Bognor Regis

BEST OF BRITISH TOURISM ON VISIT TO BUTLIN’S

Posted on September 4, 2020

BEST OF BRITISH TOURISM ON VISIT TO BUTLIN’S

above: OLIVER DOWDEN CBE sees first-hand the measures Butlins had put in place.

The Rt Hon Oliver Dowden CBE MP - Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport - has visited Butlin’s Bognor Regis to see first-hand how domestic tourism is booming despite COVID-19 restrictions still being in place. Mr Dowden met with holidaymakers and staff – including the famous Red Coats - as he was given a tour by Managing Director, Jon Hendry-Pickup. Butlin’s has introduced a range of measures to keep guests safe whilst still providing the renowned experience that has captivated generations of guests. A new openair amphitheatre is hosting outdoor entertainment from 10am until 9pm at a safe social distance with capacity for up 500 people at Bognor Regis, whilst Butlin’s has also participated in a UK Government pilot to test the use of indoor theatre space at reduced capacity.

New mobile platforms where customers can book activities, swimming and shows in advance to avoid queuing has come into operation and Butlin’s state of the art £40m swimming pool opened in May 2019 – Splash – has resumed operation with new social distancing measures developed in conjunction with Swim England. Butlin’s Bognor Regis generates £90m sales per year with 350,000 guests and day visitors, and 1300 team members – the biggest single employer in the area. Over the past two years, Butlin’s has invested almost £50m in its Bognor Regis site to maintain and enhance its famous guest experience to ensure it remains a Great British success story.

Jon Hendry-Pickup, Managing Director at Butlin’s, said: “Butlin’s has been treasured by generations of British holidaymakers and as COVID-19 restrictions eased it was once again the go-to destination for families across the country. “Whether it be our exceptional outdoor entertainment, access to our brilliant Splash pool or our new methods of booking food and activities, guests can be assured that the Butlin’s experience is as enjoyable as ever whilst remaining safe and secure for visitors and staff.”

Butlin’s Plans For ‘Best Pool In The Country’

Posted on November 11, 2016

Butlin’s Plans For ‘Best Pool In The Country’

Holiday park operator Butlin’s says that their swimming pools, like the one at Butlins Minehead, are the second main reason that guests return each year.

Holiday park operator Butlin’s says that their swimming pools, like the one at Butlins Minehead, are the second main reason that guests return each year.

UK holiday operator Butlin’s has unveiled ambitious plans to build a new state-of-the-art swimming facility at its Bognor Regis resort.

If given the go ahead, the new £30million aquatic complex would include a lido, an indoor wave pool, a toddler pool, two flumes and a brand new outdoor rapid river, as well as new changing facilities. It would replace the resort’s existing pool, which is more than 30 years old.

A planning application will soon be submitted to relocate the pool from the west of the holiday resort to the east.

If granted planning permission, Butlin’s hopes to open its new pool in the summer of 2018. The current pool will remain in use until then.

Jeremy Pardey, resort director, commented: “Our customer surveys regularly tell us that our guests place much importance on our splash swimming pools. As a result of this and with the existing pool here at Bognor Regis reaching the end of its operational life, it was felt that the best option was to develop a new, replacement pool.”

Jeremy added: “After carrying out much work over recent months in the preparation of these plans, it’s great to have now reached this stage. We only thought it was right, however, that we provided a chance for residents to understand our proposals and importantly had time to discuss them with us.”

Memory Makers

Posted on July 2, 2015

Memory Makers

Above: Holidaymakers are now more than ever regarding their break as a chance to enjoy a new experience. Pic: Park Resorts

Holiday park operators remain cautiously optimistic as Ashleigh Mackenzie reports…  Above: Holidaymakers are now more than ever regarding their break as a chance to enjoy a new experience. Pic: Park Resorts

2014 was a strong year for UK tourism. Not only did we see record breaking numbers of holidaymakers from abroad visit the country, but tourist spending hit the dizzy heights of £21.7 billion – three per cent up on 2013 and a record in both nominal and real terms.
Building on the success of last year’s tourism boom, the industry has enjoyed a solid start to 2015, but holiday park operators remain cautiously optimistic.
Latest figures from the International Passenger Survey show that overall visitor numbers for the first three months of this year were up by one per cent compared to 2014, while UK-based holidays have seen an increase of four per cent.

ABOVE: Britain’s holiday parks industry, comprising more than 3500 parks in total, plays an important role in the country’s economy. Pic: National Caravan Council

ABOVE: Britain’s holiday parks industry, comprising more than 3500 parks in total, plays an important role in the country’s economy. Pic: National Caravan Council

“The industry in general is reporting steady performance across all business fronts and is optimistic about future prospects in the short to medium term,” says Bob Hill, sites director at The Camping and Caravanning Club.
“There is growth across most aspects of the sector and the majority of operators are reporting an increase in consumer confidence.” “These are very positive times for the holiday park industry,” comments Dan Steadman, sales and marketing director of Hoburne Holiday Parks, that operates seven holiday park sites.
“At Hoburne we have seen booking figures increase every year since 2008 and manufacturers are seeing increases in the numbers of holiday homes built and sold. This is an area we have seen particular growth in with holiday home sales across our seven parks more than doubling in the past year.” “It is shaping up to be a good season for us,” agrees Cathie Higgs of John Fowler Holiday Parks, like Hoburne with parks centred around the south west of England. “We are up on 2014 figures in terms of sales and growth and the reduction of petrol prices has certainly had a positive effect on our business.”

