Water Leisure

EXPLORE EVERYTHING WATER LEISURE AT SPATEX 2025

Posted on November 12, 2024

Hot tubs and swimming pools are one of the most sought-after facility when choosing a holiday destination, which is why SPATEX 2025 - the UK’s ONLY dedicated water leisure exhibition - is designed for YOU.

Free to attend, Tuesday 4th to Thursday 6th February, at Coventry Building Society Arena, SPATEX caters for both the commercial and domestic markets, and covers swimming pools, saunas, spas, wellness suites through to steam rooms, enclosures, hot tubs, and all the ancillary products. Here’s what a visit to SPATEX 2025 will give you:

1. EXPLORE NEW PRODUCTS & SERVICES
Whether you’re looking to renovate or dip your toe into the water for the first time, it’s the first opportunity in 2025 to see, touch, compare and discuss the latest innovations and cutting-edge products.

2. EXCLUSIVE DEALS & DISCOUNTS
Many of the 100 plus exhibitors, including the industry’s major manufacturers and suppliers, will be offering visitors special show discounts.

3. HANDS-ON KNOW-HOW
Interactive workshops and demonstrations provide inside track knowledge.

4. ENHANCE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY
Energy-saving the cornerstone of its agenda. View the most insulated hot tubs, new generation heat pumps, the latest heat retention covers, enclosures, water circulating pumps, chemical dosing systems – all have undergone big technological advances in the last few years.

5. ACCESS TO EXPERT INSIGHTS
With the world’s top water leisure experts on hand, access free advice. Come to the SPATEX Help Desk at the entrance of the hall if you need a starting point.

6. FREE KNOWLEDGE
Talks and demonstrations in the show’s free-to-attend, three-day double seminar programme are open to everyone and cover an extensive range of topics, from the latest time-saving maintenance of commercial pools and spas to future trends, social media and marketing.

7. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Attendees of the technical workshops, curated by the Institute of Swimming Pool Engineers (ISPE) in Arena 1, will be awarded CPD accreditation.

8. BEST PRACTICE
Ensure your facility meets the latest legal and safety standards. Get up to speed with the latest regulatory changes and compliance issues to implement upgrades or enhancements to attract more customers and improve satisfaction.

9. INSPIRATION
Exposure to the latest trends and award-winning projects. Winners of the SPATA (Swimming Pool & Allied Trades Association) and BISHTA (British & Irish Spa & Hot Tub Association) Awards for 2025 will be announced during SPATEX.

10. PROFESSIONAL NETWORK
There’s nothing like face-to-face business to help promote connections, collaborations and partnerships. Take advantage of SPATEX’s numerous networking opportunities. SPATEX 2025 - Tuesday 4th to Thursday 6th February. The Coventry Building Society Arena, Coventry CV6 6GE 2,000 on-site free car parking spaces.

Secure your place by registering now and sign up for monthly newslines
Tel: +44 (0) 1264 358558
www.spatex.co.uk
helen@spatex.co.uk

A DECADE OF DESTINATIONS

Posted on May 11, 2023

A DECADE OF DESTINATIONS

Celebrating Holiday Park SCENE's tenth anniversary...

Flip the rewind switch on the time machine to 2013 and we find British Prime Minister David Cameron publishing a draft European Union Bill aimed at holding a referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union by 2017. It was the year that former Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher died, following a stroke, while Catherine, now Princess of Wales, gave birth to George Alexander Louis at St Mary’s Hospital, London.

On the sports scene, Andy Murray became the first British man to win Wimbledon since Fred Perry in 1936; defeating Novak Djokovic of Serbia in straight sets. Rising temperatures led to health warnings being issued, for Southern England and the Midlands, in the UK’s first prolonged heatwave since 2006. The weather continued to be challenging as, at the end of October, what became known as the St Judes’ Day storm, brought with it gusts of 99 mph at The Needles on the Isle of Wight.

2013 also saw the launch issue of Holiday Park SCENE, a new print and on-line magazine, packed with fresh ideas and a must-read for anyone who runs or works in a holiday park sector. The Holiday Park SCENE team set out its ambition to work as an extension of destination management teams. These core aims have stayed entrenched in the magazine’s mission statement to inform and inspire UK holiday destinations, boosting visitor experiences and reaping rich returns on investments.

For more than a decade now, Holiday Park SCENE has offered the inside track on the latest market news and reports covering all aspects of holiday park management. We have brought you behind the scenes news on destination businesses that are performing well as generously, they shared their experiences. But most importantly, we have talked to the people who matter – people who add the experience, energy and enthusiasm to keep raising standards across all areas of the UK and Eire holiday park sector.

