London’s newest lido announced as part of £11million spending

After decades of lidos closing up and down the country their recent renaissance continues as Redbridge Council confirms plans to build a new outdoor pool as part of its recent budget proposal. Responding to the increasing popularity for outdoor swimming, and perhaps the UK’s milder weather in recent years, the council announced plans for the brand new outdoor swimming lido in Valentines Park in Ilford.

The Labour led Redbridge Council set out its budget proposals for 2022 and 2023 on Thursday (February 24) along with a series of council investments to make the borough a “cleaner, greener, healthier and safer place”.

The last lido in Redbridge was also located at Valentines Park but was closed in 1995 due to spiralling upkeep costs. MyLondon reported in December 2020 that the council was looking to create a lido at Fairlop Waters but it has now chosen Valentines Park.

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According to Heritage Gateway the first Ilford lido opened in 1924 and cost £5,500 to build. The swimming pool measured 150 foot by 50 foot and was designed by architect H Shaw. Throughout its history the lido at the park acted as a centre piece for the community where people gathered in their hundreds to swim and socialise.

However, like so many lidos in the 1990s and 2000s Valentine Park lido’s popularity dropped as people spent their summer break jetting off on cheap package holidays. Many of London’s lidos have seen their visitor numbers boosted in recent years, particularly during the pandemic when travelling abroad was complicated owing to Covid restrictions.

Redbridge Council labelled the announcement a “no-cuts budget proposal” with other highlights for local residents including a 25-metre swimming pool in the new Wanstead Leisure Centre. In all £11million will be spent on leisure centres with the doubling of green space at Fairlop Waters and restoration of historic Hainault Country Park also included in the announcement.

Other proposals include £15million in town centres and regeneration, £2million to refurbish all Redbridge public toilets, £5million on highways repairs, £16million on school improvements and new places, and £80million to build new affordable homes to rent for local people.

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Redbridge is also investing £1.2million to make Redbridge safer, including night-time uniformed enforcement team patrolling the borough round the clock, a new parks enforcement team to keep local parks safe, additional CCTV cameras monitored 24/7, domestic violence support service and a 24-hour noise service so residents can report issues.

The proposals included freezing the council’s portion of Council Tax this year and protecting services by proposing no new cuts to council services. The leader of Redbridge Council, Councillor Jas Athwal, said: “Following a decade of Government austerity which has reduced the Council’s budget by 58 per cent, we have streamlined services and become one of the most efficient councils in the country. Despite Government cuts, we are continuing to invest in Redbridge and deliver the services local people rely on.

“As a council, we are doing everything we can to protect our most vulnerable residents. We recently issued nearly 40,000 school meals vouchers so that local children didn’t go hungry over the half-term holiday, and we’re investing in critical adult social care and children’s services.

“This no-cuts budget has local people at its heart with impactful investment in the vital services valued by so many. Our proposals protect services, deliver key infrastructure, and will help build a better future for our borough.”

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