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A new carbon-neutral outdoor pool and luxurious gym will open in Leeds after crowdfunder to restore Otley Lido
Friends of Otley Lido have raised £53,000 to restore the former pool space into an eco-friendly pool, gym and restaurant with river terrace after being closed for 30 years.
The not-for-profit Lido will be restored with a heated pool and retractable roof, restaurant, river terrace and 'high end' gym.
Friends of Otley Lido have confirmed that they have raised £53,000, the finances necessary to start restoring the pool to its former glory.
The plans to rebuild the Otley Lido come after years of fundraising, but this was the organisers' final push to restore the lido.
After launching a crowdfunder to bring back the once popular Lido, the organisers have been inundated with donations made met their target, allowing plans to progress.
Plans for the new Otley Lido can now get underway after their crowdfunding success. / Image: Friends of Otley Lido
First site surveys will be conducted to plan out the restoration project. Once this has been completed, organisers can apply for grants to cover the rest of the costs.
The idea is that as Leeds City Council officially own the original site near Wharfemeadows Park, they will lease out the area for 125 years so that the pool can open as a not-for-profit.
The council have already agreed to the proposal and this will help to keep the pool affordable to visitors upon reopening.
The original Lido closed down in the 1990s after a pumping fault was never fixed and in the height of indoor pool popularity, the council diverted their funds accordingly.
The pool will look very different than this old postcard upon restoration. / Image: Friends of Otley Lido
The pool had been open since 1924 and will receive a full makeover for its reopening almost a century later.
Plans for the Lido are entirely sustainable too.
The carbon-neutral venue will have geothermal energy, solar panels and even the gym equipment will create power to heat up the 30-metre outdoor pool.
Organisers hope to make the restoration accessible for families, schools, elderly people, triathlon clubs and those with disabilities.
Both Sports England and Otley Town Council have offered to support with grants if their crowdfunding target was met so it is hoped that this will now swing into action, and we will get to see the new-and-improved Lido soon.
New regulations are set to be put into place as part of the Briggate Action Plan.
Proposals for the plan, aimed at making some of the city centre’s busiest areas safer for everyone, received a huge amount of support during a public consultation last year.
Since then, the council have been drawing up the necessary regulations and signage, with the new rules now due to officially come into place over the next few months.
Once implemented, the action plan will mean a requirement to walk bicycles and e-bikes within the city centre’s pedestrianised shopping area from 10.30am until 8pm every day.
That means no surprise bicycles will try and run you over as you're doing your shopping, hooray!
The action plan will also introduce prohibitions around certain street trading activities in targeted areas, including mobile street traders.
Extended restrictions will be put into place during major city centre events including Leeds Pride, Light Night Leeds and the Leeds Christmas Market.
Anyone breaking the new rules could be given a £100 Fixed Penalty Notice.
A spokesperson for Leeds City Council, said: “The city centre welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, and our aim is for every one of them to have the best and safest possible experience of Leeds.
“Through this action plan, we’ve taken important and meaningful steps to address issues which the public have consistently told us were impacting their enjoyment of the city centre whilst also creating potential safety issues for shoppers and pedestrians.
“With these new regulations in place, our hope is that both day-to-day visits and major events will now be even more enjoyable, successful and welcoming.”
The new restrictions on pedlars are expected to be in place from Thursday 1 October, with restrictions on bikes in pedestrianised areas due to be in place by the end of the year.
Everything you need to know about the Government’s new digital ID alternative for alcohol sales
Emily Sergeant
Licensed venues across England and Wales now have the choice to be able introduce digital proof of age for alcohol sales alongside physical.
Instead of having to hand over physical ID that contains personal information, such as names and home addresses, customers now have the choice to simply provide confirmation that they are 18 or over on their phone - helping to better protect privacy and personal safety in the process.
This means that, no matter whether you're buying a drink at your favourite pub, heading to a festival, or enjoying a night out at a concert, you won’t need to worry if you've left your ID at home.
According to the Government, this new change will benefit businesses greatly too, as certified digital services are able to check that an ID is genuine and belongs to the person presenting it much easier than the alternative can, which therefore helps to reduce the risk of any fake or borrowed IDs going undetected.
Well, according to the Government, it could be as simple as a customer showing a QR code for staff to scan, or tapping their phone against a compatible reader, where staff will then receive a clear confirmation on their device that the customer has passed the age check.
This change follows a 2024 Government consultation where it was reported that 72% of respondents supported the use of digital identities for age verification when buying alcohol.
Digital Government Minister Stephanie Peacock reiterated that 'it will remain an individual or business’ choice whether to use or adopt [digital ID]' and that physical ID will 'still remain a valid way' for customers to prove their age.
"This groundbreaking change in the law will mean you do not need to carry a physical ID, nor hand over sensitive personal information such as your name or address just to prove your age, allowing everyone to feel safer on a night out," she concluded.
Sophie Smith -
2nd November 2021 
