Hendy Pool had a mention in todays Western Mail

http://tiny.cc/nV6e8

Move to restore lidos
Aug 13 2008 by Darren Devine, Western Mail

THEY were the once thriving epicentres of the British holiday trade,
full to bursting with people yet to discover the joys of continental
sunshine.

In their 1930s heyday Wales had around 30 lidos, with their unique
art deco architecture gracing holiday towns across the country.

But then came the 1960s and the dawn of continental tourism and with
it the beginning of a long and agonising death for lidos left as
little more than relics of a declining domestic holiday market.

In Wales experts say there is now just one lido left open, and two
others that could be restored to their former glory, including the
Grade II-listed Ynysangharad in Pontypridd and Hendy in Llanelli.

Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council has unveiled plans for the
restoration of Ynysangharad, but the future of Hendy is far less
promising.

Cambridge University administrator Oliver Merrington runs
www.lidos.org.uk – a website which chronicles the history of every
lido and open-air swimming pool in the UK.

He said: "Some of the lidos in Wales closed in this decade, but most
in the '90s.

"Some were old and important architecturally so it was a shame.

"Economics was the reason for the closures. It was at the stage where
everyone went to Spain for their holidays and there just wasn't the
numbers of people using them.

"Also they're extremely expensive to maintain."

Stephen Lloyd-Janes, a Carmarthenshire councillor, has been involved
in a long-standing campaign to revive Hendy and is waiting to learn
how much the local authority would contribute towards the running
costs of a reopened lido.

Mr Lloyd-Janes said the local authority has so far committed £7,000 a
year towards the cost of running a reopened pool.

But this figure was set in 1998 and it is hoped the authority can be
persuaded to commit a more substantial sum to the pool.

Mr Lloyd-Janes said: "It would probably cost between £20,000 and
£30,000 to run annually because we'd have to employ lifeguards."

A survey by a team of consultants employed by the authority suggested
it would not be economically viable to repair the pool after one of
its walls collapsed and it was closed in 2002.

The council has put the estimated repair bill at around £400,000, but
Mr Lloyd-Janes says a local builder believes he could reconstruct the
wall for around £100,000.

Mr Lloyd-Janes, of the Hendy Pool and Park Committee, believes his
group can secure grants from organisations such as the Heritage
Lottery Fund or the Sports Council of Wales to meet the
reconstruction costs.

But he said the grant money will only be forthcoming if they can
demonstrate a substantial revenue stream from the local authority in
excess of the £7,000 so far promised.

The pool is set in park grounds with disused tennis courts and the
council has offered to lease all the facilities to Mr Lloyd-Janes'
group for £1.

Carmarthenshire is due to discuss Hendy's future in September.

Rhondda Cynon Taf's plans for Ynysangharad form part of a wider
regeneration strategy for Pontypridd, that includes the £10m Pennant
House shopping development.

The authority also hopes to secure help from the Heritage Lottery
Fund to revive Ynysangharad, which closed in 1991.

Rhondda's regeneration spokesman Paul Cannon said: "Plans have been
drawn up to depict how Ynysangharad War Memorial Park, the proverbial
jewel in Pontypridd's crown, can be restored to its original beauty.

"This also includes ambitious plans for the redevelopment of the
Grade II-listed lido, which has long-since been closed to the public."

Swansea has Blackpill Lido situated between Mumbles and the city
itself, but this is essentially a children's paddling pool rather
than an outdoor swimming pool.

Brynaman, in Carmarthenshire, is thought to be the last remaining
lido in Wales. This still has many of its original features,
including iron turnstiles and wooden changing huts.

The lost lidos of Wales:

Blaenau Gwent: Abertillery open air pool; Ebbw Vale Lido; Tredegar
swimming pool.

Caerphilly: Blackwood pool; Treowen Park.

Cardiff: Bathing Pavilion, Splott Park; Open air pool, Western
Avenue; Llandaff Fields pool.

Carmarthen: Hendy open air pool.

Conwy: Rhos-on-Sea open air pool, Colwyn Bay; West Shore bathing
pool, Llandudno

Denbighshire: Prestatyn Lido, the seafront; Rhyl swimming pool, the
promenade.

Glamorgan: The Knap swimming pool, Knap Way, Barry.

Gwynedd: Bryn-mawr open air pool.

Merthyr Tydfil: Edwardsville swimming baths, Treharris; Merthyr
Tydfil open air pool.

Monmouthshire: Bailey Park pool, Abergavenny.

Newport: Caerleon pool; Underwood Leisure Centre, Llanmartin.

Powys: Ystalyfera open air pool.

Rhondda: Aberdare open air pool; Cymmer open air pool; Ferndale pool,
Rhondda; Porth open air pool, Bronwydd Park; Treherbert swimming
pool, Rhondda; Ynysangharad Park, Pontypridd.

Swansea: Blackpill Lido; Clydach open air pool, nr Swansea.

List compiled from Janet Smith's book Liquid Assets, published by
English Heritage (2005) www.playedinbritain.co.uk