Lido to close for winter to fix worsening leak

The 1930s outdoor pool is set in four acres of gardens in Guildford

Guildford Lido is to close over the winter for urgent works to protect its long-term future, its operator has said.

Freedom Leisure said the work mainly centred on repairing a worsening leak to the pool's main tank.

The works were originally thought to require a closure of six weeks.

But following further investigation, it said "a far longer closure period" was required.

The pool's summer season will come to an end on 1 October and the pool is not expected to open again until April.

Brian Lamplough, Freedom Leisure’s area manager, said: "The leisure trust hopes that although this will be disappointing news to some, the long-term benefits will be to many more people and the wider Guildford community in years to come."

The operator also said that without the work, the longer-term future of the lido would be "compromised".

Guildford Borough Council's lead councillor for commercial services, Catherine Houston, said: “Continuous care and attention to the whole facility is an ongoing job.

"We fully intend to do as much as we can during this prolonged period of closure to further enhance and improve the whole facility."

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