This is an annotated list of swimming pools in the United Kingdom which conform to the Olympic standard. Additionally, it lists other long-course facilities that do not quite come up to the full standard of 50 × 25 metres, 10 (middle 8 used) lanes.
At the start of the 21st century, the provision of 50-metre swimming pools in the United Kingdom was very poor for a developed country. Few universities possessed 50-metre pools, and there was a marked reluctance on the part of municipal authorities to build new public long-course facilities. However, the successful bid to hold the 2012 Summer Olympics in London added impetus to the development of new pools. A number of new venues were completed before and after the Games, although some existing pools were demolished and not replaced by 50-metre facilities.
As of 2022 [update], no university in the UK possesses an Olympic standard pool, though several have an 8-lane 50-metre pool. The Aberdeen Aquatics Centre, being part funded by the University of Aberdeen, is the main pool facility for the university.
Location | Pool/centre name | Pool dimensions | Opened | Further information | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Length | Width (lanes) | ||||
Aberdeen | Aberdeen Aquatics Centre | 50 m | 25 m (10) | 2014 | Opened 5 May 2014 as part of the Aberdeen Sports Village complex. [1] |
Bangor, County Down | Bangor Aurora Aquatic and Leisure Complex [2] | 50 m | 25 m (10) | 2013 | Plus a 7 lane (15m?) x 25m diving pool at the end of the main pool. |
Bristol | Hengrove Park Leisure Centre | 50 m | 25 m (10) [3] | 2012 | Opened 29 February 2012. [4] |
Cardiff | Cardiff International Pool [5] | 50 m | 25 m (10) | 2008 | Part of the Cardiff International Sports Village. Opened 12 January 2008. [6] |
Derby | Moorways Sports Village | 50m | 25m (10) | 2022 | |
Glasgow | Tollcross International Swimming Centre [5] | 50 m | 25 m (10) | 1997,
2013 |
The pool was reopened on 24 May 2013 after refurbishment. Second 50 m pool was added for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. |
50 m | 15 m (6) | ||||
Leeds | John Charles Centre for Sport | 50 m | 25 m (10) | 2007 | Formerly South Leeds Stadium. |
London | London Aquatics Centre | 50 m | 25 m (10) | 2011 | Venue for the 2012 Summer Olympics. Includes 25 x 25 m diving pool adjacent to main competition pool. |
50 m | 20 m (8) | ||||
Plymouth | Plymouth Life Centre [7] | 50 m | 25 m (10) | 2012 | Part of the new £46.5m Life Centre. Opened in March 2012. [8] |
Sandwell | Sandwell Aquatics Centre | 50 m | 25 m (10) | 2022 | Venue for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, at Londonderry Playing Fields, Smethwick. [9] |
Sheffield | Ponds Forge International Sports Centre [10] | 50 m | 25 m (10) | 1991 | Used for a large number of English and British National events |
Sunderland | Sunderland Aquatic Centre [11] | 50 m | 25 m (10) | 2008 | Opened 18 April 2008. [12] |
Location | Pool/centre name | Pool dimensions | Further information | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Length | Width (lanes) | |||
Cambridge | Cambridge Sports Centre | 50 m | 25 m (10) | Planned for Phase 3 of the new sports centre (currently at Phase 1) for the University of Cambridge on the West Cambridge Site. [13] |
Location | Pool/centre name | Pool dimensions | Further information | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Length | Width (lanes) | |||
Aldershot | Aldershot Garrison Sports Centre | 50 m | 18 m (8) | This is a British Army swimming pool, but it is open to the public at certain times. [14] |
Banbury | Woodgreen Leisure Centre [15] | 50 m | (8) | Heated open air pool. |
Basildon | Basildon Sporting Village | 50 m | (8) [16] | Constructed by Basildon District Council in time to support the 2012 London Olympics. [17] |
Bath | University of Bath Sports Training Village [18] | 50 m | (8) | |
Bourne | Bourne Lido [19] | 50 yd | (8) | |
Birmingham | University of Birmingham Sports Centre | 50 m | 17 m | As part of new University Sports Centre. [20] |
Brighton and Hove | Sea Lanes Brighton | 50 m | ||
Cheltenham | Sandford Parks Lido | 50 m | 27 m (10) | Heated open air pool, open seasonally between March and October. [21] |
Corby, Northamptonshire | Corby East Midlands International Swimming Pool [22] | 50 m | (8) | Opened July 2009. |
