In this 1951 photo, Londoners are still enjoying the beach though some of the men remain suited. The beach was closed in 1971 over pollution concerns. Ironically, at the time pollution levels were probably falling. In 1937 Hansard reported that &#39;335,000,000 gallons of only partly treated sewage is ejected into the river every day&#39;. Sewage treatment and the decline in commercial river traffic reduced pollution levels