How to find a good shower bath with central controls

[ChillinwiththeVillains]

En suite size necessitates a shower bath. I would like to have a drain in the middle and also the shower controls there (not under the shower). Is this something I can do with any bath or do I need a specific type?
I would also love to have it lipped so it goes behind the tiles as an extra waterproof insurance. Is this even possible?
Can't fit both a shower and bath in, so my kind DH is taking the hit and I win a bath rather than his preference of a big shower.

you can get any bath with the drain in the middle and then fit the controls where you like. as long as the plumber can get the pipes in the right bit of wall, then the taps and other controls can go anywhere.

like this

https://www.inspiredhomestore.co.uk/store/product-details/profile-double-ended-bath-nth-1800-x-700mm-5mm-02573

OP, have you actually used a bath with middle controls? I've used two separate situations while on different holidays and absolutely detest the water hitting my tummy: middle when you top up the bath. Try before you buy.

we have a double ended bath with an overflow filler in the middle, as is the plug. we also have the shower in the middle which works really well (it's a big bath - 80cm wide i believe). the control panel does the filler as well as the shower heads and is offset to one side so your arm doesn't get wet turning on the shower. it works really well - except the control panel does get smeary from the shower water hitting it a bit

These are all really helpful, thank you. Lots to think about and also measure. I was contemplating a wider bath just so it didn't feel annoying and cramped when showering. We have softened water so hoping that would reduce smeariness on glass. Now to break it to DH that I may have slightly underballed cost of a nice bathroom suite.

I had to go with a shower inside bath with our latest bathroom refit. I decided against a bath with central plug hole. This was because the sides to these baths had a large slope for leaning against on both sides. I wanted something straighter as we'd be showering at one end. I'm very happy with what we've got. The plug hole doesn't get in the way of where we stand under the shower. I had the taps fitted on the wall away from the shower head so that we don't get wet when they turn on. So far so good with the seal around the bath, we just have the tiles sealed over the lip of the bath edge. I've linked the type we went for. It's wide. I actually find it a little wastefully large when filling for a bath. But the insanely nice thing is that it is so wide that our glass shower screen can swing all the way back flush with the shower head wall so it's as if it's not there when taking a bath.

bathcenter.co.uk/beaufort-portland-1700-x-700mm-single-ended-bath-230080-p.asp?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw3vO3BhCqARIsAEWblcDdK_l6sP6z-Qn6NSmQ5H_13xRfLNUF4UR23Pl9-bCI3zFLFdSLungaAr_wEALw_wcB

Ah I hadn't thought about annoying slope of bath. Thank you. Definitely sold on wide bath. Terrified by quite how much choice there is out there.

Do you subscribe to Which? Their bathroom survey 24 lists the top ten supplier brands per bathroom item, so baths, taps, wcs etc. From memory when I was pricing a bath in August I was looking at Duravit, Carron, Roca. In the end I just kept the one I had and put tippex where the enamel had been chipped.

Yes DH insists on which subscription. Assume part of early midlife crisis. But that's a great idea, will take a look. Thank you