The Wirral Peninsula used to be home to some of the largest and most visited open water baths and lidos in the world.
Outdoor pools began in Bath in the early 19th century and soon resorts across the country were building lavish, classically-inspired outdoor baths. At the height of popularity, there were more than 300 lidos and open-air pools in Britain - with some of the most desirable here on Merseyside.
But as trends changed due to the appeal of cheap package holidays which made Europe more accessible to ordinary working families, the popularity of the open water baths dwindled. The outdoor pools, which at one stage were viewed as objects of great civic pride, were viewed as a drain of council cash resources to maintain.
