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BREAKING NEWS! Councillors vote unanimously to reopen the lido this summer. Find out more & get involved »

Save Stroud Lido

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SAVE OUR SUMMER!

SAVE STROUD LIDO

Stroud Lido is under threat. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Ask your councillor to stop the rush to close the lido.

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SDC has told us it is on track to complete works o

SDC has told us it is on track to complete works on Stroud’s outdoor pool in time to open it on 15 August.

We are pleased SDC has now agreed with our requests that:
💦They’ll keep the pool open as long as possible in September
👶The baby pool will be open
🎉They will work with the community to plan opening day events

For this season, we’ve also asked for:
⏱️Longer, simpler hours, like 10am-7pm.
📱Trialling scrapping the booking system, which makes access more difficult for many, especially young people
🏊‍♀️Having at least the same number of early morning lane swims as last season, plus a lane down the side always
☀️Protecting sunbathing / viewing areas - we need to see the plans so we can suggest alternative ways of dealing with any concerns around walls

We’ve also asked SDC to:
🙌Consult the public (not just a few ‘stakeholders’) over the future, starting this summer
🗓️Work with us to plan works to be undertaken from this October, for example any necessary handrails
👟Plan for the Lido’s future alongside the leisure centre & park to ensure all are sustainable

We note:
💷There is still £900k capital spend available for the Lido, as agreed 2 years ago.

Lidos need:
1. An affordable, accessible core offering of swimming & sunbathing.
2. Thoughtful integration with surrounding facilities.
3. Additional revenue streams.

So, we’d like to see trials of things that make lidos thrive - cafe, events, clubs/classes, exercise around the pool, film &, young people’s evenings, dog swim on the last day of the season, a plug in sauna, &/or a slide.

🤓This isn’t the moment for grand visions. There’s already a lot of those gathering dust on shelves.
💦It is a moment for engaging with the people of Stroud - those who’ve stepped forward to get the pool saved & open, those who simply can’t wait to come & enjoy it, & also those who used to come, and need to be won back.
💦The pool being open this summer is a great focal point to launch that engagement - & capture the amazing energy that the community has generated to get us this far.
💦This energy will be essential if we are to restore the pool to its former glory so that it can thrive for another 90 yrs.

While we wait (🥵) for Stroud’s Lido / outdoor pool

While we wait (🥵) for Stroud’s Lido / outdoor pool to reopen this summer, check out our History of the Lido, “When we get down to swimming, we get down to democracy”, on SOLS website. See if it matches your memories - and share them in the comments - we’ve been loving collecting your thoughts.

Stay cool, keep shaded and make sure to check on v

Stay cool, keep shaded and make sure to check on vulnerable neighbours and relatives. Extreme heat can affect inland areas like Stroud more than coastal ones.

We also need to plan for a world where these kind of weather patterns are more common. We need facilities where people can cool off, into the evening, with shading, taking advantage of natural cool water…

We need to factor all this into future planning for Stroud’s Lido. Its a real shame that it’s not going to be open til August - let’s make sure its stays open throughout September, too, and that all its facilities (for example, including the baby pool) are fully open. To be sure of that happening, councillors still need to hear from the public, as we only got this far because of you - so don’t forget you can email them via our website.

💙💦we *love* this photo from our friends at @hather

💙💦we *love* this photo from our friends at @hathersageswimmingpool - a parish council-owned gem in the Peak District - right now, they are currently running a round the clock, 24 hour summer solstice swim.

🌅🏊‍♀️can you imagine - how lush would that be?

☀️🌞maybe next year?

There’s been lots going on regarding maintenance t

There’s been lots going on regarding maintenance this week and it’s so good to see they’re cracking on ahead of that much awaited opening date! ☀️💦

We’ve really missed our much-loved outdoor pool. 💙

Back on 12 March 2026, Stroud District Council shocked the community by announcing plans to indefinitely close the Stroud Lido / outdoor pool.

