New 35-year lease for Cheltenham’s treasured Lido

Cheltenham’s lido has a new 35-year lease which has been agreed between Cheltenham Borough Council and the Sandford Parks Lido Trust, who are in charge of the facility.

The Council recognise the significant efforts that the Lido Trust have made to ensure the venue is one of the jewels in Cheltenham’s Crown. The long lease enables the Lido to continue to plan for the future and make it easier to secure external funding.

Image features - (Left to right) Cllr Victoria Atherstone member culture, wellbeing and business, Julie Sargent CEO Sandford Parks Lido Trust, Cllr Rowena Hay, leader of Cheltenham Borough Council.

Cabinet member for culture, wellbeing and business Councillor Victoria Atherstone said: ‘’The Lido is a wonderful recreational asset in our town, enjoyed by so many, of all ages, all year round. We’re delighted the new 35 year lease has been agreed, this places the Trust in a strong position to plan for the future.

‘’Its members and visitors love the physical activity of outdoor swimming and the added benefits of social interaction with its welcoming community spirit. The council values the heritage of our town and know that Cheltenham people do too, which is why we work hard with partners like the Trust to preserve our local heritage assets like the Lido. We recognise the superb work of the Sandford Parks Lido Trust, and thank the Trustees, CEO and team for their efforts to ensure the Lido bounces back from the impact of the pandemic.’’

Julie Sargent, Sandford Parks Lido chief executive officer (CEO) said: “We are delighted that Cheltenham Borough Council have provided us with a lease agreement which will help protect the lido and most importantly allow us to attract some much needed funding so we can continue to improve the lido for our community and visitors to Gloucestershire. Whilst we can’t fully celebrate at the moment, it's important that we share this amazing news with our community and thank everyone for their continued support as we know many of our customers have been extremely worried that their lido could be lost. I'd also like to thank Cheltenham Borough Council for providing a lease which will enable the lido to continue to thrive once we’re all through the current pandemic."

The Lido opened for its first season under the new lease since the 1st May. Season tickets are selling fast as people start to plan their staycation and look forward to enjoying the pleasure and healthy pursuit of outdoor swimming. If you would like to find out more please visit their website www.sandfordparkslido.org.uk

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