{"id":127780,"date":"2025-05-24T10:42:19","date_gmt":"2025-05-24T10:42:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/127780\/"},"modified":"2025-05-24T10:42:19","modified_gmt":"2025-05-24T10:42:19","slug":"the-lost-outdoor-pools-and-water-parks-we-used-to-have-on-our-doorsteps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/127780\/","title":{"rendered":"The lost outdoor pools and water parks we used to have on our doorsteps"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whenever the temperatures soared, we used to head to these brilliant spots in Greater Manchester to cool off\"WaterWater slide at Bolton Water Place in 1996(Image: Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n

Few things trump the childhood excitement of tropical wave pools and water slides that send streams of chlorinated water gushing up your nose. For years, water parks and swimming pools have been places where kids love to spend their free time.<\/p>\n

Yet, over the years, some of our favourite water attractions in and around Greater Manchester have closed and been repurposed or demolished entirely. However, it was only a couple of generations ago<\/a> when we were spoilt for choice when it came to having such places on our doorstep.<\/p>\n

But it wasn’t just water parks with slides and wave machines. More traditional pools and even natural swimming spots are just as fondly remembered.<\/p>\n

Here are seven water attractions and pools Mancunians flocked to when the temperatures soared that are sadly no longer around.<\/p>\n

The Water Place\"TheThe Water Place in 1996(Image: Pete Greenfield)<\/p>\n

For years, families flocked to the state-of-the-art fun centre on Great Moor Street in the middle of Bolton<\/a> town centre. In 1988, Her Majesty the Queen opened Bolton’s Water Place to huge fanfare at a cost of \u00a35.8m.<\/p>\n

The Water Place featured two massive 100-meter water flumes that went right to the top of the building. From there, screaming kids would hurtle down, ending with a giant splash to the sounds of disco music pumping around the building. It also had rubber dinghy rapids, a wave machine, and palm trees imported from Florida.<\/p>\n

\"BoltonBolton Water Place, 1996(Image: Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n

And it wasn’t just rides that drew people to the Water Place<\/a>. Built over two floors, it also featured a spa pool, health pool, and children’s pool, a cafeteria, gym, meeting rooms, and office space.<\/p>\n

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Sadly, the leisure complex closed in 2002 with debts of \u00a3750,000. Leaking cash and with fewer people using the fun centre, it emerged that the building needed \u00a34.5 million worth of repairs and was sold for around \u00a32m. Three years later, it was demolished and became a car park for Morrisons.<\/p>\n

Gorton Tub\"GortonGorton Tub was a tropical paradise (Image: MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS)<\/p>\n

Approaching the unassuming council building with housed Gorton Tub<\/a>, you would never have guessed the exotic oasis that lay inside. But once inside, a tropical indoor playground was revealed that became renowned across Manchester.<\/p>\n

Gorton<\/a> Tub made memories that lasted a lifetime and was the place every child wanted to go. Despite its name making it sound like a Victorian bathhouse, it was far from just any ordinary suburban swimming pool – it was Manchester’s own inner-city water park.<\/p>\n

Just like The Water Place in Bolton, Gorton Tub opened to great fanfare in 1988. Crowds of kids spent many fun-filled hours splashing about in its chlorinated water before heading for a Slush Puppy and a chocolate bar, or if you were lucky, a burger and chips.<\/p>\n

\"GortonGorton Tub was housed in an unassuming council building<\/p>\n

The tropically themed pool housed several water flume slides, including a huge central one with steps going to the top that almost reached the ceiling. There were also river rapids, a whirlpool, a beach area and a paddling pool.<\/p>\n

The tub later underwent a rebrand, changing its name to Neptune’s Kingdom after the Roman god of the sea. Above the main entrance of the building was a cartoon depicting Neptune surrounded by exotic fish.<\/p>\n

