Saltdean Lido

Image: © Simon Carey Taken: 16 Jan 2016

The outdoor pool designed by RH Jones, who was also respoonsible for the Ocean Hotel further up the hill, opened in 1937 on the site of former bowling greens at the southern end of Saltdean Park. The pool closed in 1939 and was used by the fire service throughout the Second World War. They vacated the property in 1945 leaving it in such a poor state that it remained closed for the next 19 years. The council acquired it in 1962 after the original Saltdean Estate Company went into liquidation, refurbished the property and re-opened it in 1964. The Lido operated each summer season until 1995 when the council closed it due to falling attendances and the buildings needing money to make repairs. It reopened again 1998 but the lease was acquired by a property developer in 1999 and though the pool remained open until 2010 very little repair work was undertaken and there were suspicions, never proved, it was being deliberately run down. After its closure plans were submitted to close the pool for good and develop the site with flats. This announcement proved to be highly unpopular with local residents who acted quickly to form a group to both save the Lido from development and eventually reopen it to the public. The council were able to reacquire the lease in 2012 and the group were given the go ahead to raise finds to realise the second part of their plans. This work started in 2012 but has been slow progress as money has had to be raised from a variety of different places. Plans include redeveloping and extending the branch library located in the rear of the building, as well as adding facilities that can be used throughout the year including a gym, fitness centre, cafe and bookable function rooms. The outdoor pool has always been subject to the vagaries of our summer weather but is a wonderful place when it is good, I spent much of the heatwave summer of 1976 here lounging around for the entire day with other school friends.

Images are licensed for reuse under creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0