Stroud lido’s future in the balance as crunch meeting approaches
Health and safety concerns and a repair bill estimated at £5 million has closed Stroud's popular lido. A meeting next week will decide whether that is permanent or not.
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The future of Stroud’s much-loved open air swimming pool will be debated next week.
Health and safety risks due to the state of Stratford Park Lido mean it is highly unlikely Stroud District Council will open the site until repair work has taken place to make it safe.
The closure has sparked a huge public outcry from residents who want to see the cherished facility saved.
But council chiefs estimate around £5 million is needed to upgrade the site which is funding they do not have available.
A risk assessment conducted in February this year found three major hazards at the site.
These include multiple cracks formed through the concrete on the poolside directly beneath and next to the diving board indicating instability as well as concerns that this is related to the iron pipework or pool tank condition.
The survey also found excessive corrosion in the pipework and the pool tank.
Councillors will consider investment options for the lido at the strategy and resources committee meeting at Ebley Mill on Thursday 16 April.
One option includes doing the minimum recommended works needed to keep the 50m pool operational.
This would involve replacing ageing pipework with modern PVC pipework, installing a new filtration system, and renewing heating and plant equipment to improve reliability and efficiency.
The main toddler pool would be relined, with new ladders and paving.
However, the report says it would also entail soft landscaping and reducing the depth of the pool to 1.5m to support heat retention and improve accessibility.
This scheme also introduces a pool hoist to improve access for people with reduced mobility and is estimated to cost around £5.1m and potential income could increase by £218,000.
To complete the essential works, Stratford Park lido would need to stay fully closed until everything is finished and safe to use and would take around a year from awarding the works contract.
The second option aims at providing a better visitor experience with operational improvements at the lido.
If taken forward, it would deliver all the minimum recommended works as well as transforming the toddler pool into an inclusive splash pad, creating safe water play for younger children.
The disused canoe store would become a new café, generating income and encouraging visitors to stay longer.
And extra soft landscaping would replace hard surfaces, improving the site’s appearance, drainage and biodiversity.
Officers say this would create a more family friendly and appealing environment with stronger commercial potential.
And it is estimated to cost £7.9m but has the potential to increase income by £1.63m over the first five years.
A third option would be to completely reimagine Stratford Park lido as an outdoor wellness centre.
This would deliver all of the infrastructure upgrades from the first option and many of the improvements of the second option.
However, the paddling pool area would become a wellness garden featuring heat rooms, hydrotherapy, ice baths and relaxation spaces, and the existing 50m pool would be replaced with a more efficient heated 25m single depth pool.
A new large splash pad would be created in the freed-up space, supported by a removable canopy for improved year-round use, and major landscaping would introduce green areas throughout, creating a flagship site for health, wellbeing, tourism and commercial sustainability.
This option is estimated to cost £10m but has the potential to increase income by £2.7m.
The last option is to close the lido and explore funding options while acknowledging the it cannot open for the 2026 season.
During the closure period, the council would engage the local community and voluntary organisations.
This would involve working collaboratively to allow community-led fundraising aimed at securing the third party match funded capital investment needed to reopen the lido.
This approach is supported by financial modelling, ensuring that the site is protected while longer term decisions are made.
It is not estimated to cost anything over the first five years.
Whatever the recommendation of the committee, the final decision will lie with full council.
By Carmelo Garcia, local democracy reporter for Gloucestershire. carmelo.garcia@reachplc.com