Has anyone else tried to do this before?

Not seriously – there have been various proposals for the site, but only The Friends of Tynemouth Outdoor Pool have responded to public demand by taking on the challenge of restoring the pool as a community facility.  Back in the 1920s when the pool was first built, the same kind of public demand led to its construction, to provide a safe outdoor swimming environment for events, watersports such as water polo, and training for olympic swimmers.  Today, the demand is down to people wanting the same outcome but also to see a much-loved site brought back to life and for it to enhance the area instead of detracting from it, as it currently does.