Bath's Lido Floods After £9.3M 'Vanity Project' Fails

After two decades of campaigning and £9.3 million in funding, Bath's historic Cleveland Pools have been forced to close again, with the possibility of never reopening. The lido, which reopened in September 2023, was shut just four months later due to its plant room flooding during a storm, causing structural damage to the pool.

Local residents had vocally opposed the restoration project for years, warning of the site's susceptibility to flooding and criticizing the £9.3 million cost as a 'vanity project'. They claim their concerns were dismissed, leading to a project that failed upon filling with water. The trust managing the pools has since published a report admitting that reopening might not be feasible.

The restoration project, initially budgeted at £4.2 million, more than doubled in cost, with the majority of funding coming from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Questions are now being raised about accountability, as five directors have resigned from the Trust since the closure in January 2024, and the possibility of substantial repair costs exceeding available funds is a significant concern.