Home Grown Success

Posted on May 3, 2017

Home Grown Success

Killarney Park was the Kellam’s first park and is still the flagship of the Killarney Homes portfolio.

Nottinghamshire–based Killarney Homes started life in the 1960s when David and Sheila Kellam purchased land to create Killarney Park. The couple built Killarney into a successful holiday park with a clubhouse, swimming pool and fish & chip bar. When home-grown tourism started to decline in the mid- 1980s, their son Gary, who had previously joined the family firm aged just 16, saw the opportunity to develop the park for residential use. Today, Gary and his wife Joanne, still oversee the business but their daughter Sophie and son Alex, are increasingly taking the reins. The Killarney Homes portfolio now includes three parks and employs 11 full time staff. Despite its growth, the family firm ethos is still central to everything they do. Their philosophy is that “Killarney is small enough to care and experienced enough to cope.”

“Mum does the accounts, Dad oversees things, Alex does the ground works and I look after the office,” explains Sophie. “One year, Dad put 18 homes on Killarney Park in a 12 month period with the help of just two staff. Now, we have a small team of staff to help us but we take a personal interest in everything and like to get to know all our owners and tenants. We don’t have ‘departments’ for marketing, sales, accounting, IT and so on… we’ve just been doing it for 60 years so the park business is in our blood!” Killarney Homes has over 185 private residential homes with 300+ residents and 200 rental properties with around 300 tenants. Killarney Park and Willow Park are purely for home-owners, whilst Moor Farm Park offers short term rental accommodation.

FLAGSHIP SITE : Killarney Park is still very much the flagship of the business. Located just six miles northeast of Nottingham in 35 acres of picturesque woodland, this gated community offers 148 homes. Designed exclusively for the over 45s, Killarney Park mostly contains park homes in the traditional style and offers a range of amenities to keep even the most active residents busy. An on-site clubhouse offers a wide range of regular activities including arts and crafts classes, exercise clubs, supper evenings and themed party nights. According to Sophie, Killarney Park “offers residents the serenity of the countryside with all the conveniences of modern daily life nearby.” A courtesy bus service offers regular trips to the local market town of Arnold, as well as Nottingham and Mansfield. The local area also offers plenty of natural beauty with walking trails, golf courses and many historic places to visit. Five years ago, the Kellam family started to develop Willow Park. Offering modern and exclusive accommodation for the over 45s, Willow Park offers sustainable luxury living in a sheltered valley on the edge of the pretty village of Calverton, ten miles outside Nottingham. A partnership with Stately Albion has been key to the development of Willow Park. “We have worked exclusively with Stately Albion to create beautiful homes for Willow Park,” explains Sophie. “Vaulted ceilings, exterior cladding, triple glazed windows – these gorgeous, modern homes challenge the ‘traditional view’ of park homes.”

Willow Park offers residents modern homes and plenty of green space.

GREEN CREDENTIALS : “The homes also have the most fantastic eco-credentials. Specifically designed for low carbon footprint lifestyles with double the insulation of a standard build, they can reduce energy bills by up to 50% and save residents money, as well as the environment.” Willow Park has just 35 available plots with new homes being added all the time. Each home is set in its own private garden with driveway parking for two cars. The design of the park allows for plenty of green space and residents have use of a communal allotment and composter for garden waste. All the water supplied to the homes is sourced directly on site from the park’s own natural spring, providing the most affordable water rates in the area. Killarney Homes’ final park is also located on the outskirts of Calverton. Moor Farm Park provides affordable rental accommodation starting from just £55 per week.

Killarney Homes Tel. 0115 965 2426 www.killarneyhomes.co.uk

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Squeaky Clean

Posted on May 3, 2017

Squeaky Clean

The increased demands placed on heavily used facilities require careful consideration and professional planning.

Washrooms are one of the most-used facilities at a holiday park or campsite and are all too important to be left to chance. From design layout to lighting and cleanliness, it’s often the smallest rooms that can have the biggest impact on a customer experience. Modern washroom designs continue to become ever more stylish, sophisticated and eco-friendly, from urinals with television screens to all-in-one toilet, sink and vanity table units. “Washrooms don’t have to be boring and grey,” comments Ged Hirst of design specialists Cubicle Centre.

“Vibrant cubicles and walls brighten the washrooms and create a better environment. There are many coloured and woodgrain panels available to match any theme or design choices you might want.” Cubicle Centre is an award-winning, family-run business that manufactures and supplies washroom panel products. These include toilets cubicles, shower cubicles, vanity units, and wall panels. The company has supplied dozens of holiday parks with durable washroom facilities. Most recently, Cubicle Centre provided shower and toilet cubicles for the newly renovated washroom block at Glan Morfa Mawr Caravan Park on the Welsh coast.

