Council-run £14m UK leisure centre to feature thermal spa zone

Construction is well underway on the new £14m (US$22.4m, €17.8m) Abbey Leisure Centre in Barking in east London, complete with a luxury spa.

Due to open before the end of 2014, the new centre will replace the existing Abbey Sports Centre and will be run by Barking and Dagenham Council.

It is being designed by AFLS+P Architects and thermal spa supplier Dalesauna – is working with contractor Willmott Dixon to design a range of heat experiences for the 100sq m (1,076sq ft) thermal spa zone.

Features planned for the spa include a large sauna, an aromatherapy steamroom, crystal steamroom, salt inhalation room plus a tiled hydrotherapy pool with massage jets, an ice feature, a heated bench and two experience showers.

This is the latest project in a string of thermal zones developed by Dalesauna for the public sector. Other examples include the Verulamium spa at Westminster Lodge Leisure Centre in St Albans and the One Spa at Wimbledon Leisure Centre.

“Ever since we designed the first luxury local authority spa for Pendle Leisure Trust in 2007, we’ve been creating public sector spas with the same range of experiences and using the same high quality of materials and finishes that you’d find in a five-star hotel,” Gerard McCarthy, sales director for Dalesauna, told Spa Opportunities exclusively. “For users of local authority spas, this development is very encouraging.”

Other facilities at the centre include a 25 x 12.5m swimming pool, a learner pool, a 140-station gym, three large studios, a soft-play facility and a café.

“The council has been very innovative in their choice of facilities, ensuring that the new spa will act as a great additional revenue stream,” said Dean Edwards, sales manager for Dalesauna. “[The spa will] also attract people who may not have considered using a local authority centre previously.”