Penzance’s Jubilee Pool, the UK’s inaugural geothermal lido, will close during winter due to unexpected operational costs.
Originally intended to operate throughout the year, the facility will now only be open in warmer seasons.
The lido underwent a £1.8 million upgrade in 2020, incorporating geothermal heating to maintain a temperature range of 30-35°C in the sea water pool.
This technology extracts warm water from a geothermal well, transferring the heat to the pool before returning cooler water to the ground.
Despite partial funding from a community public share offer and additional support from loans and grants, the operator cites an “unprecedented increase in running costs.”
Factors include elevated energy prices and reduced visitor numbers from the previous season, rendering the operating model financially unsustainable.
