TWO crunch meetings next week will decide whether nearly 300 years of free swimming on Hampstead Heath will come to an end – with swimmers accusing Heath managers the City of London of already deciding to introduce controversial compulsory tickets.

The Hampstead Heath consultative committee, made up of users groups and civic societies, will consider ticketing plans on Monday night – and then on Wednesday afternoon, the City’s management committee, which has overall control of budgets and policies for the common land, will make the final decision. Swimmers’ groups say they believe the City has already decided to enforce compulsory tickets at double the current cost swimmers pay voluntarily, affecting scores of vulnerable and low paid people.

Co-chair of the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond Association Nicky Mayhew said: “Our members recognise that the Heath budget is under pressure and that Health and Safety Executive advice is pushing up costs, so we have offered to work with the City to increase revenue. “We have demonstrated it’s possible to change culture: season ticket sales have rocketed since the consultation began, but increasing charges will be counter-productive and 67 per cent of our members say this will affect their ability to swim.

Chair of the Highgate Men’s Pond Association Chris Piesold added: “We fear that the City’s proposals will destroy their unique ethos and environment as they try to make money out of the Heath.”

Chairman of the City’s Heath Management Committee Karina Dostalova said: “The Health and Safety Executive has said we need more lifeguards. Last year it cost £747,000 to run the swimming ponds, but income from ticket sales, season tickets and donations which is used to pay for the lifeguards totalled only £67,000. “Swimming numbers have doubled to a record 655,000 every year and we clearly need a sustainable management model.”

“We are proposing to continue subsidising swimming by 42 per cent and all income generated from proposed charges will be reinvested directly back into the facilities.“