Swimming in Tower Hamlets

There are five swimming pools in Tower Hamlets — four are open. The remaining pool (St George’s) has been the subject of a consultation that ended on 12 January 2022.  

We are committed to maintaining five pools in the borough. 

If you are a member of any leisure centre, where a pool is currently closed, you can use any other GLL ‘Better’ branded swimming pool in the borough.

Visit better.org.uk for more information. 

Open 

• Mile End, 190 Burdett Road E3 4HL 
• Poplar Baths, 170 E India Dock Road E14 0ED
• Tiller Leisure Centre, Tiller Road, E14 8PX
• York Hall, 5 Old Ford Road E2 9PJ

Closed 

• St George’s Leisure Centre, 221 The Highway E1W 3BP 

Future investment in Tower Hamlets leisure facilities — the way forward

On Wednesday 9 February, the Mayor and Cabinet approved a report on leisure estate investment at a Cabinet meeting. This followed our earlier consultation Options for leisure services in Tower Hamlets, which ran from 15 November 2021 to 12 January 2022.

In summary, the council has agreed “to the building of a new leisure centre on the St George’s Leisure Centre site,” and to invest in other leisure sites, with a detailed plan for the next thirty years.

It maintains the Mayor’s commitment to five swimming pools in the borough.

The Mayor received representations favouring a refurbishment of the existing facility and has listened to these and has asked for some further work to consider the value-for-money of refurbishing the existing St George’s Leisure Centre.

Any alternative representations to the decision to build a new leisure centre on the same site at the existing St George’s Leisure Centre must be presented before 25 March by email to sports@towerhamlets.gov.uk — these will be presented to the Mayor before a final decision is made.

The Mayor will update Cabinet in the summer on the alternative representations to building a new leisure centre on the existing St George’s Leisure Centre site.   

For for the latest information, please visit the Options for Leisure Services in Tower Hamlets consultation page.

St George's Leisure Centre building surveys

These contain the detail of the works that would be required:

• Condition Survey & Report for the Mechanical & Electrical Services Installation at St Georges Swimming Pool 
  
• Structural Assessment Report (Stage 2) of St Georges Leisure Centre
  
• Concrete Investigation for CCLLP of Swimming Pool Report No. 7116
• St George's follow up survey

We are working on accessible versions of these documents. If you need any help with them, please email web.team@towerhamlets.gov.uk.

Further information

If you would like to stay up-to-date with the status of leisure facilities in Tower Hamlets, including swimming pools and any updates about St George’s Leisure Centre, sign up to our Sports and Physical Activities email bulletin below.

Take a look at our wider leisure offer in the borough, including our parks and open spaces and outdoor gyms. 

If you have questions, please email sports@towerhamets.gov.uk.