Sandford Parks Lido in Cheltenham gets 'fantastic' £306k boost to 'keep it open'

Sandford Parks Lido in Cheltenham has been granted more than £306,000 to help keep it open for years to come.

The English Sports Council has set aside funding to improve the energy efficiency of public facilities with pools.

It's hoped it will help alleviate cost pressures and mitigate the risk of closures of public sector swimming pools.

The government made £80 million available for public swimming pool providers in 2023.

It was distributed in two phases with the second phase allocating £60 million to improve the energy efficiency of public facilities with pools.

A phase two application was made by Cheltenham Borough Council in October 2023 and they have been successful in their bid for the lido, securing £306,065.

Finance and assets cabinet member Alisha Lewis (LD, Oakley) said the council had been able to secure this "fantastic bit of funding".

At a meeting on 11 June, she said: “Sandford Park Lido is a spectacular site right in the heart of our town and it, like every other swimming pool in the country, is facing significant budgetary pressures because the cost of everything is going up, particularly energy.

“We are really excited to be accepting some money from the swimming pool support fund, £306,000 to support some exciting retrofitting of clean energy projects on site.

“It’s absolutely essential that this money is pumped into the lido at this time because it is what is going to be able to keep their doors open and keep the building running.”

Credit: Carmelo Garcia, Local Democracy Reporting Service.