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A charity with the goal of breathing new life into the Lido after being "left on the back burner" by government is in the works – with a local swimming legend due to play a key role.
St Helier Deputy David Warr, the Chair of the newly formed Lido Steering Group, said that work was underway to register a 'Love our Lido' limited company, which will then apply for charitable status and seek to take over management of the bathing pool.
He revealed the plans in an inaugural Lido Steering Group newsletter published this week, in which he explained the charity would fundraise and attempt to garner sponsorship in addition to government support to ensure sustainability of the pool complex.
The newsletter also named three islanders who have put themselves forward to act as governors for the charity, including well-known Jersey swimmer Sally Minty-Gravett.
Management of the area recently became a point of contention at a political level, when concerns were raised about its condition after it emerged that Jersey’s States had served notice on the company holding the tenancy for the linked restaurant and event space The Lido to quit the site, which has hosted a bathing pool since the Victorian era.
Pictured: The newsletter named three islanders who have stepped forward as governors for the charity.
Deputy Warr recently travelled to Guernsey to meet another David Warr, the founder of a community led charity that successfully renovated a similar site.
Outlining the plans, he added: "All revenue generated by commercial activities on the site will be ring-fenced and re-invested in the infrastructure of the pool complex.
"We will fundraise and seek sponsorship, as we commericalise the site further."
Speaking to Express, Deputy Warr highlighted that government investment in the site had been "up and down" over the years and that this was unlikely to change amid the development of major projects such as the new hospital.
St Helier South Deputy David Warr said that government investment in the site had been "up and down" over the years.
Deputy Warr continued: "Things like bathing pools get put on the back burner.
"They [the government] don't have a bottomless pit of money and we recognise that."
He explained that the proposal had been sent to Infrastructure Minister Andy Jehan but that the group was yet to receive a response.
"What we want the Minister to do is put the idea forward to the Assembly."
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