OPERATOR PERSPECTIVE
OPERATOR PERSPECTIVE
The Laboratory Spa & Health Club operates two country club-style venues for north Londoners, each set in beautiful gardens
When it comes to our pools, reputation is everything. Water clarity is something we particularly pride ourselves on.
He continues: “Water clarity is something we particularly pride ourselves on. Where most pool operators might only do one or two backwashes a week, we do three to four, using a small amount of chlorine in the pool as a back- up agent in addition to our UV light treatment. We have a 365-day swimming pool maintenance team in place, checking levels and pool clarity even on Christmas Day and Boxing Day when the club is closed. In addition to our in-house team, we have a contract with H2O to maintain the servicing of our plant rooms. “Alongside essential maintenance, we also continue to invest in our offering, with some exciting poolside plans for next year, such as introducing an ice lounge and sanarium and a fully refurbished sauna and steam room. “Although not a legal obligation, lifeguards are always on duty: we staff the pool and make safety our number
one priority. At Muswell Hill, I have a team of around 10 dedicated lifeguards, all of whom are contracted staff on guaranteed hours. Their job includes coordinating the pool to ensure swimmers are in the correct lanes – fast or slow – which is done with tact and customer service in mind. “We also have changing room attendants to ensure the locker rooms are spotless.” Upholding the experience Barre continues: “Ours is an adults-only club with 3,000 members who come to us for their ‘me time’. That’s the premise that guides the way we think about our pool. In other clubs, you might find five people per lane during free swimming. At our club, we get complaints if there are more than two in a lane!
SEB BARRE
Member satisfaction and industry reputation justify the preservation of a tranquil pool, says the GM of The Laboratory Spa & Health Club in Muswell Hill
The club’s adult members come for their ‘me time’. “That guides the way we think about our pool”, says Barre
“The Laboratory Spa & Health Club operates two country club-style venues for north Londoners, each set in beautiful gardens and offering a day spa, gym, studios, restaurant and 25m indoor swimming pool. Our members enjoy access to all of this for £135–145 a month,” says Seb Barre, general manager of the Muswell Hill club. “Within that offering, our swimming pools have always been a focal point: we’re known for their quality, they feature in many of our adverts and, based on recent years when swim booking was in place, they are used by around a third of our members daily.
“Even at the height of the energy crisis, we were committed to consistently delivering on the pool essentials as we see them: lifeguarding, high levels of customer service, a 28.4°C water temperature, a pleasant ambient pool hall temperature, crystal clear water and continued access to our spa baths, sauna and steam room. “We absorbed the financial hit to ensure we were still delivering the luxurious experience we are known for. It was short-term pain for long-term gain and reputation; when it comes to our pools, reputation is everything.”
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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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