leisureleisureopportunities.com @leisureopps opportunities 30th ANNIVERSARY YEAR 14 Nov – 27 Nov 2017 Issue 723 Your careers & recruitment partner Pure Gym sold to US investors LGP US buyout firm Leonard Green & Partners (LGP), which jointly owns Topshop with Sir Philip Green, has won a two-month bidding contest for UK operator Pure Gym. The private equity shop announced it will acquire a controlling interest in Pure Gym, replacing current majority shareholder and US private equity firm CCMP Capital Advisors. CCMP bought a majority stake in the business in May 2013 but will no longer retain an interest. While details of the deal have not been disclosed, it was confirmed that it is scheduled to be completed by QPure Gym has 189 clubs across the UK, boasting 950,000 members the end of November. Ahead of the announcement, Sky News reported 950,000 members, comes a year that the deal would be worth £600m. after the company abandoned an The first round of bids took place in initial public offering (IPO). September, followed by further bids “We’re delighted to be entering into a This investment on 2 November. Reports listed other new partnership with Leonard Green & confirms the interested parties as Goldman Sachs Partners, whose investment confirms growth potential Private Equity, Pamplona and Providence. the growth potential of our business,” of our business The sale of Pure Gym, which said Pure Gym CEO Humphrey Cobbold. Humphrey Cobbold has 189 clubs nationwide and More: http://lei.sr?a=W5D6k_O Katherine Grainger: Olympic Trends revealed at London's Seaside success: Hastings medals crucial for grassroots Wellness Travel Symposium Pier scoops Stirling Prize The chair of UK Sport says p4 Stella Photi on the move p17 RIBA's Ben Derbyshire p22 medals inspire participation toward healing and retreats praises the collaboration leisureopps people Tanni Grey-Thompson demands government does more to prioritise physical activity in UK aroness Tanni Grey- “Every day, parents, B Thompson has called grandparents, wives and on the government to husbands are dying because help make physical activity they live in a society that a ‘national religion’ and doesn’t place enough harness its potential to emphasis on the importance tackle some of the biggest of physical activity. challenges faced by society. “For many, physical activity Speaking at the ukactive is becoming a national National Summit in London, religion – something we Grey-Thompson said urgent love and cherish. Something action is needed to combat that serves as the glue, the mounting physical holding communities inactivity crisis, which QGrey-Thompson addressed ministers the National Summit together. Yet there has been costs £20bn each year and too little policy emphasis causes 37,000 deaths. "Leisure centres are pillars of society, on what contributes to The crossbench peer, steadfastly supporting communities, but health and happiness. who won 11 Paralympic gold many of these pillars are crumbling" “Leisure centres are medals as a wheelchair pillars of society, steadfastly athlete, outlined the impact care crisis, the future of the “Physical inactivity is supporting communities, physical activity can have NHS, childhood obesity, one of the biggest crises we but many of these pillars are on issues such as Britain’s mental health, crime and face,” said Grey-Thompson, crumbling – in need of urgent ageing population and social economic productivity. who is chair of ukactive. repair and renovation.” Jean-Ann Marnoch says the industry must do more to invest in fitness instructors he fitness industry "I'm at a loss as to why the T must do more for industry doesn't place more instructors by increasing value on instructors" salaries and investing in training, according more value on the person “If you look at the most to Jean-Ann Marnoch, who makes or breaks the successful clubs in the world, instructor experience customer experience.” they have large studios, director at Les Mills UK. Marnoch joined Les some as big as sports halls, “Instructors have been paid Mills UK in 2013, tasked and these are rammed at the same wage for the last 15 with improving its training six o’clock in the morning years,” Marnoch told Leisure programme, and has grown and again throughout the Opportunities. “If we truly the training team from 35 evening,” she said. “That’s QJean-Ann Marnoch joined valued the role they play in to today’s workforce of 100. because they invest in and Les Mills UK in 2013 increasing participation, this The trainers are elite coaches retain great instructors and would have changed by now. who educate instructors, end up with a waiting list of “I’m at a loss as to why ensuring they develop in line people wanting to get into the industry doesn’t place with national standards. their clubs and classes.” 2 leisureopportunities.co.uk ©Cybertrek Ltd 2017 ISSUE 723 leisureopps Contents issue 723 NEWS Fitness 6 Sports 12 CIMSPA 15 Spa & wellness 16 Hotel 18 QWright founded the Spabreaks booking service in 2008 Tourism 21 Wright has taken Spabreaks.com from a two-person business to one with a turnover of £20m Attractions 22 Abi Wright, founder of Careers 27 Spabreaks.com, up for award Insight 28 bi Wright, the winners across six cate- A co-founder and gories. The Entrepreneur managing director of award will be given to an Spabreaks.com, has been owner/operator of a travel CLASSIFIED & JOBS named as a finalist at the business who has been inaugural everywoman operating for three years Tenders 34 in Travel Awards. or more, and whose “vision Wright, who founded will inspire other women to the online spa booking start their own enterprise”. Job opportunities 35 service in 2008, is one of everywoman set up the three women to have been awards to celebrate women shortlisted for the awards’ in the travel industry. Sign up to Leisure Opportunities: entrepreneur category. Karen Gill MBE, co-founder Online: www.leisuresubs.com Within 10 years, Wright of everywoman, said: “We’ve Email: [email protected] has taken Spabreaks.com selected some of the most Tel: +44 (0)1462 471930 from a two-person business talented women currently Annual subscriptions: UK £34, to a company employing working in the UK’s travel UK students £18, Europe £45, RoW £68 more than 100 members industry and are confident Leisure Opportunities is published 26 times a year by The Leisure Media of staff, managing 6,000 their success stories will Company Ltd, Portmill House, Portmill Lane, Hitchin, Herts SG5 1DJ, UK. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author and do enquiries a week, and be a true inspiration to not necessarily represent those of the publisher. All rights reserved. No hitting a turnover of more the next generation.” part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by means, electronic, mechanical, recorded or than £20m last year. The winners will be otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright holder, Cybertrek The 2017 everywoman announced at a ceremony Ltd. Printed by Warners Midlands PLC. Distributed by Royal Mail Group Ltd and Whistl Ltd in the UK and Total Mail Ltd globally. ©Cybertrek Ltd 2017 in Travel Awards will select in London on 16 November. ISSN 0952/8210 (Print). ISSN 2397-2394 (Online). ISSUE 723 ©Cybertrek Ltd 2017 leisureopportunities.co.uk 3 leisureopps people Former CEO of Swim England Adam Paker takes the helm at Swimming Nature dam Paker, the former "We can take the brand further A chief executive of and wider to teach more people Swim England and to swim and swim beautifully" Commonwealth Games England, has joined Paker. “I first interacted with business so we can take the Swimming Nature as CEO. Swimming Nature as a brand further and wider to Paker takes the reins from customer in 2012 and have teach more people to swim Eduardo Ferré, who founded followed the company with and swim beautifully.” Swimming Nature in interest. I was impressed Swimming Nature recently 1993, with Ferré moving into with the premium nature reported exponential QAt Swim England, Paker the role of product director of the product and strongly growth of its pool network helped reverse a decline to concentrate on the believe there is more which included signing in participation numbers delivery of swimming tuition. potential to unlock in the deals with Bannatyne, “I'm excited to be joining swimming tuition market. Q Hotels and Hilton. Swimming Nature at this “I intend to work closely Paker aims to drive critical point in the with the internal teams to growth, including creating an company’s growth,” said build on the strengths of the international pool network. Great Britain's medal success vital for grassroots sport, says Katherine Grainger reat Britain must pride, ambition and G continue to invest in achievement, that improved elite athletes or risk facilities for elite athletes damaging participation benefit local communities numbers nationwide, and that hosting major according to Dame sporting events inspires Katherine Grainger. participation and The chair of UK Sport, boosts the economy. Britain's most decorated “Whenever people female Olympian, has are motivated to take spoken out after 11 up sport or physical unfunded sports bodies activity, it’s likely to expressed fears over lead to improvements the future of funding QGrainger met with 11 unfunded national sport governing bodies in their physical and from the government mental wellbeing.” and National Lottery. "When people are motivated to take up Last year, a survey by “As the body charged sport or physical activity it's likely to lead the Sport and Recreation with delivering success to improvements in their wellbeing" Alliance found that 38 at the Olympic and per cent of women and Paralympic Games to success has far-reaching “Our research 27 per cent of men felt inspire the nation, UK Sport benefits for the nation,” demonstrates that Olympic the 2016 Rio Olympics believes that the impact of said Grainger, who has five and Paralympic success would encourage them investing in our athletes’ Olympic rowing medals.