Certain locations in a city subtly become a part of people’s daily routines because they are just good, not because anyone planned it that way. One of those locations is Richmond’s Pools on the Park. For many years, swimsuits, gym-goers the occasional early-morning lido enthusiast have frequented this location, which is tucked away in Old Deer Park on Twickenham Road and a short stroll from Richmond station. Therefore, people tend to care about any closure, even if it’s only temporary, in a way that corporate leisure announcements seldom do.
The outdoor pool will be closed on Thursday, September 17th, for planned maintenance work. This is the kind of regular intervention that keeps a facility running but still surprises frequent visitors. Before traveling, it’s worthwhile to visit the Better website, especially if you’re going for the outdoor lido. Walk-ups on the spur of the moment are no longer as simple as they once were because both the indoor and outdoor pools already have timed swim sessions.
The outdoor pool will be open Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in 2026, with an extra session on Wednesdays from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. It is open from 7:30 am to 1:30 pm on weekends. The main indoor pool is open from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. The center’s schedule is shortened during bank holidays, so anyone hoping to fit in a festive swim should make advance plans.
The center has not remained motionless. A new multipurpose studio and renovated restrooms in the café area are being built with funding from Richmond Council all upgrades are scheduled to be finished by the end of March.
While the project is underway, the café will stay open, but restroom access may be temporarily modified. Signage will point patrons to alternate facilities. Anyone who has been to a working construction site will recognize this balance: some noise, some rerouting, but everyday life continuing on the periphery.
Walking through Old Deer Park on a gloomy morning gives one the impression that the pool has always existed in some capacity. It’s not totally incorrect to feel that way. The old Richmond Baths, which had been in operation since 1882, was replaced in 1966 by the current complex, a Grade II listed structure designed by Leslie Gooday. Many years later, the center is now run by Greenwich Leisure Ltd. under their Better brand in collaboration with Richmond Council. Members used to the previous setup had to go through a period of adjustment.
It was unlikely that the management transition would be smooth it wasn’t. The center closed completely for four months during the COVID-19 pandemic before gradually reopening the outdoor pool on August 3, 2020 the indoor gym, studio pools a week later on August 10. For those who had gone months without a good swim, those dates held significance. Although it’s still unclear, that experience most likely influenced expectations regarding notice and transparency.
Currently, the facility has a 33-meter indoor pool for lane swimming and lessons, a 33-meter outdoor lido, a gym with cardio equipment and free weight classes for group cycling, yoga, Pilates, aqua dance fitness Les Mills programs available all around. Additionally, there is a teaching pool for beginners, which is still one of the site’s quieter areas. Here, anxious first-timers and young children typically outnumber competitive swimsuits by a significant margin.
The Better website has the most recent schedule for anyone planning a visit around the September outdoor closure or the ongoing studio work. During customer service hours, the center can be reached at 020 3772 2999; however, in order to speak with someone locally, you must physically visit. As the renovation goes on, there’s a chance that more dates for disruptions will surface because projects rarely end on schedule. It appears more certain that Old Deer Park will continue to attract visitors in one way or another because of the pool.
i) https://www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/london/richmond-upon-thames/pools-on-the-park
ii) https://www.visitrichmond.co.uk/outdoor-activities/pools-on-the-park-p2077201
iii) https://www.timeout.com/london/sport-and-fitness/pools-on-the-park-richmond