Saltdean Lido Hit Their Target: £4.2 Million Can Now Be Unlocked for the Renovation of Rotunda

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As David Dimbleby once said, Saltdean Lido is “a beautiful and fascinating example of the belief in a healthy lifestyle, fresh air and exercise which took hold in the years after the First World War. It is a particularly fine building that deserves to be preserved for future generations to enjoy” and now it can be! After reaching their crowd-funded target of £100,000 Saltdean Lido can now submit their ‘Round Two bid’ to Heritage Lottery Fund. If the Heritage Lottery Fund make a positive decision those who have been fighting for the preservation of the lido will receive £4.2 million to spend on the renovation and restoration of the ‘rotunda’. The Grade II*-listed building is one of the world’s best examples of 1930’s outdoor leisure pools and has been previously described as “one of the seven wonders of the English Seaside.”

Sally Horrox of the Saltdean Lido CIC told Brighton & Hove News that “we are absolutely delighted with the news and cannot thank everyone enough for what they have done. From toddler walks and quiz nights through to swimathons and sponsored runs we have been blown away by pledges from community groups, schools, church groups, local businesses and most of all local and not-so-local folk just committed to saving Saltdean Lido.”

Credits to Saltdean Lido CIC Facebook Page and Group

The securing moment for the funding came last night when the Regency Society of Brighton & Hove donated £7000 which tipped them just over the edge. In a statement released yesterday the society said they are “delighted to pledge £7000 to the crowdfunding campaign to restore the poolside building at Saltdean Lido…Despite the success of the pool since the reopening, this unique and important modernist building’s future is insecure. Income from the lido is not sufficient to cover the costs. The building is in a sorry state of dilapidation. The crowdfunding campaign aims not only to secure its future but also to generate income by providing a café and local community centre.”

The next phase of the project will be secured in June after the Heritage Lottery Fund make their choice. The crowdfunded money was a great effort to prove that the lido will benefit, and is wanted by, the community around and we can only hope the HLF see it the same way! The Saltdean Lido CIC have promised “a fully-restored poolside cafe – open daily – that offers swimmers and other visitors a range of food and refreshments”, “an inspiring space with capacity for 120 people”, “a spectacular new spiral staircase connecting the event space with the first floor tea room” and “an interactive ‘Heritage Learning Zone’ to support a greater understanding and appreciation of the Lido.”

To celebrate Saltdean Lido’s 80th birthday the CIC have enlisted ‘The Brighton Beach Boys’ to perform poolside on the 9th June. You can buy tickets here. If you missed out on the chance to donate but would still like to, the CIC is still taking donations for its trust, which can be made here.

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