The Friends of Stratford Park Lido are a local community group based in Stroud, Gloucestershire.
Background
Stroud Urban District Council commissioned the building of the lido which was built and opened in 1937 by the council’s engineer and surveyor FS Cutler at a cost of around £20,000. It comprises a 55 yard x 18 yard swimming pool fed by spring water, a parabolic diving board, art deco fountain, changing rooms and other outbuildings, and is next to Stratford Park Leisure Centre built in 1974.
The Latest News
Recent structural assessments have revealed the scale of the Lido’s deterioration, with so many elements needing repair and the interconnected nature of the site, repairing the lido in phases is not possible. Because of this, Stroud district council has confirmed the Lido will not open this Summer.
Without major investment, the Lido’s future is at risk.
Why your support matters
Stroud Lido is more than a pool, it’s a shared memory, a public asset and a rare surviving example of 1930’s outdoor leisure architecture. Loosing it would mean loosing a piece of Stroud’s identity.
But the story isn’t over.
The council have made it clear. The Lido can be saved, but only if the community steps forward.
Please sign up to offer support or volunteer at the dedicated council website here: Lido
Tell your family and friends, the more voices behind the Lido, the louder the call to action.
Timeline for Lido’s Development Plan
2017
A group of local volunteers was awarded a £10,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and funds from the Stroud Town Council which were used to undertake a Feasibility Study to help shape future applications for funding to update the pool and its facilities.
Consultants Tricolor Associates completed a feasibility study to explore options for the pool. The Study was completed during the Lido’s open season in 2017 and included a community consultation, detailed options appraisal and project evaluation. Almost 2,000 residents gave their views, and considered options for the future of the pool. A report on the study was published in November 2017.
2018
Following the study, SDC commissioned a ‘condition’ report which detailed the condition of the Lido’s machinery and overall operation, and included the development of the Lido in its Corporate Delivery Plan 2018-2022.
2019
The group of volunteers also formed the Friends of Stratford Park Lido as an unincorporated group and applied for Listed Building status for the Lido. Following the application, Historic England granted the Lido’s Diving Platform Listed building status II in recognition that is was the one of only four inter-war concrete diving platforms known to survive in England and was the only one which was not listed. The Stroud Town Council also awarded the Group further seed funds to contribute towards the development of a business plan for the Lido site.
In the meantime, the Friends, SDC and SLM will also be working together to plan for improvements for the 2019 season.
The Friends of Stratford Park Lido has started work with SDC to develop a business plan for the Lido – which would include detailed plans and costs for sustaining, restoring and protecting the Lido as a high-quality community heritage asset – with a view to making major capital funding applications to fund these plans.