INDUSTRY VIEWS
SUCCESS THROUGH COLLABORATION HOW PARTNERSHIPS CAN OVERCOME OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES Access to swimming pools, meeting consumer demand for swimming lessons, operational challenges faced by pool operators… These are just a few scenarios where the importance of partnerships and collaboration throughout the leisure sector becomes clear. One of the biggest challenges we’ve come across at Water Babies is the cost of living crisis, with pool operators turning down temperatures to try and reduce energy consumption and costs. Undoubtably this will result in some financial savings, but it also has an impact on younger swimmers and can be significant in making children’s lessons more challenging and less enjoyable for families. In one of our franchises, a facility we’ve hired for over 14 years was instructed to reduce its pool temperature. We would have been forced to relocate or risk customers no longer bringing their child to our lessons. During this process, it was clear there had been no robust comparison of potential savings from reduced energy consumption versus lost income from third-party pool hire – and indeed any associated secondary spend or membership uplift. Working collaboratively with the venue, we commissioned an independent energy survey for the pool. It found the loss of income from external pool hire far outstripped savings in energy consumption from reducing the temperature. Importantly, it also identified other energy-saving measures to help reduce the pool’s carbon footprint. This enabled the pool to maintain its existing temperature and keep our customers – and theirs – happy. Here at Water Babies, we embrace the importance of working in partnership, helping support operators where they may not have the relevant expertise around energy, as well as other operational and safety issues. Because of course, energy is not the only challenge for pool operators, with staffing and building infrastructure also high up the list. Sadly many school pools are faced with closure, with an ageing pool stock, stretched budgets and a lack of suitable income streams. It means more and more children are losing access to vital swimming and lifesaving skills. Many of our franchisees therefore support a local school with plant room or changing room upgrades, helping ensure it stays open for the children. They also provide an income stream via pool hire, which helps cover the facility’s running costs. And it isn’t all doom and gloom. Over the coming years, I expect to see a growth in the number of smaller learn-to-swim facilities being built, perhaps in disused warehouses or else empty shops in town centres, helping reinvigorate the high street. Providing access to swimming lessons in smaller, energy-efficient facilities – with the latest water quality and filtration technologies – will not only replace pool stock but potentially increase access to swimming lessons throughout the UK.
Smaller, energy- efficient facilities will not only replace pool stock but potentially increase access to swimming lessons. ALEX BLACKWELL Head of pools and facilities, Water Babies
Let’s swim together!
Are you a pool operator or manager? Then we want to hear from you! Water Babies is the world’s leading baby swim school, teaching water confidence and life skills 600 pools across the UK every week. And we’re always on the look-out for more pools and venues we can work with to deliver our world-class lessons.
• High reputation for on time payment • Bring new customers into facilities • Share our strong brand reputation • Respect and look after your space • Be responsible for our customers • Work with you to promote your venue • Maintain our swimming teacher qualifications, DBS checks, and lifesaving awards • Support you with a network of experts Some of our promises to you:
Contact us at aquatics@waterbabies.co.uk
waterbabies.co.uk
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STATE OF THE UK FITNESS INDUSTRY REPORT 2023 STATE OF THE UK SWIMMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2024
STATE OF THE UK FITNESS INDUSTRY REPORT 2023
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STATE OF THE UK SWIMMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2024
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