Residents in Stroud have delivered a powerful show of support for the future of Stratford Park Lido, backing a motion to explore transferring ownership of the much-loved outdoor pool to Stroud Town Council.
More than 200 supporters packed St Laurence’s Church for a public meeting bringing together council leaders, campaigners and community ownership experts to discuss the lido’s future. The pool is currently deemed unsafe to reopen, but recent decisions signal renewed hope for swimmers.
Stroud District Council has now committed up to £200,000 in revenue funding for essential repairs and is prepared to borrow up to £900,000 for longer-term improvements—raising the prospect of reopening the facility as early as this summer.
Keith Gerrard, Communities Director at Ebley Mill, said: “The timetable we were given was three to four weeks. I’m very confident the company and engineer that was on site will try his very best to bring something to us within that timetable.”
The meeting also heard from national community ownership experts and representatives of successful locally run pools, highlighting alternative models for securing the lido’s long-term future.
Residents overwhelmingly backed a motion calling for urgent talks between Stroud Town Council and Stroud District Council to transfer the freehold of the site ahead of local government reorganisation. The proposal passed with 27 votes in favour, seven against and six abstentions.
Heath Gunter, Deputy Chief Executive of Stroud Town Council, said: “You will all remember what the Sub Rooms were like many years ago—it is thriving now. There is definitely a role for the Town Council to play in the future of the lido.”
Save Our Lido Stroud co-ordinator Caroline Molloy urged immediate action, stating: “We would like to see the Town Council playing more of a role with the pool and urge Stroud District Council to get boots on the ground to work on the repairs by next month.”
Megan Sheer, one of the residents behind the successful motion, emphasised the urgency of securing the lido’s future through local stewardship.
District Council Leader Chloe Turner confirmed the authority is open to exploring a transfer: “If we are putting the asset in the hands of the right body, and if everybody agrees that body is Stroud Town Council, then it would be possible to do. Whether it is possible to do it operationally before local government reorganisation is another matter—but we could certainly have a go.”
The campaign to save Stratford Park Lido continues to gather momentum, with strong public backing, cross-council dialogue and a potential funding package now in place. The coming weeks will be critical in determining whether the historic pool can reopen its gates this summer and secure a sustainable future for generations to come.
Pictures by Matt Bigwood
