What with Brighton opening a new, beachfront pool this year and Bath reopening the country’s oldest lido last autumn, it really feels like UK is undergoing an outdoor-bathing renaissance. And that’s not even to mention that many beautiful alfresco pools already dotted around the place.
Now, Wales could be the latest to join the lido craze, with ambitious plans to reopen the historic Brynaman Lido well under way.
The Carmarthenshire pool opened its doors way back in 1934 and was historically known as ‘the baths’. Although it fell into disrepair after closing in 2010, it’s now hoped that the attraction could welcome visitors again over the next couple of years, with plans to revamp the pool as well as build a new café, hot tub area and shop.
Carmarthenshire Council agreed to transfer the lido assets to the Brynaman Lido Committee in 2020, and it was hoped that plans could kick into motion in 2021. The pandemic put those on pause, but a recent meeting with Rural Office Architecture, the Architectural Heritage Fund and Cwarter Bach Community Council, looking at the feasibility of the project, could mean it’s one step closer to becoming a reality.
The total cost of refurbishing the site is estimated to be around £1 million, and funds will be raised through a variety of bodies.
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