Work has finished on a historic lido in Bath which is set to reopen to visitors after a £9.3m restoration. Cleveland Pools, which is the UK’s oldest lido, will open its doors to a select number of people on Saturday (September 24) following a 15-month-long refurbishment project.
The 207-year-old grade-II* listed Georgian site has been returned to its former glory with the creation of a new crescent-shaped waterproof concrete main pool within the footprint of the original, listed red-brick pool preserved beneath it.
Work on the project was carried out by South West construction firm Beard, which said there were "significant logistical challenges" to the scheme as all plant and materials could only be brought to the site by boat on the adjacent River Avon.
The machinery, building materials and equipment required to carry out the work on the site was loaded up at the nearby Avon Rugby Club, which was used as a base, and carried up-river by barge. The barge was limited to carrying five tonnes of material per trip, according to Beard, making around six trips a day.
The overall cost of the project was £9.3m, with £6.47m coming from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. It also had support from the DCMS Capital Kickstart Fund, Historic England and Bath and North East Somerset Council.
Work began with the draining of the existing pool, followed by the installation of a system of drainage crates to allow natural spring water to continue to flow into the listed pool and around the shell of the new one.
The existing children’s pool walls were temporarily held in place while the team excavated out the base to construct the waterproof, below-ground plantroom which is now home to the pool filtration equipment, along with water source heat pumps which will be used to heat the pool water. A refreshment kiosk and seating area is now housed above the plantroom.
Curving around one length, the original Georgian changing rooms and a central cottage with archway were made structurally safe, restored, stripped of centuries of paint back to their original Bath stone and re-roofed in Welsh slate – some of which was reclaimed from the original roofs. New terrace seating was also added, as well as a new toilet and shower block. Outdoor chrome showers also flank both pools.
"The restoration is the culmination of an extraordinary 18-year community campaign by the Cleveland Pools Trust, supported by thousands of Bathonians," said Beard.
"The trust’s tireless campaign has taken the 207-year-old, Grade II* listed site from the lows of its closure in 1984 and a threat of demolition in 2003, to the highs of its stunning, present-day restoration."
Bath-based architectural practice Donald Insall Associates were lead designers on the project with Hydrock carrying out the structural design. The restoration has been led by project director Anna Baker, a chartered architect who specialises in historic buildings.
Ms Baker said: “I am proud to have played a part in a restoration that many didn’t believe was possible. It’s been complex and very challenging. But it’s also been unique, the project of a lifetime.
“We are a small project team and could not have done it without the help of our hundreds of volunteers. It’s been a real privilege to work on such a community-driven undertaking."
Hundreds of people entered a competition to be the first to swim in the lido, with the winning 100 getting the chance to do so on Saturday - from when the pool will be open to the public for a preview, cold-water season.
Beard’s project manager Mark Tregelles added: “This has been a rare opportunity to restore a heritage building to its original use. Although logistically challenging, the overriding theme of this project has been collaboration. Working together with Anna, her team, volunteers and local residents has meant that no problem has been insurmountable."
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