See inside: Peterborough Lido welcomes first swimmers and unveils new motorised covers ahead of 2026 season

Peterborough Lido has unveiled its new motorised covers ahead of the 2026 season, with swimmers invited to take a dip for just 90p over the opening weekend.

At a cost of around £90,000, the covers have been installed across the main 50-yard pool and learner pool in an effort to reduce the cost of heating the water.

The covers will also ensure that leaves and other debris will not enter the pool when it is not in use.

Supported by a stanchion motorised reel system, the system has been installed at both ends of the pool on different sides.

Speaking at a press event unveiling the new covers on Thursday, March 26, Peterborough City Council Leader Shabina Qayyum said: “It’s a great day. These new covers will conserve heat and energy, keeping costs down.

“It’s incredibly important to invest in venues like this to sustain their future. I’ve always said that Peterborough is unique because of the heritage assets dotted across the city.

“We’ve got a 900-year-old cathedral in the backdrop and also a lido that’s going to be 90 years old this year.

“We really do need to value what we have that makes Peterborough so unique. I said at the beginning of my tenure when I became leader that Peterborough is not just going to be a stopover, it’s also going to be a destination, and the lido is a pivotal part of that.”

The lido will open to the public on Saturday, March 28, with the 2026 season ending at the end of September.

MP for Peterborough Andrew Pakes added: “These covers mean that even if the weather is a bit cloudy we can still keep the heat in the pool for people to use much longer in the year.

"Swimming is such a critical sport and leisure activity. We’re the only one of the fastest top 10 growing cities in the country that doesn’t have an indoor public pool at the moment, so the lido is really important."

The Grade II-listed building, which opened in 1936, is opening earlier this year to mark its 90th birthday.

Jane Callaghan, treasurer and membership secretary for the Friends of Peterborough Lido, said: “The covers will make a huge difference to the viability of the lido because we all know it was in danger of being mothballed just over a year ago.

“I think it’s just great that the council and operator have made this investment in the pool because it’s a real signal that they understand what an important part of Peterborough the lido is.”

See more photos of the motorised covers in the gallery below: