‘Risk’ that the UK’s oldest lido may have to shut forever due to flood damage
Why UK’s oldest lido could be lost forever
- The UK's oldest lido, Cleveland Pools in Bath, faces an uncertain future with trustees warning it may never reopen after a devastating flood.
- After a 20-year, £9.3 million restoration project, the historic pools reopened in September 2023 but were forced to close again in January 2024 due to severe water damage.
- A new financial report indicates that the cost of repairs could be substantial, potentially exceeding available resources and making a permanent reopening unfeasible.
- Trustees are actively investigating the damage and exploring all potential solutions, including legal action and securing additional external funding, to facilitate repairs.
- The National Lottery Heritage Fund has increased its grant to the project by £250,000, bringing its total contribution to over £6.7 million, and is closely monitoring the situation.