Pyramids Centre Built and Later Demolished

1988

The Pyramids Centre opened in 1988 on Southsea seafront, near Clarence Esplanade, as a leisure complex with swimming pools, water slides, a wave machine, and event spaces. The building was designed with a distinctive glass pyramid roof that gave it its name, and it was intended to provide a modern, all-weather attraction for Southsea's seafront. The Pyramids was popular through the 1990s, hosting swimming sessions, concerts, club nights, and exhibitions. It became a well-known landmark and a focal point for the western seafront. However, the building proved expensive to maintain. The pools and water features suffered from corrosion and mechanical problems, and the cost of refurbishment rose steadily. Swimming facilities were eventually closed, and the building was increasingly used only for occasional events and exhibitions. Portsmouth City Council debated the building's future for years, with proposals for renovation, redevelopment, and demolition all considered. The Pyramids was eventually demolished in 2020, and the site has been cleared. Plans for the future use of the site have been discussed but not finalised. The loss of the Pyramids removed one of Southsea's most recognisable buildings and left a gap on the seafront that has yet to be filled. For many residents who grew up in the 1990s, the Pyramids swimming pool is a defining childhood memory of Southsea.