The Swimming Pool Boom and the Men Behind It

For a few years in the 1970s, we had a subscription to the St Brelade's Bay pool (as mentioned below) and before our dinner around 6.30, around 5.45 when the guests were heading to the dining room, we would cycle down and have the pool virtually to ourselves, and see how many laps we could do, or how far we could swim underwater. On busy summer occasions it was also nice, as the small stall there sold ice cream scoops in cones, and hot chocolate. Both delicious after a swim! My friend Nigel Miles' father David Miles was chief accountant at the Seymour Group, so we'd also have occasions when we could use that pool too, and David Seymour (now just retiring from the group), and a friend at school, was often also there. In those days, it wasn't covered in, but it still had incredibly high diving boards. I think I managed one of the slightly higher ones - I went to see the view from the top one, but slunk back down, like Mr Bean does when he goes to a high diving board! Friends of my parents (who we also knew from school), such as the Stilwels has - like the article mentioned - also had swimming pools installed. It was very much a way of showing you had arrived!

The Swimming Pool Boom and the Men Behind It
Jersey Topic 1965

There has been a quiet boom taking place in Jersey during the last five years. It has affected the way of life of residents and tourists alike and has gone on unnoticed and unhindered. It is a swimming pool boom. Five years ago a swimming pool was considered a luxury by hoteliers apd residents. Now it is reaching the stage that if you haven't a pool at the bottom of your garden you are definitely out of fashion.

There are now in Jersey about 60 pools of various shapes and sizes and it is estimated that in another five years there will be 250. Orders for next winter are pouring in to the two firms who specialise in swimming pool construction in Jersey—Channel Island Contracting Co. Ltd. (Gilliam Seahorse Pools) and Landfield Ltd.

The Gilliam 'piece de resistance'—the St. Brelades Bay Hotel pool.

The boom is part of our new and affluent society. Wealthy residents coming to Jersey and buying a home soon discover that the vagaries of the Jersey tidal system make swimming in the sea time-wasting—and it is, of course, very cold: Also the pool sets off the house and adds greatly to its market value. Hotels find that the fact that they have a pool gives them a distinct edge over those that don't, as well as providing an air of luxury for their guests at a comparatively small outlay. And let's be honest, we all like luxury.

Amongst the island's top star hotels the St. Brelades Bay was the first to see the need to provide a swimming pool for their guests. Many people regarded it as amazing that a hotel on the edge of such a magnificent beach should see it necessary to install a swimming pool. But it proved an instant success both for residents of the hotel and island people who are able to join a club on an annual subscription, which entitles them to use the pool and the fine night club attached to the hotel. Other hotels have followed suit. Not only the big ones, but the smaller ones too.

Work continues on the Merton Hotel swimming pool

Today, the hotel without a pool is a neck behind in the race to offer the best amenities. Certainly the biggest swimming pool to be built this winter was the Merton Hotel pool. This was swimming pool construction on a vast scale—the largest private enterprise pool believed to have been built in the British Isles. The pool is built to A.S.A. specifications, is of international size and has diving towers 10 metres high. The diving tank is fifteen feet deep and at the other end is a children's pool. From end to end the pool measures 204 feet.

Why did the Merton Hotel, a highly successful establishment with full bookings every year from May to October see the need to put in a pool of this vast size ? Mr. Robin Seymour, joint managing director of Seymours Ltd., said "In these days of increasing competition from the Continent and indeed within Jersey itself it is only sensible to keep moving forward. We regard the provision of a swimming pool as being another amenity to offer our guests. It is an added attraction and it keeps us up in the race".

He added : "The reason for making it so big was that when we were planning the pool we saw that to cater for over 600 people we needed a pool almost of inter-national size. We felt we might just as well spend the extra money and in fact make it international. It will now be possible for us to hold international events at the Merton".

  

The Merton swimming pool is one of the thirty being built this winter by Channel Island Contracting Co. Ltd. Man behind the company—and indeed the main figure in the Jersey swimming pool boom—is Mr. Michael Lee, an energetic 36-year-old Hampshire man. He came to Jersey in 1960 with William F. Rees & Co. engaged on Sewerage Board work. He saw the great future for swimming pools in the island and in 1962 formed his own company with a partner to specialise in swimming pool construction. He linked with Gilliam Pools of Purley, who provide all the filtration equipment for his pools, and in his first year he built ten pools; his staff was about a dozen. Last year he built twenty. This year thirty are on the go. Next year it will be fifty. And his staff has risen to nearly 100.

The company offer a complete service to the pool buyer. This includes a basic design for the pool from his design team, the construction and final landscaping and, most important, servicing and upkeep of filtration equipment. For this the company has a fleet of three radio controlled vans in constant touch with head office so that they can dash to a pool immediately anything goes wrong. Says Mr. Lee: "For hotels, the swimming pool has become an economic necessity. It means an increase in bookings, happier guests who are delighted at the luxury in the back garden and an increase in profits within the hotel as it encourages people to stay and spend their money".

He added: "As far as private homes are concerned the swimming pool is replacing the car in the one-upmanship stakes. These views were endorsed by the other firm connected with swimming pool building in Jersey, Land-field Ltd. Primarily a building company, they formed a swimming pool division two years ago headed by 20-year-old Mr. John H. Marshman and Mr. Vernon Brooks. Their first pool was in Guernsey for the States at La Valette, which was built through an associate company. This year they are building six pools in various parts of Jersey.

They have linked with Swimquip, a firm dealing with the latest American filtration equipment. Visiting Jersey last month to see the swimming pool boom at close quarters was Col. Bill McBlain Stephen, managing director of Swimquip in Britain. After looking around the island he told me: "I think it true to say that the potential in Jersey is very big, as indeed it is in Britain, where the swimming pool business has grown fantastically in the last three years. Through Landfield Swimquip we hope to serve that potential".

Already the Landfield order book is filling for next year. Amongst their schemes is an exciting project for a hotel roof-top pool. They also run a scheme with a finance company to enable people to purchase pools on an easy payment plan and this will enable small hotels and guest houses to finance this amenity without a big capital outlay initially. Says Mr. Marshman: "Swimming pools are here to stay. Interest in them is tremendous and we are getting enquiries every day".

In America at the present moment is a director of Landfield Ltd., visiting California on a three week round trip studying the latest methods of filtration and pool construction. What is the cost of a pool? For a reasonably sized one in the garden from £1,500 upwards.

But both swimming pool companies offer a range of portable pools for those who just want a little one. These sell from about £200. The fashion in swimming pools in Jersey has also brought about increased business in garden furniture. In Jersey last month was Mr. F. W. Odell, a director of L. E. Gant Ltd., manufacturers of Elegant and Leisure Garden furniture. His company's leisure chairs will be very evident around pools in the island this year. So there it is. Are you in fashion ? Have you got a swimming pool at the bottom of your garden ?