New Worthing beachside sauna experience aims to offer something different

Business partners Cathy Mason and Andi Derrick have teamed up to open GloSauna, sited by Sea Lane Café on Goring beach.

The pair say they want to bring a different dynamic to the world of sauna, by the fact their custom-built unit is located in quite a ‘wild’ part of town and through offering themed sessions.

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Cathy said: “I think we’re quite different from other saunas. We offer soul sister sessions, classical music sessions, silent sessions, and women-only times. Soul sister very much for like-minded women, or if you just want to come along and not talk, then you can do the silent session.

“It’s in the most beautiful location. It’s quite wild. You don’t have the cars going by, so it’s peaceful. People using it last week said it really is quiet as you can hear the crackling of the stove.

"We also have a beautiful French galvanised bath that people can use. It’s a fresh, cold water bath that people have to shower before using. The tides at Goring are quite crazy, so when it’s out people can’t go in the sea.

"It’s a beautiful, wild sauna that’s a great leveller and everyone is welcome. We don’t want people to be intimidated by it, we want to encourage people to come along and understand the health benefits. It can help people with arthritis, aching joints – it really helps relieve them.”

Co-owner Andi’s GloWellbeing stand-up paddleboard (SUP) and kayak business was already based at Sea Lane, so it made sense for GloSauna to be there, too. The hope is the area will become even more of a ‘fun, go-to destination’.

Cathy’s background is in marketing and advertising, and for a long time she worked as a producer in London. But after finding her job was moving in a direction she didn’t enjoy, she decided to change her life, sold her property in Brighton and moved to west Worthing.

She met Andi on the beach, they talked about their love of saunas and decided to go into business together.

Cathy said: “I’ve always been into the sauna world, and they’ve certainly kept me going especially through winter. It’s a big life change at the age of 60 but it’s great.”

Sauna sessions are 30 minutes or an hour and can be as part of a group or booked privately.

Cathy added: “Along the coast the saunas are all quite city, I think our USP is it’s much wilder. You come here and you feel you can breathe. It’s pure tranquillity.”