Tooting Bec Lido will open earlier than usual this spring for swimmers.

For those who enjoy a chilly swim, the pool will open its doors to the general public at the beginning of April.

Between October, 1 and April, 30 the pool remains open for a limited group of people.

Wandsworth Council hopes that the change will give local people more time to visit the lido and enjoy its facilities ahead of its £3m council-funded revamp later this year.

The infamous open air pool, with its iconic coloured changing room doors normally remains open to members of the South London Swimming Club during the colder winter months.

The South London Swimming Club is based at the pool and is a well-established supporter and partner in the lido's day to day management.

The million pound refurbishment at the lido will be used to replace both pump houses with a single building incorporating a modern UV filtration system with new pipework, pool liner and electrical substation and will mean that the pool's important infrastructure is guarded for the next 50 years.

The lido, which dates back to 1906, is the largest open-air freshwater pool in the UK.

It occupies a unique position in the history of British lidos due to its size and the era in which it was constructed.

Every year more than 100,000 people visit the lido.

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