With the help of our knowledgeable writing team over ten years, we have covered subjects as varied as holiday lodges, glamping, hot tubs, catering and entertainment. The Holiday Park SCENE team has looked at some of the latest options from camping to glamping and investigated the potential for health and wellness as an added value income for business, not just in the summer but all year through.

Over the course of its first decade, Holiday Park SCENE has held hands with some of the biggest names in UK holidays from Butlin’s to Parkdean and from Park Holidays to Hoseasons. Throughout ten busy years, that have simply flown by, the magazine has featured more than 250 destinations and well over 1,000 businesses within the magazine. Holiday Park SCENE has been granted a ten-year long front row seat as the boost in staycations and investment in family time saw the holiday sector enjoy a sustained boom period.

A fountain of inspiration, Holiday Park SCENE supported the networking opportunities at some of the industry’s leading trade shows and event to find out what they can offer businesses in the way of fresh ideas as well as new products and services. Holiday Park SCENE has frequently relied upon some of the UK’s leading parks to share their tips for an effective entertainment programme that will keep guests coming back for more through play and on-site attractions.

We have discussed the e-marketing revolution with the rise and rise of social media which we warned you would ignore at your peril. The New Year is often the traditional time to re-evaluate our business goals. An opportunity to take stock of the previous 12 months and resolve to make a difference for the year ahead. We examined the Winning Ways of maximising the potential of amusement and arcade game attractions.

The holiday park industry has always been ahead of the field when it comes to preserving the business development balance with Mother Nature. David Bellamy was a holiday park ambassador when it came to highlighting the eco-factor, building in green spaces and protecting nature. Holiday Park SCENE has reflected this with frequent looks at everything from eco-friendly accommodation and energy-efficient business choices like heat pumps and electric vehicles.

The first rule of marketing is that it is not good enough to be good. You have to be perceived to be good. So Holiday Park SCENE urged you to pick up your bucket and spade with a heap of tips and ideas that will enable your business to stand out from the crowd. We looked at the increasing use of automated control systems to dramatically reduce the risk of human error in the management of holiday park swimming pools. Holiday Park SCENE has regularly tackled the thorny issue of security with features like Lock Down.

We frequently carried advice on how holiday park destinations can maximise the potential of their water leisure offering, with the addition of splash pads, flumes and water play equipment. We urged you to put up the ‘do not disturb sign’ as we invited you to relish this packed edition with a wealth of inspiring initiatives and ideas to weave into your future business planning.

Probably our most popular and ‘stand-out’ cover of the first ten years, the September 2019 front cover featured one of the life-size wooden horse sculptures now on permanent display at two holiday destinations. More soaring temperatures had accommodation booked to full capacity and then some rain which had the happy visitors spending more on site activities, arcades and in the bars and restaurants. We regularly urged decision-makers to take time away and weigh-up the highs and lows for the season.

What worked well? What could have worked better and what short and long term improvements can be introduced. As well as our regular tips from fellow operators, we brought you timely features like Fashion Statements with the case for quality investment that some argue is crucial for the holiday park sector. We shared the catering thoughts of three holiday park businesses with their Recipe For Success. We also took a look at minimising hassle and maximising sales with our look at on-line management systems in, Click Here.

Like the rest of the sector, Holiday Park SCENE was eagerly anticipating the peak summer season ahead. There had been a general feeling of optimism and positivity in the air with early bird bookings up considerably, even on 2019’s high-flying figures. Then the small matter of COVID 19 hit. Not just the holiday sector but the entire plant. Official figures confirm the travel and tourism industries contributed 6.7% of all gross value added in the UK in 2018.

Since then, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic impacted the sector heavily in 2020 and into 2021, with government restrictions both in the UK and worldwide preventing tourism for large periods of time. Within the UK, unnecessary travel was first discouraged on 16 March, before a nationwide lockdown was announced on 23 March. Travel was again impacted by the second and third English lockdowns in November 2020 and January 2021 and travel corridors were suspended on 18 January 2021.

Heavily into a stop-start-stop-go scenario, government measures helped in the retention of key staff with some timely business funding initiatives. Restrictions-permitted, the industry’s quick-thinkers took an opportunity to rethink and reinvest in facilities, while the customers were forced to stay away. Holiday Park SCENE reported on the top holiday accommodation trends and revealed the UK’s most popular holiday park destinations while raising the emerging issue of on-site e-charging.

