An enterprising couple believe they’ve spotted a gap in the market as they prepare to open a new spa at a previously vacant high street building.
Temi and Folayan Ilori say they noticed a lack of wellness facilities in Swanley when they first moved to the town seven years ago.
The growing town has recently welcomed a micropub and new fitness facilities but the pair believe there is a “pent-up” demand for their shape of wellness offering.
Temi told KentOnline: “When we came here, what was very obvious to us very quickly was there was not a lot to offer on the high street, especially when it came to wellness.
“We’ve recently had two gyms open in the area, and in terms of wellness, we don’t really have anything.
“My husband and I, who are the curators of this idea, are parents, and to retain any sort of sanity in life we need to have wellness as a core part of our routine.
“To get to the nearest spa, we would probably have to drive 15 to 20 minutes away to Orpington, Sidcup, Bexley, or Sevenoaks.”
The couple has four children – aged one, two, four, and six.
Earlier this year, Temi, 33, who is a management consultant, and Folayan, 36, who is a payments consultant, decided to launch a business in the high street after speaking to building managers and owners.
Temi explained: “We just thought, ‘why don’t we actually do something’, because we felt like we weren’t the only ones thinking it.
“We’ve got loads of neighbours and people in the community that we know travel a lot farther away from here just to get something like a spa treatment, just because we haven’t got those facilities in Swanley.
“We spoke to the owner of one of the buildings in the high street, and they were very surprisingly open to the idea – especially because it is going to be the first of its kind in the high street.
“The landlord was very keen to have something like this in there.
“We put pen to paper and rolled our sleeves up and got the lease on that space.”
They began renovating the unit, which is in-between Domino’s Pizza and Towes Convenience Store and has previously housed a meeting space and a West Kent NHS and Social Care Trust building, at the start of April.
The Celine will soft launch today (June 28), between midday and 2pm, before its official opening on Monday (June 30).
Temi explained: “It will be an opportunity to give the community a bit of a background and the story behind the place.
“People will also be able to make pre-bookings and talk through the treatments available.
“To start off with, we will be offering massage treatments, facials and spa, manicures, and pedicures.
“We’ve already been contacted by people about booking, and we haven’t even opened yet.
“There is a lot of pent-up demand, it’s quite an exciting time.
“Birthing something from nothing and being able to create that opportunity in the High Street is very exciting.
“We’re keeping the dream alive.”
The Celine will be open between 10am and 8pm from Monday to Saturday, and from 10am to 7pm on Sundays.
