£100k BCRS funding supports Hikitalo to open Wales and Cardiff’s first urban sauna
BCRS Business Loans has provided £100,000 in funding to Hikitalo, a fast-growing Welsh sauna business, to support the opening of Wales and Cardiff’s first urban sauna site at Meanwhile House in the capital.
The funding package comprises £60,000 from the British Business Bank’s £130m Investment Fund for Wales and £40,000 from the Community Investment Enterprise Fund (CIEF), enabling Hikitalo to expand into Cardiff and create an accessible urban sauna space that supports connection, mental wellbeing, and community in the capital.
With the existing Porthcawl business just 16 months old, traditional lenders were unable to provide support to enable the expansion plans to come to fruition, prompting founder, Will Jenkins, to explore alternative funding options. Will was introduced to BCRS Business Loans through financial services and consultancy Hexa Finance, where BCRS Business Development Manager Niki Haggerty James worked closely with Hexa’s Sharon Bromage to support Hikitalo’s growth journey.
Born in Wales, raised in Holland, and having lived in Dublin and Munich, Will returned home in 2024 after spending 13 years in the corporate fintech sector. He stepped away from corporate life to reflect and travel. Over an 18-month period, he visited more than 70 saunas across 14 countries, immersing himself in global sauna culture. What began as soul-searching quickly became transformative and the start of a new business venture.
Founder of Hikitalo, Will, explains: “The business has grown quickly, and our data shows us around 30% of our customers are already coming from Cardiff so our dream to open Wales’s first urban sauna in the capital, has quickly become a reality.
“Because the business is still relatively young, traditional lenders couldn’t support our growth plans, but from the very beginning, both BCRS and Hexa were fantastic and it was clear they believed in us and in the model, which made a huge difference.
“This funding allows us to expand in a measured way, invest in the right location, and build a strong team.”
The groundworks at the base at Meanwhile House, on the Curran Embankment, have begun and Hikitalo is targeting an April opening. The expansion is expected to create up to 10 new jobs across hosting, operations, and management roles.
The site will offer three communal saunas – 20, 12 and 10 seaters – whilst ice baths and hot tubs will also be available. On-site parking is directly outside, and a coffee shop is planned above the container units, closely reflecting the company’s proven Sandy Bay model,
Will added: “I started Hikitalo to deliver high-quality sauna experiences that prioritise consistent heat standards, welcoming environments, and structured communal sessions and I am hugely excited at the prospect of bringing this offering to Cardiff.”
Niki Haggerty-James, business development manager at BCRS Business Loans, said: “Hikitalo is a great example of a young business with a clear model, strong customer demand, and a clear understanding of where and how it can grow.
“Working closely with Hexa, we were able to support Will at a stage where traditional finance wasn’t an option. This funding will help bring a high-quality wellbeing offer to Cardiff while supporting job creation and sustainable growth.”
Sharon Bromage, senior growth advisor at HEXA, added: “Working with Will and BCRS has been a pleasure. Supporting local businesses in Wales and seeing them thrive is always a huge thrill for the Hexa team The work Will is doing with Hikitalo is incredibly exciting, and it’s a pleasure to be part of the journey.”
Bethan Bannister, senior investment manager, Nations and Regions Investment Funds at the British Business Bank, said: “The Investment Fund for Wales exists to back ambitious Welsh businesses with strong growth potential, and Hikitalo is a fantastic example of that in action. Through the Fund, we’re able to support businesses that have a clear vision, customer demand and the potential to make a real impact locally.
“It’s exciting to see the Fund helping to bring Wales’s first urban sauna to Cardiff – creating jobs, strengthening the capital’s wellbeing offer and supporting an innovative homegrown business to scale.”
Hikitalo was awarded ‘Best Waterside Sauna 2025’ at the British Sauna Society’s Sauna Summit and recently featured in the BBC documentary From Porthcawl with Love, presented by Ruth Jones and Steve Spiers, and has also been named in Wales Online’s Top Things to Do in 2026.