Campaigners brand £5m repairs to lido 'unnecessary'

A campaign group has branded extensive plans to refurbish an outdoor lido as an "unnecessary fantasy".

Stroud District Council in Gloucesterhsire has said Stratford Park Lido will be closed for the 2026 summer season, and could remain closed indefinitely, due to safety concerns and the need for an estimated £5m in repairs.

The authority said continuing to operate the site without investment "would risk further deterioration", leading to higher long-term repair costs.

But the Save Stroud Lido group has argued the budget includes "non-essential changes" such as adding heating and making the pool shallow throughout.

In March councillor Martin Brown, chair of the community services and licensing committee, made it clear the expense is not something the council can cover, but remains "hopeful someone will step forward" or help fundraise it.

Stratford Park Lido was built at a cost of £20,000 in 1937 on land acquired by the council two years earlier.

It used natural spring water pumped on-site, heated by a boiler that was removed during World War II and melted down to provide metal for the war effort.

A risk assessment conducted in February found major hazards at the site, including a cracked foundation and excessive corrosion in the pipe work and pool tank.

The council said temporary fixes would still require "significant expenditure" without addressing the underlying problems, leading to its closure.

Caroline Molloy, one of the coordinators of Save Stroud Lido, described the outdoor pool as an "absolutely vital" resource for the area.

"It's not just a place to swim, it's the heart of our community and has been since the 1930s," she said.

Molloy told the BBC the council's estimate for repairs was too ambitious and urged the authority to listen to residents.

"They need to let go of this unnecessary fantasy with super shiny £5m plans. That's not what Stroud is about," she said.

"They're saying it needs to be heated, but it hasn't been heated since World War II and there's still generations of happy memories there.

"It's not important to have the best of everything all at once. What is necessary is to keep it open."

The campaign group said it had hired independent engineers to assess the damage who told them only minor improvements were needed.

But the council said much of the engineering works were now 89 years old and posed a safety risk.

"We've repaired the site so many times but we are now at a stage where replacement is the only option," they said.

"Stroud District Council is committed to protecting the Lido until its future becomes clearer.

"The intention is to safeguard the site until a long term investment decision can be made."

The authority will consider investment options for the lido at the strategy and resources committee meeting at Ebley Mill on Thursday.

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