A County Durham family firm providing community-focused swimming pools is splashing out with plans to invest £3.5m into regional expansion.
Newton Aycliffe-based The Fish Tank first opened for business in 2020 to provide swimming lessons, parties, and open swim sessions for local families with babies and young children. Run by husband and wife team Paul and Penny Gordon, the firm last year added more investment to offer interactive indoor play and sensory rooms at their popular Newton Aycliffe site.
Now the couple has appointed property specialist @retail to acquire new sites across the North East, targeting locations including Durham, Gateshead, Sunderland, Newcastle, Tees Valley and North Yorkshire. Mr and Mrs Gordon plan to plough £3.5m into the company, creating up to 60 regional jobs over the next three years, by transforming sites into family-friendly swimming pools, kitted out with specially designed changing rooms, coffee shops, play areas and sensory perception spaces and free car parking.
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They have enlisted @retail to find and secure sites which can offer 5,600sqft of floorspace as well as room for a swimming pool within a designated 22m x 24m footprint. Mr Gordon said The Fish Tank’s success is down to the strong family ethos, quality of its offering and friendly staff who encourage learning through play in a safe, welcoming environment.
He said: “Our toasty warm pool has been designed with babies, toddlers and parents in mind while our sensory room provides a stimulating, safe environment for youngsters up to three years old to enjoy. We also support businesses with our cafe, stocking a range of locally sourced products. With specific sector experience, @retail are on board to help us develop our operations further.
“Thanks to their expertise, a number of potential new locations are already under consideration, which is great news as we look to bring our unique product to many more communities in the next few years.”
Ian Thurlbeck, director at @retail, which also acquires premises for Fat Hippo, Sainsburys and Greggs among other clients, said he is looking at several sites, particularly premises on retail and leisure
parks close to new housing developments.
He said: “We’re delighted to be onboard with Paul and Penny, helping to support their vision for the business with our sector specific insight and advice. We are looking at good quality sites right across the North of England that can accommodate their business model while providing room for future growth.”