Coventry | The Alan Higgs Centre [23] | 50 m | (8) | Built to replace the previous 50m pool at Coventry Sports and Leisure Centre which was closed in February 2020 |
Crawley | K2 Crawley [24] | 50 m | (8) | |
Dagenham | Becontree Heath Leisure Centre | 50 m | (4) | Built in addition to current 10 lane 25m pool, which opened late 2018 [25] The 50m pool is now open for public swimming on weekday mornings and at weekends. |
Dundee | Olympia [26] | 50 m | (6) | |
East Kilbride | The Dollan Aqua Centre | 50 m | (6) | Recently refurbished, reopened May 28, 2011. [27] |
Edinburgh | Royal Commonwealth Pool | 50 m | 21 m (8) | Built for the 1970 British Commonwealth Games. Refurbished 2012. [28] |
Guildford | Guildford Lido | 50 m | 27.4 m (10) | An outdoor pool that is open during the summer months only. [29] |
Guildford | Surrey Sports Park | 50 m | 20 m (8) | Part of the University of Surrey. [30] |
High Wycombe | Wycombe Leisure Centre | 50 m | (8) | Opened Jan 2016 Replacing Wycombe Sports Centre. 8 Lane pool 50m Competition Pool with 4 Lane 20m Community Pool |
Hillingdon | Hillingdon Sports & Leisure Centre [31] | 50 m | 20 m (8) | The new indoor pool adjacent to a refurbished Uxbridge Lido, opened on 23 March 2010. [32] |
Hitchin | Hitchin Swimming Centre [33] | 50 m | Hitchin Swimming Centre sports indoor and outdoor pools. Outdoor pool opens between May–September | |
Letchworth | Letchworth Outdoor Pool [34] | 50 m | Open between May–September | |
Liverpool | Liverpool Aquatics Centre [35] | 50 m | (8) | |
London Borough of Ealing | Gurnell Leisure Centre [36] | 50 m | (8) | The centre has been permanently closed |
London | Brockwell Lido | 50m | ||
London | Charlton Lido [37] | 50 m | (4) | Lido, Re-opened in 2013; closed from Nov 2013 until April 2014 for refurbishment. |
London | Crystal Palace National Sports Centre [38] | 50 m | (8) The Olympic pool has been closed for a while. The 25m training pool is available | |
London | London Fields Lido [39] | 50 m | 17 m (8) | Lido, opened in 1932, closed in 1988, and re-opened in 2006. |
London | Park Road Lido [40] | 50 m | 23 m | Lido, opened in 1929, significant restoration and redevelopment in 2014/15. [41] |
Loughborough | English Institute of Sport | 50 m | 20 m (8) | Based at Loughborough University. [42] |
Luton | Inspire: Luton Sports Village | 50 m | (8) | A 50m, eight lane pool, a diving training centre and a 20m x 10m community pool. [43] |
Manchester | Manchester Aquatics Centre | 50 m | 20 m (8) | Built for the 2002 Commonwealth Games. |
50 m | 8 m (4) | |||
Norwich | Sportspark [44] | 50 m | 17 m (8) | Part of the University of East Anglia. |
Nottingham | Speedo Sports Centre at the Harvey Hadden Sports Village | 50 m | 21 m (8) | Completed in Summer 2015. |
Peterborough | Peterborough Lido [45] | 50 m | 18.5 m (8) | Open air heated lido. Open from end of May to September. |
Portsmouth | Mountbatten Centre [46] | 50 m | 17 m (8) | |
Stirling | National Swimming Academy | 50 m | (6) | Part of the University of Stirling. [47] |
Stockport | Grand Central Pools | 50 m | (8) | |
Street, Somerset | Millfield School | 50 m | (8) | School's private pool, only open to staff and students. |
Stonehaven | Stonehaven Open Air Pool, Aberdeenshire | 50 m | (8) | Council run public pool, only open June to September. |
Swansea | Wales National Pool [48] | 50 m | 21 m (8) | Part of the Swansea University. |
Tavistock | Mount Kelly Swim Centre [49] | 50 m | 16 m (8) | Part of Mount Kelly School and funded by Sport England. A 50m long, 8 lane indoor pool, which is open to the community, swimming clubs and pupils of the school. Opened in September 2016. |
Winchester | Winchester Sport & Leisure Park | 50 m | (8) | Operated by EveryoneActive for Winchester City Council. Opened in May 2021. [50] |
Location | Pool/centre name | Pool dimensions | Further information | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Length | Width (lanes) | |||
Redbridge, London | 50 m | Architects appointed for new 50 m pool. [51] |
This is an annotated list of swimming pools in the United Kingdom which conform to the Olympic standard. Additionally, it lists other long-course facilities that do not quite come up to the full standard of 50 × 25 metres, 10 (middle 8 used) lanes.
