The first record of a pool on this site was in 1854 when the Southampton Public Baths and Wash House Company promised an establishment to rival any in the country. Their investment was £5,000 but this only provided for a ladies indoor pool and men’s outdoor pool. The pools took their water from the adjacent River Test when the waters were free of pollution.
The local council purchased the site in 1890 and rebuilt the facilities.
Another major upgrade happened in 1930 that saw the bottom of the pool, at that time made of pebbles flattened and tiled. Despite the significant works, the shape of the outdoor pool remained as it was when it was the original men’s pool from 1854.
At the same time as the last pool upgrade, a large land reclamation project was in progress. This was to see 400 acres of mudflats turned into quayside development for shipping. This meant that the pool went from being alongside the river to being quite a way inland.
A filtration house was also built at this time to deal with the oil and pollution from increased shipping activities.
The pool was only closed for a couple of years during WWII (1940 – 1942) where it became polluted from smoke and grit from the nearby electricity generating station.
The pool was always popular, and the heatwave of 1976 saw attendances of 3,000 on one day.
The maintenance burden increased, and the pool was patched up every year without any major investment. Eventually, in August 1976, when the waters had become increasingly murky, it was discovered that the boiler and filtration plant had collapsed. The pool was forced to close at the end of the 1977 season.
The pool was allowed to decay whilst alternative uses such as a skate park or angling were discussed but all came to nothing, and the demolition happened in 1981. The extensive stone balustrades were saved but there is no record of what became of them.
| Name | Southampton Lido Western Esplanade, Southampton, Hampshire, SO15 1BA, England |
| Built / opened | 1854, re-built 1890 then re-built 1930 |
| Cost | |
| Dimensions | 220′ x 130′ (Approx. scaled from map) |
| Capacity | |
| Water type | Filtered and chlorinated river water |
| Depth(s) | 16′ diving pit |
| Diving | Fixed diving platforms with multiple boards to 5m and 1m springboards |
| Changing facilities | |
| Second pool | Sectioned off area to the South West corner for children |
| Spectator seating | |
| Designer | W B Bennett and S G Stanton |
| Date closed | 1977 |
| Status | Demolished 1982 |
| On site now | Car park |
| Last updated | 29th June 2025 |
