On 25 September representatives of all the Swimmers’ Associations attended an online meeting with City of London representatives. Please find attached here the main proposals which were discussed and which will now be put forward to the Hampstead Heath Management Committee when it meets on 9 September. The Swimming Forum recording can now be seen here.
- The City of London is persisting in enforcing the inflated charges to swim, despite our many pleas for them to show humanity in the midst of a pandemic and during a period of economic crisis.
- Swimming charges will be collected either through an electronic wristband for season tickets or contactless payment for day charges (wristbands may be introduced for day tickets as well). Both methods give rise to concerns about privacy.
- The insistence on contactless payment will exclude anyone who does not have access to this type of payment or who is worried about her privacy. Transactions listed on bank statements may risk harm to women living with coercive controlling domestic abusers.
- The City of London promotes the season tickets as a cost effective option – for now. City representatives did not appreciate that the up-front payment for a season ticket, even at concessionary levels, is prohibitive to swimmers on low incomes. Also there is no guarantee that season ticket charges will be “reasonable” after they are reviewed for 2021/22.
- The “Support Scheme” (the re-branded non-existent Hardship Fund used to justify the Option 3 decision last March) is not fit for purpose as the list of who would qualify for a concession is out of date and limited. For example, people receiving Universal Credit are not mentioned.
- The other two Support Scheme options (partnership working and time credits) appear to be an attempt to define the deserving poor and make swimmers work for their support, in the spirit of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act.
- The proposed free swimming for under 16s and over 60s before 9.30 am has produced mixed reactions from our members. The proposed time frame will put pressure on those trying to swim before work, and will contradict the times of day when free travel on public transport is available for older swimmers.
The KLPA has in previous communications referred to exclusion, social cleansing and gentrification at the bathing ponds. We encourage members to continue sending their concerns to Hampstead Heath managers at the addresses below, and to keep writing to their local representatives.
Anne.Fairweather@cityoflondon.gov.uk
Bob.Warnock@cityoflondon.gov.uk
HH-Swimming@cityoflondon.gov.uk
Please copy your emails to klpamailbox@gmail.com