A stormy start for Canary Wharf’s third season of open-water swimming
River rumours and rain have meant rough seas for Middle Dock’s outdoor pool, though tests show it’s safe for swimmers
Swimming in Poplar has been a little more interesting over the last few years, thanks to Canary Wharf’s open-water pool that launched in the summer of 2022. But it’s been a rocky beginning for the third season of open-water swimming, which is held in Middle Dock – the enclosed harbour in the heart of the financial district, next to the Jubilee Line station and under the watchful eye of One Canda Square – Canary Wharf’s most famous tower.
The appeal of an outdoor pool has been dampened by the fact that we may be dealing with Britain’s rainiest summer in a century. On top of that, the project faced controversy in June when concerns were raised that the Thames might be infected with e-coli. The week before the Henley Royal Regatta boat race was due to take place along the river, test results were released showing it contained up to 27 times the acceptable limit of e-coli bacteria for swimming water. The Henley and Marlow River Action Group, who oversaw the testing, blamed the release of sewage into the Thames.
Luckily Middle Dock is completely closed off from the Thames and has its own water supply. Nonetheless, the river’s bad publicity has blighted the start of Canary Wharf’s swimming season.
Love Open Water, the company in charge of the sessions, said that testing found Middle Dock’s water comfortably met safety standards, and scored above the level of cleanliness required for bathing.
Swimmers were only too keen to practise their strokes under the skyscrapers when the pool debuted in 2022, attracting 7,500 people and staying open until Halloween. It may have helped that UK had one of its hottest summers on record that same year.
The venue closed earlier in 2023 when visitor numbers dropped – but only slightly, to a respectable 5,500. A representative of the Canary Wharf Group said this year’s end-of-season closing date will be subject to weather conditions.
‘Due to the unseasonably cold weather throughout June we’re off to a slower start than previous summers,’ she explained, ‘although with the sunshine picking up we’re looking forward to welcoming as many swimmers to Middle Dock as possible this year.’
Open water swimming in Middle Dock requires you to buy a National Open Water Coaches Association membership. It’s £15 a year to access their venues across the UK – but each swimming session in Canary Wharf will cost you an extra £9 unless you make it to one of NOWCA’s free swim events.
For those who prefer indoor swimming, you can always visit Poplar Baths. Dating back to 1934, when it housed public bathing facilities, the Grade II-listed building now has a modern swimming pool.
Access to the Poplar Baths is included in BeWell memberships, which range between £25 and £45 a month. The council has plans to introduce free swimming sessions to Tower Hamlets residents who don’t already subscribe to the service – though these are not yet available on the booking portal.
You can check the event calendar and learn more about swimming in Middle Dock at www.loveopenwater.co.uk/canary-wharf.
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