Tinside Lido

Art Deco Lido in Plymouth, England

Tinside Lido

50°21′47″N 4°08′33″W﻿ / ﻿50.3631°N 4.142389°W﻿ / 50.3631; -4.142389
Location| Hoe Road, Plymouth, PL1 3DE
Opened| October 2, 1935 (1935-10-02) (reopened 2005)[1]
Closed| 1992-2005
Owned by| Plymouth City Council
Architect| John Wibberley (1878-1936)
Type| open-air, seawater
Status| Grade II Listed
Length| 180 feet (55 m)
Depth| 2 feet (0.61 m) − 9 feet (2.7 m)
Website| www.plymouthactive.co.uk

Tinside Lido is a 1935 Art Deco lido in the city of Plymouth in southwest England.[2][3] It is sited beside Plymouth Sound and is overlooked by Plymouth Hoe and Smeaton's Tower. It is currently temporarily closed undergoing refurbishment. The lido was open in the summer months between May and September.[4][5]

## History

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The lido was designed in 1935 by John Wibberley.[1] It was officially opened on 2 October 1935[1]

A victim of declining popularity and neglect, the lido closed in 1992 but a vociferous local campaign led to a renovation, at a cost of £3.4 million, and Grade II Listed Building status in 1998.[1] The facility re-opened to the public in 2005.[2][6][7] During refurbishment the three tidal pools, pontoons and diving boards were all removed or filled in.

A lift and hoist were added in 2009 for disabled access.

Since 2022, Tinside Lido has been operated by Plymouth Active, a local organization managing sports and leisure facilities in the area. For bookings and more information, visitors can access the official website at www.plymouthactive.co.uk

The lido is currently undergoing refurbishment, including facilities for conferences and marine education; due to reopen in Spring 2025.

## Description

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The lido design is a semicircle of 180 feet (55 metres) diameter.[1]

The site comprises a concrete pool, counter-fort outer walls, reinforced concrete inner walls, duct walls and floors. The main building is reinforced with concrete and has some stone retaining walls. The semi-circular pool has projecting jetties, and at the entrance, there are circular cutwaters separated by steps. The changing rooms are in the art deco style and have square metal windows and a staircase. The pool has three fountains and is surrounded by cast-iron railings.[1]

The pool is used to celebrate the summer solstice, when it attracts its largest crowds.[8]

## References

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1. ^ a b c d e f Historic England. "Tinside Lido and Changing Rooms (1271847)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
2. ^ a b BBC (2005). "Point 6 - Tinside Pool". Coast Walks. Retrieved 11 October 2007.
3. ^ Smith, Virginia Sarah (2007). Clean: a history of personal hygiene and purity. Oxford University Press. p. 321. ISBN 978-0-19-929779-5.
4. ^ Plymouth City Council. "Tinside Opening Times". Archived from the original on 13 August 2007. Retrieved 11 October 2007.
5. ^ "Sparkle returns to art deco lido". BBC. 14 August 2003. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
6. ^ Jenny Landreth (8 July 2006). "Take me to your lido; Nothing beats diving into cool sparkling water on a hot summer day. Here, three friends set out on a mini tour of outdoor pools". The Guardian. "Alongside the ring of bright lido water pushing into the grey sea are several smaller, unregulated pools and rickety diving platforms... It had a stunning view: a turn of the head took you from the chopping sea to the clarity of the pool; a lift of the chin took your eye from the blue water to the blooming of "Plymouth" written in municipal bedding plants on the hill above."
7. ^ "10 seawater pools". The Guardian. 14 July 2007. "This beautiful 1930s colonnaded structure below Hoe Road reopened in 2003 after years of neglect and local government wranglings. The huge, semi-circular, art deco-inspired pool uses treated seawater and is open for a cooling dip from May to September. Plus there are three tidal pools built into the rocks next door, with high diving boards to boot."
8. ^ "Hundreds join summer solstice sunrise swim in Plymouth". BBC News. 21 June 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2023.

## External links

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* Tinside Lido, Everyone Active
* Tinside Lido, Visit Plymouth