Coronavirus: New Brighton business offers ‘thank you’ discount to key workers

Pod, based at Redevco’s Hanningtons Estate, is a new massage and wellbeing concept that uses cutting-edge massage chair technology to deliver an effective therapeutic massage that improves physical and mental wellbeing. The brand was due to launch in Hanningtons Lane in Brighton mid March but the pandemic put plans on hold.

Sarah Lulham, Asset Manager at Redevco comments, “The new high-tech massage chairs are a first to the UK and despite the current situation, we are excited to welcome Pod into the Hanningtons Lane community and to be the first location for this technology.

“Despite facing significant challenges as a retailer, Pod is turning a negative into a positive and who better to try out and benefit from this concept than our key workers.

“Key workers are so important to each and every one of us and they are facing higher levels of stress and increasing physical/mental pressures than ever before.”

Pod is working with Brighton Sussex Hospital Trust’s Wellbeing Team and is complying with the Government’s social distancing guidelines. From Tuesday 21st April, Pod will be open 4 days a week 10am to 6pm on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Alex Collinson, Partner and Co-Founder at Pod comments: “We will only offer our services to key workers - primarily frontline NHS staff who suffer from musculoskeletal issues and stress. As a result of Covid-19 and social distancing, they can perhaps no longer access their normal therapies.

“We will be charging £10 instead of the usual £30 full price - to cover our basic costs - and the massages are zero contact. Having tried out these chairs ourselves, we know that they will be hugely beneficial in reducing stress and anxiety.”

Key workers can book a massage directly via the website https://www.elevateyourday.co.uk/book-a-pod or via instagram @elevateyourwellbeing.

Key Worker Thank You £10 Gift Vouchers can be purchased via https://www.elevateyourday.co.uk/gift-vouchers.

Alex adds: “We believe we can offer a solution that is both Covid-19 transmission low risk, financially accessible, and physically and mentally beneficial to frontline staff, who are risking their own health to protect us. Stress brought on by underlying physical and mental conditions, if not treated, can lead to increased stress, anxiety, pain and longer-term depression.

“Massage not only relieves musculoskeletal issues, providing pain relief and improving movement and function, but also reduces stress. An immediate benefit of massage is a feeling of deep relaxation and calm, as your brain’s happy hormones are released and stress hormone levels drop. Studies show that having high levels of stress hormones can impair the immune system, reducing the body’s ability to heal itself. Pod massages can help to protect front line workers at this critical time.”

Pod services require no human contact. The company’s two massage pods are over 2m apart, each massage pod is disinfected between users including thorough cleaning of the studio premises at the end of each day’s operation, and there will only be a maximum of three people at any one time in an area of 450sqft. Pod’s approach has been confirmed to safely operate within the Governments social distancing rules.