 is an informal network of campaigners across the UK and Ireland which aims to bring the joy of outdoor swimming to more communities by restoring heritage pools and creating new lidos. As co-founder and steering group member, I help to connect government bodies, community groups and other organisations so that we can collaborate, share knowledge and ultimately build more places to swim.

 (of operating and future lidos) shows the rich variety and wide geographic spread of pools within the network, and the sheer vibrancy of the sector. In 2023 – the Year of the Lido – we were awarded funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for a major collaborative project: Pooling Resources. As part of this we created the free-to-access Lido Toolkit, which promotes greater understanding of the value of outdoor swim sites and provides expert advice on establishing and running a lido campaign. The work of Future Lidos will be showcased at an event at the Houses of Parliament in June 2025.

 A knowledge-sharing network for outdoor swimming

Future Lidos

As a designer, researcher and advocate for swim sites across the world, I connect people to water.

Chris Romer-Lee

I’ve been a swimmer for as long as I can remember. As co-founder of architecture practice Studio Octopi, I developed a portfolio of pools, baths and swim-site strategy alongside projects on dry land. In 2025 I set up my own consultancy, focused on getting more people swimming and improving access to water.

I work with organisations to design and refurbish lidos, baths and bathing places, and have become an expert in urban swimming and tidal pools. My research and writing work demonstrates how such swim sites can become a focus for healthy communities and improved ecologies. Through collaboration with government bodies I also advocate for better access to swim sites of all kinds.