Stroud Lido awarded money from Heritage Lottery Fund

09th June, 2017

Stroud Lido in Stratford Park has been awarded £10,000 from the National Lottery and given a £2,248 grant from Stroud Town Council. The money will go towards a feasibility study, which hopes to transform and sustain the iconic swimming pool.

Stroud Lido in 1930s

The spring fed lido was built in 1937 and is part of the award-winning Stratford park which also features a museum, arboretum, lake and open spaces. It was heated once, before the war, but now is a cold water pool opening May to September. “Visitor numbers have been falling and it now receives an average of between 5,000and 8,500 visits each summer,” says Volunteer Project Manager Jess McQuail. “The Lido is in a poor condition, with no access for disabled people, and the potential for some major infrastructure failures. It also runs at a loss of approximately £10,000 per year. It could be viewed as the ‘poor relation’ of the park, in danger of falling into disrepair and out of use.”

The project is being managed by a group of local volunteers working with Stroud District Council, Stroud Town Council, SLM Leisure, the Stroud Preservation Trust as well as others. “All options for the future will be explored, including those relating to heating, repairing and maintaining the pool, use of buildings, income generation and governance,” says Jess. “A community consultation is also crucial in increasing community involvement and interest in the lido’s future.”

The project will to be completed by the end of October this year so community consultation can take part over the summer.

June 2017

 

 

 

 

 

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