May dips into Portsmouth pool campaign

Fifteen years ago Theresa May found herself in Portsmouth being invited to support the campaign to get Hilsea Lido, then closed, listed as a Grade II building. It failed.
Theresa May at Hilsea Lido in 2002. PPP-170419-083744001Theresa May at Hilsea Lido in 2002. PPP-170419-083744001
Theresa May at Hilsea Lido in 2002. PPP-170419-083744001

She was shadow secretary of state for local government and the regions. Could she really have imagined that 15 years later she would be prime minister, calling a snap general election and with the future of Britain potentially very much in her hands?

Thanks to Hilsea Lido historian Jane Smith for the picture. She was present that day and says: ‘I thought how nice it was to have her there. Never for one moment did I think that in 15 years she would be our second woman prime minister.’

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Jane adds: ‘The pool had been closed in 2001 prior to possible demolition and its opening was in doubt.

‘However, the city council did open the pool in 2002, but only after demolishing and filling in the children’s ‘‘shallow ends’’ along the north side of the pool. This is probably the last photograph to show these important features still in existence.’