Health club Dragon Duncan Bannatyne turns down pool temperatures by 1C as customers complain they're too cold
28 October 2022, 15:01
Duncan Bannatyne has insisted his health clubs' pools are not too cold after customers complained when he turned them down by 1C to save money.
Facing "quadrupling" bills despite Government promises to help, Bannatyne Health Club – which charges membership fees of up to £70 a month for its 69 pools – has turned its pools down to 28C.
The 73-year-old Dragons' Den star hit back at groaning customers after they were described as "freezing" on Twitter.
"Plenty of people have complained yet no change," one user said.
Another asked: "Do you really think by making your swimming pools too cold to use and steam rooms non steamy will save the environment?"
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Mr Bannatyne hit back on Twitter: "My swimming pool temperatures are set at 28C which is certainly not too cold to use.
"They were turned down 1 degree to help us combat the energy crisis. Some other clubs have closed pools or hot tubs. Many clubs & leisure centres will close during the next few months."
He said energy costs have "quadrupled… sometimes more" and said "many members" had offered support for the new temperatures.
Bannatyne Group is not alone in looking to save costs on swimming pool heating.
Nuffield Health previously announced its 72 spa pools will close over autumn and winter because they are too energy-intensive.
Greenwich Leisure, the largest pool operator in Britain, also said it would "closely" manage temperatures in the water of the 148 pools it runs under the Better brand, Bloomberg reported.
Chief executive Mark Sesnan said saunas will be available for a reduced amount of hours.
"It is a tough time for public pools and it is unlikely that a number of older energy inefficient pools will survive the energy crisis," he said.
However, he pledged the business would listen to customers and not throw "the baby out with the pool water".
