RECRUITMENT has started ahead of the opening of an exciting new inflatable water attraction!
Graiglwyd Springs Fishery in Penmaenmawr will be transformed into the inflatable water park called Sblash that will employ up to seven additional seasonal staff from May to October each year.
The thrilling water adventure will feature a towering 3.8m Mount Rainier, exhilarating slides and a range of obstacles, floating trampolines, a freefall experience and the 'Waverider'.
Owners James and Debbie McAllister, who have decades of experience in the tourism and hospitality industry, are behind the new attraction.
They are looking to fill open water lifeguard positions ahead of the grand opening of Sblash.
Speaking to the Pioneer, James said: "We have got seven lifeguard positions. Now we do have a role for a receptionist, but we want everyone to be able to do that job, so we want multi-skilled workers."
James said that the response to Sblash has been largely "very positive".
He said: "It has been great. We have had the odd negative from some of our anglers but overall, it has been really good and we are getting lots of followers on our social media.
"My background was caravan parks, family business. As a family we decided to sell up and come out the industry. For me, in 2016, I felt I was getting no time with my family. I had worked 24 / 7 for years building a business. The time was right for us.
"We spent a couple of years refocussing but I knew, I absolutely knew, that I knew nothing else other than tourism. The opportunity came to buy what was Graiglwyd Springs Fishery and it wasn't on the market. I made the owner an offer but what appealed to me was, not the fact that is was Pen or close to the A55, but it has a beautiful body of water and the most amazing views out over the sea. I fell in love with the location. My background may not be in fishing, although I have fished many times and used to enjoy it, but the holiday cottage business we knew we could improve on and I also knew we could gain planning permission to add pods and find another use for the lake. I didn't think fishing could be a long-term sustainable thing.
"We have been quite lucky going to France and Croatia over the years and we used to love these big inflatable aqua parks as a family, they were just great. There isn't another one in the area. Adventure Parc Snowdonia (now closed and replaced by Zip World Conwy) had the wave machine but it wasn't like what we wanted to do."
James added: "The support from locals has been amazing and the Levelling Up, Business Wales - they have been fantastic. We couldn't have asked for more support.
"There is nothing quite like this. There is a small one near Pwllheli but we figured, on the North coast, we are the only ones. It is our own body of water, it is really clean and passes all the Bathing tests with flying colours. We take regular readings but it is spring fed from the hills above."
Sblash is open to recruiting people who don't have water sports experience but have a passion for working outdoors.
Applicants need to be aged 16 years plus, be physically fit, enthusiastic, confident and be able to engage enthusiastically with customers and colleagues.
Sblash's training course will start on Monday, May 6 and will be all week from 9am until to 5pm.
Applicants must be strong swimmers and be able to swim 400m unaided in cold water. Successful applicants will be able to undertake a RLSS Open Water Lifeguard Training course and a first aid course.
Sblash will open to the public on May 18. Discounts, family offers, and further activities will be introduced in the months ahead.
For a full job specification and to apply, send a CV or letter to info@sblash.co.uk for the attention of James.
Sblash received £50,277 from the U.K. Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is part of the UK government's Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for investment by March 2025. The fund aims to improve "pride in place" and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting business, people and skills.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here