Portishead Open Air Pool to open over Christmas for the first time
It could be freezing outside but the water in the outdoor pool will be heated to a toasty 28C
Updated 15:58, 3 NOV 2018
Portishead Lido is synonymous with hot sunny days - but now you can enjoy it in winter (Image: SWNS)
People will be able to enjoy Christmas swimming at Portishead Open Air Pool for the first time in the lido's history.
Bosses at the pool have decided to turn on the boilers in mid-December and open the pool for heated swims from December 23-27.
And the idea is already proving positive, with more than 200 tickets for the swims sold already.
Historically the pool closes at the end of September and the boilers are turned off.
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This will be the first time in the pool's 56-year history that festive swims are being offered during the Christmas break.
The pool will be heated to 28 degrees and one-hour time slots will be available.
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Pool spokesperson Barbara Thatcher said: "We are very excited about this new initiative.
"We think it will be very popular and could even rival the appeal of the ice rink at Cribbs shopping centre.
"It's creating quite a buzz on social media already and 200 tickets sold online in the first six hours."
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This year has seen the lido celebrate its best ever season - with a record 53,000 people flocking through the turnstiles.
Visitor numbers to the seafront pool soared during 2018 thanks to the hot summer weather with tens of thousands visiting for a swim.
Many more people have visited the lido for other events including galas and charity swims.
(Image: Daily Mirror)
This year saw the pool hold an outdoor cinema on the lido terraces for the first time, with more than 400 people packing in to watch Mamma Mia 2.
Due to the success of outdoor cinema, further screenings are to follow next year.
The success of the 2018 season has also meant the pool, for the first time, remained open until the end of October.
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The pool has seen huge success since it was taken over by the Portishead Pool Community Trust in 2009.
The takeover followed the successful Save the Open Air Pool (STOP) campaign, backed by the Bristol Post.
Tickets for Sunday December 23 until Boxing Day are available now from Eventbrite here but times and dates may be extended if they sell out.
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