Remember the big tub in Big Brother? Visitors to last week's Building Exhbition 2000 at the RDS might have spotted a replica of the £10,000 outdoor "Sovereign" six-person hot spring tub used by the contestants several weeks before the end of the show. Imported from California by AquaSun, other hot spring models in the range include the Prodigy and the Jetsetter and some come with special hydromassage jets. Prices range from £3,800 to £12,500.

According to Pat Murtagh of AquaSun, based on the Naas Road, there has been a steady increase in sales of outdoor spas since they began selling them four years ago. "The Irish were reserved about putting them outdoors initially but that has changed and it's not just the rich and famous who have them now." For those not quite ready to loll in their hot tub in front of the neighbours, AquaSun sells wooden gazebos which fit over the spas.

emorgan@irish-times.ie

AquaSun Leisure, Unit 10, Green Isle Business Park, Naas Road, Dublin 22. Tel 01-464 0588