The new Station Leisure and Learning Centre in Mablethorpe opened in 2024 and was delivered by Alliance Leisure in partnership with a range of partners.
High on the procurement agenda for this brand-new £13.5M project was the need for a vast array of world class, high quality, fit for purpose floorcoverings, This was supplied by international flooring specialists Gerflor who provided over 500m2 of products to fulfil the demanding specification requirements for the gym, changing rooms, corridors, main entrance and stairs. The interior finishing accessories were supplied by Gradus, a company of Gerflor, for a complete solution to the client.
The range of products specified for the project included Gerflor’s Olympic pedigree Taraflex® Multi-Use sports floors, Taralay Impression heterogenous vinyl, Tarasafe Impression safeties, Powershock rubber tiles, together with GTI Max Technical tiles, and Gradus RT247 anodised aluminium ramp edge trims.
Located on the high street with its own car park, the new Station Leisure and Learning Centre replaces the Station Sports Centre. In addition to the four-lane, 25 metre pool and changing village, the 3,000m² scheme included a large gym featuring functional areas and a EGYM (smart strength training equipment), a multi-purpose studio and group cycling studio, as well as a Magna TAG active indoor adventure area (dedicated for users as gaming experience, designed to test strategy, speed, agility, awareness and bravery) as well as soft play zones for younger children.
Magna Vitae Trust for Leisure and Culture operates the new centre on behalf of East Lindsey District Council. Councillor Richard Fry, from East Lindsey District Council said he hoped the venue would “make a huge difference to the community and people from the local area”.
Juliette Chapman Specification Area Sales Manager, Gerflor, Northwest and Yorkshire said:
“This iconic project came initially through the specifier, as they were inquiring about our world renowned Taraflex sports flooring. We arranged a review meeting and introduced the client to also other floor covering collections within our vast portfolio that could compliment well the design brief for other locations and applications within the facility, This included a multitude of high performance sheet vinyl and tiles, alongside rubber floorings from Gerflor, as well as Gradus accessories for the interior trims.”
Making comment on the specification decision Juliette Chapman went on to expand:
“Pozzoni Architecture chose Gerflor products for several reasons when comparing with other manufacturers in the marketplace,
The contemporary designs and finishes available, as well as their performance attributes and sustainability credentials were critical success factors in the final specification for this prestigious new build project. They also appreciated the fact that that they could deal with one company, rather than gathering information and samples from multiple suppliers.”
At Pozzoni Architecture, their ethos remains the same as it was when they were established in 1983. Pozzoni believe in working in partnership with their clients to deliver architecture that enhances quality of life and wellbeing. They develop award-winning buildings from their offices in Altrincham and Brighton.
Commenting on the development Martin Bransby, Director at Pozzoni said:
“We were invited to look at Mablethorpe by Alliance Leisure back in 2017, initially as a modest refurbishment project. As concept schemes were developed and exchanged with the Client, East Lindsey District Council, and their Operator Magna Vitae Leisure Trust, it became clear that they had a far greater aspiration to develop a new build centre which incorporated a pool in addition to the current dry side offer. The project took on many iterations, and Covid naturally had a big impact on getting the project to site, however, we finally started construction in 2023.”
The high specification requirements for the Mablethorpe project were key to its overall success. Martin Bransby highlighted that there were many reasons for specifying Gerflor and Gradus. Being well-established in the marketplace and having a great range of solutions at competitive price points, coupled to strong environmental credentials, together with high quality products and contemporary designs were all seen as crucial factors.
Martin Bransby went on to further comment:
“It is key to our leisure design ethos that any interior finishes specified and installed must meet a number of high-performance standards including exceptional quality, optimum durability, easy to clean and maintain, and reliable and consistent slip resistance. For a main contractor, the fact that we could easily specify everything, other than ceramic tiles, from one group company made the project extremely simple. We also found that the Gerflor Technical and Sales Specification teams were highly knowledgeable and obtaining the samples for client approval was very fast and efficient.”
One thing that Martin Bransby much appreciated and valued was that different Gerflor products had complimentary colours and finishes, meaning that they could create a fully coordinated look without compromising on performance or durability. Woking in collaboration with a one-stop-shop company like Gerflor meant that every solution (vinyl, rubber, entrance barrier matting, nosing’s) has been tested and specified in the same rigorous and meticulous way. They also found that when it came to value engineering, if required, it would be a far easier process, as the Gerflor technical and sales teams could offer the required performance across a number of interior products that would suit a range of budgets.
Leeds/Bradford -based Paynters Contract Flooring ensured that the Mablethorpe Leisure Centre would benefit from the specified range of Gerflor and Gradus products in delivering the high standards of installation that the project so demanded. Paynters are one of Yorkshires longest established flooring contractors who install contract and commercial flooring. They also work across the UK assisting main contractors and clients in need of a reliable flooring subcontractor. Their Commercial and Contract Flooring Specialists strive to provide a superior service with every installation. Paynters installations provide long-lasting results by using hard wearing commercial flooring products.
Rob Dixon, Estimator at Paynters Contract Flooring said:
“This was originally a tender enquiry sent by ISG. Both the Gerflor and Gradus products were extremely easy to lay and work with.”
Rob Dixon added, “We specify both Gerflor and Gradus on a host of projects as their innovative products are cost effective, work well, look impressive and are easy to get hold of for fast renovations.”
Juliette Chapman finally commented:
“This was a unique project to work on in that it provided cross-selling opportunities where we were able to provide solutions for each requirement within the building project brief. The end result is that the client is extremely pleased with the final look and performance of the products we supplied. “
Martin Bransby concluded:
“Initial feedback from the centre has been extremely positive. We and our Clients could not be happier with the final result, and in fact we presented completion photographs of Mablethorpe to other Clients who immediately said, ‘we want that’.”
Aeneas Richardson, Executive Director of Magna Vitae, who operate the venue, said at the time
“The positive impact this facility has on the people of Mablethorpe, visitors to Mablethorpe and the very prominence of the town itself, is very significant.”
Located in the heart of Mablethorpe town centre and just a short stroll from the beach, this new state-of-the-art facility with its new Gerflor flooring products and Gradus accessories now offers a unique experience of fitness and leisure for the local community.
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