Save Our Lido Stroud has welcomed plans put forward by Stroud District Council to reopen the Lido this summer, pending a critical final vote by councillors next week.
A meeting on Wednesday, June 3 will determine whether Stroud District will approve an additional £276,000 to fund the works required to reopen the lido this summer and secure its future operation.
Stroud Lido normally opens for the season on the late May bank holiday weekend. This year it has remained closed as Stroud sweltered in record temperatures. The report to be considered by councillors suggests that repairing the Lido is worth it for the health and wellbeing benefits and social value. The proposal from officers is to approve additional funding to support opening for summer 2026 and 2027, as well as to inform the development of future plans to protect the lido long term.
The proposed works would mean a reopening date for the Lido of mid-August, or early August if work proceeds faster than expected.
SOLS expert engineers have suggested that the pool opening could be brought forward by around three weeks — to around July 20 — if fibre-glass coating works, intended to extend the life of the pool, are undertaken after the summer season rather than beforehand.
SOLS also called for the Lido to remain open into September, beyond its previous August closing date to enable best value for money and benefit the community.
The work would be funded by a previous year’s underspend.
Overall, SOLS campaigners welcomed the proposals, and urged councillors to support them in next week’s vote.
SOLS spokesperson Caroline Molloy said: “The proposals in this report are welcome and I thank Stroud District Councillors, staff, and the thousands of Stroud residents who’ve supported the campaign, for getting us to this point. In particular we welcome the recognition that undertaking repairs to get the Lido ready for the summer holidays and beyond, is worth it for the extensive health and wellbeing benefits to people of all ages. We look forward to working with Stroud District Council as the plan to open this year gets properly underway. We hope the council will also listen to our expert’s suggestion of postponing a special treatment to the pool until after the season, to allow it to be opened in time for the start of the school holidays.”
Denise Ballard, SOLS member, said: ” It is a shame that locals have not been able to enjoy safe, refreshing and healthy swims at the Lido this week, especially as the other safe outdoor options are very booked up and require costly travel, but we now hope that councillors will ensure the pool is open in time for the holidays and stays open for September.”
Frieda 15, a Stroud District resident said: “Older people are always saying teenagers spend too much time indoors on screens, but at the same time things for us to do, where we’re actually allowed to be, are being taken away – and we’ve already had to go though Covid. I loved going to the outdoor pool last summer – it’s safe and cheap and easy to walk to. Everyone needs somewhere to swim outdoors nearby. Please keep the pool open.”
The proposals also include free national lifeguard training to be made available for members of the public who are willing to commit to undertaking some lifeguarding at the pool.
Although the members of the public cannot ask questions at next week’s meeting, it is open to the public and SOLS will attend, and encourages supporters to join them – Wednesday June 3rd, Ebley Mill 6.30pm for 7pm – to urge councillors to support the new proposals, and work constructively with the community to extend the season at both ends.