Fast forward to now… and what a turnaround! 🥳

Councillors have now unanimously backed an extra £276k of repair works which should see Stroud’s treasured lido reopen this August and help secure its future for 2027 and beyond. 🌊🏊

Importantly, councillors listened to the strength of feeling from the community and got on board to ensure health, wellbeing and safe outdoor swimming remain a priority for local people. 💙

This only happened because the community came together:
💙 4000+ signature petition
💙Determination and team work from the SOLS campaign group
💙 Hundreds of emails to councillors
💙 Flash mobs 🦞
💙 Shop window competitions
💙 Huge social media support
💙 Local businesses rallying behind the campaign
💙 Incredible backing from local figures

🏊💙BRING ON OPENING DAY ! 💙🏊

🥳 Amazing news – Stroud Lido is set to open this s $🥳 Amazing news - Stroud Lido is set to open this summer after unanimous vote to fund outstanding repairs 🤩 Last night, councillors voted an extra £276k of works that should see Stroud’s treasured Lido open this August. 🎉 The extra money, which comes from previous years underspend on the Lido, should also set the lido on track for opening in 2027 and beyond. 😱 At an earlier vote in March, councillors had voted to close the outdoor pool. 💪 But thanks to a massive community outcry, a 4000 signature petition, hundred of emails to councillors, flash mobs 🦞, a shop window competition, and incredible support from local celebrities including @maryportasofficial @edibow @therealdalevince and @tweedyclown … 👷‍♂️They’ve listened - to the community, & to our engineering experts, who had set out a plan for opening for a fraction of the original proposed cost of £5 million. 💙💦 Now we just need to make sure they keep listening, they keep working with us, so we can set this on a sustainable footing. 💦So that next year, and every year, the people of Stroud District get to hang out and have fun in the pool, get to swim lanes and get to enjoy the gem that is the Stroud Lido. 💦☀️We are delighted at last night’s vote. We want to say a *massive* thank you 🙏 to everyone who has kept showing up, has spoken up, spread the word, and kept the faith. We couldn’t have done it without you - and this has been a huge team effort. From the fabulous badges done by @sheermeg and the petition by @fourteenlifestyle that started it all off, the sterling Facebook work of @marksweeting, the inspired “please refrain from divebombing our lido” artwork and videography from @adam.horovitz the amazing work of @ndavis060 in pulling people together, the dedication and heartfelt expertise of @iankennyroberts , the extraordinary commitment of our engineer @jfiddes1, the political nous of various amazing people who I think aren’t on Instagram, and not least, the inspired lobster stylings of @naomisaid_ and all the support shown by local businesses, too many to mention, and @stroudtowncouncil … and ok yes me @carolinejmolloy and most of all… YOU!!!$

💦 BIG NEWS! (& we still need your help for one las

💦 BIG NEWS! (& we still need your help for one last push 🫧🦞🎶🎥)

💦 Stroud District Council has put forward its own plan to open Stroud’s Lido / outdoor pool this year.

💦 The council’s own report (published this week) recognises the health, wellbeing and social value of Stratford Park Lido and says everything campaigners have been saying for months. It says getting the pool open this year can be done, without spending unaffordable sums like £5m (😳) and that it’s worth it for this year and next, and going forwards too.

☀️ The construction team is primed and ready to go. The council has already got the money it needs (from previous underspends).

🙏 All that’s needed now, is for the councillors to vote for this proposal (3 June - tv cameras there 6-6.20pm, some fun will be had, then meeting 7pm).

💦 To say that yes, the people of Stroud District are worth an additional £276,000 required to enable works to reopen the lido this summer and next and to help it stay open in the future.

💙 The community has fought incredibly hard to get this far, and we are now *so close*.

🎥 The ITV cameras will be there (at Ebley Mill) on 3rd June and we’re asking all our supporters to turn up - one last time - to show how much we cherish our precious outdoor pool and our access to safe, affordable outdoor swimming and relaxation this summer.

We want the council to vote for this plan. The extra budget requested - which they already have - is the equivalent of just a couple of quid from everyone in the district, for a treasured resource that’s been neglected for years despite being is so precious and valuable to so many people’s health and wellbeing.

