B&NES booster for Cleveland Pools

Richard Wyatt
lido
The Georgian lido at Cleveland Pools. Click on images to enlarge.

A big boost for efforts to retain and restore the Cleveland Pools in Bath has come with news that B&NES have pledged £200,000 from their annual budget to the restoration project.

The money is dependent on the Pools Trust acquiring funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund this summer but the Chair of the Cleveland Pools Trust is confident that all the criteria needed to acquire financial support have been met.

She continued: “This is great news, a major boost for our volunteers and the thousands of supporters who have come to see the Pools on Open Days. In 2015 the Cleveland Pools will be two hundred years old – they are unique in their heritage significance in the UK and probably in Europe.  

Ann Dunlop with the Mayor and Mayoress of Bath
Ann Dunlop on the left – pictured with the Mayor and Mayoress of Bath who were paying this unique Georgian lido a visit.
Interest in outdoor swimming is rising all the time, especially as people recognise the health benefits for themselves and their families. So the council’s decision is positive in many ways and it will contribute to the potential success of our Heritage Lottery Fund bid .”
THE decision to allocate this sum in the Council’s budget follows some individual support of the Trust’s aims from people like Councillor Loraine Morgan-Brinkhurst MBE and Cllr Lisa Brett.
Cllr Loraine Morgan-Brinkhurst MBE
Cllr Loraine Morgan-Brinkhurst MBE

Loraine told the Virtual Museum:

“I am delighted that the Lib Dem Group agreed with Lisa, myself and the Chairman Neil Butters’ request for money to be allocated in the budget to support you should you be successful with your application bid for funding.

Cllr Lisa Brett.
Cllr Lisa Brett.
The money we asked for was up to £200,000 and this was agreed by our group at our budget meetings and then we were able to get the budget through council last week”.
The good news from B&NES will help give the HLF application even more clout and the Trust is also canvassing ‘letters of support’ from influential locals to help with the bid.

Published by Richard Wyatt

Freelance Journalist, broadcaster, columnist and local historian. Director of Bath Newseum. Married and lives in Bath. Interested in local history, architecture and visual display in museums and urban spaces.