The best lidos and outdoor swimming pools to visit over summer
The Independent highlights several popular locations across the country, such as Ilkley Lido, Serpentine Lido, Lido Ponty, and Bude Sea Pool.
These featured spots boast diverse characteristics, from heated pools and historical architecture to natural tidal pools and family-friendly amenities.
Details on admission fees and operating hours are provided for each recommended swimming destination, with some offering free access.
Many of the listed sites hold historical significance, with some providing unique activities like year-round swimming for clubs or special events.
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The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Lidl is selling a range of camping gadgets that are perfect for the hot weather including cool box and chairs
LIDL is selling a range of budget-friendly camping gadgets as Brits soak up the sunny weather. The discount supermarket chain is stocking kids' sleeping bags and chairs, cool boxes and even an air mattress. 4 The new range will be perfect for camping during the end of summer and autumn and getting outdoors to make the last of the year's light. There are 30 items Crivit Camping range that range from air mattresses to cool boxes. And some even have a discount attached to them. For example, the camping cutlery set selling for £9.99 now has 20 per cent with Lidl Plus and is selling for £7.99. The Crivit Aluminium Camping Table normally sells for £24.99, but with the Lidl Plus card is currently selling for £19.99. The air mattress in a double size is selling for £14.99, while sleeping bags are selling for £12.99. A range of four cool bags are selling for £3.99 while backpacks are selling for £14.99. It comes after Crivit released a number of tents and festival gear for summer at Lidl several months ago. The incredible Crivit camping range has everything festival-goers need to set themselves up in the Wilderness, including the 4-Person Blackout Tent – popping up in stores for just £99.00 with Lidl Plus. Crivit was even selling stand up paddleboards at supermarkets. Lidl's $50 Hammock: Summer Comfort That Won't Break the Bank The Crivit All-Round Inflatable SUP is priced at just £99.99, and was available at Lidl stores from Thursday May 29. This bargain bed comes after Lidl have begun selling ice cool gel pillows that are easy to use and would be perfect for keeping cool on those hot car trips. For just £7.99 on the Lidl plus app, shoppers can get their hands on the Silentnight Cooling Gel Pillow Pad. That's more than £12 cheaper than a similar product on Argos, with the low price available until June 7. Described as perfect for restless sleepers and over heaters, the pillow give you instant cooling comfort, so you don't need to flip your pillow during the night. At 60x40cm it covers your entire pillow and simply needs to be slid inside your pillowcase on top of your normal pillow. How to save money on summer essentials SUNNIER days and warmer weather will leave many of us wanting to kit out gardens and outdoor areas. Sun Savers Editor Lana Clements explains how to get a great deal on summer essentials… It pays to know how to bag big savings on the likes of hot tubs paddling pools, egg chairs and outside bars. Many retailers have flash sales across entire ranges – often this ties into payday at the end of the month or Bank Holiday weekends. Sign up to the mailing lists of your favourite brands and you'll be first to know of special offers. It can be worth following retailers on social media too. Keep a close eye on the specialbuys at Aldi and middle of Lidl drops which drop a couple of times a week and usually mean great value seasonal items such as beach gear and paddling pools. If you are not in a hurry to buy an item, try adding it to the shopping cart and leaving it for a couple of days. Sometimes big brands will try to tempt you into the sale by offering you a discount. Always check if you can get cashback before paying. It's especially worth using sites such as Topcashback, Quidco and app Jamdoughnut when buying bigger ticket items such as garden furniture as you'll get a nice kickback. 4
The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
MPs call for free bus travel for under-22s in England
MPs are calling on the Government to fund free bus travel for people aged under 22 in England. The Transport Select Committee, which made the recommendation, said it would improve young people's access to 'work and skills opportunities' and 'help embed long-term public transport use'. Free bus travel is offered to under-22s in Scotland. People aged 16-21 in Wales are entitled to a one-third discount on fares, and from next month will be able to travel for £1 per journey. Parts of England offer discounted or free bus travel for young people, such as London for 16 and 17-year-olds. People are entitled to free bus travel in England when they reach the state pension age, which is currently 66 but will rise from next year. Bus fares in England for all passengers are capped at £3 until March 2027. In a report on buses, the select committee said: 'England's patchwork of local youth concessions contrasts with national schemes in Scotland and Wales. 'A coherent national approach to ensure fair access across England is essential if the Government is serious about driving economic growth, which depends on removing barriers to education, training, and employment for the next generation.' The report described public transport as a 'major barrier to employment for young people', especially in places with limited services. It added: 'In some areas, transport is restricting opportunity rather than enabling it.' The committee urged the Government to reform the way local bus services are funded, with longer-term settlements. It also called for a national ambition for a minimum level on public transport connectivity. Department for Transport (DfT) figures show the number of bus journeys taken in England outside London fell by 22% from 4.6 billion in 2009 to 3.6 billion in 2024. Labour MP Ruth Cadbury, who chairs the committee, said: 'Those most affected by unreliable or even non-existent buses include the young, who need them to get to school, college, university and their first jobs. 'Denying young people these experiences denies them their life chances. 'We call for a universal, free bus pass for all under-22s to equalise opportunity. 'While the bus fare caps have been beneficial, the Government has yet to spell out a coherent strategy of what they aim to achieve, and whether more targeted options could produce better outcomes. 'While the Government's Bus Services Bill contains positive ideas, the Transport Committee's report says ministers should go further to get bums back on seats.' The Bill, which is going through Parliament, will lead to an overhaul of buses, such as by giving all local transport authorities new powers to run their own services. It will also reduce some of the red tape involved in bus franchising, including reducing the minimum period between local areas taking control of services and being allowed to start operations. A DfT spokesperson said: 'After decades of decline, we're providing a record £1 billion in multi-year funding to improve the reliability and frequency of bus services across the country. 'Our landmark Bus Services Bill will protect routes and prevent services from being scrapped, bringing buses back into local control, and will put passengers at the heart of services. 'We have also stepped in to prevent a fare hike for passengers by extending the £3 fare cap until March 2027.'
BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
Call for free bus travel to help under-22s into work
Under-22s in England should be given free bus passes to help them get into work and education, according to major a report by number of bus journeys taken in England has dropped in recent years, while fares have risen faster than inflation, it was a barrier to opportunity and growth in some areas, MPs found, recommending a pilot scheme of free bus travel at any time of day for Department for Transport said it was providing "£1bn in multi-year funding to improve the reliability and frequency of bus services across the country". Since January 2022, everyone in Scotland aged between five and 22 has been entitled to free bus England, the number of bus passenger journeys had dropped from 4.6 billion in 2009 to 3.6 billion in 2024, the report by the Transport Committee smaller towns and rural areas have no bus services at all, or buses that run so infrequently that "they do not meaningfully add to people's transport options", it said.A 2019 study found that some 57% of jobseekers lived in areas where they could not reach a centre of employment within 45 minutes by bus."High bus fares and limited local provision can severely restrict young people's access to education, employment, and other opportunities," the report said. 'We rely on public transport' Alex Mustafa, 19, says she uses the bus all the time as she can't drive due to health and financial reasons and would benefit from a free bus pass."It would also help poorer young people like myself who rely on public transport to better plan for social connections without needing to worry about bus cost on top of how expensive it is to go out as it is," she says she has been left waiting for a bus for over an hour before and has been late to work and missed social events due to cancelled buses."It's very difficult to live life according to plan when you have to plan around an unreliable schedule. Trains are sometimes better, but they also come with a higher cost and they're more limiting with location," she said. Roman Dibden, chief executive of youth charity Rise Up, said it sees young people turn down job interviews and training all the time because they can't afford the bus fare."Free bus passes for under-22s would remove a huge barrier, opening up access to jobs, apprenticeships, and training - especially in communities where opportunity isn't on your doorstep." 'Support people who struggle costs-wise' Dylan Lewis-Creser, 21, is a student in town planning and also stood as a Green Party candidate for Walkley Ward in the local elections in May told the BBC they use the bus quite a lot to travel around Sheffield as driving is too expensive."A free bus pass would mean I could get to and from university and work without paying £10 a week, which adds up significantly as a student on a low budget," they said."That cost is amplified when considering changing buses to get to other job opportunities and elsewhere, like hospitals."Dylan thinks there needs to be more discussion around "making transport accessible, affordable and reliable.""Part of that would be supporting people who often struggle costs-wise to do that, such as young people," they said."We've seen how it's boosted young people using buses in Scotland, and it only makes sense to extend that policy." Bus passengers spend £39.1 billion in local businesses every year, according to research from KPMG. But experts told the Transport Committee that the bus sector's contribution to the economy declined by around £8.9 billion between 2011 and report said: "The current deregulated nature of the bus sector can encourage commercial operators to "deprioritise" less profitable routes, often leaving vulnerable communities without a service." 'Social exclusion' The committee heard that older people were particularly deterred from using the bus if they felt unsafe at bus report recommended improvements to bus stops and shelters such as screen showing real-time Bishop is the chief executive of North Norfolk Community Transport, a charity that provides low-cost dial-a-ride services in the local area. She says for some people bus services mean the difference between being able to stay in their homes or having to move into assisted living. "Most of our passengers are older people, but not all," she told the BBC. "A lot of people, we're the only people they see every week.""They become friends with the other people on their route so it's a great tool for combatting loneliness," Ms Bishop she added, "it's a lottery whether there is a community transport in your area". Fare cap The cap on bus fares outside London was increased to £3 last year. The committee said fare caps were most beneficial to people in rural areas, as they tended to take longer journeys or had to use multiple buses for one the report was critical of the short-term nature of funding for bus services, saying it has "hampered local authorities' ability to improve services"."Five-year settlements in other transport sectors like rail and the strategic road network have enabled greater certainty and promoted strategic planning," it said. "Bus services, the most widely used form of public transport, require a similar commitment." Bus services are devolved in England, meaning they are the responsibility of local authorities. Individual councils could choose to offer concessions to Local Government Association (LGA) welcomed the committee's recommendation to end "stop-start funding" for buses.A spokesperson said: "Bus services provide an essential mode of public transport in local communities, relied upon by millions of people."More work is needed to attract them back onto buses to ensure services are sustainable for our communities. Stop-start funding risks losing passengers, with patronage difficult to recover if and when money is found." Steff Aquarone, a Liberal Democrat MP who sits on the Transport Committee, said the report shows the need for "a different model for rural public transport". He said local councils cannot heavily subsidise bus fares as in other countries, but "if you put buses on at the time people want to travel, going to places they want to go, people will use them". Additional reporting by Kris Bramwell.
