When interior design house LIFTD Design was appointed the principle contractor for a new, state-of-the-art gym at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the team chose suppliers that it knew could deliver against the premium specification sought by the client.

Brief

The 7000ft² (650m²) space comprises a multipurpose gym floor area, mezzanine studio, private gym and treatment room, as well as large changing facilities. “The whole facility had to feel premium, and the changing room space was central to that,” says James Potter, Founder of LIFTD Design. “It’s an extremely busy site that accommodates many people, from Warner Bros. staff to production crews, casts, and contractors, and so the gym and changing facilities had to cater for a wide range of users, whilst also providing somewhere to escape the day-to-day and benefit from a serene, tranquil space.”

Solution

- Changing room lockers and private change cubicle – Graphite Grey doors with Beige Grey - Lorenzo Oak carcass
- Bench tops - Beige Grey Lorenzo Oak
- Freestanding Seats – Upholstered complete bench in Sileather 326 Morning Fog
- Lock Mechanisms – Ojmar OCS Smart with App and key pad opening

“Projects like this are complex, and having good suppliers onboard that you can trust and know will always be at the end of the phone makes a big difference, and our experience with Safe Space has been nothing but positive. People buy people; of course, the product needs to be right, the install needs to go well, and the client needs to be happy, but a great customer experience where you can build a rapport and you feel valued and supported is something we look for in all our suppliers, and we’ve found that with Dom and the team at Safe Space.”

James Potter
Founder, LIFTD Design

Introduction
Forest House Watford is a revolutionary health club dedicated to empowering individuals to embrace each day. They recently entrusted us with the task of outfitting their changing rooms to align with their vision of a retreat style health club in the heart of Watford, that brings a more personalised and elevated experience to the local community.

Brief
Forest House was looking to craft a changing room environment that was both welcoming and functional, that blended with the overall aesthetic and reflects the brand’s excellence and commitment to quality.

It needed to be an extension of the premium Forest House experience rather than just a place to store belongings, providing a secure space for members to prepare for their workouts and wind down afterwards.

Solution
• Lockers: a mixture of laminates in black, Pistachio Green and Amazon Green
• Upholstered bench seats
• Digilock Axis lock mechanism
• Changing cubicles
• Vanity units
• Towel dumps and towel storage

Quote
"When it came to outfitting our changing rooms, we wanted nothing but the best. That's why we turned to Safe Space Lockers, and we couldn't be happier with the results. Their dedication to exceptional service and product quality aligns perfectly with our values, making them a valuable partner in our journey to redefine fitness in Watford.

"Safe Space Lockers has played an integral role in bringing our vision to life, enhancing our member experience, and ensuring that every visit to Forest House is nothing short of exceptional".

- Jon Williams, Group MD, Forest House.

WV Active – the City of Wolverhampton Council’s leisure brand – procured Safe Space to upgrade its locker solutions across all three of the city’s leisure facilities.

Brief

Whilst each site presented its own unique challenges, the aim at all facilities was to ensure locker provision met visitors’ requirements. This included a review of where they were located across each site, the locking solutions, and spec and finish, to ensure the design was in keeping with each centre. Safe Space was responsible for the removal of the existing lockers, as well as the installation of the new solutions. As multi-use sites, this process had to minimise the impact on the facilities’ users, with the requirement to keep all areas of the site fully operational.

Solution

WV Active Bilston-Bert Williams:

- 220 dry side lockers with latch lock for padlock use - Grey Bardolino Oak laminate finish
- 148 wet side lockers with £1 return lock - Serenissima laminate finish
- 11 bench seats - Bardolino Oak laminate finish

WV Active Aldersley:

- 18 dry side lockers for padlock use - Grey Bardolino Oak laminate finish
- 40 wet side lockers £1 return lock – Serenissima laminate finish

WV Active Central:

- 23 dry side lockers for padlock use - Grey Bardolino Oak laminate finish
- 94 wet side lockers with £1 return lock - Serenissima laminate finish

“The Safe Space Lockers team have been outstanding. From the initial meeting with Gregg and Dominic, through to all the engineers who did the final install, everyone has delivered excellent customer service. The solution that they came up with is perfect for our customers and facility mix, and the quality of the install and finish is first class. Feedback from our customers has been excellent and is showing in our net promoter scores and responses. During the installation the engineers were very accommodating and worked so hard to ensure minimum disruption to our customers. Overall, this has been an excellent experience and I would highly recommend Safe Space.”

Sean McBurney
Head of Leisure & Wellbeing, WV Active

2023 has been a busy year so far for Safe Space Lockers. The renowned suppliers of high quality changing rooms and lockers for fitness and leisure facilities have demonstrated their versatility through a variety of diverse projects, ranging from boutique studios to large-scale leisure centres, and they’re not showing any signs of slowing down.

This year, their impressive portfolio has extended to include collaborations with Hybrid Fitness, Total Swimming Group, Energym and the new £3m Forest House club in Watford, each with their own unique challenges around space, time and budget.

At Buzz Gym Cannon Street, a former gym that had been gutted out, there were no locker doors or shower cubicles and only basic furnishings remained. All this was replaced and new vanity units and benches were installed, all in line with the Buzz Gym brand and to a tight deadline and on budget.

Some, like Buzz Gyms, know exactly what they’re looking for and give Safe Space a detailed brief, while others come with a fully open brief, allowing the team to help build their brief in line with their brand.

Hybrid Fitness in Reigate wanted a great looking changing environment where members could feel at home, but beyond that, they sought the expertise of the Safe Space team to design them a solution in-line with their business strategy. With future growth in mind, Safe Space put a plan in place that allowed for expansion and the team were so impressed with the final outcome at Reigate that they now use the project specification as their standard across franchises.

Changing room facilities play a pivotal role in a gym’s overall offering, regardless of whether they cater to budget or luxury memberships, and Safe Space knows this better than anyone.

By approaching each project with the same level of care and attention to detail they deserve and consistently delivering exceptional results, the team continues to transform fitness and leisure spaces across the UK, driven by their commitment to innovation and exceptional service.

To learn more about these projects and how Safe Space can work with you to optimise your space, visit safespacelockers.co.uk