NEWS COMMENT: Help support £2m bid to make Lido great again

There is nothing wrong trying to recreate the days of one's youth '“ not if those days were spent having outdoor fun in the sun without a mobile phone or social media posting in sight. Â

For those that can remember the halcyon days of The Hilsea Lido, to the north of Portsmouth, those are the sort of days worth recreating.

Sometimes, the glory days, the glory years, can never be reproduced. But a group of people with the facility at heart '“ the Hilsea Lido Pool for the People Trust '“ are doing their best to try and create a new and exciting era.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

To that extent, they have reached the final stages of the Coastal Communities Funding programme which brings with it a potential £2m windfall.

But to win that cash, they now need the support of the people of Portsmouth and the surrounding areas.

Sabrina Richards, from the People's Trust, said: '˜This is an exciting time for all of us. We know that Hilsea Lido is far more than just a swimming pool.

'˜If successful, the funding would be another step in reinstating Hilsea Lido as a premier venue at the heart of the community.'

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

That is the key word, '˜community.' This paper always believes Portsmouth does '˜community' well. We like to sing and shout about it when we hear stories which celebrate our communities, and we know our readers like to see those stories too. We know you will help the Trust.

'˜Everyone I know remembers what the lido was like when we were kids, and it would be great to have that atmosphere back again. As a teenager it was the ideal place to be, especially during the summer months.'

Those are the words of Martin Cox, the manager of the Blue Lagoon cafe at the lido.

If you would like to have '˜that atmosphere back', please support the Trust's bid to make the lido great again.