by Jacqui Selwood and Sarah Bartlett
After enduring a tough few months of chemotherapy, I was craving some serious rest and relaxation. That’s when the kind owners of Old Luckett Station invited me to unwind at their charming retreat — The Waiting Room Pool. Nestled in the beautifully restored former station waiting room, this unique space offers a warm, inviting pool and a blissful hot tub, along with spacious changing and shower facilities. I brought a friend along, and after a delightful lunch at the nearby Louis Tea Rooms, we spent the afternoon chatting, laughing, and soaking in pure comfort — the perfect way to recharge.
The Waiting Room Pool has a fascinating story behind it. Keep reading as owner Jacqui shares how this charming retreat came to life.
Getting to grips with a unique and niche business
On 23rd March 2023, we opened our doors with a degree of relief as well as excitement, pride and trepidation! It had taken more than a year of our lives in planning, preparation, energy and resources to reach this point …
At that time, we had no experience in managing and running this unique and niche business, so we needed to learn quickly! We were fortunate to have expert advice and support in the background and a wonderful local pool engineer on hand as an advisor and mentor.
Social Media is King
We turned to social media for our advertising, and this worked really well for us back then and is still our best form of advertising to this day!
Right from our very first Facebook post, the interest and appetite for our facilities were strong, and we hit the ground running as a result. As luck would have it, we opened straight into the Easter term school holidays, and this resulted in a pool packed with hirers from morning until night. We worked hard to fit everyone in as it was an excellent opportunity to put ourselves on the map.
It was tough and challenging to manage at the start, and we learned so much in the first six months and certainly didn’t get everything right; we made mistakes along the way, but as we progressed, we learned enough to guide us in the right direction for the future of the pool.
The interest in and following of our pool is still going strong, and we still manage a wonderfully healthy mix of regular/occasional and new hirers each month, so the appetite for a private hire pool in this location was not a ‘flash in the pan’ and continues to grow.
Without question, word of mouth and social media are the two most ticked boxes on our ‘How did you hear about us’ question on our online booking hire form.
The Western Morning News double page splash!
In our first month in business, we were also lucky enough to be given a double-page spread in the Western Morning News! It seemed everyone was talking about The Waiting Room Pool, which encouraged us and spurred us on in the early days.
Private Swimming, Open to Everyone
The pool offers hirers a truly unique experience; it’s maintained at an ambient warm temperature in a well-heated environment and offers hire for up to ten people maximum with private changing room facilities and, if desired, hire of a private hot tub that can accommodate up to six people.
The pool with free on-site parking is open seven days a week, early until late, all year round and is ideal for people, like Sarah, who need or prefer not to use a public swimming pool or those who may struggle in a public setting.
We have created a facility that serves as a vital and inclusive space for a diverse range of users, providing a peaceful environment for everyone including holiday makers, local home schooling families teaching their children to swim, individuals with specific physical and mental needs, baptisms, baby’s first swim, rehabilitation, sports therapy, emotional therapy; the reasons for hire are endless and continue to grow. We are delighted to be able to offer a facility that is so beneficial to so many people.
A Pool with a View
The combination of a historic railway station setting and a secure, private environment with breathtaking rural views of the Tamar Valley and Dartmoor National Park seems to enhance the overall experience for many, making it memorable for all who visit.
Over the past two years, we have listened to feedback and altered and honed our offering, understanding our hirers’ needs and requests but also working out what works well for us too – especially as we solely manage and run our business ourselves without any staff.
The railway children still visit..
The family who last lived in Old Luckett Station whilst it was still a station made contact after we opened the pool, and we are so happy to have welcomed the family to the station on many occasions. Roger, who spent his childhood here at the Old Station, even uses The Waiting Room Pool! It is a really special place for Roger and his sister Barbara, who were once the railway children here, and both recount the most amazing stories of the station’s past. The old station comes back to life whenever they visit.
Because we made the decision to open the pool and our two holiday lets The Signal Box and The Sidings, it’s brought so many special and amazing visitors many of whom, would otherwise not be aware of its existence or indeed, when in private ownership, people were not able to enjoy this amazing place which is part of Cornwall’s and the Tamar Valley’s rich history.
This station was once very important to the Tamar Valley with goods and passenger platforms (both still in place). It not only acted as a vital hub for local people it also played its part in transporting goods from the Tamar Valley market gardens to Plymouth and London, and an array of goods arrived at this station, including livestock – an elderly local man remembers his father collecting Ayrshire cows from this station…
Old Luckett Station was in need of new life, and it’s incredibly rewarding to see it thriving once more. This historic station, originally built to serve a purpose, has now found a new role — one that continues to benefit the local community and visitors alike. It’s heartening to know that this special place is once again making a positive impact, bringing people together and serving as a valuable space for relaxation, connection, and well-being.