VITAL INGREDIENT : “Holiday park toilet and shower facilities are vital for attracting repeat visitors,” says Ged. “Guests want to be as comfortable as possible during their stay. A dirty, smelly or out-of-order washroom will damage their experience. “My advice is to ensure facilities are well signposted, well-lit, heated and cleaned at regular intervals. It is also important to make sure you provide enough toilet cubicles, washbasins and showers - this will reduce the chance of visitors having to wait to use the facilities.” Ged advises that a properly planned and maintained washroom can last between ten and 20 years, depending on the quality of the fittings, panels and sanitary products.

Loo of the Year entrants benefit from a cost effective way of receiving an independent assessment of the standard of their washrooms. Pic: Old Oaks Touring Park.

Exploring the different types and qualities of materials on offer is essential. Heavy duty locks and legs will keep your shower and toilet cubicles in working order and water-proof wall and cubicle panels will be able to resist distortion and damage from moisture. Says Ged: “Buying cheaper products to begin with will end up costing you more later on. For example, MFC cubicle panels are a cheaper option but they can swell and distort when exposed to too much moisture. Whereas Compact Grade Laminate (CGL) panels will cost more initially but are water-proof and vandal resistant, which means they will be durable enough to last the heavy use environment of a holiday park washroom block.”

Another key consideration is the safety of the guests who use the facilities. Visitors will use the washroom block in different weather conditions. On rainy days users might walk in wet and mud, which can be a slipping hazard so the flooring should be non-slip to avoid these types of falls. The facilities should also have good lighting for safe use a night and adequate heating. It’s also important to consider less physically able visitors. There should be easy access to the washroom via ramps if needed and clear circulation routes at 1500mm wide for wheelchairs should be provided. Larger sized shower and WC cubicles with grab rails may also be required. The increased demands placed on heavily used facilities require careful consideration and professional planning. It goes without saying that well-designed washrooms should at least be clean, dry, well ventilated and user friendly. hygiene in kitchens and other back of house areas which the customer cannot see. Poorly maintained washrooms can easily damage the wider reputation of a business.

COMPANY CONTACTS

DUNHAMS WASHROOM SYSTEMS Tel. 01603 424855 www.dunhamswashrooms.com

LOO OF THE YEAR AWARDS Tel. 01531 640715 www.loo.co.uk

ARMSTRONG COMMERCIAL LAUNDRY SYSTEMS Tel. 01635 263410 www.armstrong-laundry.co.uk

CUBICLE CENTRE Tel. 01924 457600 www.washroomcubicles.co.uk

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Hey Big Spenders!

Posted on May 3, 2017

Hey Big Spenders!

Outstanding Safari Tents’ catalogue of tents ranges from 7.5m² to over 100m² and includes a substantial collection of luxury furniture.

Growth in demand for glamping accommodation options, such as yurts, is up 13 per cent on last year according to Pitchup.com. Meanwhile bell tents, which bridge the gap between glamping and camping, have enjoyed a 101 per cent growth in bookings as holidaymakers search for more affordable glamping options. A North Herefordshire activity centre is reaping the benefits of its highly successful glamping villages, which have seen year on year growth of over 100 per cent.

Business is booming for Oaker Wood Leisure near Leominster, since it launched its first woodland glamping village in 2014. The park quickly reached maximum capacity, so over the winter of 2014/15 they built a second village. Each village is made up of nine wooden pods, made locally by Jaques International Ltd, and can be booked exclusively by groups which has proved popular with corporate team building groups and stag and hen parties. School and youth groups visits have also increased year on year with the second glamping village meaning Oaker Wood can now accommodate groups of up to 120 young people.

Kate Tudge of Oaker Wood Leisure explains: “We have two glamping villages that each sleep between 12 and 50 people in wooden pods. We only take exclusive bookings so the groups have private use of all the village facilities, including the fire circle, dining and kitchen hut, Scandinavian style barbecue hut, showers and toilets.” She continues: “Our Glamping & Activity weekend package is very popular. This includes two nights glamping and two outdoor activities at a package price of £160 per person. We could sell our weekends in spring and summer several times over, so there is definitely a growing marketing for packaged activity and glamping weekends.”

Inspired by the African experience, Safari Tents are fast becoming one of the most popular forms of glamping accommodation. Pic: Boldscan.

