Richard Macklin has been appointed spa manager for the new Country Club & Spa at Swinton Estate in North Yorkshire, England, set to open in July 2017.

“We’re thrilled Richard is joining us,” said Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, owner of Swinton Estate. “His wealth of experience will ensure the spa has a flying start, and his impressive track record will help the spa and the team to grow, so we can deliver a very special experience to all our guests, whether they are members, or day spa visitors, staying on the Estate in the castle at Swinton Park, glamping at Swinton Bivouac, or in one of our serviced cottages.”

Macklin began his career as a tennis coach before achieving a BA in Sports Science. He progressed to the role of operations and fitness manager at Nirvana Spa, and stayed with the company more than 15 years, rising to become senior director of Nirvana Spa & Leisure.

From here he moved to Chessgrove Day Spa in Worcestershire, UK, to lead the business through a phase of change. His next posting was to Holmes Place Germany, to re-establish the business and drive membership. He was heavily involved in leading growth of the business across Germany, focusing on quality and delivery.

The upcoming Swinton Estate spa will be focused on overall wellness, with treatments and products by Elemis and Bamford. It is the vision of Felicity and Mark Cunliffe-Lister, whose family have had ownership of the estate since the 1880s.