Jesus Green Lido, and others like it, was first opened in 1923 as part of national scheme introduced by the government to get people more active and to lead healthy lifestyles. In the 1930s, 169 lidos were being opened because people couldn't afford foreign travel and the local lido were people's holiday destinations. Janet Smith, the author of the book Liquid Assets describes her experiences at Tooting Bec Lido as having a brilliant time because:
"you can have a swim, chill out for a bit, sunbathe, get something to eat."
Today, only 31 of the 169 that were built in the 30s have closed because of the lack of sponsorship for lidos which lead to financal problems and eventually closure.
Jesus Green Swimming Pool is one of the longest swimming pools in Europe with a length of 91 metres and at it's deepest, it is 2.5 metres deep.
