The build-up to the British Pool & Hot Tub Awards 2016 as part of SPATEX 2016, the UK’s biggest Pool, Spa and Wellness Show, is well underway for its opening this weekend, starting on Sunday 31st January.
In this very special 20th anniversary year, SPATEX 2016 will be a celebration of everything great about the wet leisure and wellness industry. SPATEX is again hosted at Coventry’s Jaguar Exhibition Hall at the Ricoh Arena (from Sunday, January 31st to Tuesday, February 2nd).
Amongst the 100+ exhibitors sharing a stand at the show will be the Swimming Pool and Allied Trades Association (SPATA) and the British and Irish Spa and Hot Tub Association (BISHTA). They will be very busy showcasing the work of the respective members of the trade associations.
Sunday afternoon brings together the industry experts associated with BISHTA and SPATA, at the all new, Tech Corner, on stand (A1) from 2pm and you can meet the experts face-to-face with your questions about the industry.
The winners of the 2016 British Pool & Hot Tub Awards (hosted by BISHTA and SPATA) will be revealed at the industry gala dinner, held on the Sunday evening (31st January 2016) at SPATEX. Rebranded in 2015, the first SPATA awards were won in 1978, with the BISHTA awards first being won in 2008. These well-established awards, are the UK’s number one wet leisure industry recognised accolades.
Hosted by BISHTA and SPATA, this awards evening brings the two UK industry trade associations together at a joint event, showcasing the wet leisure industry with the best examples of design, construction, installation and innovation. The event also sees the re-presentation of the Institute of Swimming Pool Engineers (ISPE) awards 2015.
Chris Hayes (Managing Director of both BISHTA and SPATA) says, “We congratulate all of the winners of this year’s British Pool & Hot Tub Awards. BISHTA represents 111 specialist hot tub companies and SPATA represents 173 companies. We set a high standard for our judging criteria, inviting judges to comment on visual impression and technical merit. The awards have great value, as they are a strong endorsement to consumers of the standard of work that a winning company offers. Each year, the outstanding quality of submissions creates stiff competition and this provides SPATA with a fantastic opportunity for showcasing what our members can do for their customers and why it is so important to choose a BISHTA or SPATA member to turn a dream into a winning project.”
Make an informed choice, by talking to the experts
With well over 100+ companies now participating, the SPATEX 20th anniversary edition is promising to be one of the very best yet. SPATEX provides an invaluable platform for exhibitors to reach all sectors of the wet leisure industry from pools, spas, saunas to hydrotherapy, steam rooms and children’s play equipment, in both the domestic and commercial arena. Primarily a trade show, it also welcomes members of the public.
As the longest established and leading event for the wet leisure sector, SPATEX provides a unique annual chance for exhibitors and visitors to get together all under one roof and this will be the first opportunity in 2016 to see the season’s new products and innovations, ranging from new one piece pools to hot tubs to saunas and steam rooms, in fact, everything in the world of wet leisure.
SPATEX attracts a host of experts and associations. Throughout the three days of the show, experts on the PWTAG stand are on hand to offer free, impartial advice on water hygiene and treatment while those on the ISPE stand are happy to answer any general technical enquiries.
In addition, to the fantastic business opportunities available to visitors and exhibitors alike, one of the highlights of the show will be the unique free-to-attend educational programme. Details of the twenty plus workshops organised by the ISPE (Institute of Swimming Pool Engineers) is now on the SPATEX website (www.spatex.co.uk). Topics will include a talk by Ian Betts (FISPE) on the new BS EN 16713 domestic swimming pool standards; Legionnaires’ disease awareness given by Allen Wilson (FISPE); making more profit from heating and ventilation by Graham Kneale (FISPE), and Spa fault finding by Phil Barlow (MISPE).
Following last year’s success, SPATEX will once again be hosting a parallel second seminar programme, with special reference to the Commercial sector. Esteemed Industry bodies such as the STA (Swimming Teachers’ Association) are returning to impart free, highly informative training and advice. And presenting for the first time at SPATEX are the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE ) – a local government body working with over 300 councils throughout the UK.
If visitors have a query and need pointing in the right direction, they can go to the Help Desk at the entrance of the Jaguar Exhibition Hall. The Organiser, Michele Bridle and Show Co-Ordinator, Helen Mulingani will be wearing white shirts bearing SPATEX, to chat with visitors if they have a specific query.
SPATEX 2016 is on from Sunday 31st January to Tuesday 2nd February 2016 at the Jaguar Exhibition Hall, at the Ricoh Arena Coventry CV6 6GE. Easy to get to – just 500 yards off the M6 and within two hours commuting time of 75% of the population, it offers 2,000 free on-site car parking spaces plus a new on-site train station. Find more information and register at www.spatex.co.uk and for those who can’t make this year’s show, please make a diary note of the date for 2017 (31st January to 2nd February)
For information on the UK wet leisure trade associations visit
BISHTA at www.bishta.co.uk and SPATA at www.spata.co.uk
