Ex-RAF engineer’s hot tub business really took off
CHRIS SOAKS UP THE ACCOLADES AND HAS THE UK’S LARGEST SELECTION OF HOT TUBS AND SWIMSPAS ALL UNDER ONE ROOF
A FORMER RAF engineer of 16 years is now the owner of a multi-awardwinning hot tub business which is “flying the flag for Lincolnshire”.
Chris Brady, owner and managing director of 1 Stop Spas, first gained an interest in hot tubs when he bought one himself in 2002.
While serving as a fast jet aeronautical engineer in the RAF, Chris decided to set up 1 Stop Spas as a repairs and servicing company in 2008. The business took off as the demand increased and four years later Chris began selling hot tubs as well.
The company incorporated, became 1 Stop Spas Ltd and opened the first of many hot tub showrooms. The main showroom is located in Sleaford and is now the UK’s largest selection of hot tubs and swimspas all under one roof and indoors.
There is also a second showroom in East Bridgford, just off the A46 near Nottingham.
Chris was brought up in South Wales and his job in the RAF brought him to Lincolnshire where he is now determined to stay and grow the business further.
Speaking on the beginnings of 1 Stop Spas, Chris said: “There was a gap in the market for repairs and servicing and it was a nice side business to build while I was in the RAF.
“It grew and, for a long time, I ran my air force career and the business side by side. By around 2018 both were growing so I decided to leave the air force after 16 years y to scale up p the business.”
The company first began selling in a small showroom at a garden centre and have since grown to become the leading retailer of hot tubs in the UK.
Chris added: “The after care side of the business is so important and one of the reasons we’re successful.
“We’ve opened up a trade division where we sell and distribute products within the industry. We’ve also set up a training division where we invite people from the industry and deliver the only technical and safety training in the hot tub industry here in Lincolnshire.” As well as hot tubs, swimspas and ice baths, , 1 Stop pp Spas also sells leisure products including pool tables, shuffleboards and saunas. The company currently employs 12 members of staff in total and are looking to scale up with eight new positions available.
Chris and the team picked up two awards at the 2024 Lincolnshire Business Awards in March, winning Game Changer of the Year as well as the overall Business of the Year. They have also won many awards within the hot tub industry including Hot Tub Retailer of the Year and Showroom of the Year.
Recalling the team’s recent wins at the Lincolnshire Business Awards, Chris said: “It was surprising. p g It was the first time we had entered the awards so we weren’t expecting anything to be honest. We’re so used to entering and winning awards in our industry which is fantastic so it was nice to take ourselves out and measure ourselves against businesses from other industries.”
Chris and the team at 1 Stop Spas have done a lot of work bringing air source heat pump technology into the world of hot tubs which Chris says has turned the industry around. The cost of living crisis gave them an opportunity to bring the technology forward which has now become a standard on all hot tubs in the industry.
Looking towards the future, Chris has got his eyes on a super centre beyond Sleaford Moor bringing all of the company’s operations together. He hopes to keep the business in Sleaford and bring further employment to the town.