EAW055933 ENGLAND (1954). Finchley Lido, Finchley, 1954. This image was marked by Aerofilms Ltd for photo editing.

After this photograph was taken a golfing range was built next to the Finchley Lido. It was closed down and built over in circa 1983/1985 when it was replaced with the David Lloyd Tennis Centre.



One resident in Granville Place, the blocks of flats opposite the golfing range on the High Road was sitting in his lounge one evening when a stray golf ball from the range came through his window!

I fought the local council to keep the Finchley Lido and joined up with another local group, together we collected a petition of signatures supporting our opposition to its demolition. Sadly our voices were ignored and a plastic leisure park was built in its place. Gone was the art deco Finchley Lido and its landscaped gardens and instead it was replaced with a cinema, restaurants and swimming baths which are a fraction of the size of the former Lido. Two other local swimming baths were demolished as part of the deal with the developer to build the leisure park, so the new Finchley Swimming Pool hardly compensates in size for the loss of three pools.



I live in the block of flats opposite this site, Granville Place. From residents that used to live on this estate (and are now deceased) I learnt that originally this estate was, in part, created as affordable housing for the nursing staff working at the Finchley Memorial Hospital, which lies behind Granville Place. It was quite prestigious and at one time was the largest private housing estate of flats in North London. Apparently people were vetted before being allowed to purchase homes here! There are three blocks but the third block was only added in the mid 1950's and there was a waiting list of people waiting for the construction to be completed so that they could move in.



During the hot summer months the popularity of the Finchley Lido was such that long queues of patrons would line the High Road waiting to get access. As car ownership became more affordable, so people would try to park in Granville Place. At one point the residents became so incensed that they organised themselves to man the two entrances so only residents and their guests could enter.