Latest news with #outdoorswimming
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Council 'looking for ways' to extend lido's season
A local authority has said it is looking for ways to extended the period of time an outdoor swimming pool is open for, after facing criticism. The Abbey Meadows outdoor pool, in Abingdon, is not due to reopen until 19 July - and will remain open for the duration of the school summer holidays. Vale of Wight Horse District Council, which runs the facility, said running it was "expensive", meaning it needed to be "careful" about how long it stays open. The pool had been at risk of closure in 2015 - but reopened in 2018 after a £1.3m refurbishment. Naomi Richardson, who campaigned to get the pool revamped, previously told the BBC: "I think we can say that it's disappointing - that would be an understatement. "I feel very frustrated about the potential that is being wasted, both for the town as a whole and the opportunities that are being denied people to enjoy the facility." In a statement, the council said: "We're looking for ways to lower costs and hope to extend the season in the future. "It's important to be careful and to remain within our operating budget so we can continue to open this popular site during the busy summer months, whilst also continuing to support other important services and our most vulnerable residents." In total, the pool will be open for six weeks over the summer holidays. An adjacent splashpad has already reopened. Unlike Abbey Meadows, most of Oxfordshire's lido's have already reopened to coincide with the unseasonal dry and warm weather. Banbury's Woodgreen pool and Wallingford's Riverside pool both opened last week, while Hinksey outdoor pool in Oxford reopened at the start of April. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Council's outdoor pool to stay shut until late July 'Much-loved' lido upgraded ahead of reopening Vale of White Horse District Council
The Sun
3 days ago
- General
- The Sun
UK's deepest lido is reopening this summer after three years – and an £8.75 million upgrade
THERE'S good news for outdoor swimmers, as Hilsea Lido is set to reopen in a matter of months. The outdoor swimming pool, which is the deepest in the UK, will reopen very soon, having been closed since 2022 for a £8.75 million upgrade. 4 4 The Hilsea Lido first opened in the 1930s and is the deepest in Britain at 4.6 metres. It closed its doors back in 2022 for a refurbishment - thanks to the Government's Levelling Up programme, the outdoor pool benefited from £8.75 million worth of investment. Along with a fully functioning pool, there will be new changing rooms, benches, tables, and a fountain. The CGI plans also reveal grass areas with sun umbrellas and sunbeds for relaxing next to the pool. According to Portsmouth News, "a considerable amount of work has already been completed." At the moment, locals can't see the works as there's a protective tent over the site. There are heaters underneath keeping the temperature at 8 degrees which is crucial for the rendering to cure. Finishing touches are being made like the tiling, the pool base has been stabilised, and the original lagoons have been restored. To keep the pool going and without further need for work, a modern filtration system has been installed. Parts of the original lido have been removed, like the spectator stand which was declared unsafe during the upgrade. New £4million lido to open in UK next year 4 The mural has also been removed, but the government website says that the artist will return to paint another once the lido is up and running. It's not the first time Hilsea's lido closed its doors - the first being in 2007. Local residents then formed a charity called Hilsea Lido Pool for the People who took over its management. The lido re-opened its doors in 2014. After the current closure, the original plans said that the lido would reopen for its 90th anniversary, which is on July 24. No official opening date has been revealed just yet, but there is more information on the Portsmouth City Council website. It reads: "The project is set to reopen in early autumn 2025, which is the same year the lido will celebrate its 90th anniversary." The opening of this UK lido has been forced to delay its reopening date after a £6.8 million restoration. And here are the UK's best outdoor water parks and lidos for the summer months. 4
BBC News
15-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Banbury lido undergos £130,000 upgrade ahead of reopening
Facilities at a "much-loved" outdoor swimming pool have been upgraded ahead of its reopening in time for District Council has invested £130,000 into Woodgreen Leisure Centre in Banbury ahead of the reopening of its 50m pool on on the lido includes new showers and toilets, as well as improvements to the changing room Pattenden, the council's healthy communities chief, said the investment showed the swimming pool was "very much moving with the times". "Swimming is such an accessible and beneficial form of exercise and so it's a brilliant way for us to invest in our communities' health and wellbeing," Mr Pattenden said."With the warm weather we're having, I fully expect people to be making the most of Banbury's wonderful outdoor pool as it opens its doors for another summer." Among the improvements at the leisure centre is a new accessible, step-free shower for people with changing rooms and lockers have been reconfigured for "ease of use", the council for the project came from money secured from developers, through Section 106 agreements, which are used to mitigate the impact of developments on the local lido, which the council said was "much-loved", first opened to swimmers in 1939, and is Banbury's only outdoor swimming addition to the pool itself, the facility also includes a flume, a splash park and a snack bar. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
