Did you know

Phil just out of Interest what do you know of "Shirley Lido" and have you any pictures.
Do you know where it was.?

SB

As far as I am aware Shirley Lido was in Shirley Park somewhere near the rear of the Saracens Head public house. I read some time ago that one of the buildings was still standing today although in use for something else. But the arches seem in these photos can still be seen although they have been bricked in now.

Phil

I actually worked in the building that wa Shirley Lido. It in Sansome Rd off Haslucks Green Rd. Yes some of the arches have bee bricked up. It is privately owned and is occupied partly by The window Centre. Have you any pictures please phil,ther is only one that I know of. Thanks SB

SB

I don't follow, Pictures of what? I have posted the three photos I have of the Lido. I think they are rather old from the late 30's or 40's but there again I think it closed in the 60's.

Phil

Sorry Phil I am on Blackberry hadn't seen pictures. Thanks

Shirley Library was roofed over and turned into an industrial unit, it's now called Lid House. Several companies have operated there, including my place of work, Charisma Design and Print. It is now still in use.

Here's a Google walk....

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ie=U...2,23.38,,0,9.98

The road and houses appear to be where the pool was, a small archway is visible to the left of shot next to the double garage with others presumably behind the garage.
The big house shown in the old photo isn't to found.
Note the Lido Pool is trying to return but is just a small puddle.

Is this the right place?

VM

VM

If you had gone a little further down Sansome Rd to Sansome Rise you would have seen the old Lido Buildings (see photo) the second photo is the arches now bricked up.

Phil

Some of the arches are still open inside the building known now as Lido house.

I went into Sansome Rise but I didn't see any more arches. I found some more photo's on t'internet though, including the one on the right of the two Phil posted this morning.

So was the outdoor pool in Sansome Rise or Burley Close?

Other piccies I looked at :
http://www.soyouwantto.co.uk/shirleylido.html
http://www.solihull-online.com/1937.htm

VM

VM

I no authority on the Shirley Lido and I don't think I ever went there, but I thought I heard that it was in Shirley Park. So perhaps none of those houses and roads were there then.

Phil

I only know because I have worked in the building for a few months. There is a company called the Window Centre in the Front of it now. A fire extinguisher company on the side, and a fancy goods firm at the back. On the inside the floors are on different levels, as per it's original layout. It's owned by a brother and sister. SB

So SB, how old do you think the building is?

And, which side of the building, given its internal structure, do you think the Lido pool was on?

And, where does the reference to a Library come from? Was this a later use of the building?

Don't know about the Library, I will ask my mate Brian he looks after the place.
The pool was inside where the building is now it was built around it.There is a passageway inside, where you go down a ramp at one end and come up at the other end, that's one end of the pool. SB
VM in one of your links, Lido House is described as an enterprise centre for Design and Printing. This is the firm I work for Charisma Design and Print. now in Colebrook Rd Tyseley.

Well that explains why you said it was roofed over, it just doesn't look big enough to have had the pool that's in the picture within those walls.

I checked Charisma out and decided you didn't work for them anymore because you work in town somewhere.
I noticed they do hotel work.
VM