Jubilee Pool's Grand Re-opening!

Jubilee Pool in Penzance was originally opened in 1935 at a time when Art Deco outdoor lidos were most fashionable. It is the largest of only five surviving seawater lidos in the UK, with views across Mount’s Bay to St Michael’s Mount. It is considered to be the finest example of a surviving pre-war lido in the world. It has an open air sea water swimming pool, with the tides circulating and cleaning the water daily, surrounded by a promenade incorporating seating areas and changing cubicles.

In 2017 Jubilee Pool Penzance Ltd, a new Community Benefit Society, secured a 99 year lease from Cornwall Council. They raised over £500k towards the £1.8m project through a community share offer, and the funding package will improve the facility and create an all year round attraction -  including using a geothermal well to heat an area of the pool 365 days a year.

The AHF is proud to have assisted Jubilee Pool with a loan of £850,000 to support the capital investment that will upgrade its facilities to enable the community enterprise to become an all year-round operation, creating a unified ‘hospitality zone’ along the pool’s top terrace comprising a café, reception area, retail and community/event space. This represents the largest loan facility offered by the AHF, demonstrating our commitment to the widespread social and community outcomes that will derive from the work to improve this landmark historic building.

This investment is important as it will allow the business to significantly boost visitor numbers, which will benefit its sustainability but also provide widespread social benefits for local people, including access to affordable leisure facilities, in this area of high deprivation. As a responsible lender, the AHF will continue to support the project over a number of years and monitor the various financial and social outcomes that are anticipated.

Commenting on the offical reopening of Jubilee Pool, Matthew McKeague, CEO of the AHF said:

“Jubilee Pool is such a beautiful and well-loved historic lido, we were very motivated to help provide the finance to help regenerate it. We know that as well as being important to their local economies, assets like Jubilee Pool contribute hugely to civic and community well-being - signified in the amount the community helped raise through the share offer. We’ll continue to support Jubilee Pool Limited in this fabulous project and in supporting them to make it a long term success.”

Find out more about the project here https://jubileepool.co.uk/

Editor’s notes

1)  The Architectural Heritage Fund is a registered charity, working since 1976 to promote the conservation and sustainable re-use of historic buildings for the benefit of communities across the UK, particularly in economically disadvantaged areas. We are the leading heritage social investor and the only specialist heritage lender operating in the UK. We provide advice, development grants and loans.

2)  For media enquiries please contact Oliver Brodrick Ward, on 020 79250199 / oliver.brodrick-ward@ahfund.org.uk