At the start of the 21st century, the provision of 50-metre swimming pools in the United Kingdom was very poor for a developed country. Few universities possessed 50-metre pools, and there was a marked reluctance on the part of municipal authorities to build new public long-course facilities. However, the successful bid to hold the 2012 Summer Olympics in London added impetus to the development of new pools. A number of new venues were completed before and after the Games, although some existing pools were demolished and not replaced by 50-metre facilities.
As of 2022 [update], no university in the UK possesses an Olympic standard pool, though several have an 8-lane 50-metre pool. The Aberdeen Aquatics Centre, being part funded by the University of Aberdeen, is the main pool facility for the university.
Location | Pool/centre name | Pool dimensions | Opened | Further information | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Length | Width (lanes) | ||||
Aberdeen | Aberdeen Aquatics Centre | 50 m | 25 m (10) | 2014 | Opened 5 May 2014 as part of the Aberdeen Sports Village complex. [1] |
Bangor, County Down | Bangor Aurora Aquatic and Leisure Complex [2] | 50 m | 25 m (10) | 2013 | Plus a 7 lane (15m?) x 25m diving pool at the end of the main pool. |
Bristol | Hengrove Park Leisure Centre | 50 m | 25 m (10) [3] | 2012 | Opened 29 February 2012. [4] |
Cardiff | Cardiff International Pool [5] | 50 m | 25 m (10) | 2008 | Part of the Cardiff International Sports Village. Opened 12 January 2008. [6] |
Derby | Moorways Sports Village | 50m | 25m (10) | 2022 | |
Glasgow | Tollcross International Swimming Centre [5] | 50 m | 25 m (10) | 1997,
2013 |
The pool was reopened on 24 May 2013 after refurbishment. Second 50 m pool was added for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. |
50 m | 15 m (6) | ||||
Leeds | John Charles Centre for Sport | 50 m | 25 m (10) | 2007 | Formerly South Leeds Stadium. |
London | London Aquatics Centre | 50 m | 25 m (10) | 2011 | Venue for the 2012 Summer Olympics. Includes 25 x 25 m diving pool adjacent to main competition pool. |
50 m | 20 m (8) | ||||
Plymouth | Plymouth Life Centre [7] | 50 m | 25 m (10) | 2012 | Part of the new £46.5m Life Centre. Opened in March 2012. [8] |
Sandwell | Sandwell Aquatics Centre | 50 m | 25 m (10) | 2022 | Venue for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, at Londonderry Playing Fields, Smethwick. [9] |
Sheffield | Ponds Forge International Sports Centre [10] | 50 m | 25 m (10) | 1991 | Used for a large number of English and British National events |
Sunderland | Sunderland Aquatic Centre [11] | 50 m | 25 m (10) | 2008 | Opened 18 April 2008. [12] |
Location | Pool/centre name | Pool dimensions | Further information | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Length | Width (lanes) | |||
Cambridge | Cambridge Sports Centre | 50 m | 25 m (10) | Planned for Phase 3 of the new sports centre (currently at Phase 1) for the University of Cambridge on the West Cambridge Site. [13] |
Location | Pool/centre name | Pool dimensions | Further information | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Length | Width (lanes) | |||
Aldershot | Aldershot Garrison Sports Centre | 50 m | 18 m (8) | This is a British Army swimming pool, but it is open to the public at certain times. [14] |
Banbury | Woodgreen Leisure Centre [15] | 50 m | (8) | Heated open air pool. |
Basildon | Basildon Sporting Village | 50 m | (8) [16] | Constructed by Basildon District Council in time to support the 2012 London Olympics. [17] |
Bath | University of Bath Sports Training Village [18] | 50 m | (8) | |
Bourne | Bourne Lido [19] | 50 yd | (8) | |
Birmingham | University of Birmingham Sports Centre | 50 m | 17 m | As part of new University Sports Centre. [20] |
Brighton and Hove | Sea Lanes Brighton | 50 m | ||
Cheltenham | Sandford Parks Lido | 50 m | 27 m (10) | Heated open air pool, open seasonally between March and October. [21] |
Corby, Northamptonshire | Corby East Midlands International Swimming Pool [22] | 50 m | (8) | Opened July 2009. |
