The hardwearing properties of Tarkett flooring has seen it snapped up and used in the redevelopment of one of Bournemouth’s biggest and busiest tourist attractions. The Bournemouth Oceanarium, which includes a popular Amazon area complete with piranhas, has now reopened with 360m2 of new Tarkett flooring laid throughout. Since its opening in 2008 the Oceanarium has received in excess of 1.5 million visitors, all treading through sand and water from the nearby seafront which was causing the previously laid flooring to wear quickly.
The Oceanarium chose local contractor, Bainton Flooring to supply and fit the flooring. Gareth Brunsdon, Contracts Manager with Bainton Flooring, said: When the flooring was originally laid in 2008 it came from a mixture of manufacturers, due to being close to the seafront and all the sand that was being brought in this was quickly wearing away in all areas except where we had previously laid Tarkett flooring. “This made Tarkett the obvious choice when selecting the new flooring so we’ve laid it throughout, in the restaurant, gift shop, entrance, Amazon area – everywhere.” The flooring selected was from Tarkett’s Luxury Vinyl Tile iD Inspiration 70. It was laid in all areas except the kitchens and servery where Tarkett’s Safetred flooring was preferred due to its sustainable slip resistant properties. Luxury Vinyl Tile iD Inspiration 70 has a 0.7mm pure PVC transparent wear layer, making it exceptionally hardwearing, indentation resistant and resilient against scratches, scuffs, soiling and staining. These properties make it ideal for areas that experience heavy footfall. Oceanarium Manager, Izzy Wilkinson, said: “We’re really pleased with the flooring, it looks great with a high-quality finish throughout. It also looks good in a variety of lights, the Oceanarium is lit using a mixture of natural and artificial coloured lights and in all it comes across well.” In keeping with Tarkett’s drive to become the most sustainable flooring manufacturer in the UK, 37% of the Luxury Vinyl Tile iD Inspiration 70 range is made up from recycled content and the waste flooring for the redevelopment was taken away for recycling. John Devine, UK Sales Director for Tarkett, said: “It’s great news that Tarkett flooring was selected for this redevelopment and the results look fantastic. The redevelopment is a clear example of why our Luxury Vinyl Tile flooring is perfect for use in the hospitality, retail and leisure industry. Not only is it hardwearing but it looks great. The long-term benefits of installing it are also a huge advantage to companies looking to reduce expensive redevelopment costs.”
