A POPULAR outdoor pool has re-opened for the summer and avid swimmers are encouraged to enjoy a fun day splashing about.

Brightlingsea Lido re-opened on Saturday, May 27, and staff have been hard at work to make sure it is ready for visitors.

The pool, in Promenade Way, opened in 1932 and is the only remaining public lido in Essex.

A member of the Brightlingsea Lido management team said: “It’s been a really lovely start, we’ve had a mixed bag with the weather but plenty of people have come down and are enjoying themselves.

“We’ve been incredibly busy trying to get everything open and ready to go.

“Every year we look to improve the lido, it’s a very busy period but we’re really please to be open on time.”

Brightlingsea Lido has undergone a few tough periods but the town’s love for the attraction has seen it saved several times.

In December 2013, the Lido was left underwater following storms that saw the open air swimming pool cordoned off.

It was saved from closure in 2018 after Brightlingsea Town Council agreed to take on the lease from Tendring Council.

In that summer, a volunteer group was formed to take over the facility which relaunched with record attendance numbers thanks to a scorching hot summer.

Two projects launched between 2018 and 2019 helped safeguard the long-term future of Brightlingsea Lido.

The ‘Heart of The Lido’ saw old pipework replaced, two large filters refurbished and the introduction of state-of-the-art automatic water cleaning systems to cut down on chemicals.

The Café Lido Community Café was also extended, doubling the size of the kitchen and adding indoor seating and decking areas.

The works were part-funded by grants from the Government’s Coastal Revival fund, which provided £46,250 for the Heart of the Lido and Essex County Council’s Community Initiative Fund, which saw £16,000 donated for Café Lido.

The management team member added: “We’ve got beautiful blue waters right next to the seafront, there’s plenty of parking nearby and a guaranteed warm welcome from our staff.”

Volunteers are set for a tabletop sale on Saturday, June 3, outside St James Church between 10am and 12.30pm.