Causeway Coast and Glens councillor expresses concern at quality of planned outdoor saunas

At September’s Leisure and Development Committee meeting, members were presented with a report on officers’ efforts to identify council-managed coastal sites that could potentially host mobile saunas.

The report noted a significant increase in the popularity of cold water exposure at these sites, and council has informally facilitated one mobile beach sauna at Benone Strand.

In response to the number of requests received, council’s Coast and Countryside team identified ten appropriate sites, which will be further shortlisted in the future – Benone Strand, Whiterocks, Downhill Strand, Salmon Rocks in Portballintrae, Castlerock Beach, Ballycastle, West Strand and East Strand in Portrush, Cushendall and Waterfoot.

Alliance Councillor Peter McCully said it was his understanding that the quality of outdoor saunas “varies greatly”.

“I just want to know what sort of quality assurances Council have put into place at this at this point in the process, or what they are planning to do,” Cllr McCully said.

“I’m wondering what sort of spec, I suppose, of these types of facilities is going to be put into place and what council is envisioning.”

Head of Tourism and Recreation, Peter Thompson, said the council will provide terms of reference during the tendering process for each sauna, which will include “specification as to what requirements we’re expecting from that service”.

“We detail the type of requirements,” Mr Thompson concluded. “So they’re providing a service level agreement of kind in order to secure the bids to operate in those locations.”