Beccles Lido sees surge in visitors as more people opt for supervised swimming
The open-air pool is Norfolk and Suffolk's only lido
Beccles Lido is experiencing its busiest summer yet, with a noticeable increase in visitors choosing lifeguarded open water swimming over other natural water sites.
Matt Day, General Manager at Beccles Lido, believes the uptick in visitor numbers is due to rising concerns over water safety, leading more individuals to opt for the Lido's secure environment.
The surge began earlier than usual this year, with heightened demand from mid May typically visitor numbers peak in late July, coinciding with school holidays.
Matt noted the impact of recent weather patterns, explaining how early heat waves have contributed to increased attendance.
"There has been a noticeable uptick in May just before half-term, carried by subsequent heat waves,"
"The early heat waves this year have driven more people to our pool, boosting numbers much earlier than traditional summer timings," Day said.
As attendance soars, this brings the potential for upgrades and expansions later in the year, with increased income.
"We're an independent charity. Improvement works that we make, we rely on winning grants and putting our own profits back into the facilities,
Every penny that comes in through the tills, pays for us running ourselves and the facilities," Matt said.
"This year will see us making a very sizable return, which we can then invest in something more sizable and more exciting for our customers next year or in the very near future."
Matt also noted that while lifeguarding operations and scheduled time slots help manage capacity, the Lido cannot always accommodate everyone. He emphasised the importance of staying safe for those who choose to swim in nearby lakes and rivers:
"We want people to enjoy themselves, people need to make the sensible choices, pick places that are safer. Make yourself a little risk assessment, work out actually how deep is it? Is it tidal? Am I going to get swept away?"