Champneys

For other uses, see Champneys (disambiguation).

Champneys Henlow Grange resort, a Georgian Grade II* listed building.

Champneys is the brand name of a destination spa group in the United Kingdom. Champneys Health Resorts Group own four spa resorts and has become one of the largest destination spa operators in the world.^{[citation needed]} The companies are owned by mother and son, Dorothy and Stephen Purdew.

History

Dorothy Purdew set up a slimming club business and opened her first club on 25 June 1970 at Frimleys, Northampton. It was a success and led to over 70 clubs opening throughout the South East. In September 1981 Dorothy and her husband Robert purchased Henlow Grange and one of their sons Stephen joined the company. Following the death of Robert Purdew, Stephen took over management of the group.

In 1990 they purchased Springs Health Farm in Leicestershire, followed by another health farm at Forest Mere in 1995. The Hotel de la Paix, a ski hotel in Champéry, Switzerland, was purchased in 1996. In 2002, Henlow Grange suffered a fire but was renovated. The last purchase was Champneys Tring, which with the Champneys name, led to the re-branding of all the resorts. The Champneys name originated from Ralph de Champneys who owned the Tring mansion in 1307.^{[citation needed]} It was opened as the UK’s first health farm in 1925 by naturopath Stanley Lieff, who pioneered the concept of holistic health and naturopathy.

In 2004, Champneys launched a range of spa products called the Champneys Collection, and in 2006 Champneys opened a high street spa in Chichester. "Champneys Day Spas" have now opened in eight other locations: Enfield, Guildford, Tunbridge Wells, St. Albans, Brighton, Chichester, Milton Keynes and Bath.

Champneys International College of Health & Beauty

Champneys International College of Health and Beauty in Tring, Hertfordshire

Champneys International College of Health & Beauty, in the grounds of the Tring resort in Hertfordshire, was founded in 1976 and offers both full-time and part-time courses. Many students go on to work in one of the four Champneys resorts or one of the Day Spas.^{[citation needed]}

Resorts

The chain has four resorts in the United Kingdom:

• Champneys Henlow, Henlow, Bedfordshire
• Champneys Forest Mere, Liphook, Hampshire^[1]
• Champneys Springs, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire
• Champneys Tring, Wigginton, Hertfordshire

References

1. ^ "Champneys, Forest Mere, Hampshire". Telegraph. 21 December 2009. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/spaspy/6838912/Champneys-Forest-Mere-Hampshire.html. Retrieved 21 December 2009. 

External links

• Champneys Company Website
• Champneys Spa Collection Website
• Champneys Beauty College Website
• Champneys Ski Hotel