About
Future Lidos is an informal network of projects across the UK and Ireland, dedicated to bringing the joy of outdoor swimming to more communities by restoring heritage pools, creating new lidos, and sustaining these precious assets for the future.
Who and where are we?
Across the Future Lidos group, there’s a rich variety and a wide geographic spread. Heritage pools range from Brynaman in South Wales, via Tynemouth on the Northumberland coast, to Tarlair in the far north of Scotland. There are visions for new city pools in Liverpool, Dublin and Cork. In Yorkshire and East London, there are plans to repurpose former industrial land for natural swimming ponds and biodiversity. Many projects are in less affluent and under-served communities, and all are focused on bringing the benefits of outdoor pool swimming to the widest possible community.
Our Lido Map links to current members of Future Lidos, and other projects are springing up all the time. If you’re working to create or restore a lido and would like to tap into the collective knowledge and energy of the group, please do get in touch.
Year of the Lido
In 2023 – dubbed ‘Year of the Lido’ - three of our members made the joyous transition from ‘future’ to operating – Sea Lanes in Brighton, Albert Avenue Pools in Hull, and Cleveland Pools in Bath.
Over a dozen new projects joined the group, and councils in Redbridge, Waltham Forest, Hackney, Ealing, North Devon and Westmeath announced plans for new pools.
We also saw investment in the future at Ware Priory, Northcroft and Tooting Bec lidos, and public consultation ahead of major investment in the pools of Plymouth and Portsmouth.
© Sea Lanes
Pooling Resources
Thanks to support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, we were able to run a major collaborative project, Pooling Resources. This involved creating the Lido Toolkit, promoting wider understanding of the value of lidos, and developing the network. Existing lido operators joined us: they were generous in sharing their knowledge, and are equally focussed on the future.
The journey to and from here
Future Lidos was inspired by the collaborative energy of three National Lido Conferences convened by Lido Guide authors Emma Pusill and Janet Wilkinson. In early 2021, Michael Wood of Northumbria University and Tynemouth Pool, Deborah Aydon of The People’s Pool, and Chris Romer-Lee of Thames Baths and Studio Octopi architects arranged a Zoom call for lido project leaders in the UK and Ireland.
The opportunity to share knowledge and mutual support was seized on by all, and the calls continued, with more and more projects joining the network.
Though the funded Pooling Resources project is now complete, we fully intend to sustain the network and support ever-growing connection and collaboration across this vital and vibrant sector.
To find out more about the team behind Future Lidos and Pooling Resources, see our credits page.
And if you would be interested in joining the network, or supporting our work, please do get in touch.