# Saltdean Lido Feb 2015



## Cachewoo (Feb 25, 2015)

This little trip was down to the keen eye of Big C who had this on his hit list for some time. Whilst pottering about at home doing the chores thankfully the phone rang. “You doing anything.” With half a washed car, and not sure if the iron was turned off we were back on the road and off to the seaside. 

Lido History 

Built in 1937 - 38

Saltdean Lido is owned by Brighton and Hove Council. It is the only Grade II* lido in the country and one of only three seaside lidos remaining. 
It was on the English Heritage's At Risk Register. 

Mr R.W.H. Jones - the same architect who designed Teynham House and Curzon House, drew up plans for the Lido and the Ocean Hotel. Charles Nevill designed the Lido as a 14ft by 66ft pool containing over 300,000 gallons of water and accommodating 500 bathers to be open daily during the summer season with the admission at 6d. Lunch or tea was served on the terraces or sun lounge around the pool with reclining chairs and sun umbrellas. There was much in the mainstream of Lido design in the 1930's but the Lido seems to have been very highly regarded. In October 1938 in the 'Building' journal a writer pronounced 'it is certainly one of the really first-class designs of it's type in the country' Jones was undoubtedly influenced by the work of architect Eric Mendelsohn who was the architect of the De La Warr Pavilion at Bexhill-on-Sea, built in 1935 - where Charles Neville had married his wife Dorothy.

Children had a separate paddling pool and there was also a boating lake with paddle boats. It was floodlit at night. The reinforced concrete steps of the three tier diving board have now disappeared along with the boating pool to the rear where the community centre and library is situated today. There was also an elaborate rock garden on the west embankment. Charles Neville looked ahead with a car park planned for 1000 cars with regular buses and shops close by. 
It was soon a popular venue.

In 1958, Butlins attempted to buy the derelict lido for development, 
the application was opposed by residents and eventually rejected by the 
Ministry of Housing.

In 1998, the lido was reopened by Sports Minister Tony Banks. The restoration was achieved through a public and private sector partnership costing £2 million. Banks revealed he had a personal link to the Grade II listed building through his mother, who used to visit it during the Second World War. He said: "Open air sites are not able to attract National Lottery funding, so the money for this had to come through private investors having the vision to bring a piece of our 
heritage back into use." The reopening ceremony came two days after the lido let in its first visitors for three years.

On 18 March 2011, John Penrose, the Minister for Tourism and Heritage in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, approved the upgrade of Saltdean Lido's listed status from Grade II to the second highest grade, Grade II*. Such buildings are defined as being "particularly important ... [and] of more than 
special interest".

On 30 May 2012, it was announced that the ownership of the Lido would be handed back by leaseholder Dennis Audley to Brighton & Hove City Council after legal discussions.

Thankfully just recently the lido receive more than £4.7m of funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund. 


https://flic.kr/p/rmcbo4 https://www.flickr.com/people/[email protected]/


https://flic.kr/p/qpjGYb https://www.flickr.com/people/[email protected]/


https://flic.kr/p/r4JYzj https://www.flickr.com/people/[email protected]/


https://flic.kr/p/rmjokk https://www.flickr.com/people/[email protected]/


https://flic.kr/p/r4SaRp https://www.flickr.com/people/[email protected]/


https://flic.kr/p/qpUVv6 https://www.flickr.com/people/[email protected]/


https://flic.kr/p/qpjTCC https://www.flickr.com/people/[email protected]/


https://flic.kr/p/rj2tPd https://www.flickr.com/people/[email protected]/


https://flic.kr/p/r4KQSL https://www.flickr.com/people/[email protected]/


https://flic.kr/p/rmjeP2 https://www.flickr.com/people/[email protected]/


https://flic.kr/p/r4S2A6 https://www.flickr.com/people/[email protected]/


https://flic.kr/p/r4KJ2b https://www.flickr.com/people/[email protected]/


https:// [url=https://www.flickr.com/people/[email protected]/


https://flic.kr/p/r4KMYQ https://www.flickr.com/people/[email protected]/


https://flic.kr/p/rmbYEV https://www.flickr.com/people/[email protected]/


----------



## Big C (Feb 26, 2015)

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XQoxUdywzg[/ame]


----------



## cunningplan (Feb 26, 2015)

I stopped by there at Christmas and thought they were doing it up, sad to see it like this 
Thanks for posting


----------



## DirtyJigsaw (Feb 26, 2015)

Very nice shots sir


----------



## krela (Feb 26, 2015)

What a lovely place, pleased to hear it's being restored again.


----------



## UrbanX (Feb 26, 2015)

Thats brilliant, pleased to see it in such fantastic condition. 
Thanks for sharing such ace shots


----------



## Mars Lander (Feb 26, 2015)

Heey great shots mate and fab reportage... looking forward to our adventures bringing you a tin of bacon grill to go with the jellies eels


----------



## flyboys90 (Feb 26, 2015)

Superb architecture.Splendid report,photos and video.


----------



## LittleOz (Feb 26, 2015)

Love that, very different. Was worried there'd be a 'disrobed' shot of you amongst these.


----------

