Bath's Cleveland Pools remains closed as trust plans repairs and early 2028 work
Bath's Cleveland Pools is still closed three years after flood damage, with the trust consulting residents before fundraising and repair work expected in 2028.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Bath's Cleveland Pools remains closed three years after flood damage forced it to shut just months after a multimillion-pound restoration.
The outdoor pool, described as the nation's oldest lido, reopened in 2023 after decades lying derelict and a 15-month renovation that cost £9.3 million. The reopening was short-lived. In January 2024, Storm Henk caused the River Avon to break its banks and flood the site. The complex has been shut ever since.
Last month, the lease for the site was officially handed back to the Cleveland Pools Trust, which has been working out what went wrong. The trust says two problems caused the damage. Floodwater entered the door of the plant room. Then, as the pool was emptied of floodwater, the groundwater level was not properly managed. That led to further damage, with the whole structure lifted and pipework underneath broken. The trust says the damage could prove worse once workers dig down.
Attention is now turning to consultation, fundraising and repairs. A consultation process began with an open day last weekend and will run to the end of the year. The trust says it wants to reach as many different communities as possible who could use the pools in future. Fundraising is expected in the second half of next year, with work to the pool planned for early 2028.
Those involved acknowledge frustration. One person said everybody connected to the site, including local residents, was frustrated by the situation. The trust has also said the work is definitely going to happen. For now, the water is stagnant, and after the hottest summer on record, locals are asking when they will get their pool back.
Key points:
- The pool reopened in 2023 after a 15-month, £9.3 million restoration.
- In January 2024, Storm Henk caused the River Avon to break its banks and flood the site.
- Last month, the lease was handed back to the Cleveland Pools Trust.
- Consultation began with an open day last weekend and will run to the end of the year.
- Fundraising is expected in the second half of next year, with repair work planned for early 2028.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One |
|---|---|
| Cleveland Pools reopened in 2023 after a 15-month renovation and closed four months later when Storm Henk flooded the site in January 2024. | |
| The Cleveland Pools Trust said floodwater entered the plant room and groundwater was not properly managed while the pool was emptied, lifting the structure and breaking pipework underneath. | |
| The lease was officially handed back to the Cleveland Pools Trust last month, and the trust began investigating what went wrong. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The regional bulletin focused on local frustration and the long wait for the pool to return, while setting out the sequence from the 2023 reopening to the Storm Henk flood and the latest repair timetable. Its tone was sympathetic but practical, giving detailed explanations of the damage and the trust's consultation and fundraising plans.
- “It's obviously frustrating, and I know that everybody who has been involved, and even just local residents who haven't been involved, everybody is frustrated by the situation.”
- “Last month, the lease for the site was officially handed back to the Cleveland Pools Trust, and they began to work out what went wrong.”
- “Definitely going to happen. It's definitely going to happen.”
Broadcast Timeline
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