Britain’s oldest lido may never reopen despite £9.3million of repairs
THE UK’s oldest lido could never reopen despite years of renovation works, costing millions.
Cleveland Pools in Bath, which was built in 1815 and is the country’s oldest, may never reopen to the public again.
It was open for just four months in 2023 after receiving £9.3 million for a revamp. But it hasn’t reopened since, and it might never do so.
The trustees of the restored lido revealed in a report that it “might not be possible” to reopen the pool, according to the BBC.
The report stated: “The risk that the cost to repair the pools and the plantroom will be substantial and beyond the resources available to the trust.
“There is therefore a risk that the pools cannot be repaired and reopened.
“To mitigate against this risk the trust is exploring all potential avenues that would allow the pools to be repaired and reopened, including but not limited to legal recourse and external funding.”
The next steps for the trustees is to finalise the cost of repairs and work with the council and National Lottery Fund to secure money needed for the restoration.
Cleveland Pools is a Grade II listed lido, and is considered the oldest outdoor swimming pool in the UK.
It opened in the early 1800s and closed in 1984. It then took a huge campaign by the public, and almost £10million to reopen the lido in September 2023.
The money was raised by trustees from local donors, Bath and North East Somerset Council and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
When it opened its doors for the very first time, tickets for the Sunday free swim were so popular that the system crashed.
The lido looked like it would have a very popular season, but it was forced to close months later due to flood damage.
Heavy rainfall during Storm Henk caused a huge amount of damage to the plantroom – where all the equipment to operate the lido is kept.
At the time, Cleveland Pools Trust apologised and Paul Simons, chair of the trust, said: “Once the river level has dropped the pools will be pumped out, jet washed down, re-filled and then the treatment circulation will recommence.
He added that the time frame for that “should take a number of days, not weeks.”
However, two years on, the lido remains closed and has fallen into disrepair.
Meanwhile, another lido that hopes to open is in Tynemouth. It opened in the 1920s but has been closed since the 90s.
However, Friends of Tynemouth Outdoor Pool have been attempting to find funding partners to restore the lido.
The outdoor pool at Sharpness Point beach was once a gem for swimmers and in its debut weekend in 1925, saw thousands of people visit.
Originally it was a salt water tidal pool, and regularly hosted relaxed swim sessions as well as galas and competitions.
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