We also see that the council’s proposed works mean a reopening date for the Lido of mid-August, so we’re also urging them to commit to
💦Keep it open throughout September
💦Open it in the mornings throughout August
💦Look at our expert proposal that could bring the opening forward three weeks, to July (simply by holding off non-essential fibre-glass coating work til after the season).

💦 Let’s keep Stroud swimming and splashing, safely! 💦

#savestroudlido #lidoswim #swimsafely #saveoursummer #peoplepower

🥵 Where is a hot lobster to swim? 🦞💦⛱️☀️🏊‍♀️ 😳 St

🥵 Where is a hot lobster to swim? 🦞💦⛱️☀️🏊‍♀️

😳 Stroud District council has said it needs another meeting to talk about the Lido - on Wednesday 3rd June, 7pm at Ebley Mill.

🦞 Lobster will be there - and would love to see you all…

👷‍♀️ But in the meantime - can the council just get on with starting the work at Stroud Lido that it’s got the money to do?

😢 Otherwise, as we warned them back in April, they won’t get the pool open in time for the summer holidays.

😒 They quietly shelved the work they could have done over winter, without telling the public that was what was going on.

⛱️ Now people in the Stroud area have nowhere safe to swim outdoors, during this half term heatwave, when Stroud’s Lido would normally be open.

💦Even if you could get to Cheltenham, Wootton or Ciren, their pools are booked solid.

💰If Stroud’s outdoor pool were open this week, it could be making many thousands of pounds.

🗣️ Whilst the politicians keep talking…

✊We need action!

#savestroudlido #saveoursummer

So where are we? 💦The outdoor pool normally opens

So where are we?

💦The outdoor pool normally opens this week

💦last year the council decided not to do the usual winter maintenance to get it open this year - despite hvaing plenty of money set aside for the lido

💦it didn’t discuss these decisions with the public or even with most of its own councillors

💦when we found out, we formed SOLS, and within weeks we’d arranged site visits and had given the council an expert, affordable, engineer-led plan for summer opening…which they said they were very impressed by…

💦since the bombshell news of planned closure in March, there have been LOTS of meetings - and lots of nodding - but but not enough information has been shared in those meetings about what is actually underway

💦now there’s another meeting on 3rd June which they’re saying is crunch

All we want to know is:

💦will they get on with the work they’ve *got the money for* in the meantime, to be able to get the pool for the summer holidays?

💦the works needed are quite simple - is there the political will to get them done?

Not much essential maintenance happening seems to

Not much essential maintenance happening seems to be happening today…

Does this mean *something* is finally happening at

Does this mean *something* is finally happening at Stroud Lido to prepare for summer opening?

Maybe… but…

Not much happening inside this week. What are they waiting for?

Update & stop press 👏The good news is: 💦 The cou

Update & stop press

👏The good news is:

💦 The council has publicly committed to *try* & get the lidoopen by 20 July, & has set aside £200k of revenue & re-iterated there’s also £900k of capital budget. Which should be plenty, according to our experts.

💦 They’ve been talking regularly to SOLS technical experts about the technical details of making the summer opening happen.

💦 They have identified some contractors they want to do essential maintenance & have been talking to them & contracted them to do some planning work, to start with.

💦 Something is definitely happening - there’s been a fair bit of activity on site - though it’s been surveying / planning work, not yet actual construction / maintenance work (bar some preliminary shot blasting to assess scope).

💦 The council seems to be trying to find solutions and workrounds for the issues they have raised around health & safety, such as putting fences on low walls that are “fall hazards”.

💦 They have invited us (SOLS) to their meetings to talk about the medium / long term.

💦 They have published two updates & the leadership has been quite responsive to our emails & messages.

🚨We still have some concerns:

💦 Their update suggests that if it does open, the pool will close after 6 weeks ie by 31 August, rather than staying open in September which would be sensible.

💦 We are not sure where they are at with recruiting lifeguards, which we have offered to help with.

💦 The council has not yet published any of its target dates for critical milestones to opening, so it’s hard to assess their progress on essential works and the critical path to opening.

💦 They have not as yet actually engaged a contractor to do main works (as opposed to planning). This seems to be in the pipeline, but…

💦 They still seem unclear about their right to use “urgency” provisions to procure the works without too much red tape.

