Historic Portishead open air pool reopens after £1.7m revamp

The historic open-air pool in Portishead, Bristol, has reopened after a major £1.7m refurbishment.

The redevelopment, funded in part by the government’s Community Ownership Fund, included replacing the ageing boiler system and upgrading the changing rooms.

First opened in 1962, the open air, 33m-pool was threatened with closure in 2008, when North Somerset Council produced a report in 2008 that determined that the pool was a financial liability and that it should be closed.

A group of six local people then formed a company limited by guarantee – which then became Portishead Pool Community Trust – in order to save and run the pool. The Trust managed to convince the Council that it had a feasible business plan to run the pool, and in early 2009 a 99-year lease was agreed with the Council, securingthe pool’s long-term future.

The pool was shut last year to enable the works, which also included making it more environmentally sustainable – such as the installation of solar panels to cut energy costs.

“Our pool refurbishment is complete and we are open for the heated season,” a spokesperson for the trust said.

“The Café has re-opened following refurbishment and is now open Monday to Sunday.”