In January 2021 the KLPA conducted a survey of swimmers about the economic impact, so far, of the increased and enforced swimming charges on Hampstead Heath. We shared that survey widely with the other swimmers’ associations and beyond, receiving 600 responses.
The data gathered was helpful in providing background information for the legal case being supported by the KLPA, which alleges disability discrimination by the City of London Corporation.
That survey was conducted before the 2021 price increases were decided upon and implemented. We now need to get updated feedback from swimmers which takes these more recent increases into account.
Please find below a link to a brief survey which builds on the questions asked earlier this year. Your input is really important, and appreciated.
This survey will run until midday on Wednesday 13 October 2021 and can be completed entirely anonymously.
We will be sharing this survey link with the other swimmers’ associations and beyond. Please feel free to forward this link to any swimmers who you think might be interested, including those who no longer feel able to use the ponds due to the new charges.
The KLPA is supporting a claim of discrimination arising from the charging regime at the Hampstead Heath Bathing Ponds. Claimant, Christina Efthimiou, is a KLPA member who has been affected by the enforced and increased charges to swim, especially since the disproportionate increases to concession season tickets in 2021. In August 2021 we received news this application for Judicial Review had received the permission of the High Court to proceed (press coverage hereand here). This means that the court believes there is an arguable case.
We have recently received news that the case is listed for 1.5 days on 9 to 10 November 2021. The format of this hearing (in person, virtual or hybrid) will not be confirmed until nearer the time, depending on public health advice at that time. We will let KLPA members know when we have more information about this
We still need to raise funds Thank you to everyone who has donated so far. The KLPA is continuing to fund raise for this case, to offset possible adverse costs. Details of our crowd funding page can be seen here. If you have not already donated, please consider helping the KLPA to keep the ponds accessible to all. Even if you have already donated, please forward this email to any friends, family and colleagues who may be interested. The QR Code below can be used for this purpose too.
The Heath is being monetised and over regulated
Over the last couple of years, we have not only seen the enforcement and inflation of charges to swim. The City of London Corporation has also done the following:
Under cover of Covid, regulated access to the ponds through use of online pre-booking in the summer season, even after most Covid restrictions have been lifted;
Introduced the use of Fixed Penalty Notices for infringements of the sometimes bizarre Heath bye-laws (items 34, 35, 39 and 47 make interesting reading);
Is introducing licences for dog walkers which they will have to pay for;
Started to explore the possibility of charging for toilets using contactless payment;
Tried to take out speculative injunctions against “persons unknown”, but had to drop this idea for Hampstead Heath when challenged in court over similar moves at Epping Forest (details hereand here); and
Banned all night fishing at the Vale of Health (details hereand here).
By challenging the charging regime at the bathing ponds, the KLPA is involved in a wider battle about how our Heath is managed by the City of London Corporation. The KLPA continues to support the efforts of front line workers on the Heath, and our campaigning is focused on the decisions made by the Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queen’s Park Management Committee.
It’s nearly two years since KLPA members were invited to the Men’s Pond for a shared breakfast, and longer still since we hosted our friends from the Men’s Pond at the Ladies’ Pond. So much has prevented us from getting together in the meantime. It is with pleasure that we send a long overdue invitation to the Highgate Men’s Pond Association to join us for breakfast on. Saturday 25 September 2021 from 8 to 10am.
There will still be some practical constraints on what we can do. The KLPA will provide croissants, and we ask members to bring their own hot drinks, as we cannot access our usual window hatch to serve drinks from the lifeguards’ office.
Our guests will be able to access swimming by using their wristbands or paying by card/cash as usual. The refreshments and social gathering will take place on the upper meadow which can be accessed without paying, if not swimming. This avoids congestion on the deck as well. The changing area for the men who are swimming will be the spillway meadow.
KLPA merchandise including mugs and hi-viz knitted hats will be on sale near the stewards hut (price details here).
This event will be an opportunity to renew our friendships with swimmers from the Men’s Pond. After a year and a half of pond closures and restricted access, we are continuing to claim back this space for our community of pond swimmers.
KLPA fund raising towards the costs of a Judicial Review, challenging the charges to swim at the bathing ponds, continues. The charges are being challenged on grounds of disability discrimination, and the claim has permission from the High Court to proceed. Donations can still be made to our crowd funding appeal here or using the QR Code below.