💦 They also seem a bit unclear about their right to use not just a £200k revenue budget (which is all the updates talk about), but also some of the capital budget they’ve set aside (for works that will last several seasons or longer).

Read on in comments - including some stop press

🗞️Nice article in this week’s Stroud News and Jour

🗞️Nice article in this week’s Stroud News and Journal about the sustainable, spring-fed Lido

💦Whilst we await updates from @strouddistrictcouncil as to progress on getting essential summer re-opening works commissioned and underway, do keep making your voices heard! Letters to councillors, letters to the local papers (also @stroudtimes )- it all shows how much we care 💦

💦Outside the council chamber on Thursday… just a f

💦Outside the council chamber on Thursday… just a few of the placards (and we were v happy to see the lobsters) 🦞 Keep it up folks, the council is certainly aware that we’re paying close attention! 💦 They’ve said they’re going to try and get it open this summer and they’ve acknowledged they’ve got the money so… let’s go! #savestroudlido

😍Here’s Cllr Tom Langham unveiling the foundation

😍Here’s Cllr Tom Langham unveiling the foundation stone at the opening of Stroud’s outdoor pool, back in 1937 - the stone is still on view outside.

✊Cllr Langham was the Chair of the Council when Stroud finally - after many years of fighting for it - got its outdoor pool - and his great-grandchildren and great- great- grandchildren have been turning up outside Ebley Mill with the SOLS supporters to ask the council to #savestroudlido, and giving SOLS fantastic support, thank you @joeiselvis and crew! #savestroudlido

✊Such an honour to carry our banner yesterday in S

✊Such an honour to carry our banner yesterday in Stroud’s May Day march - a celebration of what we can achieve when we come together as ordinary people.

From better living conditions, to the outdoor pools that are foremothers and forefathers built so that we too could have nice things.

💦 And such a great reception walking around Stroud - lots of “oh yes, Lido!” and “Lido! Preach!” and similar, as people clocked our banner.

Thank you Stroud! Let’s keep pushing, it’s only thanks to the amazing community effort that there is now a chance that the outdoor pools *will* stay open!

Marching the Save Our Lido banner through Stroud o

Marching the Save Our Lido banner through Stroud on May Day, you always manage to get some excellent support - and fortunately we were filming live for Instagram

Caroline Molloy from Save Our Lido Stroud speaking

Caroline Molloy from Save Our Lido Stroud speaking about the Lido at the May Day rally in Stroud

Watch SOLS member Caroline Molloy asking public qu

Watch SOLS member Caroline Molloy asking public questions at the full council meeting at Ebley Mill on Thursday. The key question will the pool be open this summer? The council’s answer? “Hopefully”. They have promised regular updates. We need to keep a v close eye!

💦💦💦 calling all Lido lovers! This is the big one f

💦💦💦 calling all Lido lovers! This is the big one folks - full council.

🗓️Thursday 30 April, 6.30 - tomorrow

The Lido will be on the agenda - we will make sure of it!

🦞🎶And we have a few things up our sleeve - but we need your support!

💦Join us! Help us show the council how much the outdoor pool matters to us!

🗓️Thursday 30 April, 6.30 - tomorrow - you can stay as long or as short as you like (the meeting itself is from 7 onwards and the lido is likely to come up early on)
📍Ebley Mill

See you there!

And tell us below why the lido matters to you - we’d love to be tagged in on any videos or photos you take, too. #savestroudlido

Follow on Instagram

What’s going on

Not sure what the decision is about? Find out more here.

What you can do

Write to your councillor to make your feelings known.

Little girl in the lido, in a pink doughnut inflatable. Photo by Simon Pizzey, Stroud News and Journal.

And there’s more…

Come to an event

Join us leafleting, or come to the next Stroud District Council meetings

Get resources

Want leaflets, posters or badges? Get them here.

Read the mythbuster

New! Our mythbuster helps you tell fact from myth about the lido

ASK STROUD DISTRICT COUNCIl TO THINK AGAIN

Save Stroud Lido

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2026 Save Our Lido