Droitwich Spa Lido
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The lido in Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire, is an open-air swimming pool and much, much more. Originally built in the 1930s, the building features an art-deco style interior, and plenty of design styles particular to that era.
The pool itself was filled with diluted brine, pumped from brine streams beneath the town. The salt in the water was strong enough to keep the water in the pool clean, without the need for additional chemicals such as chlorine.
When the lido opened, it was marketed as the 'seaside come to Droitwich Spa', and the unusually large pool was heated to exactly the same temperature as the Mediterranean Sea. Swimmers could dive in and imagine that they really were in the Mediterranean!
The popularity of the lido continued through up until the second world war, when it was closed, and the offices used by the military. After the war, however, the lido was reopened and the people of Droitwich and from around the country could once more enjoy bathing in the pool.
The lido continued to be a popular tourist attraction, and really has never ceased to be this, despite its closure at the end of the 1990s. People will still travel for miles just to see the once-so-popular pool.
In late 2004, the district council voted against the re-opening of the lido, which sparked a local campaign group to form, with the sole aim of seeing the lido restored to its former glory.
In April 2005, the people of Droitwich held a parish poll, the outcome of the poll was unquestionable - 98% of the people that voted said that they would like to see the lido restored. Following this, the local campaign group are seeking to work in tandem with the council to see if this can be brought about.
