Hilsea Lido

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Hilsea Lido
Hilsea Lido 5.jpg
The Lido in 2022
Hilsea Lido
50°50′11″N1°04′31″W / 50.836269°N 1.075255°W / 50.836269; -1.075255
LocationHilsea Lido, London Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO2 9RP
Opened1935
Closed2008-2014, 2024-25
Operated byTo be confirmed
Owned byPortsmouth City Council
Typeopen-air, freshwater
Length67 metres (220 ft)
Width18 metres (59 ft)
Depth4.6 metres (15 ft)
Website Official website

Hilsea Lido is a freshwater lido at Hilsea, Portsmouth, England, which opened in 1935. Portsmouth City Council is currently renovating Hilsea Lido [1] as part of the Hilsea Lines project in the north of the city.

Contents

The aim of this project is to improve the area and encourage residents and visitors to use it. The project has been enabled by funding from the UK government. [2]

Description

The Hilsea Lido is a leisure facility featuring the Main Pool (measuring 67m x 18m – 4.6m deep). At 4.6 metres (15 feet) deep, the lido has the distinction of being the deepest outdoor pool in the UK apart from Broomhill Pool which is the same depth.

A large Splash Pool (45m x 18m x 6ins deep) designed for younger swimmers used to be adjacent to the Main Pool. This has now been replaced by the Hilsea Jubilee Splash Pool.

The site of the lido is connected to Alexandra Park via the Stamshaw Esplanade. [3]

Hilsea Lido seen from the air in 1947 Hilsea lido from the air 1947.JPG
Hilsea Lido seen from the air in 1947

History

Plans for development of the lido were agreed in 1932 [4] and the lido opened on 24 July 1935. [5] The architect for the lido was Joseph Parkin. [6] The pool originally used seawater, converting later to freshwater, and the lido design included two large fountains which have been retained but are no longer used. [7] [8] The Main Pool and changing facilities were designed for the use of 768 adults and 180 children with accommodation for around 1000 spectators. In 1936 the Lido was visited by the British diving team from 1936 Summer Olympics who gave a demonstration on 31 August [9] During World War 2 the main pool was closed to the general public and was given over to the use of the various military units in the area. [10] Between 1946 and 1951 a miniature railway ran along the lido site. [11] In 1974 the Lido was used as a set for the Bernie's Holiday Camp scene in the film Tommy. [12] Later in the 70s the lido's diving platforms were removed. [13] In 1995 the Lido lent its name to the Vulcan Software management simulation game Hillsea Lido. [14]

In 2006 plans for refurbishing the lido were abandoned by the council, [15] however extended campaigning by residents continued [16] and in 2009 a management trust had been established, now a registered charity. In 2010 Hilsea Lido Pool for the People acquired the lido and adjoining Blue Lagoon building on a 99-year lease Portsmouth City Council. [17] The lido was open for viewing on 19 September 2009 for the Heritage Open Days. [18] [19]

In June 2012 Sport England gave Hilsea lido Pool for the people a £50,000 grant towards the cost of restoring the pool. [20] The money was used to refurbish the pool's pumps and fit new lockers and showers. [6]

In the winter of 2010/11 the splash pool was damaged by freezing conditions. [21] In April 2011 Portsmouth City Council decided to replace the pool with a new design featuring two pools. [21] The new design was named the Hilsea Jubilee Splash Pool and was completed in 2012 at a cost of £332,000. [6]

In 2014, Portsmouth North MP Penny Mordaunt appeared on the reality TV show Splash! in order to raise funds for the lido. She donated her entire appearance fee to the work being done. [22]

The lido reopened in July 2014. [23] In 2015 a new 2 metre diving platform was added to the lido. [13]

Historic England issued a Certificate of Immunity from Listing in May 2024, guaranteeing that the building would not be statutorily listed within the next five years. [24]

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References

The Lido's former splash pool Hilsea lido splash pool.JPG
The Lido's former splash pool
  1. ↑ Brown, Kelly (6 June 2024). "Major revamp of Hilsea Lido begins in bid to bring the pool back into use". The News, Portsmouth. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  2. ↑ "£20 million Levelling Up transformation for North Portsmouth". GOV.UK. 17 January 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  3. ↑ Smith, Jane (2002). The book of Hilsea Gateway to Portsmouth. Halsgrove. p. 60. ISBN   1-84114-131-3.
  4. ↑ Portsmouth (England) (1932). "Records of the Corporation". Published under Official Authority by Charpentier.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. ↑ Chris Owen (24 July 2012). "Lido opened". The News. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 Miles O’Leary (11 October 2013). "We need to take small steps and not a massive leap forward". The News. Retrieved 8 October 2013.
  7. ↑ Smith, Janet (2006). Liquid assets: the lidos and open air swimming pools of Britain. English Heritage. pp. 102–5. ISBN   0-9547445-0-0.
  8. ↑ "Ramparts of Old Portsmouth A Promenade For Public Use". The Times. 12 February 1938. p. 9.
  9. ↑ Chris Owen (6 August 2012). "The night Olympians gave a display at Hilsea Lido". The News. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  10. ↑ Smith, Jane (2002). The book of Hilsea Gateway to Portsmouth. Halsgrove. p. 81. ISBN   1-84114-131-3.
  11. ↑ Smith, Jane (2002). The book of Hilsea Gateway to Portsmouth. Halsgrove. p. 107. ISBN   1-84114-131-3.
  12. ↑ "Sparkling blue water of Hilsea Lido at its best". The News. 20 December 2011. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  13. 1 2 "After a 30-year gap, diving boards make a return to city lido". The News. 11 June 2015. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  14. ↑ "Hillsea Lido The seaside management simulator". The One Amiga. EMAP. 1995. pp. 8–9. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  15. ↑ "Politicians sound Hilsea Lido death knell". 21 November 2006. CAMPAIGNERS have been told to give up hope in their battle to save the Hilsea Lido and accept that the once-popular outdoor pool will have to close. The message came from city councillors as the future of the 71-year-old lido was debated again at a meeting... Former Labour leader Cllr Leo Madden said: 'We have got to admit that it is dead. We need to be honest with the public and not pretend that somebody is going to walk in and save it.'
  16. ↑ "FA Cup replica to help lido campaign". The News (Portsmouth). 12 May 2008.
  17. ↑ Judd, Emma (22 September 2010). "Hilsea Lido trust: There is still work to do". The News. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
  18. ↑ HOD website (retrieved 22 September 2009)
  19. ↑ "HLPP past events". Archived from the original on 1 September 2009. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
  20. ↑ Jeff Travis. "Reopening of Hilsea Lido a step closer after £50,000 cash boost". The News. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  21. 1 2 "Splash pool at Lido is given the go-ahead". The News. 5 April 2011. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
  22. ↑ Thorpe, George (14 July 2022). "Penny Mordaunt belly-flopped on ITV show starring Tom Daley". Leicestershire Live. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  23. ↑ "Hilsea Lido restricts entry after anti-social behaviour". BBC News. 21 July 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  24. ↑ Historic England. "Hilsea Lido, London Road, Hilsea, Portsmouth, PO2 9RP (Certificate of Immunity from Listing) (1488189)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 31 May 2024.
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