Month: February 2017

Value Added

Posted on February 9, 2017
value added

Always a warm welcome - Chek Whyte of Richmond Wight Estates.

Value Added

Richmond Wight Estates specialises in turnaround projects - buying parks in distress and re-developing them into successful and sustainable businesses.

In just three years Richmond Wight Estates has turned around and developed 15 parks and now owns and operates seven.

Formed in 2013, Richmond Wight is very much a family business. Managed by Chek Whyte, who formerly worked for Lifestyle Living. Chek’s son Charlie has a major role as Operations Manager for Scotland, where the majority of their current park portfolio is situated. The company employs around 50 staff across their portfolio, which is managed from their head office in Nottingham.

Richmond Wight’s Scottish parks include Glendevon, Moffat Manor and Riverview Country Parks, as well as a new holiday development close to Edinburgh called Rutherford Castle Lodge and Golf Resort. The company is also expanding south of the border with a number of parks in the south of England currently under development or offer.

“We offer a full turnaround business and only invest in parks in distress,” says Chek. “Re-developing the neglected parks we buy adds value and restores security. “Inevitably, we sometimes crack a few eggs as we go in but the long-term sustainable benefits outweigh the disadvantages. Without us, the parks would close and people would lose their homes.”

Richmond Wight’s main residential parks are situated in some of the most picturesque locations in Scotland amidst stunning and peaceful scenery that belies their turbulent history.

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Wyldecrest Park Homes Expansion

Posted on February 9, 2017

Wyldecrest Park Homes Expansion

Wyldecrest Parks hope the development may accommodate as many as 750 park homes in the future.

Wyldecrest Parks hope the development may accommodate as many as 750 park homes in the future.

 

Wyldecrest Parks is expanding its Herefordshire holiday park, Saltmarshe Castle, to include a new residential park home development.

The first phase of the homes is already underway in the Tower Court area of the park, which is being extensively redeveloped. Interest in the initial 29 plots has been high with many premium plot locations already reserved. Wyldecrest Parks hope the development may accommodate as many as 750 park homes in the future.

Saltmarshe Castle Park offers stunning vistas over the Bromyard Downs and Malvern Hills. The site currently has 340 holiday home owners and 13 holiday let units. Facilities at the park a fishing lake, play area and a recreation field, along with forest trails, a club complex, shop and restaurant.

Wyldecrest Parks are undertaking a comprehensive development programme throughout the park with many historic and original features of the 19th century estate being restored. Rental holiday units and a new touring caravan area will also be updated. According to Alfie Best, Chairman of Wyldecrest Parks, Saltmarshe Castle Park’s many natural assets made it a natural choice for an expansion into residential development.

“The park’s premier location, its extension and its outstanding beauty are impossible to deny and those were the main factors that contributed towards our decision,” explains Mr. Best. “It would have been a shame not to take advantage of those natural factors – everything was there already, we just had to see it. “Besides that, this park is set on the grounds of the old Saltmarshe Castle, which was used as a residential house, so it all comes together perfectly.”

Centre Stage

Posted on February 9, 2017
Mill Rythe Holiday Village in Hampshire places huge emphasis on premium entertainment and family fun.

Mill Rythe Holiday Village in Hampshire places huge emphasis on premium entertainment and family fun.

Centre Stage

With an emphasis on first class entertainment and good old fashioned family fun, Mill Rythe Holiday Village on Hayling Island in Hampshire is a traditional UK holiday park. Millions of pounds worth of investment has been made into improving the park’s accommodation, facilities and entertainment offering in the last few years.

In fact, the park’s entertainment team boasts West End credentials. The investment has certainly paid off, with more than 50,000 guests visiting the park each year. “We aim to help everyone have a brilliant and memorable holiday by crafting holiday experiences for our guests,” comments Cathy Murphy, Head of Sales at Mill Rythe. “We have an internal mission to help every one of our guests experience ‘The Away Resorts Effect’ and all of our activities, entertainment, facilities, accommodation and restaurants are designed to deliver this.” Mill Rythe has a packed programme of daytime and evening entertainment ABOVE: Mill Rythe Holiday Village in Hampshire places huge emphasis on premium entertainment and family fun. ABOVE: Cathy Murphy is the Head of Sales at Mill Rythe. provided by the in-house entertainment team.

In the evening, there’s bingo and musical shows including Electric Dreams, Champions of Rock and the Christmas Spectacular. Cabaret stars regularly visit the park too, with the likes of Martin Kemp, Steve Harley and the Cockney Rebel Band and Des O’Connor taking to the stage. There is also a resident band and DJ that play on into the early hours and next year the cast of the UK tour of the West End musical Priscilla Queen of the Desert will be at Mill Rythe. “We have a hugely loyal base of customers who keep coming back to Mill Rythe,” says Cathy. “Because of our entertainment-focused, themed mid-week and weekend breaks - many of which are adults-only - the majority of the clientele is over 50s.