Bonkers busy we knew, but we encouraged managers to locate a quiet cupboard or handy hidey-hole, to escape to, as they soaked up the packed ideas and inspiration throughout the latest edition of Holiday Park SCENE. With the pandemic truly behind us, we challenged business development planners to create an action list with at least five short and long term goals that will help you future-proof business.

The Holiday Park SCENE team pulled out all the stops to keep you abreast of industry trends; sharing good practice with a lodge-full of ideas on maximising the boom in the UK holiday sector. With nearly half of all businesses reporting cyber-crime security issues as well as crucial advice, you could not afford to miss in Lock It Or Lose Out. As we set out on the second decade of reporting on the vibrant UK holiday industry, we feel proud and privileged to work alongside some exceptional businesses and some outstanding people.

We will continue to recommend a pack of sticker notes to mark those pages that you would like to share with the team and to contact some of the advertisers that make Holiday Park SCENE possible. Three cheers to the first ten years as we toast the second decade yet to come!

Making A Splash

Posted on July 2, 2019

Making A Splash

making a splash 1Taking the plunge with a holiday park swimming pool can be as daunting as diving off the highest board. But be bold. Investing in on-site swimming offers many avenues for return on investment from initial visitor appeal to encouraging maximum ‘on park’ spend. But don’t just think swimming pool – rather, think water leisure and entertainment. After all, maximum payback will come from an aquatic feature that does not just offer lane swimming, but entertains all ages and abilities with excitement and splash appeal.

A perfect holiday should provide plentiful opportunities to have fun, and opportunities to de-stress and recharge batteries. A swimming pool is an ideal choice for holiday operators wishing to attract and retain visitors, whilst promoting good health and wellbeing in their guests. “It is our experience that holiday park operators view swimming pools as a very necessary evil,” advises Tim Bareham of leading holiday park pool specialist, Cresta Leisure. “Some small privately owned operators resist the need for a pool, particularly if they are not family oriented,” Tim continues. “Larger operators invest heavily to deliver ‘water leisure’ facilities to customers.” With the trend to offer longer seasons or even all-year round appeal, many parks now have both indoor and outdoor pools.

When holiday park operators first contact potential suppliers, they will generally have carried out some research and could have an initial wish list. the available space to maximise and enhance their guest experiences, how much will it cost to establish, how long it will take to build, and what maintenance will be required,” reveals Michelle Minns-Sykes of water play specialists, Ustigate. “The installation of a pool and a flume alone is a mistake as the overall aim should be to create a wet environment that pleases many people in one space at the same time,” Michelle advises. “Whilst a flume is great and exciting it is an attraction that has to limit rider’s descents for safety reasons. “In a one pool and one flume scenario, the flume would be in great demand and holiday guests would spend more time queuing than playing!” Swimming is

making a splash 2certainly an activity that many of visitors enjoy when on holiday, and therefore a swimming pool will influence bookings.

An outdoor pool will be very popular in the summer while an indoor pool will continue to attract guests all year round. Michelle again: “Holiday operator’s main objectives are to create a destination for guests to take time out of their busy work schedules, to deliver a balance between work and play where guests can enjoy precious time with families and friends. “Access is very important in design. Where there is a depth of water, life-guarding staff will need to be constantly present to guarantee public safety. Every project is unique in its location and its product mix and the cost is dependent upon size, features and the water management system. Says Michelle: “The favourites have got to be tipping buckets and cannons, because we have witnessed the shrills of excitement that come from everyone on the receiving end of a large tipping bucket and the laughter that comes from the one at the firing end of a cannon!” Thinking outside the pool box, a splashpad is a safe and economic way to provide aquatic play; safe because of it being a zero standing water concept and economic because a splashpad generally uses less water than a pool and requires no life-guarding staff. A small installation with a couple of above ground products and some ground sprays is feasible to operate directly from the mains under a flow through water management system.

MULTIPLE APPEAL
When designing a splashpad, Ustigate designers start by separating the area into three zones; incorporating a toddler, family and teen bay. The toddler bay would feature above-grade devices scaled down to a level that’s not intimidating for little ones, with products such as a low level Water Journey™ complete with a water pump, water channels and weirs or a PlayNuk™ two-deck exploration hub with softer spray features, small steps, double handrails, shaded spaces, and age-appropriate games that enable young children to explore exciting new frontiers on their own safely.

