NEWS IN BRIEF
STA FORMS EXCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH SPORTA STA has entered into a 12-month partnership with The Sports and Recreation Trusts Association (Sporta), which sees STA become the preferred aquatic training supplier for Sporta, the national association of leisure and cultural trusts.
This relationship will help
STA support the work of Sporta and its members; and it will provide STA the opportunity to share its experience of helping Trusts achieve cost savings, while delivering products and services that are engaging for communities to use and adhere to National Standards. STA already works successfully with several Sporta members, including Sencio, Tempus Leisure, and Link4Life. They are all great case study examples of how STA’s Swim Academy model, first launched in 2010, has helped to increase income and achieve substantial cost reductions as a result of implementing STA’s swimming teacher training scheme.
PETITION CALLS FOR ICONIC WELSH POOL TO BE REBUILT More than 8,000 people have signed petitions calling for an iconic South Wales swimming pool to be rebuilt.
The Knap Lido in Barry, which opened in 1926, was one of the largest open-air swimming pools in Britain.
Despite widespread opposition it was closed, filled in and landscaped in 1996. The Rebuild Knap Lido campaign has now collected online and paper petitions calling for the attraction to be reinstated. Campaigners point to a £6.3m scheme spearheaded by Rhondda Cynon Taff council as an example of what could be done in Barry. The scheme in Pontypridd which opens next year and will see the reinstatement of a 460,000 gallon water attraction which features three distinct aqua features, restored original changing rooms and a double storey café and viewing area.
www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk
Saunas – A Continuing Business Growth Opportunity
Ever on the lookout for ways of helping its trade customers boost their business, wet leisure specialist Golden Coast is reminding the industry that all signs still point to growth opportunities in the sauna sector. Backed by the results of its own annual State of the
Wet Leisure Industry Survey, which has shown clear year-on-year expansion for sauna, Golden Coast sees this growing consumer interest as an indication that householders are prioritising home improvement and health in spite of the recession.
The trend for wet leisure businesses to diversify into all three of the main sectors – pool, spa and sauna – is continuing. While sauna is still the smaller sector overall, it is increasing at the fastest rate by far. Around 50% of companies responding to the latest survey were involved in selling and installing saunas, compared to around 40% in the previous year. While the divisions between the pool, spa and sauna sectors have traditionally been quite clear cut, respondents are now using such terms as spa developments, steam rooms and bathrooms – suggesting that things are moving in a variety of different directions within the industry. Along with pool and spa providers, whose knowledge, skills, facilities and customer bases can readily be adapted to the sale, installation and maintenance of saunas, Golden Coast is keen to see more bathroom suppliers widening their portfolios to include sauna and steam. Again this is a logical direction in which to extend a company’s customer base.
Figures from Golden Coast and its sauna partner
Tylö make very interesting reading for any company thinking of joining them in the market. The typical gross profit on a sauna sale is 40% and customers usually pay between £2,500 and £25,000 for an
Compliance Expert Urges Action As Spotlight Falls On TM44s
Low energy and sustainability services provider, Inteb, is urging leisure centre managers to get their legally required air conditioning certification in place, because if the law has not had teeth so far, it is about to acquire some. Any air conditioning system with an output of over 12kW must, by law, be regularly inspected by a trained energy assessor, so that certification can be produced to show that the operator of the system is complying with European Directive legislation.
All air conditioning systems in place on or after 1 January 2008 should have been inspected within five years of installation. Older systems with an output over 250kW should have been inspected by January 2009,
while others, above 12kW, were required to have been inspected by January 2011.
Under Section 43 (1) D of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), you can be fined £300 per system, per day, if you are found to have non-compliant air conditioning systems. If you are compliant, you will have been issued with TM44 certification as evidence of your inspection. To date, Trading Standards Officers have been shown to have put little effort behind TM44 checks. Only 5-10% of qualifying properties are said to be compliant. This is all about to change, as leading accreditation body, Sterling, has flagged up the lack of activity by Trading Standard Officers to the
Department for Communities and Local Government.
The DCLG has responded by saying that action could be taken against Local Authorities and Trading Standard Officers who are proved to be electing not to enforce the regulations. Local Authorities could be proved to be in breach of their statutory duty and at risk of judicial review. Sterling has also instigated a Freedom of Information request and asked Local Authorities to report back on their actions to enforce the regulations to date, providing statistical evidence of inspections and enforcements. The spotlight is being turned on the lack of activity to date, even though £7.2m was provided to Local Authorities to enforce the TM44 legislation.
SPN October 2014 17
installation. Golden Coast’s research also highlights the fact that the increasing numbers of sauna installations have been accompanied by growth in add-on business through consumables, servicing, repairs and retrofit products.
A very convincing case for taking advantage of the business opportunity presented by saunas is given in Golden Coast’s e-book, downloadable free of charge from
goldenc.co, which sets out the advantages along with the practical steps needed to succeed. To ensure that the industry continues to benefit from the best market intelligence, look out for your invitation to take part in this year’s State of the Wet Leisure Industry Survey, due to begin in late October, and have your say.
Golden Coast 01271 378100
www.GCTrade.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88