Coventry | The Alan Higgs Centre [23] | 50 m | (8) | Built to replace the previous 50m pool at Coventry Sports and Leisure Centre which was closed in February 2020 |
Crawley | K2 Crawley [24] | 50 m | (8) | |
Dagenham | Becontree Heath Leisure Centre | 50 m | (4) | Built in addition to current 10 lane 25m pool, which opened late 2018 [25] The 50m pool is now open for public swimming on weekday mornings and at weekends. |
Dundee | Olympia [26] | 50 m | (6) | |
East Kilbride | The Dollan Aqua Centre | 50 m | (6) | Recently refurbished, reopened May 28, 2011. [27] |
Edinburgh | Royal Commonwealth Pool | 50 m | 21 m (8) | Built for the 1970 British Commonwealth Games. Refurbished 2012. [28] |
Guildford | Guildford Lido | 50 m | 27.4 m (10) | An outdoor pool that is open during the summer months only. [29] |
Guildford | Surrey Sports Park | 50 m | 20 m (8) | Part of the University of Surrey. [30] |
High Wycombe | Wycombe Leisure Centre | 50 m | (8) | Opened Jan 2016 Replacing Wycombe Sports Centre. 8 Lane pool 50m Competition Pool with 4 Lane 20m Community Pool |
Hillingdon | Hillingdon Sports & Leisure Centre [31] | 50 m | 20 m (8) | The new indoor pool adjacent to a refurbished Uxbridge Lido, opened on 23 March 2010. [32] |
Hitchin | Hitchin Swimming Centre [33] | 50 m | Hitchin Swimming Centre sports indoor and outdoor pools. Outdoor pool opens between May–September | |
Letchworth | Letchworth Outdoor Pool [34] | 50 m | Open between May–September | |
Liverpool | Liverpool Aquatics Centre [35] | 50 m | (8) | |
London Borough of Ealing | Gurnell Leisure Centre [36] | 50 m | (8) | The centre has been permanently closed |
London | Brockwell Lido | 50m | ||
London | Charlton Lido [37] | 50 m | (4) | Lido, Re-opened in 2013; closed from Nov 2013 until April 2014 for refurbishment. |
London | Crystal Palace National Sports Centre [38] | 50 m | (8) The Olympic pool has been closed for a while. The 25m training pool is available | |
London | London Fields Lido [39] | 50 m | 17 m (8) | Lido, opened in 1932, closed in 1988, and re-opened in 2006. |
London | Park Road Lido [40] | 50 m | 23 m | Lido, opened in 1929, significant restoration and redevelopment in 2014/15. [41] |
Loughborough | English Institute of Sport | 50 m | 20 m (8) | Based at Loughborough University. [42] |
Luton | Inspire: Luton Sports Village | 50 m | (8) | A 50m, eight lane pool, a diving training centre and a 20m x 10m community pool. [43] |
Manchester | Manchester Aquatics Centre | 50 m | 20 m (8) | Built for the 2002 Commonwealth Games. |
50 m | 8 m (4) | |||
Norwich | Sportspark [44] | 50 m | 17 m (8) | Part of the University of East Anglia. |
Nottingham | Speedo Sports Centre at the Harvey Hadden Sports Village | 50 m | 21 m (8) | Completed in Summer 2015. |
Peterborough | Peterborough Lido [45] | 50 m | 18.5 m (8) | Open air heated lido. Open from end of May to September. |
Portsmouth | Mountbatten Centre [46] | 50 m | 17 m (8) | |
Stirling | National Swimming Academy | 50 m | (6) | Part of the University of Stirling. [47] |
Stockport | Grand Central Pools | 50 m | (8) | |
Street, Somerset | Millfield School | 50 m | (8) | School's private pool, only open to staff and students. |
Stonehaven | Stonehaven Open Air Pool, Aberdeenshire | 50 m | (8) | Council run public pool, only open June to September. |
Swansea | Wales National Pool [48] | 50 m | 21 m (8) | Part of the Swansea University. |
Tavistock | Mount Kelly Swim Centre [49] | 50 m | 16 m (8) | Part of Mount Kelly School and funded by Sport England. A 50m long, 8 lane indoor pool, which is open to the community, swimming clubs and pupils of the school. Opened in September 2016. |
Winchester | Winchester Sport & Leisure Park | 50 m | (8) | Operated by EveryoneActive for Winchester City Council. Opened in May 2021. [50] |
Location | Pool/centre name | Pool dimensions | Further information | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Length | Width (lanes) | |||
Redbridge, London | 50 m | Architects appointed for new 50 m pool. [51] |