Envireau Water were thrilled to attend the reopening of Matlock Bath’s New Bath Hotel’s lido, having been instrumental in bringing it back to life.
When the lido first opened in 1934, it was England’s only outdoor lido fed by thermal spring water. The hotel is built on one of the three thermal springs in Matlock Bath, and it is this water that flows constantly through the lido. Water comes from approximately 600 meters below ground, exits the ground near the lido at about 20⁰C, is channelled into the pool under gravity and then flows back into the natural environment. With a constant throughflow of thermal spring water, there is no need for chlorine or other chemicals to be used.
As you can imagine with such a facility, there are strict licensing requirements in place. Following the New Bath Hotel’s closure in 2013, the abstraction licence for the lido was relinquished. A critical element in restoring the hotel lido to its former glory was securing the necessary licence again. Envireau Water worked closely with the Environment Agency to solve this complex issue, evidencing that the operation of the lido would not have an impact on the local water catchment.
On the 85th anniversary of its original launch, Leanne Thomas our Marketing Co-ordinator and Rachel Cooper our Intern were thrilled to join the relaunch celebrations. Ross Davenport, gold medallist in the 2006 Commonwealth Games and Ryan Taylor, celebrated Paralympian gold medallist in the 2017 Edmonton ITU World Paratriathlon Series, cut the ribbon with the Mayor of Matlock, Councillor David Hughes, to relaunch the facility. A sheaf of white heather was also tossed into the clear waters for good luck, as it was in 1934.
Richard Devine, manager of the New Bath Hotel, said: “The lido is a much-cherished part of the Matlock Bath and it’s fantastic achievement to be able to secure its future for generations to come. I have to say a massive thank you to the staff and volunteers that have worked so hard to make it happen together with the fantastic support and involvement of the hotel’s owners and the support of Envireau Water who helped us obtain the necessary license to operate once again. It’s a proud day for the New Bath Hotel as we’ve celebrated the return of a fantastic asset for Peak District tourism.”
Dr Phil Ham, Principal Hydrogeologist who led the licensing project commented: “It’s fantastic to see a historical landmark back in operation and we were pleased to be part of the team who made this happen!”
With many years’ in-depth experience of specific industry sectors, we are able to use our first-hand knowledge to identify and swiftly navigate the regulatory environment and help bring every project to a satisfactory conclusion. If we can help you with a permitting and licensing project, get in touch with Phil Ham directly on 017748 889 269 or phil@envireauwater.co.uk.
