Lido - ACE261.2

A derelict swimming pool. Pools in use. People swimming, sitting and standing about, diving. VOs explain why they like these open-air pools. VO talks about how swimming was revived by the Romantic poets. Film of outdoor swimmers in the 1920s, photographs of people at early lidos, swimming, sunbathing, etc. More silent-era film, amateur colour footage. Details of lido architecture. Views of water and swimmers. VOs talking about the social and entertainment aspects of lidos. Architectural details. VO describing the "dislocating" effect of swimming. Buildings and pools in disrepair. Man’s VO describing how he had to keep moving as the pools he frequented closed down. Caption: "In 1939 there were 50 lidos in the London area alone. In 1993 there were only 10." Credits.