The vastness of Tarlair lido is hard to comprehend. Just a mile east of the town of Macduff, in Aberdeenshire, the lido’s three bodies of sea water are supplied by a tidal filling system and divided by a concrete wall, slippery with seaweed. The water’s reflection announces a striking mint-and-cream art deco pavilion, and a cinematic sea view. From the pavilion’s roof terrace, where dandelion-coloured tables and chairs are set out, it’s easy to lose a few minutes gazing beyond the salty outcrops to a northerly horizon.
Originally commissioned by Macduff town council in 1929, the pavilion and pools – a paddling pool, boating “lake” and swimming pool – were designed by architect John C Miller and opened two years later as one of only three art deco lidos of their kind in Scotland. The site reopened in late March after 30 years of closure and a decade of work costing approximately £2m. Momentum is building around the pavilion’s heavily anticipated summer comeback and it is hoped that the pools will eventually be able to welcome swimmers again, too.