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Pioneering Treatment

Posted on February 9, 2017

Pioneering Treatment

he Yorkshire Cancer Centre Appeal was thrilled with the generous donation from the Wilby family, which meant they reached their £160,000 target.

The Yorkshire Cancer Centre Appeal was thrilled with the generous donation from the Wilby family, which meant they reached their £160,000 target.

A huge charity donation from leisure insurance specialists Caravan Guard has helped to fund a pioneering new cancer treatment at the Yorkshire Cancer Centre. The family-run company, met a £68,000 shortfall needed to pay for a Nano-Knife device, which uses revolutionary, non-invasive technology for cancer patients.

 

Peter Wilby, Chairman of Caravan Guard and its sister company Wilby Ltd, heard of the appeal from a close family friend whose wife and son have both received treatment at the Leeds Cancer Centre. “As a family business we’re committed to supporting local and national charities by sharing some of our financial success,” said Managing Director Ryan Wilby. “This appeal struck a real chord with us as we’ve seen first-hand the benefits of treatment at the cancer centre. So we’re delighted our donation means more procedures can be carried out to prolong survival and provide a better quality of life for patients.”

Family Team Scores Awards Hat-Trick

Posted on February 9, 2017
Covering 12 acres of tranquil countryside, Trethem Mill attracts thousands of camping and touring caravan visitors each year from the UK and overseas.

Covering 12 acres of tranquil countryside, Trethem Mill attracts thousands of camping and touring caravan visitors each year from the UK and overseas.

Family Team Scores Awards Hat-Trick

Trethem Mill Touring Park in Cornwall is celebrating a triple triumph of awards, including an accolade for its work to protect endangered honey bees. The family-owned business celebrated its first honour when judges in the Cornwall Tourism Awards crowned it as the county’s finest caravan and camping park. The park’s environmental policies were marked in the second of the accolades it received this month from world-famous botanist David Bellamy. Professor Bellamy presented the park with his prestigious Conservation Award at its top gold level, recognising the raft of initiatives taken to safeguard the natural world. The hat trick of accolades was completed when David Bellamy also designated Trethem Mill as an official “Honey Bee Friendly” park as part of his new initiative to prevent the insects’ decline. Park owners Ian and Jane first moved to Trethem Mill with Ian’s parents – Derek and Lorna - 24 years ago, and Jane says the park’s success has been very much the result of a team effort: “Very sadly, Lorna passed away earlier this year – but she believed strongly, as we all do, in trying to make Trethem Mill a place for creating truly memorable holiday experiences,” said Jane. “We would like to see these awards as a tribute to her passion for this part of Cornwall, and to making the park a match for these beautiful surroundings.”

Top Honours Awarded

Posted on February 9, 2017
Ladram Bay Holiday Park was named overall winner in the 2016 Devon Venus Awards.

Ladram Bay Holiday Park was named overall winner in the 2016 Devon Venus Awards.

Top Honours Awarded

Ladram Bay Holiday Park has been crowned ‘company of the year’ in a major award scheme celebrating successful women in business.

The park was named as overall winner in the 2016 Devon Venus Awards in November. Competition was fierce this year with almost 2,000 nominations and applications received in one or more of the different categories of the awards.

Stepping up to receive the accolade were director and member of the park-owning family member Zoe House, and Ladram Bay’s General Manager Claire Williams.

Zoe House commented: “We have always believed in providing equal career opportunities for both women and men, and in helping employees achieve their goals with support and training. “This award is for everyone who works at the park, and we would like to thank all those who have supported us along the way,” added Zoe.

Tributes Pour In

Posted on February 9, 2017
Willerby Holiday Homes announced the sad passing of its Export Sales Manager Martin Savage.

Willerby Holiday Homes
announced the sad passing of its Export
Sales Manager Martin Savage.

Tributes Pour In

Willerby Holiday Homes has paid tribute to its Export Sales Manager Martin Savage, who has died suddenly at the age of 58.

Having worked for Willerby for the last three years, Martin looked after sales throughout Europe, drawing in part on the long-term relationships he had established in France, where he’d spent the last three decades.

During his career, he’d held the position of Export Area Sales Manager for several big names in the industry prior to working with Willerby, including ABI, Cosalt and Atlas.

For a number of years, he also worked as area manager in France for Queensborough Holdings, who owned a number of parks in the country. Willerby’s sales director, Keith Holland commented: “It was a pleasure to work with Martin over the course of the last three years at Willerby. He was a fantastic salesman - always charming and full of good humour. Martin will be sadly missed, not just by all of us at Willerby, but by the wider industry as he had such an impact during his career.”