Thanks for all the incredible interest and feedback on our Lost Pools of Ipswich feature.
Over 50,000 views (32,000 viewers) on Facebook & 4300 on Linked in. We have updated and amended the list based on your input.
BROOMHILL POOL STATUS:
Broomhill Pool is one of 20 listed lidos in the U.K. but the only one not saved, restored, or operational. Will it be a civic and social centrepiece, or forgotten, in the 2029 City of Culture bid?
There are interested operators. The scheme is planning approved. The precedent is there for NLHF to approve a direct bid from Ipswich Borough Council. We are now at a critical juncture with Ipswich Borough Council (which may cease to exist in 2027 due to local government reform).
The National Lottery Heritage Fund withdrew its ÂŁ6.8m funding commitment (to lease holder and applicant, Fusion Lifestyle) on 11 July, 2025. Over a year has passed, yet Ipswich Borough Council has still not secured the return of Broomhill Pool’s lease. Critically, the lease had not been resecured by the time Fusion Lifestyle entered administration (01 April 2026). IBC has not progressed the existing scheme – or sort new options or operators for the pool – and not until the lease is in its possession.
In recent months, The Broomhill Pool Trust, Ipswich and Historic England are supporting IBC with possible Development Funding Grants towards a fresh NLHF bid. The Broomhill Pool Trust has been active behind the scenes throughout. As members of Historic Pools of Britain, and Future Lidos, we have a solid network and understanding of potential replacement operators for Broomhill Pool. We are aware of a number of top operator(s) candidates that are both qualified and interested in restoring and operating Broomhill Pool, PLUS can potentially carry forward the existing [planning approved] scheme. We have asked them to contact IBC directly to formally enquire and express their interest.
Please continue to support The Broomhill Pool Trust, and lobby your MPs, Councillors, or Borough contacts at every opportunity to keep positive pressure and focus.
Broomhill Pool Trust 
I went to primary school at Clifford Road in East Ipswich in the ’60s / early ’70s. The school built its small 10m (as I recall) indoor pool while I was there, with some financial contribution from parents I believe.
The school had a stated objective that every child should leave at 11 years old able to swim at least 10m. What a great initiative, thinking back. We had swimming lessons on a Friday, which I looked forward to all week.
I swam my first mile in that pool in 1972. 161 lengths! It took me about an hour and a half, coached by my patient and encouraging class teacher Mr Jackson, but what a sense of achievement. I still have the beautiful certificate, featuring an ink drawing of the school building, to this day.
Before that, I swam my first strokes in Pipers Vale, the adults having forgotten to pack my rubber ring! But this omission was fortuitous as I found I could swim without it, probably because of the Friday sessions at Clifford Road pool.
The point of my post is to note that both these pools are gone, as well as many others in Ipswich. (Northgate Grammar, now High School, also had a pool that I believe may have been lost in the redevelopment of the school buildings in the ’80s.) What a sad situation for current generations of youngsters, who are missing out through the lack of ready access to pool facilities and losing all the advantages that swimming bestows in terms of health, fitness, personal fulfilment and safety. Some things really have gone backwards (school playing fields being another loss).
Finally, I was a pool attendant at Broomhill during the summer of 1981 and have many happy memories of that time as well as all the visits to this special pool during my youth. I would cycle across town to get there.
Save Broomhill Pool!
Guy Booth
Hi Guy, thank you so much for your message and wonderful insights to both Ipswich school pools, pipers Vale, and your time working at Broomhill.
The Trust Chairman’s grandfather was Head Caretaker at Northgate Grammar School and he remembers several [chilly:)] swims at the open air pool there.
Sadly, the pool (and Caretaker’s flat) were removed when some of the quads were demolished to make way for the new designed buildings in the 1980/90s.
If you have access to facebook, would you please let us re-post your name & memories there?
Also if you have any photos of your time at Broomhill or at other Ipswich posts, we would be pleased to post them too.
Thanks for your response. Your article on ‘lost pools’ brought back all the memories, which are very happy ones that I enjoyed sharing. I was struck by how many of these places were part of the fabric of my childhood and youth in Ipswich.
The Northgate pool was indeed always chilly. One of our neighbours was a teacher there and occasionally he used to invite us for a swim with his children on a summer Sunday during the school holidays. I guess the Head Caretaker might have been on holiday! (Of course, you’d never be allowed to do that now, but times were different…..) Even on a hot day, it was still cold! I thought the pool didn’t survive the modernisation, though I think the ‘old gym’ (or the girls’ gym) in front of it did…at least for a while.
I am afraid I am not currently on FB, though I may review that. I am very happy for you to share my post and name by copying it and pasting it yourself however, if that is possible.
Unfortunately I don’t think I have photos from my Broomhill summer. We just didn’t take them in those days with the same regularity. However, I have seen some photos on the Save Broomhill Pool website in ‘History’ or ‘Gallery’ that are from that era, even recognising and putting names to a couple of faces. I’ll have a look for anything else relevant from the time.
Keep up the good work. Nostalgia aside, I believe Saving Broomhill Pool is an investment for the future not just a heritage project, important though that is. In this age of increasing mental health disorders, rising obesity levels, and screen fixation, it has never been more important to support fitness, health, wellbeing and enjoying the outdoors. What an asset Broomhill is, and could be.
Thanks Guy. We have the Lost Pools of Ipswich feature just posted today which should see a bit of activity. I’ll try to do a feature on your memories next week.
Are you living in Ipswich now? Which schools did you attend? Was Dave Read, Ted, or Alf, Pool Manager in 1981?
I have some footage of Northgate’s pool, so may try to link it to that.
I live in SW London currently but still visit Suffolk from time to time.
Dave Read was the Pool Manager in 1981! A good guy. We came in in early May that year to repaint and prepare the pool for the summer season. I painted all the silver handrails, a very satisfying job I found. Dave (and others, probably) painted the pool bottom and sides with rollers. I recall he very nearly painted himself into a small square in the middle of the diving pit! We were a happy crew.
I would be interested to see footage of the Northgate pool.
I am happy for your to share my memories on FB if you can.
To answer your other question, I attended Clifford Road Primary School 1966-73 and Northgate Grammar 1973-80. It became Northgate High School during sixth form I think.
Hi Guy, we have posted your piece on the Broomhill pool Trust facebook page (along with videofottage of Northgate’s former pool). If you have someone you know with facebook, perhaps they can find it for you to view. Thanks again for your memories, and support.
You’re welcome. I have seen the post on Facebook, thanks. Also the very rare 1962 video footage of Northgate pool. It still looks cold!