Family friendly Colets Health and Fitness is in the throes of a multi-million pound improvement project that is embracing expansion of its changing rooms, refurbishment of the two main studios and creation of a functional training studio.
The 4,000 member-strong standalone independent facility stands in a prosperous, heavily populated residential area in Thames Ditton, attracting a diverse membership.
"The nursery, including crèche, takes children from the age of six weeks, while we have squash players approaching their 80s," explained deputy general manager Alex Harris. "Our timetabling and membership provisions are designed to cater for families while also providing for adult-only activities and facilities."
Opened nearly 40 years ago, Colets has utilised Craftsman lockers for more than half that time but nevertheless went out to tender for the changing area upgrade.
"We were probably leaning towards Craftsman from the start," explained Harris. "They offered to assist in the design and layout of the changing rooms as well as recommending various specifications of lockers to meet the many different requirements our members demand."
Some only needed a small security locker for valuables, he added, others needed space to store their work clothes, with various other requirements inbetween.
"Either way we knew we would end up with a quality product and that kind of peace of mind was key in the decision-making process. They also provided benching and vanity areas."
The club had a clear idea of what facilities it wanted, based on the member focus and consultation groups it set up and its own experience although Craftsman were involved in aspects of the design and layout of the changing areas and generated "useful pointers in this regard".
Harris said: "Their service was excellent and they proved very useful to us throughout the project. I know it's a cliché but they did often go the extra mile for us, arranging site visits to other clubs they'd supplied and assisting in the logistics of relocating their old lockers to temporary changing areas that we needed to create.
"One of the most important factors for us in this whole project was that the club had to remain operational at all times. Any works carried out had to fit in with this and Craftsman were perfectly able to comply."
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