Mango Homes,  Restoring Historic Buildings  

© Phil Bradby, Mango Homes

GRANGE LIDO

CUMBRIA

 

Mango Homes is supporting a campaign to save Grange Lido in Cumbria from being filled in.

 

Grange Lido was built in 1932 on the promenade in Grange-over-Sands which is just south of The Lake District National Park. It has amazing views over Morecambe Bay. It is now a very rare remaining example since the vast majority have been filled in. It is the only one surviving in the north of England after the demolition and in-filling of the ones at Morecambe, Blackpool and Scarborough.

 

The other surviving seaside lidos at Penzance, Plymouth and Saltdean have all been painstakingly restored and are very much prized by their communities.    

 

Whilst other areas which are lucky enough still to have a Lido are promoting and working to save them strangely, South Lakeland District Council is locked in negotiations with a consortium which plans to fill the Lido in. We think its loss would very much be regretted in the future and that this important piece of heritage should be saved.

 

We have successfully campaigned to have the Lido listed by English Heritage and have been supported by the National Trust and 20th Century Society. The next steps are to look into funding from Heritage Lottery and to do a business plan to demonstrate that once restored the Lido will be self financing at no cost to the Local Council.

 

Our key objective is simply to save the Lido from being filled in and to this end we are happy to proceed with a private development or to support a community group wishing to restore the Lido. Our initial suggestion was based on residential use for the upper floors of the buildings but local people prefer more publicly accessible spaces. We would therefore now suggest public swimming in the summer, an ice rink in winter, a cafe, restaurant and perhaps a swimming museum to attract visitors out of season. The Lido has potential to be a significant attraction for Grange and to have a long and successful future.

 

Artist’s Impression of Grange Lido once restored