Spa Experience reopens in Islington’s historic Ironmonger Row Baths

Spa Experience has reopened its branch within Islington’s Ironmonger Row Baths after a two-year closure.

The closure came about as the result of a fire that ravaged the grade II listed building in 2022.

A comprehensive programme of renovation has created a new 950sqm spa with five treatment rooms and fully restored thermal facilities. Additional treatment space will be added on the first floor in May 2024.

Facilities include salt and juniper saunas, two steam rooms, an ice room, a cold plunge pool and feature showers supplied by Sauna360.

There are comprehensive Turkish hammam facilities, including a couple’s wet hammam treatment space, a relaxation lounge and new changing rooms.

Victorian-era thermal baths

“Ironmonger Row is unique in so many ways,” says Melissa Evans, national manager at Spa Experience. “It’s a beautiful, grade II listed building, which has played an important part in the social history of the year.

“The thermal baths were first introduced in the Victorian era and we have tried to embrace that heritage while introducing modern facilities and treatments.

“Spa Experience is part of GLL (Greenwich Leisure Limited), which is a charitable social enterprise. We work in partnership with councils to deliver a quality service that locals can afford.

“Our ethos focuses on affordable excellence, and making the facilities and treatments we offer accessible to all.”

Refurbished thermal zone at Ironmonger Row Baths

The thermal area, which is split between a Contemporary Zone and a Traditional Zone, is the vision of Sauna360.

The original Ironmonger Row Baths was built in the 1930s with swimming pool and old-style bathing house with hot rooms and cold plunge in the basement.

Focused on creating a feeling of space and relaxation, Sauna360 has used giant full-height tiles and longitudinal floor tiles to draw the eye to the glass-fronted salt sauna.

In the contemporary zone there are two large saunas. The juniper sauna contains a juniper wall, which provides its own natural aroma, while in the salt sauna there is a large salt wall.

The Traditional zone boasts a series of interlinked hot rooms in large ceramics, with increasing temperature as guests get further in.

Outside the hot rooms are a drench bucket, cleansing shower and plunge pool, which includes a heat recovery system to use the heat removed from the plunge water to heat to the learner swimming pool.

Sauna360: bringing the outside in

The Sauna360 Wellness concept was used in all the thermal rooms, allowing effective air flow and enhancing the bather experience.

“We understood the previous operational difficulties with this site and we had the opportunity to address these in so many ways,” explains Jeff Le Clos, senior commercial manager at Sauna360. “We have transformed the area, creating a feeling of space and relaxation. Longevity was a leading motivation, to ensure products and finishes allow for effective maintenance and reduced wear and tear.

“The variety of thermal facilities offers a full selection hot and cold wellness applications, flowing though the spa. The use of printed graphic glass flows through the facility bringing the outside in and creating a spacious, fresh feeling despite it being a basement spa.”

[comfort zone], Tea & Tonic and Ashmira Botanica

A team of 20 therapists led by spa managers Allgood and Tanya Ngonyama will offer [comfort zone], Tea & Tonic and Ashmira Botanica treatments. A two-hour thermal experience will also be on the menu.

Treatment beds are Gharieni supplied by Ellisons, uniforms are by Taylor Made Designs and towels and spa linens are from BC SoftWear.

Fitness equipment is supplied by Technogym, software by Gappt and lockers are from Ojmar.

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