Local Leigh-on-sea resident campaigning to Bring Back our Lido

July 9, 2026

Local Leigh-on-sea resident Jean de Tourtoulon is rarely without a campaign, and this latest one is something she first presented to Southend City Council last year. At the time, she was told that Southend already had excellent facilities. However, recent events have highlighted why it's time to revisit the idea. Following the recent spell of hot weather, there have been a number of tragic drownings across England. Closer to home, the RNLI responded to 15 incidents over the bank holiday weekend in May. With high tide occurring early in the morning and again late in the afternoon, many people looking to cool off ventured too far into the water, often without understanding the dangers posed by the tides. At the same time, thousands of people now enjoy cold-water swimming throughout the year, demonstrating the growing demand for safe, accessible places to swim. The idea of a lido is far from outdated. Across the South East and East of England, many open-air swimming pools have been operating successfully for years and continue to attract thousands of visitors each season. Popular examples include Brightlingsea Lido, Tollesbury Woodup Pool, Beccles Lido and Sea Lanes Brighton. These facilities have become valued community assets, supporting health and wellbeing, encouraging tourism and providing a much safer environment for open-water swimming. So, what does Southend deserve? Jean believes the answer is clear: a lido, like the one we once had. The first meeting of the campaign recently took place at Sara's Tea Gardens in old Leigh and was supported by a number of local fisherman and residents.