FOR MORE than 100 years swimmers have headed to Hampstead Heath for an early-morning dip in its icy ponds. Now the Corporation of London, which runs the 
heath, is set to ban unsupervised swimming. The corporation, which spends £600,000 a year employing 45 lifeguards to oversee the three bathing ponds and nearby Parliament Hill lido, says its members could personally face prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive if it permits unsupervised swimming and an incident occurs. Robert Sutherland Smith, chairman of the United Swimmers Association, said: “We are not giving up on this. We do it not only for ourselves but also in the name of future generations.” He said there was no evidence of swimmers having come to difficulty in the ponds, which are free to use. His organisation offered to run a system of self-regulation before the lifeguards start work, but this is set to be rejected by the corporation on legal advice. Evening Standard 19/7/04.
heath, is set to ban unsupervised swimming. The corporation, which spends £600,000 a year employing 45 lifeguards to oversee the three bathing ponds and nearby Parliament Hill lido, says its members could personally face prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive if it permits unsupervised swimming and an incident occurs. Robert Sutherland Smith, chairman of the United Swimmers Association, said: “We are not giving up on this. We do it not only for ourselves but also in the name of future generations.” He said there was no evidence of swimmers having come to difficulty in the ponds, which are free to use. His organisation offered to run a system of self-regulation before the lifeguards start work, but this is set to be rejected by the corporation on legal advice. Evening Standard 19/7/04.
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