A former rugby league player future-proofed his business and secured vital swimming lessons for some 250 children by installing his own swimming pool at home.
Richard Gay, a former Hull rugby star, and his wife Kathleen, have taught more than 5,000 children across East Yorkshire through their Waterworld swim school.
When closure of Sydney Smith School in Hull left the couple struggling to find appropriate water time, Richard and Kathleen took the bold move to apply for planning permission to build an indoor pool at home.
“We were devastated when the school pool closed,” says Richard. “It had been on the cards for a while due to lack of funding but it was closed much earlier than expected, leaving many children with no swimming facilities to use.”
“We searched extensively for a new home in the local area, but with very few pools in the area it became an impossible task.“ Our only option was to build a small pool in our garden to teach private lessons on a small scale.”
Planning permission was granted for a 6 x 3m indoor pool, which was designed and installed by Lincolnshire-based Grayfox Swimming Pools. The concrete pool features a fast lane counter current unit from Certikin, plus an Aquaflex Geobubble cover. A Calorex Vaporex 55 unit provides the dehumidification within the pool room, and the pool is finished with foggy light blue mosaic tiles, plus two underwater lights.
Nigel Gray of Grayfox Pools comments: “Although the pool is classed as a domestic pool and built to domestic specifications, the owners can use it commercially for hire and reward as they wish, which was a key stipulation at the outset.”
Completed at the end of March, the pool is now a busy hub for the couple’s swimming tuition programme.
Richard adds: “We took a big chance with the pool, but I’m pleased to report that has certainly paid off. It has allowed us to continue the swim school and we’re already fully booked for lessons. Feedback from the community has been really positive and we’re grateful for the support we have received.”
Grayfox Swimming Pools
Tel. +44 (0)1427 788682
www.grayfoxswimmingpools.co.uk
