The Lido author Libby Page on the power of uplifting fiction

Despite this, Page felt the community spirit in Brixton was under threat.

“There were shops closing, chains coming in, big swish apartments being built,” she says. “I started to think about what we lose when we lose community spaces. What kind of city will we be left with? That was the start of the idea.”

There’s much that’s uplifting about a story that reflects on the joy of the outdoors and how friendships can be forged in the unlikeliest of places. Yet The Lido also deals with loneliness – something Kate, 26, and Rosemary, 86, have in common besides a love of swimming.

Kate, a junior reporter at a local paper in Brixton, is new to London and struggling to find her feet. She suffers from panic attacks and feels trapped by her insecurity, eating ready meals in her tiny shared flat and never stepping outside her comfort zone.

She meets the widowed Rosemary when she’s sent to interview her about the campaign to keep Brockwell Lido open.

(A script is currently being worked on but the film has yet to be cast. When it is, though, Dame Judi Dench would be perfect for the role.)