The Riviera was a lido with an industrial past. The land that the lido was built on had been part of the surrounds of the Tenterhouse Dyeing and Bleaching Company. When the works were demolished in the early 1930’s the land surrounding that had previously been used for tennis, badminton and bowling for the workers was abandoned.
A company was formed “Old Manor (Pastimes) Ltd” and it acquired a lease, in 1934, with the intent of turning the bowling green into a pool and the old pavilion onto a cafe. The project was called “The Riviera” and was to include a children’s pool, gardens and a nin-hole miniature gold course.
The official opening of the Norden Riviera was on April 27th 1936 and included a Carnival Dance and a high diving display (2/6d admission). The pool was opened by Sunny Lowry, a swimmer from Manchester who swum the English Channel. See the link below for more information on her and the image above.
Following WWII, the Riviera became less attractive as overseas holidays and other weekend recreational activities became popular. After a brief revival in the 1950s the place fell into disrepair and became too expensive to refurbish.
It closed in 1966 and was demolished with the site now home to housing.
Some also believed Norden Riviera to be haunted. According to the Paranormal Database, a “phantom male figure” was said to have been seen standing outside the open air pool. The BBC Domesday project states ‘A ghost was said to appear sometimes but its presence was felt mostly in the kitchen, seeming to brush your shoulders or arms. Sometimes it was seen by staff after closing time. It’s unknown if the apparition was seen again after the pool was demolished in the mid-1960s.
Announcing the closure of the Riviera, the Rochdale Observer wrote: “It has always been a popular venue, known from Manchester to Burnley, but the Rochdale summers were never hot enough to make it a money-spinner.”
| Name | Norden Riviera |
| Opened | 27th April 1936 |
| Cost | |
| Dimensions | 80ft x 40ft |
| Capacity | |
| Depth | 2′ 6″ to 9′ |
| Diving | |
| Second pool | Children’s paddling pool |
| Designer | |
| Address | Greenbooth Road, Tenterhill, Norden, Rochdale, Lancashire, OL11 5TY |
| Date closed | 1966 |
| Status | Demolished, now housing |
| Notes | |
| Links | The Norden Riviera – rochdalewhatnot Sunny Lowry – Wikipedia October 1966 the Norden Riviera… – Rochdale Local Studies Centre | Facebook |
| Last updated | 7th September 2024 |
Report of opening, Baths and Bath Engineering, May 1935
NEW OPEN AIR SWIMMING POOL AT NORDEN, ROCHDALE
This new open-air swimming pool will be opened in the early summer. The premises to be called “The Riviera” comprises not only a swimming pool, 80 ft by 40 ft., but also a children’s paddling pool, etc.
The water in the pool will be brine and will be changed by a special filtration plant every eight hours. After the water has been filtered it will pass through a special cascade aerator where it will be charged with oxygen. The pool will be heated to a temperature of 70 deg. For this purpose, an automatically controlled gas-fired boiler, capable of an output of 500,000 B.th.u. per hour, is being installed.
The foregoing information has been supplied by the British Commercial Gas Association.
