The Saltdean Lido reopened today (Saturday 26 May) as a vital fundraising campaign moved into its final stages with £10,000 still needed to unlock just over £4 million of lottery funding.
The newly refurbished art deco pool proved popular last summer – its first swimming season for years – and the forecast is promising for most of this weekend.
But while the heated outdoor pool is expected to pull crowds of swimmers and sunbathers, the team behind the revival of the 1930s masterpiece are desperately trying to fill a funding gap.
They need to show public support for their plans to restore the main building by raising just over £100,000.
If they hit the target, they can unlock a £4.19 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
This will help fund the £6.8 million restoration project which will enable the Lido to operate a café and commercial venue, putting the site on a more sustainable footing.
With just over £92,000 pledged by more than 1,150 supporters, the Saltdean Lido Community Interest Company (CIC) is entering a crucial and nailbiting final few weeks.
Local school and nurseries, including Saltdean Pre-Scool and Our Lady of Lourdes, are among the many to have pulled out the stops.
At the start of May, with an online crowdfunding campaign under way, Bridget Fishleigh, one of the CIC founders, explained the urgency.
With £33,000 pledged at that stage, she said that it wasn’t enough to stop now that phase one had been completed with the restoration and reopening of the pool.
She said: “The future of the pools will also be in doubt as they cannot survive without revenue from a heritage café, rooms for hire and events in a revamped building.”
She added: “Please help us restore the Lido building to its former glory.”
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