A THREE-year bid to refurbish and reopen Broomhill Pool was expected to formally begin today when officials handed over the running of the lido to a trust.

A THREE-year bid to refurbish and reopen Broomhill Pool was expected to formally begin today when officials handed over the running of the lido to a trust.

Ipswich Borough Council was due to grant the Broomhill Trust a 25-year lease at a meeting of its executive, paving the way for the trust to secure the necessary capital to restore the 1930s pool.

The council was also expected to confirm it would provide £1million towards the project, providing the trust has the remaining £2.9m in place.

The Broomhill Trust will also have to find an operator to manage the facility.

The proposal marks a dramatic turnaround for the Grade II listed building, which welcomed swimmers for the last time in 2002.

There had been fears the cost of reopening the pool would prove to big a stumbling block, but a feasibility study found otherwise.

The study also determined that there was a demand for an outdoor swimming facility in Ipswich and that external funding could be sought.

Members of the trust are currently preparing to bid for cash from various sources, including the Heritage Lottery Fund.

It is hoped the pool will make a modest profit once up and running.

The plan is to undertake a complete restoration to the 1938 build, including the return of the clock tower and the water feature.

The diving boards will also be replaced, the children's pool will be updated, the changing facilities will be improved and the pool will be heated.

Do you think restoring Broomhill is a good idea? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk