www.leisuremanagement.co.uk ISSUE 3 2010 VOLUME 30 NUMBER 3 BRIGID SIMMONDS ON THE FUTURE FOR WHAT DOES BRITAIN'S PUBS THE NEW GOVERNMENT MEAN FOR LEISURE? Cardiff International White Water: How the Olympic BIG standard facility took shape ambitions ABU DHABI CREATING A LANDMARK WILDLIFE PARK IN THE DESERT leisure-kit.net offi cial magazine Read Leisure Management online leisuremanagement.co.uk/digital LEISURE TOURISM HEALTH & FITNESS SPA SPORT ATTRACTIONS HOSPITALITY Aberdeen’s Sports Village - fi t for future Historically, Aberdeen’s cold, dark winters have been the defence of many for not participating in sports - but no more as Aberdeen’s Sports Village is offi cially opened. The complex, a £28m joint venture of Aberdeen City Council, the University of Aberdeen and sportscotland, was designed by award winning architects, Reiach & Hall, to meet the diverse needs of the people of Aberdeen and the wider community. In addition to the customary sporting facilities included in the design, the complex also boasts an indoor 3G football pitch (the fi rst of its kind in the UK), an indoor sports hall featuring sprung timber fl ooring, a 135m, six-lane running straight... all in all, an indoor solution for any outdoor activity. Adhering to the Council’s ‘fi t for future’ initiative that aims to provide a comprehensive, high quality range of sporting facilities; Reiach & Hall specifi ed Armitage Venesta (AV) whose products they have found to be reliable. Demonstrating it’s fl exibility, AV’s cubicle range, Stadia, which is totally impervious to water, was used in all changing, shower and washroom areas. Choosing from an extensive colour palette, the architect co-ordinated the cubicle ranges on each level with the three colours within the facilities’ logo. AV’s pre-plumbed system, IPS Evolve, with factory fi tted sanitaryware, was also colour co- ordinated and used throughout to provide easy clean surfaces that promote hygiene and allow easy access for ongoing maintenance. For more information on Armitage Venesta’s washroom systems and IPS Evolve®, call 01474 353 333 or visit www.armitage-venesta.co.uk Stadia Specifi cally developed to meet Industry Call: 01474 353 333 demands for a free-standing cubicle system www.armitage-venesta.co.uk EDITOR’S LETTER Email: contact’s full name @leisuremedia.com BACKING TOURISM SUBSCRIPTIONS Julie Albone +44 (0)1462 471915 ew secretary of state at the [email protected] “Factors like the weakness of sterling DCMS, Jeremy Hunt, used one CIRCULATION MANAGER and the recession have improved our Michael Emmerson N of his fi rst ministerial outings to +44 (0)1462 471932 boost the prospects of UK tour- tourism balance of payments, and EDITOR ism, saying in his speech, “I believe the overnight trips by domestic tourists were Liz Terry tourism industry is one of our most under- up 7 per cent in 2009, with spending up +44 (0)1462 431385 valued national assets,” and pledging to 4 per cent. Overnight trips to the seaside MANAGING EDITOR the industry that “if you’re prepared to Magali Robathan were up by an enormous four million” strain every sinew to take tourism forward, +44 (0)1462 471918 CONTRIBUTORS we’ll give you a government that stands Kate Cracknell foresquare behind you.” It doesn’t get the UK is losing ground against destina- +44 (0)1462 471906 much better than that in terms of rhetoric. tions with aggressive tourism investment Kathleen Whyman So what will this mean in practice? Cuts strategies, such as Dubai and China, which +44 (0)1462 471918 will come fi rst, as with all departments, have improved their ranking in the inter- MANAGING EDITOR/NEWS but there seems a clear recognition of the national table of receipts, pushing the UK Tom Walker +44 (0)1462 471934 potential value of tourism to the economy, from 5th to 7th place. ASSISTANT EDITORS/NEWS so there will also be initiatives to stimulate So what will the new government do to Pete Hayman growth, including a new fund designed to help? In addition to the PR fund and £1bn +44 (0)1462 471938 create £1bn worth of PR and marketing for target, details of which will be announced Sarah Todd Britain up to and around London 2012. at the end of September, there will be a +44 (0)1462 471927 Tourism is the UK’s fi fth biggest industry, drive to reduce red tape and talk of ‘simpli- Martin Nash +44 (0)1462 471911 with visitor spending of around £90bn each fying’ the work of the quangos that affect LEISURE-KIT.NET year and an estimated direct and indirect tourism. Very signifi cantly, we now have a Sarah Todd value of £115bn to the national economy. dedicated tourism minster in John Penrose. +44 (0)1462 471927 It generates more than £16bn in earnings, Factors like the weakness of sterling PUBLISHER welcomes 30 million inbound tourists annu- and the recession have improved our tour- John Challinor ally and employs 1.5m people. ism balance of payments and overnight +44 (0)1582 607970 He also suggested that if tourism is trips by domestic tourists were up 7 per DISPLAY ADVERTISING encouraged, it could be the fourth fast- cent in 2009, with spending up 4 per cent. Julie Badrick +44 (0)1462 4719019 est growing sector over the next 10 years, Overnight trips to the seaside were up by Nadeem Shaikh indirectly or directly supporting around 3 an enormous four million. With UK tourists +44 (0)1462 471902 million jobs by 2020. currently splashing 36 per cent of their Jan Williams Visitor numbers fell by over 2 tourism spend in the UK, Hunt has +44 (0)1462 471909 million in 2009 when compared challenged the industry to work ADVERTISING ARTWORK with 2008, however, those visi- to increase this to 50 per cent Ed Gallagher +44 (0)1905 20198 tors who came actually spent and has called on the industry DESIGN more during their visit, offset- to collaborate with the DCMS to Andy Bundy ting the fall in numbers. Visit make this happen. +44 (0)1462 471924 Britain is forecasting a further INTERNET decline in numbers of 0.7 per Liz Terry, Editor Katie Eldridge cent for this year. [email protected] +44 (0)1462 471913 Dean Fox The global tourism market is Read leisure management online: +44 (0)1462 471900 increasingly competitive and www.leisuremanagement.co.uk/digital Emma Harris +44 (0)1462 431385 Tim Nash +44 (0)1462 471917 The Leisure Michael Paramore Media Company +44 (0)1462 471926 publishes: Financial Control Sue Davis +44 (0)1395 519398 CONTACT US: Leisure Management works in partnership with FINANCIAL ADMIN The Leisure Media Company Ltd, Portmill House, Denise Gildea Portmill Lane, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG5 1DJ UK +44 (0)1462 471930 CREDIT CONTROL Rebekah Scott SUBSCRIPTIONS: [email protected] +44 (0)1462 431385 Tel: +44 (0)1462 471915 Fax: +44 (0)1462 433909 ISSUE 3 2010 © cybertrek 2010 Read Leisure Management online leisuremanagement.co.uk/digital 3 CONTENTS IN THIS ISSUE... Brigid Simmonds discusses the challenges faced by the pub industry, p30 Will Deague’s Art Series Hotels, p24 The Al Ain Wildlife Park and Resort takes shape, p34 Leisure Management news 28 energy boost 42 architect’s focus We check out the energy drinks and wilfried van winden 6 World leisure supplements helping to keep The eccentric Zaandam Inntel Hotel is 7 Sport customers going for longer putting the Dutch town on the world 10 Health & fitness map. Kath Hudson meets its creator 12 Commericial 30 interview 14 Hospitality brigid simmonds 44 istanbul inspires 15 Spa After 17 years with BISL, Simmonds As Istanbul celebrates its year as 16 Public sector talks about her new role as CEO of the Capital of Culture, Terry Stevens finds 17 Attractions British Beer and Pub Association out how the city is changing 18 Parks 34 big ambitions 48 a new start 20 design news al ain wildlife park When Pontins closed in Hemsby, the Including Dublin’s new Aviva Stadium, Set in the Abu Dhabi desert, the park future for the resort looked bleak. Now the £100m Savoy refurbishment and a aims to explore sustainable living and a plan to create the ‘Eden of the East’ is new look for the Midlands Art Centre drive tourism in the Emirate transforming its fortunes 24 hotseat 38 riding the rapids 50 the american dream will deague It’s now possible to white water raft in Rhianon Howells finds out how The founder of the Art Series Hotels in the centre of Cardiff , with the launch of American Leisure became a global Melbourne shares his plans CIWW. Magali Robathan goes to visit player in lifestyle amenities 4 Read Leisure Management online leisuremanagement.co.uk/digital ISSUE 3 2010 © cybertrek 2010 LEISURE MANAGEMENT ISSUE 3 2010 We visit Cardiff International White Water, p38 Heather Frankham, p56 New sound and light projects, p60 American Leisure’s plan for world domination, p50 54 cutting costs 64 eating out READER SERVICES As the new government announces Couture Catering’s MD Marc Warde massive cutbacks, Chris Marriott asks talks about the challenges of catering Digital magazine whether local authorities can aff ord to for outdoor events Read Leisure Management online continue managing their own facilities leisuremanagement.co.uk/digital 66 senior’s solutions News & jobs 56 training the industry how to be diff erent For jobs and news visit the Lifetime founder Heather Frankham Setting yourself apart and daring to be Leisure Management website at tells us how she grew her company diff erent can help your leisure business www.leisuremanagement.co.uk into a major training provider thrive, says Grahame Senior Attention buyers! 59 68 leisure-kit Use our product search engine to fi nd bisl column suppliers and get innovation updates coalition