Broomhill Pool, Grade II listed lido in Ipswich, England
Broomhill Pool is a Grade II listed lido in Ipswich, England, situated at the edge of Broomhill Park. The rectangular pool has eight lanes, a separate shallow section for children, a grandstand, and changing rooms for men and women on either side.
The lido was designed by engineer E. McLauchlan and opened on the last day of April 1938, at a cost of around 17,000 pounds. It remained open for decades, survived the war years with its heating removed, and finally closed in 2002 before receiving its Grade II listing in 2001.
The pool borders Broomhill Park directly, so the old structure and its surrounding buildings are visible from the open green space. The name of the lido comes from the park itself, which ties the whole area together in the minds of local residents.
The pool is currently closed for restoration, but the outer structure and surrounding buildings can be seen clearly from Broomhill Park next door. Walking through the park is the best way to get a good look at the site without needing to enter.
When the pool opened in 1938, it had both overhead floodlights and underwater lights, allowing evening events in a way that was very rare for outdoor pools at the time. The diving boards here are also said to be the highest surviving set of outdoor diving boards in Britain.
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