Campaigners raised millions of pounds over many years to bring the lido back into use
By Tracey Miller & Dawn Limbu
BBC News
The UK’s oldest lido has reopened, almost 40 years after it closed to the public.
Cleveland Pools in Bath, which first opened in 1815, was saved due to a 20-year campaign led by volunteers and supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The attraction was meant to reopen last year but faced delays.
Tickets for Sunday’s free swim were made available last weekend and demand was so high the system crashed.
Jane Austen Festival attendees Jeanette (left) and Barbara visited the lido while dressed in period costume
The reopening was organised to coincide with the Jane Austen Festival.
Barbara, from Portsmouth, and Jeanette, from London, were in Bath for the festival and decided to pay a visit to the refurbished lido.
“We thought they’ve done a fantastic job in refurbishing it, and how wonderful for the locals to have this on their doorstep.”
Volunteer Nicky Robinson said it had been an incredibly busy time, with more than 36,000 requests being made for tickets
Sally Helvey, who has volunteered at Cleveland Pools for 11 years, said a huge number of people had helped.
“Six hundred children from all the different swim clubs in the city and surrounding area raised £12,500 for us,” she said.
Sally Helvey, head of talks and tours at Cleveland Pools, said the reopening was “incredibly exciting”
She added: “I had a swim on Friday and I haven’t swam here for 57 years. It’s incredibly exciting; you can’t really describe it.
“There are so many former swimmers who can now come back like me and swim with their grandchildren.”
Jo Membery, who came for a dip with her daughter Lily, said it was an “emotional” moment
Jo Membery, who visited the pool with her daughter Lily, said the experience was “amazing”.
“The cleanliness of the water, the freshness, it’s actually a really nice temperature,” she said.
“I thought it might never come off. It was emotional walking down and seeing it all – it’s fantastic.”
