As the rapidly deteriorating Lido complex in Cliftonville, which once drew vast crowds, seeks yet again to revive its former glories, we revisit the 2011 event discussing the Lido’s history and shared memories with many locals who could remember the heyday.
Save The Margate Lido is a new limited company set up in an attempt to save the building from corrosion and neglect, see below. In 2011, there was a real passion to see the Lido restored, as our event demonstrated, however the task even then was mammoth.
Originally posted: Saturday 24th September 2011, The Lido, 2pm
Amusing anecdotes from Gordon Clarkson’s formative years working at the Lido to putting on the last summer season. http://www.gordonclarksonproductions.co.uk
Local celebrity, Gordon Clarkson, discussed the history of the Lido and his years as a worker and performer to an audience of more than 70 people. This event led to many emotions surfacing about the Lido in Cliftonville and greater Thanet in general. Committees were formed and new alliances appeared. How this has developed is unknown as at the beginning of 2012.
The event once again reinforced the impression gather over the summer of 2011 that there is a bottled up frustration in the population of Thanet for improvement. Given the right vehicle people will take control and drive improved change forward.
Comments from people who were at this event will be warmly received.
Comment added 10th Feb 2014
Despite huge enthusiasm and many people exchanging phone numbers and email addresses the idea of getting together soon petered out. Speaking in 2013 to Mick Saxby, a local resident who was at Gordon’s event, it became apparent that the enthusiasm ‘did not last much beyond the initial meeting’.
Update 2020
An ambitious plan to buy the Cliftonville Lido and Clifton Baths site – excluding the Lido snooker club – and get its listed status upgraded has been taken on by a group of six friends. Led by Kent Underground explorer Lynton Owen the group are currently clearing the cavernous rooms, tunnels and spaces that run under the Ethelbert Terrace site in preparation for a structural survey and then laser scanning such as that carried out recently at Ramsgate Tunnels. Margate resident Lynton, 34, has set up the Save The Margate Lido limited company and the aim is to convert to Community Interest Company status to access heritage funding and attract investors to help restore the Lido and baths to their former glory.
The article contains some historic photographs and video of the Lido, read here; Isle of Thanet News
Twitter: @margatelido