Outdoor pool proves popularity in Abingdon
It was a record-breaking season for Abbey Meadow pool
An outdoor pool in Abingdon saw double the number of visitors in 2025 compared to last year.
Abbey Meadow Outdoor Pool had a record-breaking season, seeing almost 30,000 swimmers from mid-June to early September.
The extended opening season and warm weather this summer were cited as the two key reasons for the growth in visitors.
The council faced criticism earlier in the year from residents who were disappointed with the original opening date, first slated for 19 July.
The pool is run by Vale of White Horse District Council, alongside the leisure provider GLL who manage the pool, kiosk and splash pad.
Sally Hewes, 55, and Lorraine Kirk, 56, travelled from the East Midlands to visit the Abbey Meadows pool. They commented that the pool was extremely busy, “exactly how it should be on a glorious Sunday in August”.
It was the third outdoor pool they had visited that day and their 100th in total, as part of their endeavour to Swim the Lidos by visiting every outdoor pool in the UK.
They said: “Hopefully by recording our lido journey on our Instagram page, it will have inspired others to visit lidos and keep them alive.”
The pool reopened in 2018 after extensive refurbishment.
Swim for Dogs returned to Abbey Meadow this year, allowing dogs to cool off in the pool with their owners.
Kevin Williams, Partnership Manager at GLL, said: “We signed off the season with our ever-popular Dog Swim, which made a splash with the local canine population.
“We’ll be looking to build on these successes in 2026.”
It’s not clear yet when swimmers should expect the pool to reopen in 2026.