Reopening for 1930s lido after £7.6m upgrade

A 1930s lido, which was rescued by campaigners, is beginning a new lease of life after a £7.6m upgrade.

Hilsea Lido in Portsmouth has been shut since 2021, when Portsmouth City Council won a multimillion-pound government grant to renovate it.

Previously in 2008, the council declared the lido to be surplus to requirements and leased it to a community group, which kept it going through voluntary efforts and fundraising.

Campaigner Rachel Jones said Saturday's full public reopening marked the group's "incredible achievement".

Jones said: "This is a site that dates back to 1935, with real heritage and meaning for Portsmouth.

"It's been brought back to life with a level of care and ambition it truly deserves.

"For me personally, it means a lot. I raised funds for the lido by swimming every day for 500 days, so I've seen first hand how much it matters to people.

"To see it now, revitalised and accessible to so many more, is genuinely moving."

Olympic swimmer Katy Sexton, from Portsmouth, said: "It was a favourite of my mum's growing up, and it's wonderful to now have the chance to make new memories there with my own family."

The lido had fallen into disrepair by the time Hilsea Lido Pool for the People Trust acquired the lease in 2010.

It was fully reopened to the public four years later, only to shut again during the Covid pandemic.

The upgrade has added a sauna, leisure areas, food outlets and an accessible ramp to the 67m-long (220ft) unheated pool, which will be open all year.

New operator South Downs Leisure is charging £8 for a swim alongside a range of membership options.

The firm said the reopening marked the first phase of a wider development plan, including heating the water.