This historic English lido – closed since 2022 – will reopen this summer after a £7.75 million upgrade

After it shuttered in 2022, the quest to get Portsmouth’s 1930s lido back up and running has been nothing short of a saga. The vintage swimming spot’s major makeover was originally due to be completed in time for its 90th anniversary in July 2025, but delays pushed the opening back to early autumn 2025 – a deadline that came and went without further updates.

Now, Portsmouth locals (and anyone fancying a south coast day trip), should get their dryrobes at the ready, because the Hilsea Lido has announced that it finally has an official reopening date. It will start welcoming swimmers on May 2, in more than enough time for the summer season.

The outdoor pool first opened in 1935 during what is often considered a golden age of outdoor swimming in Britain. At the time, outdoor bathing was seen more as a public right than an eccentric hobby, and the 1930s saw 169 lidos pop up all over the country. In its heyday, the Hilsea Lido was part of a complex of leisure facilities which included gardens, a tennis court and a rink dedicated to dancing and roller-skating.

The site has had a serious face lift, and the upgraded lido now includes a refurbished pool, new changing rooms, benches, tables and a fountain. At 67 metres long, outdoor swimmers will be able to seriously work on their backstroke in the chlorinated fresh-water pool, which is considerably longer than the Olympic-standard 50 metres.

There’s good news for Portsmouth’s sauna-heads, too, as the list of upgraded facilities include a brand new sweat room.

We’re all familiar with the old wives tale: wait an hour after eating before dive-bombing into the pool. But for people feeling peckish when they emerge from the water, food and drink pop-ups are also on the docket.

Prepare to brace for the cold and make sure to bring an extra layer for after your dip, because the Hilsea Lido will be unheated when it reopens. Sea Lanes Brighton, a group of local businesses and open-water swimming enthusiasts, will run the lido along with South Downs Leisure. Find opening hours on the lido website here. 

Judit Kollat, the lido's general manager, said Hilsea Lido is ‘more than a pool, it’s a place of history and heart’.

She said: ‘We aim to create a vibrant hub for the local community, a centre for both mental and physical wellbeing. The lido will offer something for everyone.’

The 1930s may have been the original golden age for an al fresco dip, but the last few years have seen a huge increase in the number of people taking the plunge. Outdoor swimming is all the rage once again – England is set to get 13 new designated wild swim spots for summer 2026, which you can read all about here. 

Hilsea Lido isn’t the only outdoor pool getting some much-needed TLC. This seaside lido in Ramsgate could get a grand reopening, 50 years after it shut.

Did you see that this popular British seaside town is entering the next phase of a £20 million regeneration?

Plus: after 35 years, this beloved waterpark near London is shutting.