CAMPAIGNERS have expressed their relief after Ilkley Pool and Lido was not included in Bradford Council cuts to pools and other leisure services.

There had been fears the facility would be earmarked for closure as the local authority decided where the axe should fall to help save millions from its budget.

But in a report published this week following the council's review of leisure services, there was no mention of any plans to close Ilkley Lido The report pointed out Bradford Council had invested around £2m in the facilities in recent years.

Becky Malby, chair of Ilkley Pool and Lido Community Group, said: “We are really pleased to see Bradford Council step back and recognise the need for a strategy for all sports and leisure services as a whole, based on the needs across the district.

“We will continue to make the case for the Ilkley Pool and Lido as a West Yorkshire facility as well as a local one, and for the development of the facility as part of a sports hub in Ilkley.

“The Ilkley Pool and Lido are vital for our town's health and economy. The lido is visited by people from across West Yorkshire and the UK, and the unique experience has grown a community of people who both love the facilities but also support each other.”

The Group recently held a meeting with Bradford Council to establish a new collaboration, and say they are now looking forward to being active in the design of sports and leisure services in Ilkley, and to contributing to events and activities that mean more people enjoy the facilities. 

Following publication of the review, Councillor Andrew Loy (Con, Ilkley) said: “We welcome the decision to retain Ilkley Pool and Lido, which clearly recognises the strong demand and community support for this important asset. Generations of local families have learned to swim at this iconic location. It would have been madness to close it.

“What we need now is for the council to show a willingness to collaborate more closely with the Ilkley Pool and Lido Community Group and others in order to find new ways to secure the long-term future of the site and enhance the service on offer. We know from discussions with the group that they have so many ideas to offer.”

Cllr Ros Brown (Green, Ilkley) said “This is great news for the town! It’s a real testament to the commitment and hard work of the Ilkley Pool and Lido Community Group on behalf of the thousands of residents and visitors who use these facilities throughout the year. The group have skilfully utilised the energies, contributions and ideas of local people to show how much loved and well used the facilities are and how much better they could be developed in future.

"As a new Ilkley ward Councillor, I’m pleased to have helped this process along through meeting with the Ilkley Pool and Lido Community Group, the Town Mayor, Bradford Council officers and the portfolio holder. Now the new partnership group has been established and met for the first time, and the Review published, I look forward to seeing this fruitful collaboration with Bradford Council develop for the benefit of the town, District and further afield.”

Looking ahead to 2025, the campaign group is encouraging everyone in Ilkley to make a New Year's Resolution to swim in the pool and lido, saying: "The more we use it the less chance there is we will lose it!”

And Paul Stephens, Secretary of the Ilkley Pool & Lido Community Group added: “It’s great that the Council’s new approach recognises the importance of the involvement of community organisations and other stakeholders and the need to co-produce the long-term Sports Facilities Strategy 2026-2036.

“Our first partnership meeting with the Council was positive and we look forward to further meetings. We want to make a positive input to the strategy and to jointly agree short-term actions that will maximise use of the pool and lido by people across the Bradford district and beyond, particularly in the year of the Lido’s 90th birthday."