Expansion plan for hot tub firm

1 Stop Spas of Billinghay marked the occasion of a decade in business with a popular special event, which saw Lincs FM radio presenter John Marshall playing ‘Bubbling Bingo’ on air, picking out the balls from a spa tub.

There were a range of prizes from rubber ducks and vouchers, to a week’s hot tub hire and an inflatable hit tub worth £599.

Director Melissa Brady said they also had Miss Mermaid UK, Laura Hudson (aka Mermaid Twinkle), of Donington, as a special guest in one of the pools, just ahead of flying out to compete for the international title in Egypt later this month.

Families were amazed as she can hold her breath for four and a half minutes underwater and does displays in Skegness and Manchester aquariums, swimming with the fish.

She has also done charity work, including cycling across Cambodia, she said.

Managing director Chris Brady said: “Due to the rapid growth of the business we are in talks with North Kesteven District Council over potentially opening a centre of excellence in Sleaford.

Subject to planning permission from NKDC, they have plans to expand into additional premises. He said: “We are currently looking at a unit that will make us the biggest hot tub showroom in the UK.”

Initially, Mr Brady says, it will create five extra jobs with the potential of expanding into a further unit for warehousing and an extension to their training facility which they plan to set up, meaning even more jobs within 12 months.

They plan to offer dedicated training for the hot tub industry and the trade side where they distribute products to other companies.

Mr Brady said: “We want to set up a centre of excellence there where the trade can send their staff for product and safety training and sales training.”

He said they were ideally centrally located to serve the growing hot tub industry in the north of England and Scotland.

He hoped it would create a knock-on effect, supporting other local businesses - restaurants, catering and hotels serving the clients as well as possibly attracting them back for a longer family stay in future.

Mr Brady added: “We would also make the training rooms available for hire by other businesses locally, as there is a shortage of business hub facilities in the Sleaford area and this would be very accessible