ENTREPRENEUR Duncan Bannatyne opened his latest venture yesterday - a health and wellbeing spa in Darlington.

Mr Bannatyne said the £800,000 Sensory Spa would form an important addition to his fitness club, in Haughton Road, Darlington, and was tapping into health awareness, rather than only fitness training.

He said: "I think everybody is concerned about wellbeing.

"We are living longer, but as we get older, we physically deteriorate.

"We are more concerned now with taking preventative measures."

Mr Bannatyne said he first realised the potential of spas when the group bought 26 health clubs from Hilton.

"We were quite shocked at how well the spas ran, so we are doing more in our own clubs and rebranding them,"

he said.

Mr Bannatyne, who is opening a second spa this year in Hastings, East Sussex, said 40 per cent of his spa customers were male.

He joked: "I have been doing this for years and I would like to think I look younger than my age of 59."

The spa features four contemporary treatment rooms.

One of 29 Sensory Spas in the Bannatyne group, the Darlington facility is the first in the group to have a relaxation room, with luxury recliners and water beds.

The spa is housed in a three-storey extension to the health club.

The extension also includes a mind and body studio for exercise classes and a fitness suite, incorporating specialist pilates equipment.

Bannatyne's head office is in Darlington and the group operates seven health clubs, two hotels and a bar in the region.

The Sensory Spa is part of £16m-worth of investments the group has planned for this year.