An initial internal site appraisal revealed significant work is required to make the site safe to open in 2026. A further independent health and safety report was also commissioned and published on Tuesday 14 April. It can be read here. Work is ongoing to fully understand what needs to be done to make the pool and site safe for users.
Lido
Stratford Park Lido
Stratford Park Lido opened in 1937 and has served open air swimmers for generations since. It is an ageing facility and due to its condition needs to remain closed to allow further investigations to be completed. Work to reopen it depends on addressing a number of safety-critical issues identified through specialist surveys.
Some of these surveys have been done and can be read in the FAQs below, and others which have been commissioned will be published here as soon as they are available.
The Council continues to listen to the views of the public. A Working Group has been established involving councillors, officers and community representatives. Its role is to explore sustainable long term options for the Lido, including potential asset transfer, alternative ownership models and how future repair and maintenance costs could be funded.
Councillors have considered options for this much-loved facility and you can read the committee papers which help inform the decision making process online and watch recordings of the Community Services and Licensing and Strategy and Resources committee meetings.
The Lido will not be discussed at the Full Council meeting on April 30 as originally planned, to allow for more structural reports to be completed. In the meantime, there will be fortnightly updates published on this page from Friday, May 1.
If you would like to be part of any fundraising or community effort, please sign up here.
We understand many of you will also want to comment and we ask you to email Lido@stroud.gov.uk.
Councillors have committed to borrowing £900,000 for improvements to the Lido.
It was committed after two condition surveys were carried out before Stroud District Council took over the running of the site from contractor Everyone Active. We have commissioned further structural and subterranean surveys to understand the full condition of the lido compound.
You can read the 2 condition surveys below:
At the Thursday 16th Strategy and Resources Committee meeting, £200,000 was committed for immediate maintenance work. However, further investigative works still need to be carried out to understand the full cost of making the Lido safe to use and what potential for improvements could be made in the future to future-proof the site.
Borrowing has been explored but as the Lido’s income does not sufficiently cover the annual repayments associated with the level of borrowing required, the council would have to find another way of repaying the loan.
On Thursday 19 March 2026, the Senior Officer responsible for Health and Safety at the Lido said that the pool was not safe to reopen in its current condition.
Stroud District Council will protect the Lido until a decision is made. We are working hard to address all immediate health and safety concerns to allow the Lido to open during the summer 2026, but this cannot at the moment be guaranteed.
No. Public access is not permitted while the site is temporarily closed for safety and security reasons.
No. Temporary lifesaving staff are recruited for the Lido’s summer season.
Yes. Stroud District Council is committed to working with the local community on the future of the Lido. To get involved, please sign up here.
Residents can visit www.stroud.gov.uk/Lido to find more about how they can sign up to support community groups exploring funding opportunities or leave their feedback about the Lido.
The diving platform is one of only four inter-War concrete diving platforms known to survive in England and, as such, as granted Grade II listed status. Stroud District Council is committed to preserving the structure.
You can find out more on the Historic England website here.
Any asset transfer of the Lido to another body would require detailed legal, financial and governance discussions, including clarity on responsibility for repairs, ongoing liabilities and long term funding arrangements. No decisions have been taken, and any proposal would need to demonstrate that the Lido could be maintained safely and sustainably.
Community or hybrid ownership models are at an early exploratory stage and would need to be supported by a robust and costed business plan, clarity on capital repair funding, and agreement on how risks would be managed over the long term.
It is therefore too early to say what the Lido’s long term future arrangement may be, but the Council remains committed to working constructively with Stroud Town Council, local residents and volunteer groups to explore viable options and potential funding opportunities.