Project News Article

We've reached April and with 5th of May less than a month away the Lido complex is still very much a building site. There is a lot of work to complete but everyone is feeling confident. Unfortunately the other night some vandals caused a few headaches. The article from the Echo follows:

YOBS WRECK LIDO REVAMP

Date : 05.04.07

www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk

Sandford Park Lido's grand reopening could be delayed after vandals sprayed graffiti on the pool's walls.The Lido is undergoing a £700,000 restoration ahead of its May 4 opening.

Workmen were due to put a final coat of waterproof paint on the pool walls when the vandals struck on Tuesday night.

The words 'sneak', 'kiwi' and 'Joey' were scrawled across the length of the deep end of the pool.

Graffiti was also painted on the tiles of the overflow channel.

Chief executive Julie Sargent said the damage, which was discovered, could delay the opening and cost hundreds of pounds to repair.

She said: "We've worked so hard. They painted the deep end of the pool. What they scrawled was quite distinctive and we're guessing that they must be doing this all over Cheltenham, so we want anyone who recognises it to come forward and let the police know."

One of the messages was an apology, reading "sorry, just tile over".

Julie said: "We can't tile over as the whole pool is to be covered in a special waterproof paint. We may be able to paint over the back wall, though we aren't sure it will take now it has been damaged.

"But the tiles on the overflow channel are fire clay and have to be specially made. They will take four weeks to replace, at a cost of £400."

Refurbishment of the Lido, which was built in 1935, began in September after a four-year fundraising campaign. The Buy Us a Pint Appeal raised £250,000 and the rest was raised through lottery funds and grants.

The work will extend the pool's life by 60 years. It includes pool and pool-side reconstruction, as well as improvements to buildings.

A gala opening is planned for May 4 before the pool is open to the public the following day. Julie said the trustees would do everything possible to open on time.

She said: "This is very much a community project paid for in large part by Cheltenham residents and for their use. We're pretty sure that the people who did this will want to come and use the pool when it reopens.

"We will do everything we can to meet our deadline, though it means we now have to spend up to a thousand pounds on security staff to patrol the site whenever we are not here working on it.

"We hope that if anyone recognises this graffiti and knows who did it, they will come forward to the police and let them know."