Teignmouth Lido
50°32′54″N 3°29′30″W / 50.548446°N 3.491558°W
Teignmouth Lido is an open-air heated public lido at Eastcliff Walk, Teignmouth, Devon, England.[1] It is located directly behind the town's seaside promenade.[2]
Opened in 1976, Teignmouth Lido has a heated pool measuring 25 metres (80 ft) x 12.5 metres (40 ft). It charges for admission and is open to the public during the summer months,[3] typically May to September.[4] It is one of three outdoor pools operated by Teignbridge District Council, the others being at Buckfastleigh and Ashburton.
As well as being open to the public, the pool is opened privately for swimming lessons, schools and private hire groups[4] such as sports club who run evening training sessions.[5]
History
[edit]Unlike most of the outdoor pools in the UK, Teignmouth Lido is of comparatively recent construction, having been built in the 1970s.[5] A number of schemes were proposed during the subsequent years to upgrade the lido and potentially give it a roof, but none gained funding.[6]
In 2010 Teignbridge District Council published "A Vision for Teignmouth", a regeneration proposal document which suggested a number of possible futures for the Lido:[7]
- Retaining the public pool on a reduced site while allowing the building of private apartments or a hotel on the remainder.
- Refurbishing the pool and permitting the development of a spa complex on the rest of the site.
- Relocating the pool to an alternative site in Teignmouth such as the Den or Lower Point.
The pool did not open in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom,[8] and it remained closed during 2021 due to the installation of a heat pump to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the pool's heating system.[9] In 2022 planning permission was granted for a solar photovoltaic system to be used in conjunction with a battery energy storage system[10] and a pergola was built for the photovoltaics. The total cost of the conversion was over £800,000 and funding was provided by central government. Project delays meant that the Lido remained closed during 2022.[11] It reopened for the summer of 2023[12] but shut earlier than planned in late August due to a water leak[13][4] which was repaired to allow for re-opening in May 2024.[14]
In October 2024, Teignbridge District Council approved a resolution to carry out an options appraisal for the Lido, in order to:[15]
- Consider whether it is financially viable to continue to operate it.
- Determine whether it is possible to improve its financial viability.
- Explore alternative options including disposal, transfer, and potential redevelopment.
- Look at alternative uses for the Lido site.
See also
[edit]- History of lidos in the UK
- Shoalstone Pool, a seawater lido in Brixham, Devon
- Tinside Pool, a lido in Plymouth, Devon
- The Rock Pool, Westward Ho! also in Devon
References
[edit]- ^ "Teignmouth Lido". Teignbridge District Council. Archived from the original on 13 June 2011.
- ^ Nestmeyer, Ralf (2023). Cornwall & Devon (in German). Michael Müller Verlag. p. 75. ISBN 9783966852159.
- ^ Wilkinson, Janet; Pusill, Emma (2019). The Lido Guide. Unbound Publishing. ISBN 9781783527441.
- ^ a b c "Closure of Teignmouth Lido Due to a Water Leak". Teignbridge Leisure. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
- ^ a b Woodland, Rosee. "Britain's best lidos and seaside pools". Countryfile. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
- ^ "Lido scheme to give it roof". Express and Echo (Exeter). 24 November 2006.
A scheme to convert an open air pool into a business academy and a top grade water sports centre will be discussed by planners. The Teignmouth Lido seafront pool is one of the few of its kind left in the country, and is popular with locals and visitors in the summer. But it is open for only a few months of the year, and is a drain on the Teignbridge District Council budget, needing an annual subsidy of about £43,000.
- ^ "Teignmouth Vision Document". www.teignbridge.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
- ^ "Latest on Devon's leisure centres as plea for Government funding issued". Mid-Devon Advertiser. 29 August 2020.
- ^ Henderson, Guy; Smith, Colleen (5 March 2021). "Teignmouth Lido will stay closed this summer - but it is getting an upgrade". Devon Live.
- ^ "Teignmouth Lido Pool Timetable: Decarbonisation". Teignbridge Leisure. May 2022.
- ^ Stenson, Mary (21 July 2022). "Teignmouth Lido won't open this summer". Devon Live.
- ^ "Devon Lido opens its doors for first time in three years". BBC News. 28 May 2023.
- ^ Parkman, Chloe (25 August 2023). "Teignmouth Lido 'likely' to remain shut for summer after major leak". Devon Live.
- ^ "Teignmouth Lido leak plugged ahead of opening". Mid-Devon Advertiser. 19 April 2024.
- ^ Update on the Modern 25 Council Transformation Programme (PDF) (Report). Teignbridge District Council. 29 October 2024.
External links
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