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SPN JUN 2011 Pool&SpaIndustry
www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk
SPATA – HOW THE FUTURE WAS FUNDED
This second part of SPATA’s history picks up the story in the 1980s when the development of industry shows and promotional activity played a vital role in the way the association developed
he UK pool industry exhibition has always played a significant role in the way the association has developed. The first SPATEX swimming pool exhibition was organised in 1976 at the Brighton Metropole Hotel by Derek Simlick of Corinthian Exhibitions. SPATA had no financial or organisational role in the show. SPATA Past President, Brian McLaughlin set up CMA to organise an International Swimming Pool and Leisure Show at Wembley Conference Centre in February 1982. He offered SPATA a share in the ownership and profits assuming it would cease involvement with Brighton. This was agreed. SPATA had 50% shares in the company set up to run the show – ISPLS. This partnership continued until 1991, when it was sold to Haymarket Exhibitions.
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A landmark was the acquisition of SPATA’s own offices in Andover in 1986. Good financial management and the growth in income from the show enabled the purchase to be made. The SPATA Standards continued to be reviewed, expanded and amended throughout the 1980s and remained the core feature of the association. The Spatasure warranty scheme was introduced with an insurance company to make choosing a SPATA member more attractive for consumers. However, the scheme was hampered as most members did not take it up, as participation in the scheme was voluntary. The 2000 Club was set up in 1984 by a group of suppliers, who jointly funded promotional activities with a £2,000 a year donation. SPATA had access to a small PR and advertising budget but never had enough funds for major promotional activity for the industry. The 2000 Club persuaded SPATA to commission a review in 1990, which produced two main recommendations: 1)The integration of the 2000 Club with SPATA PR activity
2)The appointment of a chief executive
The outcome was the appointment of Ted Cramp as Chief Executive. His arrival preceded a crisis
which arose from the decision by CMA, majority shareholders with SPATA, to sell ISPLS to Haymarket Exhibitions.
There were moves to call an Extraordinary General Meeting to consider a motion of no confidence in the President, but after a dramatic debate the President’s actions were supported by the council.
The need for another industry body dedicated to raising promotional funds from the industry was evident. The result was Pool Industry Promotion Ltd in 1991, a separately registered company, set up by former SPATA presidents to do the same job as the 2000 Club. PIP engaged KVO Associates, who handled industry PR and produced the industry’s first trade magazine owned by the industry, paying profits back for reinvestment. Pool Industry, the new magazine launched in 1998, competed with the long-established Swimming Pool News, but managed to pay profits back to the industry. The exhibition market continued to change ownership, Haymarket finally called it a day in 1995 and the industry was in a position to run its own event.
The industry show was reborn in 1996 and registered as SPATEX Ltd. SPATA agreed to buy the shares from three former SPATA Presidents, and the first exhibition took place in 1997. The SPATEX shares are now owned by the BSPF. The rest, as they say, is history as the event has raised over a million pounds for the industry. In 1997, SPATA began a review called “The Way Forward”, which envisaged a new umbrella body to coordinate the policies and work of SPATA, its newly created subsidiary companies SPATEX and PIP, and other like-minded organisations. The review was adopted and Allen Brobyn became full-time Managing Director and among Alan’s many achievements was the setting up of the SpataShield scheme.
The British Swimming Pool Federation was registered in 2000.
In 2008, a new managing director was appointed and Chris Hayes asked Peter Lang and
the SPATA Technical Committee to coordinate another update of the Standards and these were completed and implemented in 2010. Barbara Kay of KVO, who had edited Pool Industry for PIP since its launch, retired in 2002 and BSPF decided to continue publishing the magazine. A contract was agreed with Christina Connor of Waterland Marketing to produce a new Pool and Spa Industry on behalf of the BSPF, with a share of the profits for the BSPF. This contract continued until 2010, when a new association began with Go Publishing Ltd and the long- established Swimming Pool News title, which incorporated Pool and Spa Industry into its newly designed masthead.
The SPATA website, started by John Fowler in 1998, was developed and completed in the next few years, and has been redesigned and updated several times.
Other initiatives included the need to communicate more regularly with members and a weekly electronic newsletter (below) was launched in 2009. The idea provided members with regular, bite-sized pieces of information to keep members abreast of news and developments in the industry. spn
If anyone still has anecdotes or extra information on SPATA’s history please contact the SPATA office on 01264 356210
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