Historic English lido right by the beach is on the ‘UK’s Costa del Sol’ and it’s reopening this month
A BEACHFRONT lido in a pretty seaside town is set to reopen this month.
Brightlinsea in Essex is one of the last remaining lidos in the county, dating back to the 1930s.
Along with a 50m outdoor pool, there is also a smaller toddler pool as well as sunloungers, changing rooms and a cafe.
Set to open from May 23, sessions will run from 7am until 5pm, with the first three hours for relaxed lane swimming sessions.
Other sessions include aquacise and ‘little dipper’ ones for younger swimmers.
Having first opened in 1932 as a tidal salt pool, it is now a freshwater pool.
It nearly closed in 2017, only to remain open thanks to a group of volunteers who still run it now.
One previous visitor wrote: “The atmosphere at the Lido has to be mentioned it felt like you were on holiday, everyone chatting and smiling.”
During the summertime, Brightlingsea is much quieter than its neighbours such as Clacton.
However, it’s shingle beach is recognisable thanks to its line of colourful beach huts on the promenade.
One said: “Very unspoilt, family oriented, beautiful beach. Traditional town back in the 50’s.”
Brightlingsea is on the Sunshine Coast, which one mum said is like “going back in time to seaside holidays of the past.”
Mum Catherine Lofthouse told The Sun: “Because I was on the Sunshine Coast of Essex, which is often compared to Spain thanks to it being one of the sunniest, driest spots in the country.
“What I really loved about exploring the Essex seaside is the sheer variety of experiences on one relatively small stretch of coast, bookended by Brightlingsea in the south and Harwich in the north.”
