Seaside lido set to reopen in time for school holidays

Richard Youle, Local Democracy Reporter

New sprinklers and flooring are being fitted and sealed at a seaside lido in what has been a stop-start year for the family attraction.

The aim is to reopen Blackpill Lido in Swansea by the start of the school holidays in a fortnight’s time.

The lido’s sprinklers were stolen on April 29 resulting in the postponement of its summer opening days later.

The council-owned venue has been out of action again from the final week of May after an area of flooring was found to have come away. The lido was drained, fenced off, and has remained closed.

New resin has been put down which needs sealing and left to settle before the pool can be refilled.

Scores of families head to the free attraction when the sun is out, paddling in the water, using the nearby playground, and giving the adjacent Junction Cafe and kiosk a big boost.

“We usually come down here once a week, especially with the weather being so nice,” said mum Catrin Cheeseman of Gowerton. “We saw someone working on the flooring about three weeks ago. It will be nice when it reopens – school holidays start in two weeks.”

Another mum, Sara Jenkins, of Pontardawe, who works at nearby Singleton Hospital, said it was a shame the lido was closed because now was a good time for little ones to use it before the holidays. “It’s quieter for the younger ones at this time of year,” she said. She also reckoned passenger numbers were probably down for the Swansea Bay Rider land train, which runs from the Junction Cafe to Southend, Mumbles, and back.

Asked for a Blackpill Lido update at a meeting of full council on July 2, Cllr Andrew Williams, cabinet member for development, said replacement sprinklers had been manufactured and were due to be fitted on Monday, July 6.

He said the replaced resin was due to be resealed during the early part of next week and that the lido could reopen as early as Friday or Saturday next week. “It’s all coming together,” he said.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service the day after the council meeting Cllr Williams said the process of allowing the sealed flooring to settle might take a little longer than he’d thought meaning the council was aiming to re-open it by the school holidays.

He said it wasn’t clear why that section had come loose. “Officers are really keen to get it open as soon as possible,” he said. “And if we can open it earlier we will.”

South Wales Police put out an appeal following the theft of the sprinklers. In an update it said all reasonable lines of inquiry had been carried out but no suspect could be identified. The matter was now closed, it said, pending any further information.