guaranteed to be able to go cold water swimming every day.”

Mandy previously revealed how the group sometimes had to make do with taking a dip at the crabbing bridge on Sturt Pond in Milford, but that left them “scrabbling around in mud.”

She had approached the town council and leaseholder of the baths, Hugo Ambrose, to see if they could stay open in the winter, but the matter had not been resolved.

The council said that essential maintenance work has to be carried out in the winter when the baths are closed. There were also fears that not enough people would use the pool to make the opening financially viable.

But Mandy revealed that since then, she has been contacted by a local councillor to discuss the matter and Mr Ambrose has also said he is “happy” to have a chat with her.

“I am hoping that we will eventually achieve our aim,” she added.