www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk
ALL SWIM’S MIKE ALLEN DIES AGED 75
Mike Allen, the larger than life character who with his late wife Audrey ran one of the best known retail pool businesses in the UK, died in early September at his home in Cardiff. He was 75.
Mike was a successful and popular businessman who ran the Cardiff based All Swim retail business until 2000 when he handed the day to day running of what was a growing and expanding business over to his daughter Jane Veysey and her husband Andrew who now run it. All Swim, which has always been a family owned and run business started in 1972 under Mike’s energetic management style. He and his wife soon became known as two of the real characters of the retail trade and as their business started to grow they formed long term relationships with some of the leading companies in the industry including Certikin, Plastica, SCP and Catalina.
The business was always loyal to the industry. The All Swim staff were qualified members of the Institute of Swimming Pool Engineers. All Swim was also a member of the Swimming Pool Allied Trade Association (SPATA), as well as the British and Irish Hot Tub Association (BISHTA). Mike was especially proud of his staff who won a reputation for being friendly and knowledgeable. Certikin Chairman Patrick Thorpe paid tribute to Mike and the long standing friendship they had for many years saying: “We were friends for close on 40 years and I vividly remember Jane as a babe in arms. Mike was a tough businessman and I spent many hours negotiating with him until he was sure he had got the best deal possible out of me. This would always be sweetened by the slap up lunch he would insist on paying for after the business was completed. It is a really sad loss.”
PeopleNews OCT 2011 SPN
555
Victoria Plompen has joined Go Publishing Ltd, publishers of Swimming Pool News and What Pools and Hot Tub magazine as an Advertising Sales Manager. Victoria, who started her new role at the beginning of September, has a lot of experience and knowledge of the specialist pool and spa industry.
When Swimming Pool News was owned and published by Archant in Saffron Walden, Victoria was Group Sales Manager with responsibilities over a range of magazines including Swimming Pool News. She previously worked directly on the title in an advertising sales role.
Victoria has another connection to the trade. She is married to Ron Plompen from Starline, the fibreglass pool designer and manufacturer. Said SPN’s Co-Publisher Tony Weston: “It’s great to be able to welcome Victoria back to SPN. We see it very much as part of an ongoing investment to grow the title and its market leading position. She has been able to fit straight back into the sales role thanks to her previous
VICTORIA RETURNS TO SPN ADVERTISING SALES
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wide experience and knowledge of the industry and how it works. I look forward to her working alongside me
GRAHAM’S PARACHUTE SKI JUMP!
Graham Steele of Aquascape Swimming Pools, Stroud had his head well and truly in the clouds when he made a parachute jump in order to raise money for Exeter’s Adaptive Ski Club. Keen skier Graham said: “The club do a great job in helping disabled people learn to ski. They arrange wonderful ski trips to the US where the facilities are outstanding and volunteers give up their own time to accompany the trips. I wanted to do something to help and at the time I thought jumping out of an aeroplane was a good idea. I am glad that I did it but not sure if I would rush to do it again!” Graham completed what he refers to as his “fear fall” courtesy of Dripool’s Ian McMath and would like to thank him for: “Making it possible for me to be terrified out of my skin!” Aquascape specialise in swimming
pool construction and renovation from their base in the Cotswolds. Anyone wishing to donate should contact Exeter Adaptive Ski Club.
and I know she is looking forward to meeting some old and new faces in the business.”
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