'Excitement' as new adventure starts at Hilsea Lido with new operator Sea Lanes Brighton announced

As Hilsea Lido turns 90, the £7.6m regeneration project has reached a further milestone as Portsmouth City Council officially announces its new operator - Sea Lanes Brighton.

This comes following a campaign, which was launched last year, in a bid to find an experienced operator to take charge of the lido.

Sea Lanes Brighton is a group formed of local businesses and open-water swimming enthusiasts, who will partner with South Downs Leisure to steward the regeneration of Hilsea Lido.

Together, their shared vision is to create a financially and environmentally sustainable, inclusive, and accessible leisure destination for all to enjoy.

Harry Smith, director at Sea Lanes, said: “We are so excited to start this adventure at the lido - we are going to be working on two phases.

“We will be building on what we already have so we will introduce a sauna to compliment the cold water swimming and there will also be food and beverages as well, so it really can be a destination.

“We see it as more than a more than a pool, it’s a unique place with history and heart. A hub for the local community.

“A centre for both mental and physical wellbeing. Our vision is to create a vibrant community hub, a welcome space where people of all ages can recharge, move and connect.”

Work started at the lido last year, with Portsmouth City Council working alongside Mace and Beard to restore the outdoor pool, which will feature new changing rooms, benches, tables, fountain and a fully functioning pool.

Sea Lanes has also confirmed that it will operate the splash pool next to the lido, unifying both sides of the historic site for the first time in many years.

Duncan Anderson, CEO of South Downs Leisure, said: “ I am incredibly excited. I live in Cosham so I know firsthand that this is something a lot of the community has been waiting to see and I think a lot of people go past and they want to know what is happening, but it is going to be absolutely fantastic when it opens.

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“It is such a vital facility for the community - it is a much needed service for everyone and a number of clubs have already said they are excited to start using it.

“The whole area is going through major regeneration and it is going to be fabulous - It is something that the north of the city deserves and needs.”

The Portsmouth City Council has been providing fortnightly updates, documenting the progress of the project, with the latest update outlining that a protective tent has gone up for the final stages of rendering.

The extensive project, which is due to be completed in the autumn, has involved 80 tonnes of steel reinforcement and 30 lorry-loads of concrete to strengthen the pool.

Councillor Steve Pitt, leader of Portsmouth City Council, said: "We are all absolutely delighted to finally reveal our partnership with the team behind Sea Lanes Brighton. This is a major milestone for Hilsea Lido, and it will help to transform the north of the city.

"As a council, we are committed to investing in sport across the city because of the clear physical and mental benefits that physical activity brings.

“We are looking forward to seeing the lido develop further under the care of a very experienced team."

Harry said that there are also plans in the pipeline to create a programme of events at the lido once it is up and running. There will be a survey on the new Hilsea Lido website where people can tell the new operators what they want to see at the outdoor pool, as well as register interest for memberships.

An opening date will be announced once agreed with the Sea Lanes team.

For more information about the new operator, the lido and the survey, click here.