Keep the women’s pond for women

Kenwood Ladies’ Pond on Hampstead Heath is an iconic open-air pond that has offered women-only freshwater swimming for nearly a hundred years.

There’s also a men’s pond and a mixed pond: all three are run by the City of London Corporation.

In 2019 after a flawed consultation process the corporation announced a new Gender Identity Policy that covered the whole of the corporation’s services and workplaces, and operated on a “presumption of inclusivity” in relation to people who identify as transgender, non-binary, gender fluid and gender queer. In practice, this meant that men were able to use the women’s pond, as well as the communal changing-room and showers, and the sunbathing meadow.

On 16th April 2025 the Supreme Court confirmed that the meaning of sex in the Equality Act is a matter of biology not self-declaration, and that single-sex services are lawfully operated on the basis of sex.

The corporation reconsidered its policy. But it didn’t put it right. Instead it withdrew the 2019 policy and came up with a new one just for the ponds. It put up new signs saying that “biological women and transgender women” were welcome at the women’s pond, and “biological men and transgender men” at the men’s pond. This is clearly unlawful, and in August 2025 Sex Matters began legal proceedings.

This is an important test case against a public authority and service provider that is flouting the law, and undermining women’s rights.

Our application for permission for a judicial review succeeded (after an appeal) and we are now waiting for a date for the full hearing in autumn 2026.