£8m restoration of historic lido is under way at last
WORK has started to restore the oldest lido in Britain after a 17-year campaign to save the Grade IIlisted site.
Cleveland Pools, which was built in Bath in 1815, is expected to open to swimmers in the summer of 2022 for the first time since 1984.
Among the work to be carried out is the restoration of two pools – the crescent-shaped main pool for adults and a smaller, shallower pool for children.
There will also be refurbishment of the largely unaltered Grade IIlisted buildings, with the central cottage being turned into a main entrance and pay point, and the first floor becoming a caretaker’s flat.
The scheme is expected to cost more than £8 million for the period between 2019 and 2025, with Cleveland Pools Trust – the organisation behind the lido – needing to raise a further £400,000 over the next 18 months to deliver the project in full.
Work on the site was due to start in March last year, but the pandemic led to delays and increased costs.
In February, Cleveland Pools Trust received £290,000 from the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund.
Extra funding is also being provided by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the DCMS Capital
Kickstart Fund, and emergency grant aid from Historic England.
Anna Baker, project director for Cleveland Pools Trust, said: “After 17 years of community action, starting construction work is a hugely significant moment which we’re all so happy to see.”
Bristol-based construction firm
Beard is leading the work on the project, which will pose some significant engineering challenges as the site is only accessible to vehicles by river.
Machinery, building materials and equipment required to carry out the major refurbishment work on-site will have to be loaded up at the nearby Avon Rugby Club, which is being used as a base, and carried up-river on a pontoon pushed by a barge fitted out for the purpose.
Mark Tregelles, Beard project manager, said there had been some “unusual logistical challenges” accessing the site and starting the job.
He said: “We recognise how culturally significant this development is for the community, and wider region, not only as a Grade II-listed building but also as a space for the community to use and enjoy when it’s complete.
“We are working closely with the Cleveland Pools Trust to realise their vision to make it an accessible and fun place to be for all users, and also to reflect the rich history behind the nationally important site.”
Starting work is a hugely significant moment which we’re all so happy to see ANNA BAKER