 

making a splash 3

FAMILY BAY

 

The family bay encourages cross-generational play. An adult, for example, might pick up a small child and walk through a series of tipping buckets or a spraying arch or loop. This isn't a high-energy play area, but instead an area that encourages socialising in a casual walk-through, park-like experience. The teen bay is focused on high-energy, incorporating cannons and where the space allows, a large tipping bucket that gives promise of a jolly good soaking! The majority of the Vortex product range is available with a safe-swap anchor system, enabling products to be exchanged for alternatives in the future without the need to break the ground. This system enables an aquatic play area to stay as fresh and as unique as the day it was installed, whilst keeping visitors intrigued and entertained with the essence of new. Holiday operators that have several sites can benefit from the safe-swap system by rotating aquatic play features between parks. It is important to allocate some forward thinking in the design to ensure any changes or add-ons have been allowed for in the initial design and build of the water management system. Ustigate Waterplay has launched a new user-friendly controller this year that features access to all of the controls and data on one screen, also available with remote access if an internet connection can be made available in the plant room. The controller enables you to set hours of operation, a sequence, to monitor the pumps, filters, water usage, and water treatment. With the remote access package, Ustigate Waterplay will email alarms to clients by text or by email, should anything require immediate attention. Taking expert advice on essentials such as water treatment is a no-brainer.

making a splash 4

Bather load is critical to all, when the sun is shining the outdoor pools become very busy and when the weather is inclement customers all want to be indoors. Investing in indoor, weather-proof water leisure appeal upon the type and size of the park and whether it has potential to operate for 12 months of the year. Cresta Leisure’s Tim Bareham again: “Many larger operators who have appropriate planning permission, open indoor pools to local residents during the winter months but this is dependent upon the potential revenue and the cost to open.” Tim says there are many challenges to water leisure investment but probably the most significant is safety, life guarding and plant operation. “An outdoor pool needs to be warm and inviting and correctly sized to anticipated bather load. “A large freeform pool looks appealing but is impossible to cover and expensive to heat. An indoor pool without adequate dehumidification will cause serious problems to the fabric of the building.” The good news is that pools do not have to be built out of reinforced concrete and finished with mosaic tiles, there are more cost effective solutions. However there is no cutting corners when it comes to safe operation. “Commercial pools require high capacity pumps to meet turnover periods required but the inclusion of inverters and variable speed drives will improve efficiency,” advises Tim. The ability to cover the pool, when it is not in use, will reduce energy costs as well as insulating the pool tank when building the pool. Heat pump technology must be considered for both outdoor and indoor pools to minimise pool water heating dehumidification costs. Ultra-Violet disinfection units and PAC dosing improves filtration and water quality thus saving on pool chemicals and can reduce backwashing to make significant savings on water and reheating costs. If you are already feeling daunted then make sure you make a good start by seeking expert advice from experienced suppliers like Cresta Leisure and Ustigate. A pool investment does require capital payment but when you choose an aquatic partner wisely, you will get a great return for your investment because your guests will keep coming back.

Roaring Success
Roaring sucess!Ustigate's 31-station Dippy the Dinosaur inspired splashpad has met its original goal in making Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure in Norfolk, even more popular than before.

Dippy’s Splash Zone has been successful at extending the length of a visit and has increased park revenues through locker availability, the sale of towels, shirts, diapers, and refreshments at Dippy’s Snack Shack. The facility provided the park with an extra influx of visitors, growing visitors by 18% in its first full year.

 

Splash Hit!
splash hit!Rather than spend money on renovating the outdated outdoor pool, Freshwater Beach Holiday Park on the Jurassic Coast, decided to undertake a temporary upgrade to the filtration plant and line the pool with a commercial pool liner. They also decided to undertake a feasibility study, to develop a brand-new indoor pool facility. Cresta Leisure was invited to join the project design team, to develop and deliver a wet-leisure facility that would appeal to all ages. This co-operation has resulted in a very popular, purpose built pool complex that incorporates a splash zone, a paddling pool, a play pool, interactive tower with tippers, sprays and slides, a stand-alone four-lane slide with integral catch, a 20m deck level swimming pool and a spa. Following the success of the new indoor pool complex, Freshwater asked Cresta Leisure to come up with a scheme to improve the outdoor pool facilities. Because the filtration and circulation on the existing outdoor pool was below current standards, it was decided to break out the old pool and start afresh. All the groundworks were undertaken by Freshwater’s own team. In just five months, Cresta has built a brand new 25m x 12m outdoor pool with 12m2 paddling pool packed full of interactive water play features from Hippo Leisure. This new pool facility is fully compliant with European standards and is proving to be a smash hit with everyone.

