{"id":31342,"date":"2025-04-18T22:34:14","date_gmt":"2025-04-18T22:34:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/31342\/"},"modified":"2025-04-18T22:34:14","modified_gmt":"2025-04-18T22:34:14","slug":"the-incredible-4m-lido-opening-in-london-with-heated-pool-splash-park-and-spa-uk-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/31342\/","title":{"rendered":"The incredible \u00a34m lido opening in London with heated pool, splash park and spa | UK | News"},"content":{"rendered":"

A long-lost east London lido is making a spectacular comeback, with a brand-new \u00a34 million leisure complex set to open in April 2026. The redevelopment<\/a> will transform part of Valentines Park in Ilford<\/a>, marking the return of a beloved local spot that closed nearly 30 years ago.<\/p>\n

The original Valentines Park<\/a> lido, first opened in 1924, was a favourite summer retreat for families, offering a space to swim, sunbathe, and relax. Inspired by early 20th-century German “volksparks” and the art deco boom of the 1930s, lidos like this once dotted the UK, but changing habits and financial constraints led to a sharp decline. By the 1990s, many, including this one, had been closed or demolished.<\/p>\n

Now, thanks to investment from Redbridge Council, the area will once again feature a modern outdoor swimming and wellness facility.<\/p>\n

Plans include a 25-metre heated pool, a dedicated splash park for children, and an indulgent spa area equipped with treatment rooms, a plunge pool, and a steam room.<\/p>\n

Beyond swimming and relaxation, the new complex will also cater to fitness lovers, with a gym, exercise studio, and a dance hall included in the design. A caf\u00e9 and picnic area will provide space for families and sunseekers to unwind.<\/p>\n

The heated pool will use sustainable energy, aligning with modern environmental goals while delivering a year-round experience. This makes the site one of the most ambitious and eco-friendly outdoor leisure projects to be built in the capital in recent decades.<\/p>\n

Mark Baigent, corporate director of regeneration and culture at Redbridge Council, said:<\/p>\n

A stunning \u00a34m lido with a heated pool, splash park, and spa will open in the UK in 2026.<\/p>\n

“We’re delighted we can now move forward with plans to deliver the first new lido in London for decades.”\u00a0<\/p>\n

He added: “It is where families enjoyed idyllic summer days right on their doorsteps… it is so exciting that after nearly 30 years, a brand new lido and more will be introduced in the park for people to visit and create new special memories.”<\/p>\n

A Redbridge Council spokesperson said the borough is\u00a0“delighted to be bringing back the year-round facility,”\u00a0describing the lido as\u00a0“a sustainable, fun, and social place for people to exercise in the great outdoors, while boosting our local economy and restoring the heritage of Valentines Park.”<\/p>\n

This redevelopment reflects a wider national revival of interest in open-air swimming, with many historic lidos across the UK being restored in recent years.<\/p>\n

With the opening set for spring 2026, the new Valentines Park lido is poised to become a landmark for outdoor leisure in the capital once again.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A long-lost east London lido is making a spectacular comeback, with a brand-new \u00a34 million leisure complex set…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":31343,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7757],"tags":[748,393,4884,6084,257,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-31342","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-london","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-england","10":"tag-great-britain","11":"tag-infrastructure","12":"tag-london","13":"tag-uk","14":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114361353139073495","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31342","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=31342"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31342\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31343"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31342"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31342"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31342"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}