Council set to approve campaigners running Lido

Councillors are set to approve giving campaigning residents the lease to Saltdean Lido.

A report to Brighton & Hove City Council’s powerful policy and resources committee recommends a 60-year lease is awarded to the Saltdean Lido Community Interest Company (CIC). The organisation grew out of the Save Saltdean Lido Campaign.

An earlier report to the council’s culture committee on September 19 named the CIC as the provisional preferred bidder. Freedom Leisure, who manage other council facilities, were named as a reserve bidder.

The CIC bid promises:

·        Fully restored building sensitive to the Grade 2-star listing

·        Heated pool water to extend the season

·        Fitness gym

·        Cafe

·        Extensive community areas

·        Extended library

·        A heritage and education room

·        Improvements in environmental sustainability

Chair of the committee and council leader Jason Kitcat said:  “Hopefully the CIC eventually taking over would be the breakthrough we’ve awaited for many years.  They are local and highly enthusiastic people who have been asking long and hard for the opportunity to take it over.

“I really hope they achieve a fully restored Lido which becomes an asset to the community and I continue to offer them the council’s full support towards that goal.“

The report says the multi-million pound restoration will require the CIC to secure a Lottery grant.  Only once funding is secured could the CIC meet the terms of a lease and properly take over.  Until this happens it is likely that the pools will remain closed.

The Lido’s previous operator handed back the keys in June 2012 and the building has not opened since.  The council has since spent around £100k on emergency repairs and maintenance.

Saltdean Lido CIC was selected following an open marketing exercise.  Three initial bids were submitted.  These were evaluated by a panel of officers from procurement, finance, legal, property, planning, libraries and leisure departments.

Art deco Saltdean Lido, by architect RWH Jones, was built in 1938 and is Grade 2-star listed by English Heritage.

The committee is expected to approve this next step to secure the Lido’s future at its meeting on December 5.