Pontypridd Lido, Wales

Ponty Lido was built in 1927 in a style typical of its time, bringing a strong Mediterranean mood to the South Wales Valleys. Its clean lines, open skies and sparkling water were a world away from the pits and terraces that shaped daily life in the surrounding communities.

Today, we look at how a swimming pool funded by working people became one of Wales's best-loved landmarks, and how it was brought back from closure.

A Pool Paid for by the Community

The lido was paid for out of the Miners' Welfare Fund, and it became one of the most iconic open-air lidos in the UK. The money came from the miners themselves, who contributed a proportion of their wage into a communal fund to pay for the pool's construction.

It was a remarkable act of collective generosity. Men who spent their working days underground chose to invest in a place of fresh air, exercise and enjoyment for everyone in their community, not just themselves.

The miners paid for it, they worked for it, and their families swam in it.

A Taste of the Mediterranean in the Valleys

The 1920s and 1930s were a great age of open-air bathing in Britain. Towns across the country built lidos as places to swim, sunbathe and socialise, and they promoted fresh air and healthy living at a time when many people lived in crowded housing close to heavy industry.

Pontypridd's pool fitted this fashion perfectly. Its design echoed the seaside resorts and continental bathing places that most local families could only dream of visiting. For many, the lido was the nearest thing to a holiday on their doorstep.

Life at the Lido

Picture a summer afternoon in the years after it opened: children racing along the poolside, parents stretched out in the sun, and miners coming off shift to enjoy something their own contributions had made possible. The lido was a meeting place as much as a pool, where neighbours, friends and relatives gathered.

Among its regulars was a young Tom Jones. Long before he found fame and fortune, Pontypridd's very own Sir Tom was a regular visitor, one of countless local children who learned to swim and spent their summers there.

Closure and Revival

Like many lidos across Britain, Ponty's pool eventually fell out of favour, and the Grade II listed site closed in 1991. Its listed status recognised its architectural and historic importance, and helped keep alive the hope that it might one day be saved.

That hope was realised in September 2015, when the lido reopened following a major restoration project costing £6.3million. The work aimed to protect the character of the original while making the site suitable for a new generation of swimmers and visitors.

A Living Piece of Valleys History

Pontypridd Lido is more than a place to swim. It stands as a reminder of what mining communities could achieve by pooling their resources, and of the value they placed on leisure, health and family life.

• Built: 1927, in a Mediterranean-inspired style
• Funded by: the Miners' Welfare Fund, through contributions from miners' wages
• Status: Grade II listed
• Closed: 1991
• Reopened: September 2015, after a £6.3million restoration