An “experienced venue operator” is needed to run a former lido in Weston-super-Mare as a “nationally significant” venue for culture, arts, and entertainment.
North Somerset Council is transforming the Tropicana seafront lido — which hosted Banksy’s Dismaland and SEE Monster — into a major 5,000-person venue. Now the council is looking for someone to run the venue for the next 20 years under a concession contract.
Cllr Mike Solomon, North Somerset Council’s executive member responsible for seafronts, events and concessions, said: “We want to attract higher profile acts, culture and entertainment events to elevate Weston’s place within the regional, national and international scene.”
READ MORE: Property with coastal views and separate home office on the market
READ MORE: ‘I ate at one of Bath’s best hotels and had an out of this world meal’
The refurbished venue will include both a “highly-flexible, purpose-built indoor event space” and an outdoor arena. A statement from the council said: “The new operator will have significant experience in operating successful cultural and entertainment venues to provide an exciting programme of year-round entertainment in the newly refurbished venue to attract visitors to the seafront and help raise the profile of Weston as an ideal town to live, visit, work and invest.”
Opened as a lido in 1937, the Tropicana closed as a pool in 2000. Despite attempts to find someone to restore it, the beloved lido was left to sit empty on the seafront until, in 2015, Banksy used it as the setting for his Dismaland bemusement park. Since then, North Somerset Council has run the Tropicana as an events space for hire but it has not met its operational costs and required repairs.
Now the £20m the town won from government’s Levelling Up Fund is funding a refurbishing the lido, increasing its capacity to 5,000 people, building the indoor event space, introducing sustainable energy and operating systems, and making other major repairs and improvements to the heritage building on the promenade and outdoor arena. The work is scheduled to be completed by December 2025, with the new operator to reopen the Tropicana shortly afterwards.
Cllr Solomon said: “The much-loved Tropicana is an important destination at the heart of the seafront in Weston-super-Mare. Thanks to funding secured from central government, it will be given a new lease of life to make sure facilities are fit for purpose and flexible enough to host a wider range of activities.”
He added: “The important basic infrastructure works will enable a commercial operator to help us in this goal – and we know there is interest after a soft market testing exercise we did last year. I’m pleased that the Tropicana operator procurement is now open as this is an extremely exciting prospect, not just for the town and local residents but for North Somerset and beyond.”
Operators interested in the opportunity must submit a request to participate by 11am on Friday October 4. For more information, visit the Supplying the South West procurement website here (reference: DN740601) .
Designs by award winning architecture firm RCKa for the refurbishment will be submitted to North Somerset Council for planning permission in October. Another project funded by the Levelling Up Fund, to restore Birnbeck Pier, was given planning permission in August.
People are invited to view the designs for the Tropicana at two drop-in events at former lido on Friday, September 13 (evening) and Saturday September 14 (daytime). More information and event timings will soon be published on the council’s social media channels and website here.
Despite the hopes of some in the town and on the council, there are no plans to turn the Tropicana back into a pool. Previous attempts to bring in a commercial partner to restore a pool at the venue proved “unviable.”
Somerset Live WhatsApp Breaking News and Top Stories
Join Somerset Live’s WhatsApp community for top stories and breaking news sent directly to your phone
Somerset Live is now on WhatsApp and we want you to join our community.
Through the app, we’ll send the latest breaking news, top stories, exclusives and much more straight to your phone.
To join our community you need to already have WhatsApp. All you need to do is click this link and select ‘Join Community’.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Somerset Live team.
We also treat community members to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out at any time you like.
To leave our community, click on the name at the top of your screen and choose ‘Exit group’.
If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.