Reading's Edwardian ladies' swimming bath of 1902, closed for more than 40 years and reopened as a heated lido with a spa and restaurant
Open to visitorsopen all year; non-members book a two-hour swim-and-spa session online (places are limited)
Reading opened the pool in 1902 as the Ladies Swimming Bath, designed by the borough engineer John Bowen, and it is thought to be the oldest surviving outdoor municipal pool from the early Edwardian years. The baths closed to the public in 1974. A public campaign got them listed Grade II in 2004, and in 2017 the team behind Lido Bristol reopened them as Thames Lido after a three-year restoration. The 25-metre pool is heated to around 24 to 26°C all year. Non-members can book a two-hour session that includes the pool, sauna, steam room and hot tub, but there are only a few places in each slot, so book well ahead. There’s a restaurant on site too. Reading station is about 500m west, and the ruins of Reading Abbey, founded by Henry I, are a short walk south.
