Newbury’s Northcroft Lido launches summer timetable – featuring new ‘quiet’ swims and SEND sessions

Newbury’s lido has introduced special quiet and SEND sessions this summer, writes Grace Clift.

The facility reopened last summer, after a £5.7m refit and 2024 is its first full season since the addition of new slides and an interactive splash pad.

The pool was also reduced from 72m to a 50m Olympic length and a decking area and colourful beach huts were added.

The spiral flume is nearly six metres high, with the racer slides around three metres high.

The pool has also been made shallower with a new depth of 0.9m-1.58m.

And the local facility has already welcomed more than 6,000 residents so far this year, after opening at the end of March.

Now, the new summer swim programme offers an array of family swim sessions and swim parties.

But also this year’s programme includes the all-new quiet swim sessions, with reduced capacity and no music playing. These are suitable for adults with autism, dementia or other sensory differences, as well as those who prefer a calmer setting for swimming.

Children and adults with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) will be able to access specialised swim sessions, and both a Changing Places changing room and a hoist are available.

Richard May, area contract manager for Everyone Active, which manages the lido in partnership with West Berkshire Council, said: “It’s been brilliant to welcome the local community back to Northcroft Lido for our first full summer season, and it’s already been a really successful couple of months.

“With our new summer timetable now launched, we encourage residents from West Berkshire and beyond to come and enjoy some al fresco swimming at this iconic facility.”

April Peberdy, acting service director for communities and wellbeing at West Berkshire Council, added: “It’s very exciting to see our fabulous lido open for its first full season. It’s a wonderful asset for West Berkshire and we look forward to welcoming visitors from near and far to enjoy it.”

The lido was first built as an unheated pool in 1870, extended in 1914, and completely rebuilt in 1937, at which point it was believed to be the largest pool in the south of England.

The plan is for the lido to now be available each year from around April until September and you can book in for a session on the Everyone Active website or app.