MORE than 200 packed into a public meeting to hear plans by a community group to take over running Teignmouth’s popular open-air Lido.

The meeting, held by Save The Lido at Teignmouth Rugby Club, heard from the organisers who have been working behind the scenes for more than a year looking at options for protecting the pool if closure was proposed.

The group is hoping Teignbridge Council’s ruling executive will reconsider its decision to close the pool this summer, its 50th anniversary year.

If Teignbridge Council does reverse the decision, the group is proposing to offer to run it for a year on a trial basis.

Daniel O’Connell, from Save The Lido, said the aim of the group was to demonstrate the pool could at least break even even if it operated differently.

He said: ‘If at the end of the year we make £1, that is a win.’

Teignbridge Council voted in February to shut the pool in a bid to save £74,000 a year, sparking a wave of prootest from pool users and residents.

But a special meeting of the council’s scrutiny committee heard repeated pleas from a packed public gallery to keep the pool open and explore transferring it to a community group.

Councillors voted to ask the executive, which meets on Tuesday, to reconsider the decision.

Campaigners wanting to take over the pool outlined their plans for a volunteer-led trust.

Daniel O’Connell, from the Save the Lido group, said the turnout showed how important the facility was to residents and businesses.

He said: ‘We have got more than 200 people here, which hopefully shows the importance of what the lido means to the community in Teignmouth and the surrounding towns and villages.

‘It is not just about the people who live here. For businesses, the lido is a great selling point.’

‘The decision has now gone back to the Teignbridge executive next week for them to reconsider their decision.’

The outdoor pool has already benefitted from Teignbridge Council carrying out an £800,000 renovation and decarbonisation programme which saw it closed for several years.

It reopened in 2023 but the campaigners now believe the upgrades could mean the pool can open longer which would mean generating more income.

Daniel said: ‘That system should generate enough energy to keep the pool open for longer hours than the current season, which usually runs from the end of May to the end of August.

‘We often have great weather in September and October, so we would like to explore extending the season.’

The group has secured “asset of community value” status for the site, giving communities time to prepare a bid if it is put up for sale.

Daniel said: ‘That status means the council cannot dispose of the asset on the open market for up to six months.

‘It does not give us the right to buy it, but it gives the community a chance to come forward.’

Campaigners believe the facility could be run by volunteers alongside paid staff, similar to other community-run lidos across the country.

Daniel said: ‘There would still be paid roles. We cannot expect people to lifeguard for free all the time. But volunteers could help with other roles and support the operation.

Campaigners are considering launching a crowdfunding scheme if they are given the opportunity to operate the pool.