Moonpig founder hits the slopes with ski club launch
An indoor skiing facility built by the millionaire founder of Moonpig has opened to the public in Wiltshire.
The South Wilts Ski Club is located at Bapton Manor Farm between Warminster and Salisbury.
Former Dragons’ Den star Nick Jenkins was inspired to build the club in a former tractor barn so his seven-year-old daughter could practise skiing in between seasons.
The project, which cost £300,000, took a year to secure planning permission and get set up.
“I’m a very keen skier and I wanted to find somewhere for my daughter to practise between skiing holidays. I tried the Skieasy infinity slope in London myself and loved it, but it was always too busy to book and it was a 90 minute drive,” he said. “I wondered if I could bring the concept to Wiltshire.”
Only two people are allowed on the slope at a time, although groups of up to eight can book in one go. The club also has an on-site chalet-style clubhouse with free tea, coffee and biscuits.
Each booking is on an exclusive basis with visitors receiving one-on-one coaching from in-house instructor Craig Philpott. Sessions are filmed – so skiers can fine-tune their technique – and ski boots, helmets and skis are provided free of charge.
South Wilts Ski Club opens today (October 17) offering sessions starting from 30-minutes. Sessions run from midday to 8pm on Wednesday; 11am to 6pm on Thursday and Friday; and 10am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday.
It costs from £30 per person for 30 minutes in peak time and £18 per 30 minutes off-peak (when booking a block of six sessions).
