Lively, well-attended seminars at this yearâs Elevate show at Londonâs Excel included a thought-provoking talk by âblendedâ lifeguarding specialists, Pool View, on balancing the role of technology for the benefit of staff and users of public swimming pools. A self-confessed âearly adopterâ Robin McGloughlin of Poolview said it has taken many years of knocking on […]
JC Leisure
The UK swimming pool and spa sectors celebrated one of its best years in a decade at its annual UK Pool & Spa Awards with an *eight per cent increase in business. More hostages to fortune with the unpredictable British weather, rather than the economy; two months of sustained summer temperatures in July and August […]
Leisure Industry Week is renowned for its buzz and its lycra and this year, once again it did not disappoint.
For those who made the trip to Birminghamâs, there was plenty to inspire, enthuse and energise the leisure business sectors.
Watergate School, in the London Borough of Lewisham, is a priceless asset for children with severe learning difïŹculties. The schoolâs 90 pupils, aged between three and 11, include some with profound and multiple learning difïŹculties and many wheelchair users. Watergateâs hydrotherapy pool is particularly valuable for their development, using programmes developed by the NHS physiotherapists based at the school, who also run after school sessions for a baby and toddler groups and visits from another local special school. âAs you can appreciate the swimming pool is very important to our school and its pupils,â says Watergate Schoolâs Nick Frost.
When the JC Leisure team was recently invited to a three-day seminar
with one of the companyâs major clients, they hired a formula one
replica car that proved to be the talking point of the event.
It is not only their promotional flair that ensures JC Leisure
stands out from the crowd.
The company prides itself on offering top level expertise at best
value with the backing of a customer care service that is second
to none.
Based in Essex, the company provides water side facility
support 24/7 and 365 days a year with engineers strategicallybased
around the UK to ensure a prompt attendance.
The company has more than 300 clients both commercial and
residential and is currently contracted on a national basis to Hilton
Hotels, LA Fitness, Esporta and work on an ad-hoc basis for David
Lloyd, Virgin Active, Park Inn and various council-run leisure centres.
Expanding both in the UK and in Europe, the company is
growing its supply side with the recent launch of a new catalogue.
JCL was formed in Nov 2005, by Alan Lester, the current CEO
and Jamie Brewers, now Director of Engineering.
RETIRED BANKER
Alan had retired from a major High Street bank after 30 years
where he was managing a ÂŁ16 billion turnover. He drifted into the
leisure industry for âsomething to doâ in his spare time and soon spotted
the potential for an âout of hoursâ pool maintenance company.
A chance meeting with pool engineer, Jamie Brewer proved the
catalyst and the business began to make its first tentative steps.
When Alanâs wife Jacqui joined the business, she brought her
experience in sales, marketing and accounts which prompted the
first major breakthrough, a service contract for 80 leisure site
nationwide.
As the company thrived, Craig White then joined as a partner in
2006, strengthening the team with 15 years industry experience.
With a workforce in excess of 30, three significant players
are Alanâs three daughters. Alanâs youngest daughter, Ria, had
just graduated from the University of Essex in June 2007 when
she joined as logistics co-ordinator and she ran this side of the
business single-handed for nearly a year.
Nicole, Alanâs eldest daughter, joined in October 2007 after a
marketing/events career in radio. Coming with a BA Hons degree
in marketing and six yearsâ marketing experience, Nicole worked
on generating awareness of the brand and launched the sales/
consumables side of the business.
The third and final daughter to join was at the time working
for a major European soft-drinks company, again in sales and
marketing. Natalie was a BA Hons Business graduate with an
outstanding head for strategy and HR.