Love Greater Manchester’s past? Sign up to our new nostalgia newsletter and never miss a thing.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Sadly, the lost indoor water attraction closed in 2001, with reports of rising costs and falling numbers. An audit of leisure facilities is said to have been carried out in the run up to the city hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2002 and the pool was ultimately deemed too expensive to run.<\/p>\n

The former tub is now home to the City of Manchester Institute of Gymnastics.<\/p>\n

Galleon Pool\"HolidaymakersHolidaymakers enjoying the hot weather at the Galleon Pool, Didsbury, Greater Manchester. June 1960(Image: Mirrorpix)<\/p>\n

This lost Manchester outdoor pool<\/a> was loved by holidaymakers and footballers. Believed to be founded in the 1930s, the Galleon was located in East Didsbury<\/a> and has previously been referred to as “Manchester’s first outdoor swimming pool.”<\/p>\n

The open air pool was closed in the 1980s and demolished. The Galleon Hotel and Leisure Club in Didsbury now stands on the site.<\/p>\n

Norden Riviera\"TheThe open-air pool and leisure complex, which was known as the Norden Riviera<\/p>\n

This lost lido offered Mancunians a chance to enjoy a seaside experience without having to travel to the coast or abroad. Norden Riviera<\/a> opened in 1935 during the golden age of open-air swimming in Britain.<\/p>\n

Located just off Edenfield Road in Norden, Rochdale<\/a>, the Riviera was ‘Rochdale by the sea’ for many who could not afford a longer journey or preferred something nearer to home. The open-air pool itself was heated and equipped with diving boards, slides, and spectator stands.<\/p>\n

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But it was more than just a swimming pool, surrounded by attractive gardens, a cafe, a sports field with horse riding facilities, fences for show jumping, cricket pitches and areas for ball games.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, following WWII, the Riviera became less attractive as overseas holidays, television and other weekend recreational activities became popular. After a brief revival in the 1950s the place fell into disrepair and became too expensive to refurbish.<\/p>\n

The pool closed in 1966 and WAS demolished, with the site now home to housing.<\/p>\n

Heaton Park Paddling Pool\"PaddlingPaddling Pool in Heaton Park in the 1980s(Image: Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n

The old paddling pool in Heaton Park<\/a> was located next to the main playground. It was once a popular attraction for families with children who would spend hours playing in the shallow water.<\/p>\n

Sadly, by the late 1990s, the pool was in a poor state and was eventually filled in by the council. Despite its poor condition in its later years, many people still have fond memories of the paddling pool from their own childhoods.<\/p>\n

River Bollin\"PeoplePeople said the River Bollin was ‘like an oasis’ for kids growing up in Wythenshawe(Image: Image courtesy of Mike Taylor)<\/p>\n

Perhaps not so much lost as lost in time. Many remember playing on the idyllic banks of the River Bollin surrounded by lush greenery and cooling off in its clear waters.<\/p>\n

The spot in question is an attractive and secluded section of the River Bollin in Castle Mill, part of the Cotterill Clough Nature Reserve, close to Manchester Airport. It’s also worth noting that, up until the early 1970s, a large open-air swimming pool was located near Mill Wood in Castle Mill by the footbridge on Mill Lane, where the road and River Bollin meet.<\/p>\n

Castle Mill Open-Air Pool\"CastleCastle Mill open-air pool<\/p>\n

Up until the early 1970s, there was a large open air swimming pool in Castle Mill, near to Manchester Airport<\/a>. Like many lidos in the late 20th Century, the Castle Mill pool closed as tastes changed and was demolished.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Whenever the temperatures soared, we used to head to these brilliant spots in Greater Manchester to cool offWater…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":127781,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8813],"tags":[748,393,4884,2465,8838,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-127780","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-manchester","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-england","10":"tag-great-britain","11":"tag-manchester","12":"tag-nostalgia","13":"tag-uk","14":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114562396808537348","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127780","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=127780"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127780\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/127781"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=127780"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=127780"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=127780"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}