ONE STOP SHOP FOR SKIERS
Published on 1st December 2025
The Skier’s Lounge in West Grinstead has become one of the first wintersports servicing specialists in the UK to boast professional ski binding and waxing machinery.
Bindings are a vital piece of safety equipment, as they keep boots securely attached when skiing, but release under specific force levels to prevent injury to the skier’s legs. The Skier’s Lounge is now one of just a handful of places in the country to offer professional ski binding services, having taken delivery of a new device by Austrian specialists Wintersteiger which ensures ski boots are properly secured to skis.
In addition to the ski binding machine, the showroom – located on the Knepp estate – has installed a Wintersteiger Wax Future. This utilises infrared technology to offer race-quality waxing results for snowboards, as well as alpine and cross-country skis. It was funded by a Green LEAP grant from Horsham District Council, which are made available for climate-friendly projects that help future-proof businesses.
Scott Hargrave, owner of The Skier’s Lounge, said: ‘The Wax Future lays down a deeper layer of wax compared to that provided by traditional methods, allowing the skis to glide more smoothly. All of the leading World Cup race teams have one, as they can improve performance by around 40%. It also has environmental benefits. Beforehand, we used a heated iron to apply wax, which not only requires a vast amount of energy but generates a lot of wasted wax.
It took a lot of time to wax by hand too – up to 40 minutes for a pair of skis – whereas the new machine does a much better job in just a few minutes. So, it’s more energy efficient, requires less wax and improves performance. Whether you’re a World Cup skier or a casual skier who likes to cruise from one alpine lodge to another, you’ll feel the benefit.’
GIANT LEAP
Scott is grateful to the support of Horsham District Council, especially as this was the second occasion that the business has benefitted from a local business grant. Within a month of the showroom opening five years ago, the country went into lockdown, which curtailed everyone’s travel plans. When the prospects of a similarly disrupted 2020/21 season became more likely, Scott explored other avenues and opened The Bicycle Barn alongside The Skier’s Lounge. A LEAP grant helped fund new tools for repairs and servicing, as many of us resorted to cycling to keep fit.
Scott said: ‘The skiing industry was practically wiped out for two whole years and The Bicycle Barn kept us alive. Fortunately, after the pandemic, the ski industry recovered quickly, as there was pent-up demand and people were desperate to get back on the mountain. As a country, we still face economic challenges and the Russian invasion of Ukraine had an impact too, as a manufacturing factory of Blizzard – a leading name in skiing equipment – is in Ukraine and was forced temporarily to close.
‘However, one of the more positive aspects of lockdown is that people now have a different mindset. They take more time away from work to do the things they enjoy. Lots of people are retiring earlier too and taking the opportunity to spend a few years skiing or pursuing other interests, while they can. We continue to offer bike servicing and repairs, as some customers have come back year after year, but our recent growth has come from The Skier’s Lounge. Having started out working here alone, I now have a team of 12 full and part-time staff.’
ONE-STOP-SHOP
Owing to its rural location, even many nearby residents are not aware of the showroom’s existence. However, it doesn’t solely rely on local custom, with ski enthusiasts travelling from London and other parts of the country,
while others make the trip across the Channel from The Netherlands. As well as skis, it offers boots and bindings, as well as ski helmets, goggles, gloves and maintenance tools. It stocks products by brands including Nordica, Blizzard, Lange and Volkl, bindings by Marker, goggles and helmets by Smith, gloves by Hestra and hand-made skis by revered Swedish brand, Extrem Skis. However, The Skier’s Lounge is more than just a showroom and it’s the servicing side that gives it an edge.
Scott said: ‘I don’t think we would survive just through selling ski equipment, so servicing has always been important. First, we invested in specialist equipment for boots, creating moulds for your feet so that each boot is 100% customised. Demand for this service has grown to the extent that we now offer not one but four ski-boot stations, and customers can make an appointment with expert fitters. We don’t have salespeople here – we have a team of skiers and snowboarders who are also trained specialists. So, any selling skills they possess comes only from their knowledge.
‘With our latest equipment, we have taken a step closer to becoming a one-stop-shop for skiers. You can come to us for boot fitting and now also bring skis for waxing and binding. By the time you’ve had a look around the showroom and finished your coffee, your equipment will have been properly tested. Everything will be ready for you to head off to the slopes for your next skiing adventure.’
WORDS: Ben Morris / PHOTOS: Alan Wright
Further information: The Skiers Lounge, The Ski Barn, Hill House Fm, Worthing Rd (northbound side), RH13 8LG
