The Broomhill Pool Trust, Ipswich

11/06/2026

The Independent: Ipswich is the underappreciated town ideal for a cultural summer staycation.

Lured by a beautiful waterfront, subversive music venues and quirky independent shops, Claire Boobbyer discovered a Suffolk town waiting to be rediscovered...with a mention of Broomhill Pool.

Full article at:
https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/uk/ipswich-east-anglia-city-break-guide-b2986064.html

07/06/2026

SUNDAY EXPRESS "DIVE IN... TO THE LIDO REVOLUTION".
After a long period of decline and neg­lect, Bri­tain’s glor­i­ous out­door pools are being restored to their former glory by ded­ic­ated com­munit­ies. By KAT HOPPS. Full article at https://www.pressreader.com/uk/sunday-express-1070/20260607/282059103680646

Their sump­tu­ous designs made them pop­u­lar both with the wealthy and less well-off, and they sur­faced in sea­side towns from Black­pool to Scar­bor­ough, becom­ing tour­ist attrac­tions for thou­sands of vis­it­ors.

LIDOS also shif­ted the dial in other ways – mixedgender swim­ming became com­mon for the first time, while the concept of leis­ure time became a real­ity as the intro­duc­tion of paid leave in 1938 improved life for mil­lions.

01/06/2026

Always a perfect time at Broomhill Pool!

Who remembers the brilliant sundial and murals painted by the super talented Broomhill Pool Lifeguard, Stu Fitzpatrick?

Stu writes: "Here's a photo of me painting my design of a sundail flowers in pot in the pool's courtyard area just through the main reception. I produced this when I was working there in 1993. The idea was that the sundial user stood on the pot and the sun would cast their shadow up the stem of the flower which displayed the current time. I created this to reduce the amount times I was asked the time by children".

31/05/2026

SUNDAY EXPRESS: DROWNING tra­gedies dur­ing last week’s heat­wave are proof that more needs to be done to tackle the UK’S swim­ming crisis, a pro­fessor warns. One in four chil­dren leave primary school unable to swim 25 metres unaided.

Full story at: https://www.pressreader.com/uk/sunday-express-1070/20260531/281642491838460

Pro­fessor Carl Heneghan, dir­ector of Oxford Uni­versity’s Centre of Evid­ence Based Medi­cine, is lob­by­ing for new rules to ensure every child demon­strates basic water safety skills before leav­ing primary school.

His research shows the recent deaths were not isol­ated incid­ents but part of a national swim­ming crisis. The ana­lysis revealed more than one in four chil­dren leave primary school unable to swim 25 metres unaided, des­pite swim­ming being a com­puls­ory part of the national cur­riculum. This means hun­dreds of thou­sands of young­sters are leav­ing school without a basic lifesav­ing skill.

And the num­bers are far higher – 35% – among low-income fam­il­ies. He also found about 14 mil­lion adults can­not swim a 25-metre length.

20/05/2026

Ipswich Star: Broomhill Lido safety fears /Broomhill pool Trust: We don't want to see restoration plans unravel)

https://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/26121213.broomhill-lido-urban-explorers-warned-recent-videos/

14/05/2026

Sharing Brett Ford's Ipswich Remembered Post. AI generated visions of a restored Broomhill Pool. Brett writes: "Broomhill Swimming Pool in Ipswich closed in the autumn of 2002. The Grade II-listed lido had been operating for over 60 years after opening in 1938. For years it has sat empty & unused many people would love it back many others are against the idea. Here is what it could look like if it did open again"

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1204004474513583/posts/1302136364700393/?__cft__[0]=AZaGt6JwpjjpGcDUlNv-oTnfu5dIHdz0ABMEmNmflO6Tc8TO0XB8ykccaDnvYgmlbyR1I7AkdApMvJTmi06Gs-JMYSv2tDnhTagpdYRfVe3ZW7XzQTO1vdiOI-VYC9xKt5v5wgijqdrZzLwVVG-j-djD&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R

24/04/2026

Suffolk Sound: Straight Talk.
Broomhill Pool Trust Chairman, Mark Ling, joins Paul Geater.
Against the backdrop of Fusion Lifestyle entering administration,
the interview provides the present status and overview, plus future outlook for the Broomhill Pool restoration project.

Please click on Listen Again link below for today (Friday).
Interview is on Straight Talk and runs from 00:22 to 00:32 mins.https://listenagain.suffolksound.com/

23/04/2026

Ipswich Star Reports: Administration for Broomhill Lido operator Fusion Lifestyle
https://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/26045763.administration-broomhill-lido-operator-fusion-lifestyle/?

Broomhill Pool Trust advises "Very sad news for Fusion, their people, and facilities.

"In working with them since 2011, the Trust believes they were sincere in their plans for Broomhill. When appointed they were an outstanding operator. No doubt that Covid hit their particular operating and financial model for six.

"Government CBILS loans kept their heads above water, but ultimately the damage was done.

"Ipswich Borough Council was contracted with them for Broomhill since 2015. Fusion was leaseholder of the pool since 2019.

"Both parties legally bound, and had worked hard, to find solutions and way forward post Covid.

"Had covid not hit, the lido would have been restored in 2020 and opened in 2021.

"Post Covid, IBC and NL Heritage Fund both increased their capital funding in late 2023, guaranteeing 98% of the £10.25m costs.

"However, Fusion's financial predicament had created an impasse and “catch 22” position whereby it could not provide the financial certainty to contract the works and operate the lido.

"The Broomhill Pool Trust and Historic England is now supporting IBC with possible Development Funding Grants towards a fresh bid. We are working closely in partnership with IBC to kick-start and deliver the project. The lease is back safely with IBC. The way will mean a new operator or possibly design. So, a fresh start with potentially interested operators. Broomhill Pool retains crossparty political support and strong public backing.

"One of 20 listed lidos in Britain, Broomhill Pool is one of the very finest. Yet the ONLY one in Britain not restored or reopened. Its rebirth could be a centrepiece for City of Culture 2029. The strong reasons to save Broomhill Pool and the benefits for taxpayers, and citizens remain. The Trust remains committed to the task and we believe IBC is too.

Fusion Lifestyle, who was previously chosen as the operator for the restoration of the Broomhill Lido, has entered administration after financial…

16/04/2026

Gusford Primary School post:

https://www.facebook.com/gusfordprimaryschool/posts/pfbid02GerE1wGJd2KD9598vRvtMMvM6Nx89QGY8nm7KCQYHMPDbERrEwX4shtsHTBL4DyNl?locale=en_GB

26/03/2026

Ipswich Star reports: Broomhill Lido restoration could be centrepiece of Ipswich.

Mark Ling, the chairman of the trust to restore the Broomhill Lido in north Ipswich said that 'it could be the centrepiece' of the 2029 City of…