Clifton Lido and The Victoria Public House

Clifton Lido stands in Oakfield Place, a quiet street in Clifton, a district of Bristol. The building dates from 1849 and was once called Clifton Victoria Baths. It has a classical front with an Egyptian-style doorway and a later entrance added in 1867 for The Victoria public house. Behind the façade is a heated swimming pool covering 250 square metres. Cast-iron galleries run along two sides, and on the third side there is a row of cubicles with wooden fronts and canopies. The pool is the oldest surviving heated pool in the country. The site was closed in 1990 and nearly demolished, but in 1998 it was given Grade II* listed status. The Bristol Glass Boat Company bought the building in 2005 and restored the pool. They added spa facilities, treatment rooms, a restaurant and a café. The pool is kept at 24 °C and offers treatments and massages. Day visitors are welcome when space allows. Visitors find a heated pool with galleries on two sides and changing cubicles on the third. The Victoria public house occupies part of the site and serves drinks and food. The building sits in a conservation area, surrounded by Clifton’s streets and terraces. The spa area offers saunas and treatment rooms. The restaurant and café provide places to eat and relax.