The Lido

In 1907, a shelter was erected between Worthing’s bandstand and the beach to offer seating for promenaders enjoying the music. The original bandstand was replaced in 1925 by a D-shaped Band Enclosure, a Grade II listed structure designed by Adshead and Ramsey, which opened on 1st August 1925. Initially seating 2,184 people, the Royal Engineers Band was the first to perform there.

The sloping canopy over the stage was replaced with the current domed roof in 1929. Over time, interest in band music declined, and in 1957 the site was converted into an unheated swimming pool called the Lido, which became a popular local attraction. The pool was filled with purified seawater and remained in operation until 1988, at which point it temporarily housed dolphins while the Brighton Sealife Centre was renovated.

In the late 1980s, the pool was covered over, and the site transformed into the Family Entertainment Centre that remains today. Despite the change, the bandstand continued to host a wide variety of events and entertainment, with efforts to secure funding for further improvements, including a semi-retractable roof, granted planning permission in 2014.