Pools in The UK.

[Echidna]

Ah, pools and rules
Blargh. I could rant.

If you can't find a diving group which will share their pool time with you, nor a hotel pool (aren't those really shallow?), maybe you can try using your tail without a fin.

I know it sucks, especially if you have a heavier tail, but once they've grown used to you swimming with a tail, you can one day simply leave the fin in, and no one's going to be the wiser.

[SiaTheMermaid]

Hotel pools are really shallow, about 1.2 meters but it's better than nothing

[selkie13]

I think I've just given up on our pools. I'm now looking at my local lakes and parks lol. Monike seems like a good start, need to contact them when I get my tail done.


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[Mermaid Orcinus]

Try payasyogym.com. I have been using them for *cheapish* access to hotel pools, and though they are shallow I have had no problems with using my fin in them. Hope that helps a bit

[Mermaid Daenerys]

Samantha, may I ask which pool in Croydon allowed you to swim there? I'm in the next town over, and their pools all say it's a health and safety risk, even when I offered to do a swim test and come in to discuss the safety issues with them, but Croydon's near enough for me to come and swim there.

[Samantha Sleeman]

It's all a case of the pool being lazy and not wanting to bother doing a risk assessment. I had one done at a pool in Croydon and was told it was fine to use my tail. You just have to try different pools and say you are willing to partake in a risk assessment. If they say no they are just lazy gits. The manager of my pool said that.

love this lol, I am quite lucky the pool that I use were so helpful and they enjoy seeing my tail as most people haven't seen anything like it. I will agree that the average council run pools are lazy as their staff don't want to be there they are ther for the money and will do as little work as posible to do so.

[Kelly the Siren]

Hi SiatheMermaid I'm UK too and think the best bet for us to probably book a lane to our selves :/ The health and safety here is way OTT it sucks xxx

[Gloomymort]

I went for my first swim with my fin today as my local pool had previously said they they would allow fins but not tails, After 10 lengths (best lengths in my life but I don't need to tell you guys that) the duty manager came over to me and told me I had to take it off he did allow me to do one more length and told me that I might be able to book a lane but would have to phone in the daytime... I think the reason it was suddenly not ok was because a teacher said out loud while pointing at me "thats bloody dangerous" and then probably complained so unlikely able to swim there with my fin any more...
@ Samantha Sleeman Where do you swim? Bristol isn't far from me and I could probably make it over there occasionally

[Sammi Ray]

I had this in my area too. I haven't got my tail yet (comes in november eeek) but i spoke to the pool staff and they said no. So i asked to speak to the manager and he said yes. Depends who you speak to. I really hope they wise up. At the end of the day, they fricking high life guards for a reason... it could be a nice little earner for them too... knobs

[Gloomymort]

I hope to talk to the manager in the next few days.. hopefully he will be helpful as the life guards and front desk were happy with me using my fin so surely its up to the life guards as its their job to rescue me should I need it..

[Mermaid Mhara]

I've given up with pools around here tbh! Council run, hotel pools, pools in campsites, even private pools people own...no one wants me in my tail! One pool said I could in a lane, when I got there I was told even in a lane they wouldn't allow it. I even asked a pool that specialises in teaching people to use swim equipment and even kayaks in, and it was still a no!

So I stick to my four times a year if lucky routine of swimming in the river and the sea. It's trained me to be able to swim in currents and rough waves that's for sure! But I'd just love one hour in a pool just to enjoy swimming from one end to the next and feeling completely safe (even if I am a tad allergic to chlorine or whatever it is they put in pools nowadays).

Hoping I'll run into more luck with local pools around the area I'm leaving to for University.

[Gloomymort]

Oh now thats just not on! telling you you can swim in a lane then denying you... id complain to a manager. I hope when you move things go better for you.

[Kelly the Siren]

Just a quick update, i was turned down for everything even booking my own lane out the way of everyone!? WTH? anyway i got in touch with my local scuba diving club and explained everything and they said they would welcome me with open arms!!! they said it's fine and i can wear a tail as long as i don't mind the rest of the club in their diving gear. So, ladies and gents, might be worth asking your local scuba club and ask if you can tag along xxx

[Sammi Ray]

Glad you got somewhere! :-)

😄 Sammi Ray 😄

[Oceanid]

I've just come across this thread, and it's unfortunate to see it seems to be a UK thing in general. I've emailed a local swimming pool about swimming with a monofin, and they've not got back to me yet. No holding out too much hope tbh!

[MermaidNadia]

I just skimmed through the thread so i may have missed something relevant, but here in Germany there are small public pools that struggle to survive and so they RENT their pools out for about 100€ an hour. It would be worth it if you can get 20 Mermaids to swim regularly... Find the small pools and check their schedule, if they are closed at any time during the week for one whole day, then they might rent out.

[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