ONE of the UK’s most beautiful lidos has been forced to temporarily close – despite just re-opening.

Saltdean Lido, in Brighton reopened this summer after a huge £11million renovation.

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The 14-year project was part of National Lottery funding, which revamped the cafe and pool area.

However, the pool has been forced to close already, due to unexpected damages.

The underground leak – one of several in recent years – means the lido has had to close at short notice.

The lido said on social media: “We have experienced a few underground leaks around the pool in recent years and again earlier this year.

“We now have another leak and it is apparent that we have a problem with the pipework all around the pool.

“Despite our best efforts to keep the pool open during this period, we have been advised that there are structural risks in doing this and the water level should be reduced while excavation takes place.

“This means, very sadly, that it is necessary to close the pool until these essential works are completed.

“There is no good time to do this, but on balance, winter is better than summer.”

The works are estimated to take up to four weeks, meaning the pool could reopen by the end of the year.

Other improvements include replacing some of the roofs and windows.

They added: “We hope you will continue to support us through gym memberships, attending our events and enjoying the café and restaurant and look forward to welcoming you back into the pool soon.”

People were left gutted by the news.

One wrote: “What a great pity after all of your efforts.”

Another agreed: “So sorry to hear this … how very sad.”

Saltdean Lido has a 40 metre outdoor heated pool, meaning it remains open even during the winter months.

A kid’s splash pool and grassy area make it a popular spot in the summer months.

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There are even three food eateries, along with co-working spaces and gym classes.

The Art Deco lido was built in 1938, and was seen as such an innovative design of its time.

However, it closed just two years later due to the war.

It was even nearly bought by Butlins in 1958 when it was derelict although this was scrapped.

Last summer, a new Brighton lido opened right on the beach.

Sea Lanes Brighton has a 50 metre, six-lane heated pool, with sea views too.

And here’s another lido hoping to reopen in the UK.

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EASYJET is launching a new route between Newcastle Airport and Lyon, with services to start operating in January.

Earlier this year, the low-cost airline announced 33 routes launching from 11 UK airports, including a brand-new service from Newcastle.

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Direct services will start operating between the two cities from January 4, 2025.

The weekly service will operate every Saturday.

Flights will leave Lyon at 10.15am before touching down in the UK at 11.25am.

Services from Newcastle Airport will then depart from the UK at 12.05pm, landing in the French city at 3.05pm local time.

Flights between the two cities will take roughly two hours.

Tickets are already on sale, with one-way fares starting from £26.99.

Lyon is the third largest city in France, which means there’s plenty of attractions and activities to keep holidaymakers entertained.

One of those is Parc de la Tête d’Or – the largest urban park in France.

Holidaymakers should also explore Croix-Rousse, a bohemian district that was once home to the city’s silk manufacturers.

The area is packed with indie bars, restaurants, galleries and shops.

Lyon is also known for its ties to the cinema with the Lumière brothers living in the French city.

The Lumière brothers are often credited as being the inventors of cinema, with the Institut Lumière, their former home, now housing a museum that traces the history of cinema.

Earlier this year, Newcastle Airport was named one of the best in the world at an award ceremony in Bahrain.

The regional English airport was crowned the ‘Overall Winner’ at the Routes World Awards 2024.

It also retained its title of ‘Airport of the Year‘ in the under 5 million passengers category for the second year running.

In the last few months, Newcastle Airport has added several new routes, with the 16 airlines flying to 80 destinations.

Sun Express, a joint venture between Lufthansa and Turkish airlines, will launch a new service from Newcastle to Dalaman, Turkey.

Direct services will start operating on May 4, with additional flights to Antalya also being added to the airport’s roster next year.

Tour operator Jet2 has also added another route from Newcastle International Airport to its summer 2026 programme.

Flights from Newcastle to Preveza, Greece, will begin operating on May 26, 2026.

A Ryanair route to Marrakech will launch in October, just in time for the winter season.

Earlier this year, Jet2 also added five extra routes from Newcastle.

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PART of the job of being a travel writer is getting to stay in some extremely amazing hotels around the world.

Some of the best hotels I’ve stayed in were unforgettable – real bucket list stuff.

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There was the five-star overwater villa in the Maldives, where the entire room was glass-walled and sea-fronted, with new floral arrangements delivered every evening.

Or there were the stunning fairytale lodges in Kenya, where my pre-dinner entertainment was watching elephants come to the watering hole.

But if you ask me what my go-to hotel is? It’s the humble Premier Inn.

You probably think I’m mad for opting for a budget chain over bucket-list resorts, but let me explain.

Of course I love it when I walk into a sparkling hotel, where staff greet me by name with a glass of champers in hand.

But those kinds of places come at a price – with some resorts costing upwards of £1,000 a night.

As someone who has always been a backpacker and cheap traveller (my biggest bargain being an £8 hostel in the middle of a nightclub in Thailand) it’s hard to quantify that cost, no matter the glamour.

Yet the humble Premier Inn has never left me down, and all for the price of a meal out.

I’m apparently not the only one. A study conducted by the hotel chain in 2022 found that 83 per cent of guests would stay again after booking.

And that £39 base rate has looked after me in the form of clean, if not simple rooms.

If you don’t believe how much I loved a Premier Inn bed, then come to my house – I have the same pillows as the hotel.

They are also amazingly located in the middle of cities, next to airport terminals, or in ideal bases to explore the area.

And it always marks the start of something exciting.

The night before a long flight, not able to sleep with anticipation, or arriving just to drop my bag and get ready for a day exploring a new city.

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It’s ease of check-in and check-out beats a fancy resort, which always seem to take forever.

Not Premier Inn, where I dump my card in the morning and am out in seconds.

And I am the guest who gets Buffet Fear – that nervousness when there are just too many stations and options.

In my opinion, you can’t go wrong with a classic English fry up, where you know what you’re getting every time.

Followed up by a croissant or three, of course, that you can sneak into your bag for laters…

I’m not saying I’m not a fan of a gorgeous hotel – I’m still dreaming of my beachside suite, after a trip to Turks & Caicos last year.

But the humble Premier Inn has a place in my heart. Purple pillows and all.

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