Europe's largest indoor trampoline centre is being built in Swindon, to open in July - subject to final planning approval by Swindon Borough Council.
The massive 3,200 square metre centre close to the Futsal indoor area at Kembrey Park employment area is being developed by start-up urban sports business FreeDog. With £1 million in private equity capital behind it, the Swindon centre will be the first of a chain across Britain.
Bath based entrepreneur Alex Withey said he's very excited by the Kembrey project. "What we've designed is a huge open court comprised of 90 two metre square trampolines, six foam pits, two dodge ball courts and a couple of trampoline basketball hoops to give great hang-time for slam-dunk skills.
"It will be a state of the art facility, bigger and better than anything planned for the Swindon area, built to a very high quality with equipment supplied by Continental Sports which is the leading UK manufacturer of equipment for gymnastics, sports hall, PE and trampolining. They manufacture all the kit and have a team of engineers who understand the installation and provide independent safety consultancy. We are proud that ours was the first trampoline park order placed with this great British family business, helping to secure over 50 manufacturing jobs up in Huddersfield."
Responding to concerns about safety, Alex said because FreeDog specialiases in trampoline parks, safety and staff training will be of paramount concern. "Because we are totally focussed on developing a top quality attraction, there is no room for error. Recruiting the right staff and providing the best training possible to ensure great customer experience where safety is our number one priority.
"Our programme of medical training and risk management will be delivered Dr Constantin Jabarin, an A&E Consultant Doctor at Great Western Hospital Swindon. In addition to his hospital work, Dr Jabarin designs and delivers medical safety teams for major sporting events like Formula 1. We are very glad to have him on board to help ensure that our safety standards will be the best in our industry.”
Alex added that FreeDog had been inundated with excellent applications from people with high levels of gymnastic ability and trampoline experience. The company's employment policy is ethically based. There will be about 20 full time employees and over 30 part timers. All will receive the fair wage rate and there will be no zero-hour contracts.
A wide range of trampoline based classes and group activities will be on offer. Apart from free bounce sessions, there will be parkour, freestyle gymnastics and free-running opportunities, trampolining fitness sessions for different ages, school bounce exercise sessions. There will also be lunchtime business breakout bounce sessions and dodge ball leagues are also planned.
FreeDog has teamed up with Swindon groups and special schools to provide Rebound Therapy to offer therapeutic exercise and recreation for people with physical and learning disabilities, including those with dual sensory impairment and autistic spectrum.
GLL, who took over the management of Link Centre from Swindon Council last November, are proposing to close the climbing wall there and relocate the sports and social recreational groups which use the centre's sports hall so that a 1,200 square metre trampoline centre can be installed.
Alex commented: "We don't have a problem with competition, but we'll be first to the market and with our much larger provision we are entirely focussed on offering a great and very safe customer experience."
The FreeDog Swindon trampolining centre will be Europe's largest centre for only a few months as a 5,000 square metre centre will open at Cribbs Causeway in Bristol later in the year.
Continental trampoline video fly-through
Pictured top: a panorama of the FreeDog trampoline centre currently now being installed at Kembrey Park
Keep an eye on developments at www.alfabounce.com
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