Amida, a contemporary £13m racquets and fitness spa, opened in Beckenham, Kent this month. The spa is the first in a new brand of health clubs created by Stax Leisure, and is built on a site previously used by the Howden Tennis and Squash club. Amida aims to combine competitive sporting activities with luxurious relaxation facilities, and will support a membership of 6,000. The site maintains its racquets tradition with eight tennis courts, six of which are indoor, four badminton courts and four squash and racquetball courts. In addition Amida has a 25m swimming pool, plunge and relaxation pools, a gym and exercise studios as well as spa facilities, a bar and sun terrace. The Corporate Edge design team used Japanese influences and natural materials such as heat and light to make the spa functional while at the same time calming and peaceful. Graham Thomas, Amida's chief executive, believes that the majority of health clubs do not really consider their members needs. Amida provides a luxurious and relaxing environment, within which individuals can experience total wellbeing, something that ordinary health clubs just do not deliver, he said. Stax Leisure is awaiting planning approval for a further site for a second Amida club in Twickenham.
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