We live in UK’s trendiest seaside town that’s home to ‘national treasure’ beach lido – but NOBODY can swim in it
BAFFLED locals and visitors have hit out after a tidal pool was given Grade II listing status – despite the fact no one can swim in it,
Marine Terrace Tidal Pool, in the popular seaside resort of Margate, Kent, was once a thriving tourist hotspot.
But, it was deemed unsafe due to its uneven floor and slippery sides, much to the confusion of residents, and it is now used for boats.
The sea swimming pool has now been listed as Grade II by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the advice of Historic.
Visitors are forced to flock to the Walpole Bay sea tidal pool instead, where swimming is still permitted.
Dean Waterhouse, 33, who works in healthcare at a prison said: “If I had a pair of shorts I would swim in it.
“There were children in there earlier.
“Doesn’t the ocean come up every night and fill it up with fresh water?
He added: “This one seems more local to be honest, we’re not even from here, so I guess if you don’t see the other one is there, you’ll come here.
“I think maybe if they want people to stop swimming in here, they should make one more locally that people can use.
“Protecting the heritage is good, definitely.”
Visitor Matt Thomas, 40, who had travelled to Margate from his home in nearby Westgate, was using the pool for its new purpose, with an inflatable boat.
He said: “I think it makes sense, because it’s obviously safer, but it think it’s hard to change the culture of people who have swum in it for years.”
He had brought his small boat so he could still use the heritage site, but do so in a safer way, he said: “It’s pretty fun.
“There are still people that, even if they’re not local, they take kids in because it’s very shallow.
“I think it’s dangerous for people and also the walls can be slippy.
It would be great now it’s listed to bring it back to its former glory and have it used as a swimming tidal pool
Ed Krywal-Sanders
Matt would like to see the pool restored, he said: “People still use Walpole Bay, so if they dredged it and made it deeper, it would make more sense because I think people do want to swim in it.”
Yvonne White, 69, a retiree who was cycling with her friend to Westgate for a dip in the sea, said: “People swim in it all the time.
“We usually use the Walpole Bay one.”
Yvonne was not aware swimming in the pool was banned, she added: “I think that they should resurface it, if that’s the case.”
Meanwhile, Holly Trigg, 46, who runs a pop-up sauna business called Ember, said: “It’s good to protect heritage sites, especially wellness sites.
“People use it every day, it’s early now, but later there will be a lot of people.
“I would like to see it restored to its former state.”
‘Bring it back to its former glory’
Ed Krywal-Sanders, 35, who works a number of jobs in the area including at Pete’s Fish Factory as well as at the beach front Sea Scrub Sauna, alongside a career as a musician, said: “It’s amazing we have, in Margate, two tidal pools, one down in Walpole bay.
“This one here, we’re told, is not for swimming, but for boating, so it would be great to see it brought back and made safe by the council who already did a great job on the TS Elliot shelter over here.
He added: “It’s a bit of a safe space, especially for kids, now it’s listed they should take care of it and build it up, dig it out and make it a place for everyone to swim.
“It would be great for us here at the sauna, people love going for a dip in the sea, it’s a lovely experience.
“We’re right here by the sea and there’s a place people can hang out and chill on the side and swim, so it would be great to see it brought back to life.”
Despite the rules, the DJ regularly sees people swimming in the pool, he said they swim “all year round”.
He continued: “There’s lifeguards in the summer, we do tell people not to because they told us it’s unsafe, but we tell they they’re going to get told off and some people go in in spite of that.
“You’ve got to be careful on the sides, but they do clean the sides to make sure it’s not too slippy.
“It’s quite shallow, that’s the main thing.
“I think they have dug it out before, and hopefully they can dig it out and make the structures safer and a bit more child friendly.
“But you see loads of kids and families going in there, as it is probably safer than swimming in the sea a lot of the time, especially if there are strong tides.
“Or if the tides are far out it gives people access to have a swim without having to walk 500 meters to the tide when it’s fully out.”
“It would be great now it’s listed to bring it back to its former glory and have it used as a swimming tidal pool,” he added.
Safe swimming
The pool, built in 1937, is opposite the Victorian Nayland Rock shelter, where TS Eliot is believed to have composed part of his famous poem ‘The Waste Land’.
It fills naturally as the tide comes in and was originally designed to give the public easier access to sea water swimming, as at low tide the shoreline can be more than 200 metres away.
RNLI lifeguard supervisor Charlie Frame said: “We always encourage sea swimmers to visit a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flags, and to let a friend or family member know where they are and when they’re expected back.
“There are ten RNLI lifeguarded beaches around the Thanet coast this summer.
“Margate’s Tidal Pool has clear signposting to say that swimming is prohibited there. We want everyone to enjoy the water safely and if you’re swimming somewhere for the first time, please come and ask our lifeguards about any risks or safety measures.”
Councillor Rick Everitt, leader of Thanet District Council and portfolio holder for planning, added: “Grade II Listed status ensures a certain level of protection for heritage buildings and structures, and I am pleased that the historical significance of both Margate’s Tidal Pool and the Walpole Bay Tidal Pool has been recognised.”
Swimming safety advice
Experts have revealed some of their top advice for both adults and kids heading to the water this summer:
How to stay safe at the beach
Gareth Morrison, Head of Water Safety at the RNLI said: “If you find yourself being swept out to sea in a rip, try to relax and float until you are free from the rip and you can then swim to safety.
“If you see someone else in danger, alert a lifeguard or call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.”
How to stay safe at the swimming pool
Tiny Hearts Education, former paramedic and CEO Nikki Jurcutz said: “Always put your little one in bright or contrasting colours that would be easy to find in an emergency.
“It only takes 20 seconds to drown, little tips like this could save a life”.
An Auqabliss spokesperson added: “Swimming toys such as noodles, dive rings, floaties and beach balls can be dangerous if left in the pool.
“Children may try to grab these from the pool’s edge and fall in.”
How to stay safe at a waterpark
Ali Beckman, Puddle Ducks Technical Director, said: “Never send a child down the slide on their own, not only are they going to be entering the slide pool area independently, they then have to exit the pool and wait for an adult.
“And wave pools should be avoided until your child is really confident with water going over their faces and you know they are able to regain their feet independently.
“Waterparks are often very busy places and it’s easy to lose sight of a child in a split second.”