Wensum Pools near Fakenham say there is hope for hot tubs

Wensum Pools in South Raynham, near Fakenham, is Norfolk’s largest pool and spa centre - with more than 20 hot tubs and spas and three swimming pools on display.

But despite hot tubs being in demand during lockdown as people spent more time in their gardens, a rising cost of living and soaring energy bills have seen sales go cold.

“They were our best ever years,” Ben Halton-Farrow, a director at Wensum Pools, said.

“People were at home spending more time in their gardens and not going away on holiday.

“Hot tub sales doubled - we were selling 250 a year, whereas in an average year we sell around 100. The phones wouldn’t stop ringing for enquiries.

“But we had a drop off in sales because of the cost-of-living crisis with people’s bills going up.

“For people with mortgages, if they had money saved which they might have previously spent on a hot tub they wanted to keep that money just in case they needed it.”

Wensum Pools at the Royal Norfolk Show (Image: Wensum Pools)

HOPE FOR HOT TUBS? 

But there is hope for hot tubs.

Electricity prices fell by 7pc in England this week under the Ofgem energy price cap, meaning that typical 12-month bills will be around £500 cheaper than a year ago.

The energy price cap, which limits what suppliers can charge per unit of energy and covers 28 million households, has seen people’s gas and electricity bills fall to their lowest price for two years.

Swimming pool by Wensum Pools (Image: Wensum Pools)
“The demand is picking up again,” Mr Halton-Farrow said.

“We had good sales at the Norfolk Show last week, and we have made enough sales recently where we feel there is confidence coming back.

“It’s gradually increasing, but I think some people are still a bit uncertain with the election coming up.

“The weather definitely helps. It’s been harder this year because the spring and early summer has been terrible, so it has taken a while to get going.

“Normally if we have a good spring it sets everything off, but obviously we haven’t had that this year, so it has taken a bit of time.”

Wensum Pools at the Royal Norfolk Show (Image: Wensum Pools)

HOT TUB TIME MACHINE - 1976 HEATWAVE 

Wensum Pools was established by Andrea and Syd Morrison, Mr Halton-Farrow’s in-laws, in 1977.

The couple both worked for Andrea’s father, Ray Hall, building houses across the region, before noticing more people wanted to have swimming pools built in their gardens following the UK heatwave of 1976.

The summer heatwave started in June and lasted for two months, with temperatures peaking at 35.9C on July 3.

The business was first based at Fakenham Industrial Estate, before later moving to the village of South Raynham in 2008.

Some of the team at Wensum Pools (Image: Wensum Pools)

BACK IN HOT DEMAND? 

Now, fast approaching its 50th anniversary, the family firm continues to offer bespoke pools and hot tubs by brands like Jacuzzi, Hydropool and Viking.

It also offers swim spas, which are larger than hot tubs and allow users to swim against a current, as well as a range of saunas and steam rooms.  

Swimming pool by Wensum Pools (Image: Wensum Pools)

“We build an average of 10 pools a year,” Mr Halton-Farrow added.

“Those are what we build ourselves, but there are DIY kits on top of that.

“We maintain 200 on a weekly basis and hundreds over the winter.”

It is estimated that around 2,500 swimming pools, 25,000 hot tubs and 250,000 portable hot tubs are sold each year in the UK.