Victorian seaside town home to MASSIVE abandoned lido is being brought back to life in £6.8million makeover
A PICTURESQUE seaside town plans to give its promenade and abandoned lido a £6.8 million revamp.
Victorian town Grange-over-sands has managed to keep much of its charm and elegance, despite many coastal resorts in the UK falling in to disrepair.
The popular resort, located near the Lake District in Cumbria, is packed with quaint cafes and a bustling promenade.
Grange-over-sands doesn’t technically have a beach, as it is a salt marsh, but in times gone by this was not an issue as holidaymakers headed to the town’s lido to soak up the sun.
However, despite the holiday resort having its own micro-climate its popular lido was closed back in 1993, and fell into disrepair.
Since its closure, the Grade II listed building has become filled with stagnant water, with weeds growing uncontrollably around the poolside.
A local charity group called Save Grange Lido has now been formed, with locals desperate to get the attraction back up and running.
“Grange Baths became a focal point for the community with bathers coming from far and wide by train on the Furness Line – a part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway,” the group said.
“The pool hosted many events over the years including beauty contests, competitive galas and synchronised swimming.
“It was the place to be seen on a summer‘s day.”
Back in 2023, work began on restoring the lido to its former glory, as well as giving the 2.4 mile long promenade a facelift.
Almost £5 million has been allocated to transforming the pool, which will be given a temporary infill so that it can be used as a ‘multi-use’ public space.
However, the lido’s return is currently dependent on the council being satisfied by the business case, amongst other criteria.
The rest of the money is being used to transform the promenade.
“Work on the 1,900m-long promenade will include the removal of unstable sections of the sea defence wall; the application of a durable coating to the upper surface of the promenade; and, a combination of pre-cast and in situ concrete repairs to the upper edge ‘bull nose’ and sea-facing elevation of the sea wall,” Westmorland and Furness Council said.
“The work also includes connectivity works to link the promenade to the town; public realm furniture; signage; improvements to railings; and a new child’s playground area.”
In February 2023, the council said that the refurbishment would take 14 months to complete, however it has been hit by a number of delays, including problems with concrete.
Last month, the council announced that it is “unlikely” the project will be finished this summer, and revealed that a new opening date will be announced this week.
“While it is frustrating that the construction phase must be extended due to further assessment of the repairs required to complete the project, it highlights the complexity of working with historic assets of this nature,” Councillor Jonathon Brook said.
“It is important that we get this right, understanding that the lido project seeks to restore this important structure after more than 30 years of closure and several previous attempts to bring it back to life.”
But for those desperate to visit the idyllic town before the lido is completely, there are plenty of other attractions nearby, such as a visit to Holker Hall and Garden – an award-winning stately home with beautiful gardens, woodland walks and a deer park.
Cartmel Village is known for its famous sticky toffee pudding and it’s also a short drive away from Grange-over-Sands.
Other neighbouring attractions include The Lakeland Motor Museum, Yewbarrow House Garden and Sizergh Castle and Garden.