Broomhill Pool: Company behind lido reopening remains committed

Fusion Lifestyle had to postpone work on the lido due to the coronavirus lockdown

The company behind plans to reopen a lido said it remained "fully committed" to the project despite delays caused by Covid-19

Work to restore Grade II listed Broomhill Pool in Ipswich, costing £7.25m, was due to start last year.

Fusion Lifestyle said it would revisit the plans "as soon as possible".

Ipswich Borough Council said its funding for the pool was "secure" but the National lottery Heritage Fund said it was awaiting more details.

Hosting 2,000 visitors a day when it opened in the late-1930s, the pool has been closed since 2002.

Sally Wainman, who has campaigned to save the pool, said it was "not surprising Fusion wants to take a moment to see how to move forward" after the disruption to the leisure industry caused by the pandemic.

She said the Broomhill site would be viable as it "would be open all-year round, with indoor facilities built into the restoration".

Broomhill was built in 1938 and was regularly packed on hot days

Students from Ormiston Endeavour Academy in Ipswich have also written an open letter to Fusion Lifestyle, the council, the Heritage Lottery Fund and the town's two MPs supporting the restoration.

The 12 "community champions", aged between 11 and 15, wrote the project "hangs in the balance" but would provide a number of benefits, including a positive impact on young people and a boost to the local economy.

'Broomhill's funding is secure'

They have also launched an online petition, supported by campaign group the Broomhill Pool Trust, which has attraction almost 600 signatures.

The Broomhill Trust said it was "pleased to support such a positive and powerful endorsement from our future generation".

Anthony Cawley, director of operations at Fusion Lifestyle, said: "We are still fully committed to the redevelopment of Broomhill Lido. 

"We will be revisiting the development plans again as soon as possible."

Metal coverings were installed to protect the pool after vandalism following its closure in 2002

The project to reopen the lido is being funded in part by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Ipswich Borough Council.

David Ellesmere, leader of the authority, said the funding "towards Broomhill's restoration is secure".

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He said the council's finance "have been hit hard by the effects of Covid" but it has no plans to remove the Broomhill funding of £1.5m.

Heritage Lottery Fund, has committed £3.4m, but has so far only handed over a smaller, undisclosed amount of that money.

A spokeswoman said: "We are still waiting to hear the applicant's proposals about the future of the project and expect further details soon."