Save Saltdean Lido

There are two magazines I make sure I buy every month - BBC Homes and Antiques and Coast magazine. Coast magazine has a feature every month about beautiful coastal buildings that are in trouble and need help. This month one of the buildings they have written about is 'Saltdean Lido'. As some of you might know I used to live in Brighton and this was just a couple of miles away on the coastal road. It really is a truly stunning art deco building and really makes the area special.

Saltdean Lido was built in 1935 and was the ideal venue to show off in your bathing suits (probably wool ones at that time!) It was a time when people were interested in health and fitness and the outdoor lifestyle (as they still are today). It has great sweeping terraces that form curved wings on either side of the central building ( which is a cafe) and the pool itself accommodates 500 bathers and is 140ft by 66ft. It was and still is the perfect place to swim and socialise and a safe haven for families with children when the sea is rough.

In 1998 it underwent a £2 million renovation and is considered to be one of the best lidos in the UK.

Unfortunately as the new video above shows us, it is in trouble and the owner is unable to keep it going and is losing vast amounts of money. There are concerns it is going to be turned in to apartments. I personally wish the National Trust could look after it or that enough money could be raised to keep it going. An organisation has been set up to try and save it :

http://www.saltdeanlidocampaign.org/

They are gathering signatures and raising money. If you want to sign the petition that would be wonderful - please click on the link above to find out more.