Dunoon Lido

Dunoon Lido, 1958
Courtesy of Dunoonpeeps.com

Dunoon Lido was located in the West Bay, on the A815 Bullwood Road to the south of Dunoon, and was originally knows as the Gentlemen's Bathing Station in Victorian times. A corresponding Ladies' Bathing Station was also created in the East Bay, which lies approximately one mile to the north.

During the 1930s, the original Victorian structure was removed and replaced with an Art Deco building which housed the changing rooms, showers, and other facilities. It had been planned to build a seawater pool on the shore, which would have had its water changed as the high tide flooded the shore, but concerns expressed by the people of Dunoon over the cost of this structure led to the plan being cancelled, and the lido eventually became little more than an access point to the shore. At one point, a couple of rafts were moored offshore, one of which incorporated a diving board.

Dunoon holiday poster 1943
Courtesy of Dunoonpeeps.com

The lido featured prominently in a holiday poster for Dunoon, dating from 1943.

Demolition

Dunoon Lido

Most of the structure was lost to demolition during the 1970s, with only the northern wall which still runs along the side of the coast road remain in place to show where the lido was located.

A small building survives on the shore side of the A815 Bullwood Road, and now houses the termination of the underwater supply cables which bring mains electricity to Cowal.

Cable marker

Telephone cable marker
� Thomas Nugent

An underwater telephone cable marker can also be found nearby.

World War II

During World War II, the facilities of the lido were requisitioned to serve as a combined First Aid Station and Decontamination Centre, taking advantage of the showers which were already installed to serve the changing rooms.