'Filthy' state of UK's oldest lido 'heartbreaking'

People have spoken of their "heartbreak" and "frustration" after the UK's oldest lido fell into a "filthy" state after being closed for a year and a half.

Bath's Cleveland Pools Trust spent 20 years raising £9.3m to restore the Georgian lido and after several setbacks and millions of pounds of public money, it reopened in September 2023.

But four months later it closed after flooding caused "significant damage" and even though the trust said they were "doing everything they could to rectify the situation" they could not confirm a reopening date.

Gordon Miles, whose garden backs onto Cleveland Pools, said: "They were told that flooding would be an issue. It's just an enormous waste of money."

Mr Miles said since the lido has not been used for the past 18 months, it has become "filthy".

"It's a mess, it's full of leaves - it's sad because I think that money could have been so better spent," he added.

Mick Ringham, whose grandparents and parents used to use the pool, said he had been a big supporter of bringing it back into use.

But after its 18-month closure, he feels "bitter".

"So many people put efforts into it and and to get an end result such as this is, it's worse than disappointing, it's heartbreaking," he said.

Resident Anthony Grimley, who volunteered for the trust, said "a lot of people are feeling frustrated".

"I'm certainly feeling frustrated and we are not being told what's going on," he said.

He said it was "sad" to see the place so overgrown after all the volunteers worked "so hard to make it presentable".

"I don't think it's going to open this year. It looks in a mess. I know it took a long time to put it together and get it open," he added.

Karen Richardson, who lives close to the lido, said residents were not surprised it flooded because their gardens often did.

She said the site had turned into an "eyesore" and it is "really sad".

"People have put all that energy and money into something that is just now a pool with stagnant water in it," she said.

"I don't think it's going to open in the short term and I think there needs to be a lot more information. I think the lack of information is appalling."

A spokesperson for the trust said they would start to offer regular updates to the community.

The spokesperson said: "We share the frustrations that another summer is here, and no one is able to enjoy Cleveland Pools.

"Since the immediate aftermath of the floods in 2024, we have and are continuing to work tirelessly alongside professional advisors to move this situation forward."

Their present focus is on investigating whether there is any damage to the pool structure itself and its connecting pipework, which is requiring technical investigation work by specialist contractors, the spokesperson said.

"It remains our top priority to get Cleveland Pools open and operating once more."

The pool first opened in 1815, and was used by the public for more than 160 years before closing in 1984.

It later faced the threat of demolition in 2003.

Thousands of Bath residents campaigned with the trust to save the lido after it was closed down in the 1980s, and restoration work began in May 2021.

As well as individual donations, Bath and North East Somerset Council and the National Lottery Heritage Fund gave millions of pounds in grants.

A lottery spokesperson said: "As part of our responsibility to ensure accountability, effectiveness, and efficient use of public funds we are continuing to monitor the situation, and The National Lottery Heritage Fund is meeting regularly with the Cleveland Pools Trust as they work toward a solution."

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