Often mistakenly referred to as the “Saltburn Lido,” the historic pool is properly known as Saltdean Lido. Today it is regarded as one of the finest surviving examples of Art Deco leisure architecture in the United Kingdom.
The lido was built between 1937 and 1938 as the centrepiece of an ambitious seaside resort development created by entrepreneur Charles Neville. Neville envisioned Saltdean as a fashionable modern destination, combining the healthy outdoor lifestyle promoted during the interwar years with striking contemporary architecture.
He commissioned architect Richard W. H. Jones to design the pool complex in the streamlined modernist style then sweeping Europe. The result was a bold white structure of sweeping curves and terraces, often compared to a luxury ocean liner.
When it opened in 1938, Saltdean Lido represented the height of modern leisure. Visitors could swim, sunbathe, enjoy refreshments on the terrace and experience a glamorous seaside atmosphere that reflected Britain’s growing enthusiasm for outdoor recreation. During the 1930s, lidos were considered symbols of civic pride and modernity, and Saltdean quickly became one of the country’s most admired examples.
The Second World War interrupted this golden age. In 1941 the complex was requisitioned by the National Fire Service, with the pool serving as an emergency water reservoir and the surrounding grounds used for training purposes.
After the war, the site struggled to regain its former prominence and periods of neglect followed. Several redevelopment schemes were proposed during the 1950s, including plans associated with holiday-camp entrepreneur Billy Butlin, but these failed to materialise.
The lido experienced several revivals during the second half of the twentieth century. Brighton Borough Council undertook restoration work, leading to a reopening in the 1960s. Further investment in the 1990s helped secure the pool’s future, yet maintenance of the ageing coastal structure remained a constant challenge.
Its greatest threat came in 2010, when proposals emerged to close the lido permanently and redevelop the site for housing. Local residents responded by forming the Save Saltdean Lido Campaign. Their efforts attracted national attention and successfully prevented the demolition of the complex. In 2011 the building’s listed status was upgraded to Grade II*, recognising its exceptional architectural and historic importance.
The campaign evolved into the Saltdean Lido Community Interest Company, which secured a long-term lease and embarked on an ambitious restoration programme. The outdoor pool reopened in 2017 after extensive refurbishment, while a wider £7.5 million restoration project restored the historic building itself. The renewed complex now includes a café, library, ballroom, community spaces, fitness facilities and heritage displays celebrating the site’s history.
By 2024 the restoration had largely been completed, and in 2026 the project received recognition through regional awards from the Royal Institute of British Architects. The heated outdoor pool continues to operate year-round, serving both serious swimmers and casual visitors. More importantly, the lido has regained its original role as the social heart of Saltdean.
Nearly ninety years after its opening, Saltdean Lido remains a remarkable survivor of Britain’s lido movement—a rare example of a historic leisure building not merely preserved as a monument, but successfully adapted for modern community life.
Leave a Reply