Sweat Spot
Last December, despite the chilly temperatures, Community Sauna Baths welcomed 500 sweat seekers to the re-opening week of its Peckham outdoor sauna. It’s one of a growing number appearing across the country. By the end of this year, there’ll be more than 200 public saunas in the UK, up from just 45 in February 2023.
“It allows us to get the space that we need, and it allows them to have a bit of ownership”
Each of Community Sauna Baths’ four sites has its own revenue model, with the not-for-profit Peckham site funnelling money back into the Glengall Wharf community garden it shares space with. “It allows us to get the space that we need, and it allows them to have a bit of ownership,” says co-founder Charlie Duckworth. “On the flipside, the bigger sites we have are catering to a larger sauna experience and they’re about us generating additional revenues so we can keep ticket prices low.” This year, the plan is to open two more sites in London — one in Camberwell, and the other in Walthamstow.
Photos by: Liz Seabrook, Adam Razvi and Bryn Williams