 

COMPANY CONTACTS

Cresta Leisure
Tel. 01305 259253
www.cresta-leisure.co.uk

Hippo Leisure
Tel. 01752 771740
www.hippoleisure.com

Ustigate
Tel. 01322 424445
www.ustigatewaterplay.co.uk

 

 

One Stop Shop

Posted on February 16, 2017
Image courtesy of Holt Farm Holiday Cottages.

Image courtesy of Holt Farm Holiday Cottages.

One Stop Shop

First class water leisure facilities, such as hot tubs, saunas and swimming pools are now widely regarded as fundamental to a successful holiday. For holiday park owners looking to improve or expand their water leisure offering, SPATEX 2017, is a red letter day in the 2017 calendar.

The exhibition takes place at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena from Tuesday January 31st to Thursday February 2nd. Over a hundred exhibitors from home and abroad make SPATEX the ideal hunting ground to source new products and innovations, seek advice for a specific project and explore new ideas.

With 42 seminars over three days led by 35 eminent experts you can gain valuable industry knowledge on topics as varied as commercial spa operation and the latest health and safety guidance for water leisure facilities.

Visit www. spatex.co.uk to see the full list of exhibitors, details of the double seminar programme and to register for free.

 

Balancing Act

Posted on September 8, 2015

Balancing Act

Michael Littlewood shares the benefits of the natural swimming pool system.…

Children can enjoy playing in natural water – and their parents need have no anxieties about chemicals.

Children can enjoy playing in natural water – and their parents need have no anxieties about chemicals.

At a time when people are increasingly concerned about their health, anxious to avoid exposure to chemicals, keen to help preserve wildlife and the environment, and inspired by more holistic ways of living, natural swimming pool offers the perfect fit.

As well as offering a new and inspirational experience, the natural system has practical and financial benefits for pool operators. Build costs for a natural pool are comparable to those for a conventional pool, and the conversion of an existing pool is also possible.

Maintenance costs are far lower, as a natural pool’s biological cleaning processes do away with the need for chemicals, frequent water changes and much of the work of maintenance. There are huge savings on water, as natural pools do not need to be emptied every year. Energy costs are much lower, as the natural system is not compatible with conventional pool heating. It relies instead on the heat of the sun and the circulation of the water from the shallower regeneration zone to raise the water temperature.

Because natural pools are aquatic gardens as well as places to swim, they can be developed as all-year-round leisure facilities, offering guests a place to walk, relax, socialise and enjoy nature even when the British weather does not encourage outdoor swimming. Natural pools are also of huge benefit to the environment; in addition to not using chemicals and saving on water, they are valuable wildlife habitats, offering a haven for a whole range of species threatened by the loss of wetland habitats in the countryside. People and frogs do not swim side by side, however; wild creatures stay mostly in the regeneration zone, which provides them with both food and shelter.

Natural swimming pools were originally developed in Austria, where the health and wellness benefits of bathing in natural waters in the country’s spa towns were widely recognised. In 1985, the first commercial models were created by the Austrian company Biotop, whose founder Peter Petrich came up with the idea of a self-cleaning biosystem for swimming pools. Other manufacturers, including Bioteich of Switzerland and BioNova of Germany, soon followed. I introduced natural swimming pools to the UK in 2000, and there are now many privately owned natural pools in this country. The UK’s first commercial natural pool opened in 2006 at a spa in the Cotswolds. In Europe, there are already hundreds of public natural pools, and advocates of the natural system are keen to share its benefits with local authorities and the leisure industry in this country.

SPATEX Offers Package Deal

Posted on November 29, 2013

SPATEX offers a one-stop shop for water leisure products and services such as one-piece tiled Signature swimming pools for holiday parks.

SPATEX Offers Package Deal

Bringing together many of the major players in the water leisure Industry, SPATEX 2014, in February, offers the full package for holiday park owners and operators.

Now in its 18th year, a line-up of over a hundred exhibitors will be displaying everything from wet and dry safety flooring, water play features, pool enclosures to saunas with swimming pool water treatment and energy saving ideas thrown in. In fact, all the equipment you need in a holiday park swimming pool and leisure complex.

Each day, the Institute of Swimming Pool Engineers will be running workshops with talks from leading industry experts, giving the show an important technical and educational edge. Tuesday February 4th is Leisure Operators’ Day when the Workshops will be aimed specifically at operators and managers of commercial facilities.

The Arena’s central location, just 500 yards off the M6 and within two hours commuting time of 75 per cent of the population, ensures easy access and the Ricoh has 2,000 free on-site car parking spaces.

The event takes place at the Ricoh Arena’s Jaguar Exhibition Hall from Sunday February 2nd to Tuesday 4th. Free visitor registration is now open via www.spatex.co.uk