2013.06.28 Birmingham Live
A naked hotelier will get a dressing down on national TV during a visit from the Hotel Inspector.
Tim Higgs, 56, invited Channel 5 cameras into his naturist venue Clover Spa, a luxury seven-bedroom retreat in Erdington.
But the visit of Hotel Inspector Alex Polizzi does not run smooth – with the hospitality guru and the hotelier clashing over his no-clothes policy, which extends to the lounge and restaurant.
Former farmer Tim denies his naturist rules are regimented, saying the policy is for the good of guests who travel from all over the country to go naked.
Yet Alex insists the no-clothes policy is putting off more people than it attracts and suggests allowing clothing in some areas of the venue.
But Tim told the Birmingham Mail : “I would agree with her if this was a 50-bed hotel with a separate spa.
“But what we’ve got is a big house with seven lovely bedrooms and a spa through the door. How do you start to separate that?
“If you had some clothed people and some unclothed people we’d get some who want to look and not be involved.
“This is not a hotel for voyeurs. Nobody wants to be stared at.”
Tim uncovered his interest in naturism as a teenager during an exchange trip to Finland when he tried a traditional outdoor sauna.
He opened the hotel in Chester Road 18 months ago after investing £1 million in buying and renovating the property, installing a hot tub in the gardens as well as a sauna, steam room, cold plunge pool and treatment rooms.
Tim admits to being nervous about the July 5 show and said: “There’s going to be some bad in it and some good, but hopefully it will get more people to Clover Spa and also to Birmingham.
“I hope Birmingham will be proud of that.
‘‘We are doing something here that’s not done anywhere else in the UK.
“There are no sexual connotations involved and there’s nothing inappropriate.”
He added: “Being naked, you are all on the same level.
“There’s a tremendous bonding and tremendous respect.”
*The Hotel Inspector is on Channel 5 at 9pm on July 5. www.channel5.com/shows/the-hotel-inspector
