SPA Creators have a keen interest in the spa and bathing culture and how the past influences the current and the future. The UK has a strong spa and wellness heritage from the Royal Pump Rooms in the city of Bath where the Romans created the ancient bath house and then in Georgian times the royals and high society would visit Bath to take the waters. Across the UK there are many examples of spa towns where the royals have influenced visitors to the town or city creating a draw to experience the holistic benefits of water.
In our journey we have visited and discovered many Lidos which have benefited from a popular revival in outdoor swimming and many of them have received significant investment to restore them to their former glory. An example of this is the Thames Lido in Reading. Here they have restored the 25m outdoor pool adding thermal experiences, a fantastic restaurant and treatment rooms. This Lido is extremely popular and is a strong sustainable business.
Recently I said to one of my colleagues that I had planned to visit Margate, she laughed, ‘why would you go there she retorted…’
I like to spend time visiting sites and places to understand how and what they have created can translate to the current trends with modern society and the wellness culture and how this could be introduced into our spa design process. Our clients are always asking what is the next big thing in spa design. I believe you can learn a lot from seeing and doing.
Margate is an up and coming seaside town, they have a strong link with sea bathing. In 1791 the Royal Sea Bathing Hospital was built to take sick Londoners and using seawater bathing as a cure. They introduced the first bathing changing areas that were covered carts that would take bathers out to the seas edge for them to modestly get into the sea. This practice led to the building of the first tidal pool in Margate, this extended and many costal locations began building tidal pools which benefit from replenished seawater on each tide filling the pool removing the need for filtration systems. These tidal pools have seen a significant resurgence in popularity drawing on the very popular activity of outdoor swimming. Cold water therapy is known for its powerful benefits to the mind and body. This is something I have been very interested in myself.
During my Margate visit I also was interested in the close by tidal pool at Walpole.
Walpole Tidal Pool is situated at Walpole Bay and was built and opened in 1937 and now has Grade II listed status. It covers 4 acres and is believed to be the biggest tidal pool in the UK, reaching depths of 6ft in places. In recent years it has become a popular destination for sea swimming with fresh water springs rising from the beach within the walls. There are many local businesses that have embraced the new visitors to the pool with a local hotel and many independent coffee shops benefiting from the increased traffic.
One local skincare business Haeckels House has gone one step further using the local seaweeds to create ingredients and to promote this they have invested in a public Sauna on the beach. This is managed by volunteers and is opened daily. It has created a very popular following by the locals and is a fantastic experience. The Sauna benefits from being close to the beach and you can go from the heat of the Sauna jumping in the sea to cool down and then return for more hot.
SPA Creators outdoor thermal village concept allows hotel operators to use the resources around them to develop spa and wellness bathing culture and experience. Our extensive knowledge of setting up these types of businesses monetising the experiences is why we are now developing a number of large outdoor spa facilities for hospitality operators. These facilities are very profitable as they are touchless therapies and have low cost of operation. It is our view that in the future these facilities will grow in numbers driven by the consumer demand. We have recently completed the spa facility at Cooden Beach Hotel and it is our plan to add a number of Sauna pods as the hotel benefits from direct access to the beach. This will be a chargeable guest experiences and will build on the offering within the spa.
There are a number of interesting news stories that can be found on our website and we suggest to explore these many and varied articles. If the spa and wellness sector is something you are looking to develop SPA Creators team of business experts and spa interior architects can be a great resource. Do reach out to our team.
