Review of Lido Land

Lido’s are a particular feature of UK culture that many know comparatively little about, but when I was young, as a working class kid, they were a place where you could go and be amongst not just your people, but all people.  They weren’t just seen as something for rich or poor, but for everyone.

This book covers many (but not all) of the different Lido’s across the UK, their history, when they were built, in many cases why they were built, and the struggles to keep them around in the face of mounting pressure to close them as anachronisms.

What could be a dry read of what, why, and how is transformed with numerous anecdotes on why things were changed, what Lido’s meant to people of all classes, and how they evolved as time went on, till only a few remained.  There’s a genuine warmth in the writing, and it’s clear that the subject is close to the authors heart, which turns the book into a cheerful look into the past of the UK, with a hope for the future.

It may not be to everyone’s tastes, and it’s likely that many people below a certain age will not have the common ground that I have with the subject, but it’s an engaging read with a lot of interesting facts.

Thanks to Head of Zeus and the Author for the Free ARC, my views are my own, no incentive offered or accepted.