A "nap bar", christened "PAUZzzz", is due to open on Rue Belliard, in Brussels’ European Quarter, on November 14. This "fast, efficient relaxation spot, designed to respond to the pressures of modern life" will be a first in the Kingdom, said its originators, last Tuesday. Depending on the package chosen – lounging in a deck chair while listening to music and/or enjoying a light therapy session, resting on a heated water bed producing 60-degree water jet massages that run through the whole body - 15 minutes’ relaxation will cost anything from 7 to 17 euros. Customers can also opt for a massage chair or a "shiatsu" bed with heated jade stone rollers for a more vigorous massage.
The "nap bar" will open its doors from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, and will be available for private hire outside of these hours.All micro-naps are taken in private cabins - six in total - and can last 15, 20 or 30 minutes, depending on the package chosen. This concept already exists in Japan and France.
"What with daily stress and an accrued lack of sleep, we realized that there was a great need for this kind of establishment. It has been scientifically proven that an early afternoon nap can help employees perform better - especially if taken after lunch, when stress levels are lower as the morning’s work has already been done", says Gaëtan Oversacq, one of the two project originators.
The launch of this "nap bar" is supported by the Regional Agency for Urban Investment, Atrium, whose “Opensoon bis” project aims at promoting quality and innovation within Brussels-based businesses. Every month, several aspiring business owners are selected by a panel of professionals to start up their own business. "PAUZzzz" gets a grant that is equal to 50% of its investments and whose upper limit is set at six months' rent.
In 2013, thanks to the support of the Brussels-Capital Region and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), 49 establishments were opened. 37 new spots have already been set up over the past year.
(Source: Belga)
