Broomhill lido in Ipswich set for £6.5m restoration

As many as 2,000 swimmers a day packed into Broomhill during its heyday in the 1930s

A Grade II-listed lido is to set to reopen after a promise of £3.4m in lottery funding.

Hosting 2,000 daily visitors in its 1930s heyday, the Broomhill Pool in Ipswich has been closed since 2002.

After more than 18,000 signed a petition backing its reopening, the Heritage Lottery Fund agreed to give £3.4m towards its £6.5m restoration.

Those involved in the project said they were "absolutely delighted" at the funding news.

The rest of the restoration costs will be met by council and developer contributions. Those involved hope the lido will reopen in 2020.

Mark Ling, of the Broomhill Pool Trust, said: "Broomhill may lack the national profile accorded to Saltdean, Tinside or Penzance, but it is arguably their equal in architectural significance.

"So, after an epic 15-year campaign, we are delighted that one of Britain's finest lidos - and a much loved part of Ipswich's heritage - has not only been saved, but will be enhanced."

A lido revival?

• Many of the original lidos were built using reinforced concrete painted in dazzling white

• When the Super Swimming Stadium in Morecambe opened in 1936, a mile-long queue was reported awaiting their chance of a dip

• News of the Broomhill funding follows the reopening in October of Reading Lido, believed to be the oldest surviving outdoor municipal pool of the Edwardian era

Tim Mills, director of business development at Fusion Lifestyle, which is overseeing the restoration, said: "This is a major milestone on the long journey to restore the Broomhill site.

"We know that the real work starts now as we strive to bring our ambitious proposals for the site to fruition over the next few years."