LIW REVIEW
NEC, BIRMINGHAM, UK
Hippo Leisure’s bright and vibrant Interactive Play Platform proved to be a big hit
Birmingham Bounces Back!
WE REPORT ON AN UPBEAT 3 DAY LEISURE INDUSTRY WEEK (LIW) SHOW AT THE NEC WHICH PRODUCED SOME ENCOURAGING SIGNS OF RECOVERY AND GOOD FEEDBACK FOR THE INDUSTRY
By Jon Wadeson
een by many as the event which heralds the start of a busy period of exhibitions, this years Leisure Industry Week (LIW) at Birmingham’s NEC again played host to a wide variety of different leisure industry sectors including the Pool & Spa zone which is aimed at the UK’s commercial operators. Taking place 24 – 26 September, having moved to a new hall for this years event the show had a new feel about it which was apparent from the moment you walked in. Located towards the back of the venue, the Pool & Spa Section also enjoyed a more complete and upbeat feel, thanks in part to the return of a feature swimming pool – something that the wet leisure area has sorely missed over the last couple of years. With its inclusion
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though, the STA Swim Zone added some energy to that area of show and drew the crowds thanks to a number of in pool activities. They included aqua fitness classes, lifesaving demonstrations and syncronised swimming performances from a team that included STA’s own Zoe Cooper, a member of Aquabatique who performed on Britains Got Talent in 2012.
The 30 or so exhibitors that had made the trip to Birmingham all benefited from the increased interest and levels of visitors with most being very pleased with how the event went, reporting signs of more optimism from those that visited the show and a healthy number of enquiries for products that were being exhibited. In addition to the Swim Zone, the STA
were promoting a number of their current initiatives including their STAadmin online leisure management system which assists with the management of qualifications, ongoing training and operational safety, and the organisation had one of the most prominent stands in the Pool & Spa sector. Operations Director Theo Millward was delighted at how the show went and advised that due to its success, the pool feature would likely return for 2014. The British Swimming Pool Federation (BSPF) along with other industry bodies including the ASA, RLSS and Skillsactive were also exhibiting, the later promoting their recently launched Register For Aquatic Professionals (RAPs) initiative. On the product side, there was plenty
70 December 2013 SPN
www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk
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