CAMPAIGNERS have reacted with anger at the news that Wychavon District Council's executive board has rejected plans to save Droitwich Lido.

SALT - Save a Lido Today - has accused the council of being ambivalent and patronising.

"We cannot help but wonder that their offer for us to produce a plan in March 2004 was a somewhat patronising "reward" for all the trouble that we had gone to during our campaign," said SALT chairman Linda Watkins.

As the Evening News reported yesterday, the authority's executive board rejected SALT's proposals to reopen the derelict pool and develop an ice rink on the site during the winter months because of worries over financial viability.

Bulldozed

It will now recommend that the Lido is bulldozed and the land incorporated in to the rest of the park.

But SALT and many Wychavon councillors believe the council never had any intention of reopening the pool and say they feel angry at the way they have been treated.

"On the one hand, they seemed to be taking our proposals seriously, yet all the time the implication was that unless we could provide some money, then our plans would not be considered," Mrs Watkins added.

"All the time they were prepared to give us a little credence without giving us the respect that they had shown to Calypso or Thermae - the reason for this presumably being our lack of finance."

Calypso and Thermae are private developers, who also made attempts to reopen the Lido, but withdrew their plans.

SALT is now calling on the council to admit that it has failed in its moral responsibility to the people of Droitwich.

"The Lido will probably not make a profit - but that's not what it should be about.

"It is an opportunity for the local authority to enter into partnership with local people who really care about the facility and to develop the Lido both as an amenity for Droitwich and the surrounding district. And also to ensure its survival as a unique part of local and national heritage."

Mrs Watkins added: "The Lido is unique to Droitwich and Wychavon - its proposed replacement flower beds will not be."