HOME FROM HOME : Glamping has changed markedly in the last few years, with a definitive move into more luxurious interiors, higher specification facilities and the provision of individual toilets and showers. New designs and innovations are constantly evolving and premium quality components and interiors are now the norm, rather than the exception. “Around 65 per cent of the enquiries we get from people who are thinking about adding glamping to their parks or farms never go beyond the initial thought stage. The usual issues include planning considerations, lack of identifiable locations within the parks or lack of understanding within the old guard,” reveals Mark Scott of Clear Sky Safari Tents. “Holiday parks are all about selling caravans and lodges and it is often difficult for existing management structures to fully understand the revolution that is happening throughout the holiday park industry with the UK and Europe.” He adds: “Glamping is a revolution that will continue to grow and develop in all sorts of directions, this is not a fad, it’s a movement led by the networked generation, fuelled by social media and experienced by younger families for a more adventurous holiday experience.”

CHANGING MARKET : Anouk Wanders of Outstanding Safari Tents agrees: “Glamping has not only proved to be a trend, it has changed the holiday industry. “The level of comfort that guests have come to expect is getting higher and higher. For example, private bathrooms was a rare luxury just a few years ago, but nowadays most glamping accommodation features built-in bathroom facilities.” Anouk adds: “The market is going through major changes and we have to adapt very fast. We need to keep developing new structures and need to be innovative to keep up with this increasing demand.” Inspired by the African experience, safari tents are fast becoming one of the most popular forms of glamping accommodation. Great for families, couples or groups, tents offer something extra special for holiday makers and many parks are reaping the rewards of a safari tent investment.

COMPANY CONTACTS

BOLDSCAN Tel. 01823 665849 www.albioncanvas.co.uk

CLEAR SKY SAFARI TENTS Tel. 0845 299 6484 www.safaritents.net

FUTURE ROOMS Tel. 01452 501455 www.futurerooms.co.uk

OUTSTANDING SAFARI TENTS Tel. +31 (0)318 575056 www.safaritents.co.uk

OAKER WOOD LEISURE Tel. 01568 780111 www.oakerwoodleisure.co.uk

YURTS FOR LIFE Tel. 01803 762370 www.yurtsforlife.com

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Fit For Purpose

Posted on May 2, 2017

Fit For Purpose - Holiday Hot Tubs

Hot tubs are the must-have ingredient in the recipe to holiday booking success it has been revealed. According to self-catering specialists Hoseasons, a private hot tub is the number one searched for item on the website, accounting for more than 100,000 searches each month. With thousands of models to choose from, selecting the right hot tub for a holiday let can be a potential minefield. Holiday home owner Lucy Dawson recently invested in two new hot tubs for her two rental properties at Easter Ellister Farm, situated on the Rhinns of the Isle of Islay - an island off the west coast of Scotland.

CEDAR HOT TUBS : Lucy first invested in a circular cedar hot tub for her property – An Linnean – in 2008. The hot tub proved to a be a very popular addition with guests, so Lucy decided to upgrade the hot tub this year and has also purchased a second hot tub for her other property – Easter Ellister. “Having run the two self-catering houses of similar standard and in the same location, I can say without doubt that the house with the hot tub is more popular than the one without. I would say I get at least 25 per cent more bookings for An Linnean and the property is booked up most of the year round,” says Lucy. “This is the main reason why I have decided to install one at Easter Ellister too.

People just want that little added bit of luxury on holiday and for some reason a hot tub hits those buttons!” Lucy purchased the hot tubs from Eagle Leisure, based near Glasgow. She opted for the seven-seater Freedom model and the six person Vantage model out of the Coast Spas stable. Both have full foam insulation and insulated covers to help retain heat. They also feature Coast Spas’ 50sq ft cyclonic pressurised filtration to ensure the guests are sitting in the cleanest possible water. Each of the hot tubs cost around £7,000, but Lucy estimates that she can make most of this money back within ten weeks of rentals of the property.

RotoSpa recommend that holiday hot tubs are changed every five years to keep them in tip-top condition.

“It is a big investment to install hot tubs but I believe them to be an essential part of my business in attracting customers,” says Lucy. “I would always advise other holiday property owners to do their research before taking the plunge though. I paid the price in choosing an internet ill-researched purchase the first time around and had countless problems with the tub over the years. It was very costly to maintain and run. She continues: “You need to make sure you are buying good quality, well made tub that is well insulated and good filtration system. “I would advise going to a reputable spa retailer who knows their stuff. I was incredibly impressed with the customer service and installation service from Eagle Leisure, something you just don’t get when you order online.” Eagle Leisure recommend the Coast Spas range of hot tubs for holiday properties. Their bestselling models for this market are the 7ft and 8ft options, which seat up to six and eight adults respectively and are available from £6,995.

TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE

“There will be some customers looking for a low end hot tub just to say that they have one,” explains Debbie Ekins, Commercial and Communications Manager at Eagle Leisure. “These usually retail between £2,000 - £3,000, but personally I don’t think there are any great quality holiday hot tubs on the market place within this price range. If something seems too good to be true it probably is.” Debbie continues: “On the other hand, we get some holiday owners who realise that a hot tub purchase of £7,000 - £8,000 is an investment. Adding a hot tub allows the property owner to a) charge a higher rental rate and b) rent out the property to full capacity – so should be able to quickly make their money back. Plus they get the peace of mind knowing they have a quality hot tub that the guest will be happy with and that will last them a long time.”

COMMERCIAL USE

Holiday hot tubs should be suitable for commercial use. Pic Easter Ellister Farm.

Over the past ten years, a significant amount of holiday park operators and holiday let owners have purchased and operate what are in fact domestic hot tubs only designed for home, and not intended for commercial use. Commercial spas, the type found at health clubs and spas, are generally much larger than the average portable spa with bigger and better filtration and sanitation systems along with other features that suit much heavier bather use. “It can be tempting to purchase cheap imported tubs but it can be a very expensive mistake if you experience service issues,” reveals Jason Smith, Sales Director at RotoSpa. “Holiday hot tubs drive revenue so they need to be reliable. If they are not you will regret it. My advice is to buy quality, buy once and buy British.”

The British-made RotoSpa range is ideal for holiday use given its durability, low cost, UK support and the ability to specify bespoke features tailored to the individual risk assessment for the site. The RotoSpa Quatrospa and DuraSpa are among the UK’s bestselling holiday let units, which feature Individual auto dosing sanitiser systems and individual sand filters. The autofill and quickdrain system is operated by the touch of a button and enables the water to be completely changed in less than ten minutes.

In terms of life expectancy, RotoSpa recommend that hot tubs are changed every five years, however, the company has installed tubs on holiday park sites that are still going strong some ten years later. When selecting a hot tub supplier, Jason advises: “Choose a hot tub supply partner with a long pedigree of manufacture and service - someone who will listen to your needs and offer solutions to them rather than try and force you into an overpriced unit from their stock with features unsuitable for high demand use. Use someone who will work with you as a partner not just sell you a tub.”

HOT TUB HAZARDS

From an insurance claims perspective, hot tub-related slip and trip injuries are not uncommon. If a holidaymaker slips in a wet area, or even inside the hot tub itself, there’s a potential for them to be quite seriously hurt. “Skin irritation claims are also quite high up on the claims list, from minor rashes to quite serious skin conditions,” says Tom Dallow, Customer Claims Manager at Compass Insurance. “We were particularly surprised by a claim made in relation to a baby getting a rash from a hot tub - but this is certainly not the only claim we’ve received relating to an individual who shouldn’t have been in a hot tub in the first place!”

VITAL IMPORTANCE

Further highlighting the vital importance of managing water health and safety correctly, Compass has had one allegation of Legionnaire’s Disease having being ‘caught’ from a hot tub on record, as well as several claims made related to injuries sustained by suction from hot tub outlets. Says Tom: “Thankfully for all involved, Compass doesn’t receive hot tub related claims in high numbers. Of those we have dealt with, park owners will be interested to note that in many cases no negligence was found, so no pay-out to the claimant was made. “However, we must stress that insurers will struggle to defend parks where written evidence of appropriate hot tub management is not available. A compliant, common sense approach is critical.” If parks carry out appropriate risk assessments, follow relevant health and safety regulations to the letter, keep relevant documentation up-to-date and display clear rules on safe usage for users to adhere to, then there’s no reason why hot tubs should be considered a commercial hazard. You should speak to your insurance advisor to discuss your individual circumstances.

COMPANY CONTACTS

COMPASS INSURANCE Tel. 01452 511 430 www.compass.co.uk

EAGLE LEISURE Tel. 01355 264466 www.eagleleisure.co.uk

ROTOSPA Tel. 0121 354 3428 www.rotospa.co.uk

WELLIS Tel. 01246 559071 www.wellis.eu

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Holiday Park Scene Magazine

Month: May 2017

Home Grown Success