Worthing Lido
The lido in Worthing
The lido is one of the most distinctive features of Worthing's fabulous seafront. For more than 100 years it has been an entertainment attraction, with generations of locals and visitors having formed wonderful memories of fun days out there.
But the combined effects of age and the harsh marine environment have left the structure at risk of being lost to the sea unless millions of pounds are spent securing its foundations and reimagining its future.
Work to save the landmark has begun in 2026 as part of a new focused approach designed to bring it back to life for future generations.
History of the lido
The oldest part of what is now the lido appeared in 1897, when a birdcage bandstand was constructed on the promenade.
A shelter followed in 1907 and then a bandstand enclosure in 1925, when the site was still a performing space.
The site was converted to house a small unheated swimming pool in 1957, which the lido operated as until the 1980s. The pool's final use was as a temporary home for dolphins while Brighton Aquarium was being renovated.
In 1985 the lido was designated as a Grade II listed building.
The pool was then covered over and the lido became an entertainment centre.
The lido today
In recent years, the lido has been a family entertainment destination, offering children's rides and attractions in its central open-air area, alongside an amusements arcade on the eastern side of the building. It's also home to a café and other independent businesses, which provide places for residents and visitors to eat, shop and spend time on the seafront.
Earlier this year, the children's rides and attractions were temporarily closed by the head tenant to allow essential remedial works to take place and ensure the area remained safe for families. The café and other independent businesses have continued to trade.
The head tenant, who operated the rides, attractions and amusements, has now decided to end his tenancy (formally ending on 31st October 2026), as the investment needed to complete the necessary assessments, repairs and compliance works for the wider site exceeds his available resources. Therefore the council has taken over responsibility for the site.
Our immediate priority is to ensure the lido meets all safety standards, is presentable, and is ready to begin its next chapter. Contractors have begun repairing the external façade of the Grade II listed building, while compliance assessments and other essential works are continuing across the site.
The independent businesses, including the café, will continue trading as normal while this work takes place. They are also supportive of the investment we're making to bring the building up to the required standards.
This marks an important first step towards the lido's longer-term regeneration. We're continuing to seek the additional external funding needed to secure its foundations and restore this much-loved seafront landmark for future generations.
Once the initial improvement works are complete, we'll begin the search for a new tenant with the vision and experience to help bring the lido back to life as a thriving destination at the heart of Worthing's promenade. More details will be shared about this opportunity as soon as they are available.
We're grateful to the outgoing tenant for the entertainment and enjoyment he has provided to residents and visitors over many years, and for working with us to ensure a smooth transition.
Securing the lido's foundations
The lido needs significant investment to secure its foundations and ensure the long-term safety of the Grade II-listed building. Early forecasts suggest the work could cost at least £4.5 million, although this figure may have increased.
In December 2024, structural experts advised that the chalk bed beneath the lido could support strengthened foundations. Since then, we have been exploring options to secure the building's substructure and its long-term future.
Potential options include repairing or replacing the existing foundations, or filling the void between the lido's substructure and the beach with a combination of sand, stones, and boulders. We are continuing to assess the options and the work required to deliver them.
Given the lido's importance as a local heritage landmark, we have discussed potential solutions with Historic England, The Worthing Society and West Sussex County Council. Our priority is to find a practical and sustainable way to secure the substructure.
Around £1 million of Community Infrastructure Levy funding - money paid by developers to support local infrastructure and community projects - has been set aside for the regeneration of the lido, including work to the substructure. We have also begun discussions with West Sussex County Council about potential additional investment.
We're continuing to seek the significant external funding needed to secure the lido's foundations, so we're not yet able to commit to a timeframe for this work. We understand that the community wants to see progress on the lido's longer-term restoration and will continue to explore every available funding opportunity to give this historic landmark the sustainable future it deserves.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Why has the head tenant decided to leave?
The head tenant has decided to leave the lido because the investment required to complete the necessary assessments, repairs and compliance works under the lease exceeds his available resources.
We're grateful to him for the entertainment and enjoyment he has provided to residents and visitors over many years, and for working with us to ensure a smooth transition.
Q: When will the head tenant leave and how will this affect the lido?
The head tenant gave the council three months' notice in August 2026, so we expect them to have fully vacated the site by 31st October 2026, removing their attractions, machines and belongings.
The head tenant operated in the central open-air area of the lido, as well as the amusements section on the eastern side of the building. These areas will therefore become vacant as part of the transition.
Q: What's happening to the other businesses in the lido?
The sub-tenants, including the café and independent shops, will continue to operate as normal, with the council acting as their head tenant.
We've had positive conversations with the businesses, and each is keen to remain at this historic landmark. They are also supportive of the investment we're making to bring the building up to the required standards.
Q: Why is the council stepping in now?
Under the terms of the lease, the head tenant was responsible for maintaining and ensuring compliance in the public areas of the building.
As it became clear that the lido was falling below the agreed standards, we increased our engagement with the head tenant to support efforts to bring the landmark back on track. However, it became clear over time that the scale of the required work would exceed his available resources.
We therefore began preparing to take back control of the site should the head tenant decide to end his tenancy, allowing us to take forward the necessary improvements.
Q: When will work start on bringing the lido up to standard?
Improvement works are already underway. Contractors have begun repairing cracks in the external façade of the Grade II listed building, while compliance assessments and associated works are continuing to ensure all areas of the site are safe and meet the required standards.
Q: What's the long-term plan for the lido?
This investment is an important first step towards the lido's longer-term regeneration, while we continue to seek the additional external funding needed to restore this much-loved seafront landmark.
Once the initial improvement works are complete, we'll begin the search for a new tenant with the vision and experience to help bring the lido back to life as a thriving destination at the heart of Worthing's promenade.
Q: Is the council exploring the possibility of returning a swimming pool to the lido?
We know that many people in the community would love to see a swimming pool return to the lido. While we haven't ruled out potential future uses for the site, a swimming pool could present significant structural and financial challenges. Our immediate priority is to take the right steps to protect this landmark heritage site and secure the additional funding needed to support its long-term regeneration.
Any future use, including a swimming pool, would also need to be considered as part of the wider regeneration of the lido and would depend on the availability of a suitable partner and the significant investment required.
Q: When will the major work on the lido's foundations take place?
We're continuing to seek the additional external funding needed to secure the lido's foundations, so we're not yet able to commit to a timeframe for this work.
Early estimates put the cost of securing the substructure at around £4.5 million, although this figure may have increased as construction costs have continued to rise. We are also undertaking a condition survey of the superstructure - the main publicly accessible area of the site - to better understand the cost of the repair and restoration works required here.
We understand that the community wants to see progress on the lido's longer-term restoration. We're continuing to explore every available opportunity for external funding so that this historic landmark can have the sustainable future it deserves.
Photo: Worthing Lido - aerial photo
Photo: aerial photo of Worthing Lido with the pier in the background
Page last updated: 07 September 2026