Angling is set to return to a lake in Derbyshire after a controversial ban on the popular activity was challenged publicly by the Countryside Alliance and local anglers.

Labour controlled North East Derbyshire District Council (NEDDC) originally removed fishing rights at the Wingerworth Lido to create a “biodiversity hub”, leaving anglers facing fines of £2,500.

At a meeting on Monday (8 December 2025), councillors on the authority’s Environment Scrutiny Committee agreed to recommend to the council’s leadership that a temporary lease be progressed with the local angling club, the Clay Cross Angling Association, allowing angling to return to the Lido while longer-term plans are developed in conjunction with the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust.

The Derbyshire Wildlife Trust has already confirmed: “The main issue is not the angling, it’s the management of the site (under the council) which we know has been declining for a few years and we have a lot of data on that.” Anglers have pledged to work with the Trust to ensure biodiversity thrives.

The Countryside Alliance has cautiously welcomed the move, which they hope will see anglers return to the lido in time for Christmas.

Mo Metcalf-Fisher, director of external affairs at the Countryside Alliance said:

“Returning angling is absolutely the right decision. The ban on angling has always been completely unjustified and it’s a shame it has taken so long to resolve. We were right to fight this tooth and nail. This was always about more than one lake in Derbyshire: it was an attack on the rural way of life spearheaded by idealogues”.

“While this is extremely positive news, there’s still a way to go in securing angling at the site for the long term. We will work with anglers to make that case. Angling and nature go hand in hand. This would not have happened without the valiant efforts of the amazing local campaigners I’ve met.”

The council agreed back in September to review its original decision to withdraw the angling club’s tenancy following a motion from Independent Wingerworth councillors David Hancock and Ross Shipman.

However, tempers flared again after an email sent from a council employee, on the same day as the council met to discuss overturning the ban, requested that the fish be removed as soon as possible. Concerns were also raised about neglect of the lido after dead fish were sighted floating on the surface.  

The leader of the council, Nigel Barker, publicly apologised to anglers in an online broadcast which aired 17 November 2025.

The ban faced a major blow after a public consultation, commissioned by the council after it faced criticism for not consulting local residents, found a whopping 70% of respondents supporting a return to fishing, the highest of any option available. According to NEDDC, the consultation generated an “exceptionally high level of engagement”, with 1,174 people taking part locally and from further afield. Many respondents credited anglers and the Clay Cross Angling Association with maintaining the Lido, supporting biodiversity, and providing social and mental health benefits.

Organisations including the Countryside Alliance and Angling Trust submitted formal responses to the consultation on behalf of their collective members and supporters, with the Trust debunking a number of incorrect claims made about fishing activity and advancing the environmental case for fishing.

In justifying the decision originally, the council claimed they had a received ‘a number of complaints’ regarding Wingerworth Lido over recent years, some of which were directly related to fishing activities carried out by the angling club.

After querying the ‘complaints’ using the Freedom of Information Act, the council was forced to confirm to the Countryside Alliance that of the three ‘formal complaints’ made over a period spanning two and a half years, none were upheld.

Local angler and TikTok star Big Duffs Fishing, who organised an online petition for the reinstatement of fishing rights at the pond which attracted over 5,000 signatures, said:

"We were told there was no hope in getting the council to see sense but after dedicating months to fighting this, the council have finally done the right thing. Let's just hope angling remains in place for the long term. I sincerely hope the council don't delay any longer and that anglers are back around the lido in time for Christmas. It would be a festive dream come true for so many locals".

Independent Wingerworth councillor Ross Shipman said: “This is a positive step forward for the site and for everyone who values the Lido as a community space. A huge thank you to residents, campaigners and organisations for backing this campaign”.

Local angling business owner Dominic Webb echoed councillor Shipman’s comments saying:

“This is the first time we have cause for hope. That the council’s own wildlife experts stated in the meeting that angling is not the issue but the wider management of the Lido as a whole, which is entirely the Council’s responsibility, is vindication for all anglers. Cllrs Alex Dale, Carolyne Renwick and Lilian Deighton provided much needed common sense to the meeting. Common sense that means angling should now return to the Lido without further drama”.