Brynaman Lido

Brynaman Lido, known locally as ‘The Baths,’ was built by local people in 1934 at the time of the Great Depression. Located next to the River Amman, the Lido complex includes the main pool, changing cubicles, ancillary rooms and a surviving original turnstile. The pool was designed to be filled by water from the river and kept open during the summer months. The site was in community ownership until 1972, when it was placed in trust to the local authority, but nevertheless continued to be run by local volunteers until its closure in 2010. While the pool and buildings remain intact, they are in a state of disrepair and are at risk of loss. 

Brynaman Lido Ltd is in the final stages of negotiating a community asset transfer of the site with Carmarthenshire County Council for a minimum 30-year lease term. The organisation evolved from a campaign group and was constituted as a community benefit society in 2019. The Society aims to restore the lido as an open-air swimming pool using low-energy, renewable management systems for sourcing and cleaning the water, which they intend to heat during the summer months to make the pool more comfortable and user-friendly for families. During cooler months, the water will remain unheated, allowing year-round activities, including training for triathlons and cold-water swimming. There will also be a focus on community health and well-being, providing meeting places, a café, an activity hub and public toilets.

An AHF Project Viability Grant is contributing towards an architect, quantity surveyor and consultant to work with the Society to produce a feasibility study and establish the sustainability of the exciting vision for the lido’s future.

brynamanlido.com

AHF Funding

Project Viability Grant - £10,000 (2022)

Image Credits

Roger Casey Associates

Artist Impression by Richard A Hughes