VITAL ROLE
Britain’s holiday parks industry, comprising more than 3500 parks in total, plays an important role in the country’s economy.
The sector provides one in six of all holiday bed-nights in Britain each year and generates a huge £2.26 billion annual turnover - with the vast majority of the cash being funnelled by park visitors into local businesses.

Above: Henry Wild, national chairman of the British Holiday and Home Parks Association (BH&HPA) says that frequent shorter breaks is the continuing pattern of holiday-taking

Above: Henry Wild, national chairman of the British Holiday and Home Parks Association (BH&HPA) says that frequent shorter breaks is the
continuing pattern of holiday-taking

For many such local enterprises, tourism is crucial for their survival and ability to sustain jobs. Parks are estimated to provide some fifteen percent – a total of 53,000 - of all full-time and seasonal tourism-dependent jobs in Britain.
The majority, some 95 percent of UK parks are family-owned businesses, some with farming histories stretching back over generations and for which tourism is now a much more realistic alternative to the declining agricultural industry. The sector also comprises a number of extremely successful holiday park groups including Haven Holidays, Park Resorts and Park Holidays UK.
“While it has been a strong start to the year, there is no complacency among BH&HPA; members and nobody assumes that the main factors which influence our sector and UK tourism as a whole – principally the economy and the weather – are always going to take our side,” says Henry Wild, national chairman of the British Holiday and Home Parks Association (BH&HPA;).
STRENGTH IN DIVERSITY
It should be remembered that the term ‘the industry’ pulls together a diverse range of businesses from small farm-based parks with a handful of touring pitches to major multi-park operators with incomes dependent on holiday homes sales and rentals. Some of these parks may be affected by factors to which others are immune. For example, a touring park in a remote part of the country may see rising car fuel costs as its chief enemy – while parks with holiday homes to buy might find that lending restrictions by banks are putting a ceiling on the number of people able to take out personal loans to fund their second home purchase.
“It’s important to use both experience and common sense to try and determine what changes are likely to be in the park’s long-term interests, and which are unlikely to have any lasting impact,” says Henry.

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CONTRIBUTING COMPANY CONTACTS

BUTLINS Tel. 01442 230300 www.butlins.com

BRITISH HOLIDAY AND HOME PARKS ASSOCIATION Tel. 01452 526911 www.bhhpa.org.uk

THE CAMPING AND CARAVANNING CLUB Tel. 024 7647 5448 www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk

HAVEN Tel. 08712 301900 www.haven.com

HOBURNE HOLIDAY PARKS Tel. 01425 277661 www.haven.com

JOHN FOWLER HOLIDAYS Tel .01271 866766 www.johnfowlerholidays.com

PARK HOLIDAYS UK Tel. 01424 751185 www.parkholidays.com

PARK RESORTS Tel. 01442 414100 www.park-resorts.com

Butlins Defends Holidaymakers’ Legal Action

Posted on July 3, 2014
BUTLINS

Over 200 holidaymakers are suing Butlins after suffering a gastric illness while staying at the Bognor Regis resort between May and July 2011.

Butlins Defends Holidaymakers’ Legal Action

Butlins’ parent company Bourne Leisure says it will ‘robustly defend’ legal action being taken by more than 200 holidaymakers in relation to problems at their Bognor Regis resort in 2011.

Legal firm Irwin Mitchell is representing more than 215 holidaymakers following a denial of liability by Bourne Leisure. Court proceedings relate to an outbreak of illness at the Bognor Regis resort between May and July 2011.

The holidaymakers are said to have cited a range of issues at the resort, including undercooked food, flies seen on and around food, pigeons on tables, rude staff, managers ignoring requests for help and asking ill guests to leave early, sewage smells around the resort, a cloudy swimming pool with slime around the edges, and failure to clean communal areas.

Elizabeth Tetzner, at Irwin Mitchell, who is representing the holidaymakers said: “Our clients have given us worrying accounts of their stays, including concerns regarding cleanliness, standards of food preparation and service as well as their treatment by staff.

"Bourne Leisure has denied liability and as such our clients have been left with no other option than to issue court proceedings as they seek justice for their ruined holidays.

“Gastric illness can have a devastating impact on people’s health and the effects of it cannot be underestimated,” she said.

In response, Butlins issued a statement, which read: “We will robustly defend this speculative action raised at the High Court in Birmingham. We operate our resorts to the highest health and safety standards and work closely with the Health and Safety Executive to ensure that our guests’ safety takes priority.

“Our standards of cleanliness and hygiene are recognised throughout the tourist industry worldwide. Such is our reputation on health issues that environmental officers from around the UK have described our policies and procedure as outstanding.”

Butlins Plans Resort Hotel At Minehead

Posted on February 7, 2014

Butlins Plans Resort Hotel At Minehead

Butlins are upgrading the accommodation at their Minehead site to appeal to families all year round.

Butlins is developing plans to regenerate a further part of its Minehead site by replacing some older holiday accommodation with a modern resort hotel.

The proposals, which represent a £20 million development creating up to 100 new jobs, will be displayed at a public exhibition in Minehead.

Butlins Minehead’s managing director, Julian Highfield, said: “Visitors tell us that they would welcome the flexibility and convenience of holiday accommodation in the form of a resort hotel on the Minehead site. We are proposing a character hotel that would appeal to those with pre-school children outside school holidays, as well as families during traditional holiday periods.”

Work has recently started on a £16 million redevelopment project on the Minehead site to provide improved holiday accommodation. It is hoped that the new resort hotel will complement this development by providing a greater variety of accommodation and an improved experience for visitors.

Julian added: “The type of hotel we are proposing has worked well at our resort in Bognor Regis and we think Minehead would also benefit from a modern resort hotel that will help to turn Butlins into an all year round destination.”