Teignmouth lido sell-off triggers ‘people power’ project

Putting Teignmouth’s much-loved open-air swimming pool up for sale could act as the ‘starting gun’ for the local community to take it over.

Members of Teignbridge Council’s executive committee have declared the lido off Eastcliff Walk surplus to requirements and won’t open it up this summer, saying they’ll save £74,000 in the process.
And by taking the decision, they have triggered a process which allows local people to pitch to run it themselves as an asset of community value. They now have six months to come up with their proposals.
“This is the starting gun for them,” said Cllr Gary Taylor (Lib Dem, Kenton and Starcross).
The committee voted unanimously to dispose of the pool on the open market, without setting any restrictions on its future use. But it won’t open for the summer of 2026.
The lido has been flagged up as part of the council’s ‘Modern 25’ money-saving strategy.
More than 9,000 people used it in 2025, but the council says numbers would need to double to meet the £74,000 shortfall. Pool campaigners say it would attract more people and make more money if it was open for longer hours.
Cllr David Cox (Lib Dem, Teignmouth Central) said transferring the lido to Teignmouth Town Council would save it for the town. And he warned that a larger unitary council which would take over Teignbridge under the forthcoming local government shake-up would have no interest in running it and would sell it to a developer ‘in a heartbeat’.
And Cllr Stephen Horner (Reform UK, Teignmouth West) warned: “Once it’s gone, it’s gone forever.
“Across the country community-run lidos are thriving. When councils step back, communities can step up. Teignmouth is ready to step up. All we ask is the chance to prove it.”
The Lib Dem and Reform councillors have pledged to work with Independent Andrew MacGregor (Bishopsteignton) to formulate a united plan for the community.
“We have an asset of community value that is much loved in Teignmouth but not much loved by this council,” said Cllr MacGregor. “This is an asset the town cannot afford to lose.”
Teignmouth East Lib Dem councillor Peter Williams said the number of people using the pool had declined over the years. People had ‘lost the appetite’ for it, he said, and preferred open water swimming.
“The cost of opening the doors is more than we are getting over the counter,” he said. “But what is exciting is that the people of Teignmouth have voiced their opinion, and perhaps they can find the appetite to bring the people of the area back to using the pool.
“I see no reason why the people of this area cannot take this on.”
Local people campaigning to save the pool sat in the public gallery to hear the council’s decision.
Former lifeguard and regular pool user Catherine Brown said: “There are so many people out there who want to help and would be willing to look at different ways of running it.
“We’ve had a very traditionally-run pool with very traditional programming, and I think there are so many other things we could do to make different offerings.”
And Daniel O’Connell of the Save The Lido group said users still hoped to come to some arrangement with the council to open the pool this summer.
“The community is here and ready to help,” he said. “We could take over the asset, work with the town council, and do whatever is best to maintain the lido.”
The executive will meet to consider all bids and options for the pool in September.