A safe swimming spot could be piloted next year in the harbour as pressure mounts on Bristol City Council to scrap unpopular rules banning swimmers. Few details are known yet about the pilot but the mayor said the council is exploring how a swimming spot could work.
Swimming in the harbour and the river Avon in the city is currently banned under a council byelaw. But this ban could be lifted, according to Bristol mayor Marvin Rees, responding to recent calls from campaigners and thousands of petitioners to make wild swimming safer.
Last month swimmers gathered outside City Hall to call on the council to scrap the byelaw and support plans to apply for bathing water status at Conham River Park. The Conham Bathing group said the byelaw was the final obstacle in getting their application sent off.
