Pools in The UK.

[Mermaid Kerenza Sapphire]

Intriguing thread - I don't yet have a tail or a fin, but had really hoped once I do to be able to practice in my local pool on a fairly regular basis. Over the summer I can use my aunt & uncle's pool (I think) though probably won't until I'm comfortable swimming in a tail...

Have any of you tried school pools? There are a couple of private schools round here which have public access to their pools on evenings and weekends and I wonder if the rules might be slightly less strict, or at least there would be one person in charge to explain mermaiding to?

[Elvenhaired]

I've just contacted a freediving team in Ware, they said I am welcome to join them with my monofin, I just had to become a Britih Freediving Association - 20GBP for a year or so and you are insured through them (public liability for recreational freediving, etc. Which can be used in case you wanted to swim elsewhere later on!). I am trying to get one of the local gyms to say yes to my monofin first, spoke to the duty manager and she basically just asked me to use it when the pool is not busy. She gave me timetable as well and marked the less busy periods, she was super helpful Would be good as Ware is quite a drive away Any mers close to Stansted airport?

[moniee]

Hey mers, any new pools discovered that allow monofins/tails? I'm in the London area but willing to travel depending on swim fees etc.

[Mermaid Kerenza Sapphire]

My gym (sports direct fitness) have been enthusiastic and brilliant about it, though the pool is only 1.4m deep. But better than nothing (and possibly what made them say yes - limits danger in their eyes if you can just stand up if you have any problems). Also got clearance from Lifehouse spa to run mermaid spa days - the insurance was the bugger there but I've managed it - again with the shallow pool.

My local leisure centre, after much badgering, said I could book their dive pit, but I haven't used it yet as that feels like something I shouldn't do without a swim buddy and it's never available at the times my normal swim buddy is

[moniee]

Carla do you mind naming the gym address please? Essex should be find from me depending on what part of it (im in London)

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[Mermaid Miradis]

Is there a pool in Hampshire that allows mermaid tails?

[MermaidClaudy]

Any pool that allow it in London?

[moniee]

Claudia, that is what I want to figure out as well!

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[MermaidClaudy]

Cool!!! Yea mermaids in London!

[Jade Forrest]

I've just ordered my first tail (yay!) and have been doing the rounds trying to find somewhere to swim. All the council run pools have said no but a lovely heated outdoor pool in Woburn has said yes! It's not very deep but is something at least It only opens in spring, summer and autumn so I'll be asking my local dive school if they can help during winter months

[Sulis the Siren]

Hey, good to see some fellow mers near Bristol

Quick question for you guys if you don't mind - do you know about any good nearby spots for outdoor swimming? I heard there's a nice place near Bath for a swim in the river, for example. Any good experiences?

Gloomymort - in Henbury Leisure Centre they say they're 'fin friendly'. Haven't tried it out yet because I'm just practicing without a fin, but it might be worth checking out. Also, in one pool in Bristol there's regular freediving training going on so they might be o.k. with you there - I can check out for you what the pool's called if you want.

[Jade Forrest]

I've not looked into swimming in natural water yet

I have had a yes from another outdoor pool - with the limitation that it needs to not be too busy and I have a word with the lifeguard before I get in. They said though that if it's raining I would definitely be ok It's heated and I don't mind swimming in the rain so on to a winner!

My tail arrived yesterday (LOVE IT!) so I'm going to try out the monofin on Sunday at Woburn and see how I get on!

[SiaTheMermaid]

So I recently got a fully silicone tail and i contacted my local pool 'The Royal Commonwealth' to ask about using my tail in their facility. Six weeks. Six weeks of them ignoring me, not answering my requests for a risk assesment, not calling me back when they say they will. Finally got an answer today of a resounding 'No' based on the fact that the legs are bound together. I have tried looking for Rainas guide on fighting the tail ban but I cant find it. Im so pissed right now.

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[MermaidClaudy]

Damn it, we need a UK mermaid revolution!

[SiaTheMermaid]

Uk mermaid protest against the tail bans

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[Elle Dee]

hi i'm new to all this, i just got my mono fin and when i asked my local pool if i could use it they came out with similar responses, but they also threw in that they wouldn't let me use it as some had drowned whilst wearing one. i think this is bs has anyone heard of this?

[Celaeno]

I've never heard of anyone drowning whilst tailswimming.

[Elle Dee]

I know, just making up nonsense. I've been lucky tho a friend works in hotel with a pool that I can use sometimes, he was so impressed when I let him try my mono fin he has ordered one too. He want to be a shark rather than a merman. So I'm still the only mer in devonsher.

[MaristellaMeri]

Try private gym pools. My local council pool was terrible. I had different answers from different people and really rude staff but the gym are absolutely fine (if not pretty happy) about the fin as long as I'm sensible about taking up space during busy times and use the smaller fin if it is busier. However, it is a much smaller pool and it isn't very deep but I've been swimming in my local river all summer so I'm just glad to have somewhere warm that doesn't have a current. I think private gym pools can be much more accommodating if you are up for getting membership.

[Mermaid Emeraldina]

I am a member of David Lloyd gym and they are ok with me using my mahina merfin. When i first got my merfin i took it to my local council pool and got kicked out. I gave the manager a good moan so don't you worry. I am a confident swimmer and in a 50m pool i was hardly going to kill anybody. anyway, at the david lloyd gym, it being private and therefore more elite, fewer people, smaller pool and life guards with 2 brain cells, i can use my merfin. as long as the pool isn't stupidly busy and there aren't more than 2 in one lane. The life guard last time i was there was talking to me about it and said he'd never seen anything like it, i said its superb for working out with and he said we usually don't allow fins but it is down to our discretion and he could see that i am a confident swimmer and that i swim very close to the pool floor so i am away from passing swimmers. So in my experience and the above comments i can also agree that private gyms are the way forward