Scottish Honours For Perthshire Park

Posted on June 29, 2018

Scottish Honours For Perthshire Park

Blairgowrie Holiday Park in Perthshire has been named as Scotland’s Best Caravan Site of the Year at the Scottish Hospitality Awards which took place at Crowne Plaza, Glasgow.
The annual awards highlight hospitality enterprises which offer exceptional standards of facilities and services, and take into account the feedback given by customers.
Wood Leisure started life just almost 40 years ago when husband and wife Colin and Margaret Wood acquired picturesque Blairgowrie Holiday Park. The couple invested much time, effort and resources to create what is now one of Scotland’s most highly regarded and multi-award winning holiday parks.
Building on their success, Colin and Margaret then went on to develop five other parks using the same business formula of combining high quality surroundings with excellent customer service. Their other parks are Corriefodly Holiday Park in Perthshire, Deeside Holiday Park near Aberdeen, Lomond Woods Holiday Park in Ballock, and Campsie Glen near Stirling.
The family’s portfolio was added to earlier this year with the acquisition of Callander Woods Holiday park - formerly Gart caravan park – in Perthshire. At Blairgowrie Holiday Park, guests have the choice of a wide range of accommodation options including luxury lodges with private hot tubs as well as touring pitches.
The Wood family are not strangers to receiving accolades for their parks, as all have been graded by VisitScotland at the top level of excellence

Swim Star Opens Devon Splash Pad

Posted on June 26, 2018

Swim Star Opens Devon Splash Pad

Olympic Gold-medallist swimmer Liam Tancock took time out from the fast lane recently to open the new Splash Zone at Ladram Bay Holiday Park in East Devon. Set alongside the park’s main swimming pool, the 160m2 zone includes interactive water features, spray guns, and even a sea serpent that sprays water. The ocean-themed Splash Zone is part of a £1 million investment made by the family-owned park in the run-up to the 2018 summer season when its 75 anniversary is being marked. With its own private beach and longstanding appeal to young families, Ladram Bay has prided itself on continually expanding its range of attractions.

In 2017 Ladram Bay Holiday Park approached Ustigate Waterplay to request a design and build program to establish a splash zone outside their indoor pool complex. The splash pad consists of 19 products to please all ages. There is a low level interactive fi sh, six jet stream geysers and six wave geysers to tickle small children and a boat feature, tipping bucket, cannons and a sea serpent to cater for all those that love nothing more than being soaked in splash. One of the wonders of a splash pad with zero standing water is the creation of an environment where children of all ages and abilities can access aquatic recreation and play together safely.

Ladram Bay director Zoe House, who is a member of the parkowning Carter family, said it was a great privilege to welcome Exeter-based Liam to Ladram Bay: “Although the Splash Zone is all about having fun, Liam knows that youngsters just enjoying themselves in the water can be a great introduction to swimming as a sport,” she said. “We have many guests which return here year after year, and we’re often told that one big reason is the wealth of things to do for all ages, no matter what the weather. “Our main aim has always been to create amazing holiday memories with fi rst-class facilities, and I think that our new Splash Zone comes right up to the mark,” added Zoe.

Ustigate Waterplay
Telephone: 01322 424445
www.ustigatewaterplay.co.uk

Fairy Tale Story

Posted on May 17, 2018

Fairy Tale Story - Wyldecrest Parks' Alfie

The story of Alfie Best’s rise from a humble childhood to multimillionaire businessman reads like a modern day fairy tale. Born into a Romany Gypsy family in 1970, Alfie started working at the tender age of eight, labouring and laying tarmac alongside his father. By 14, he was buying and selling vehicles and just a few years later, he already owned several mobile phone shops across London. By 2001, entrepreneur Alfie had made enough money to invest in his heritage, purchasing his first mobile home park in Romford – Lakeview Residential Park – for a significant £1.7million. Lakeview Park, with its 132 homes, is still one of the most popular parks in Alfie Best’s portfolio - the Wyldecrest Parks Group, now valued at over £230 million. As one of the most successful park operators in the UK, the award-winning Wyldecrest portfolio includes 52 residential parks for the over 50’s and six holiday parks offering homes for rent and sale. As the only ISO 9001 accredited operator within the parks sector, Wyldecrest Parks is also the only parks group to have nationwide coverage in 24 counties across England, Scotland and Wales.

PHENOMENAL GROWTH

Fairy Tale Story - Alfie Best The phenomenal growth of Wyldecrest Parks is undoubtedly a product of Chairman Alfie Best’s personal drive to succeed. Although numerous, his park investments are testament to quality over quantity with carefully chosen locations, safety and security provided by on site staff, and the highest operational standards. Saltmarshe Castle Park is a particular jewel in the Wyldecrest crown. Homes are set amongst the picturesque grounds of a former 19th century country house and estate close to the market town of Bromyard in Herefordshire. The original castle was demolished in the 1950s but parts of the outer walls and turrets remain, alongside several outbuildings and stables. All are being restored to their former glory to add to the park’s unique atmosphere. Saltmarshe Castle Park started life as a holiday park and was acquired by Wyldecrest Parks in 2015. It still has some 300+ holiday homes but the park is currently in the midst of a massive upgrade with 60+ residential plots being developed in the initial stage.

According to Alfie Best, Saltmarshe Castle Park’s many natural assets made it a natural choice for residential development. “The park’s premier location and its outstanding beauty are impossible to deny, Fairy Tale Story FOUR ” says Alfie. “It would have been a shame not to take full advantage of that. Now people can live in this astonishing site permanently, and enjoy its beauty full-time.” Out of the initial plots being developed in the Tower Court area of the park, more than half are ready to receive happy new owners, whilst further availability is limited, especially for those plots which offer exclusive and unrestricted country views.

Adding to their investment in the local region, last year Wyldecrest Parks also acquired the nearby Sapey Golf Club. Alfi e Best believes that the popular Club offers huge potential as a lifestyle venue. The rebranded Sapey Golf and Country Club is shortly going to be offering a select number of exclusive golf lodges. “Our main goal is to bring the golf club up to its former glory, at the same time we create more jobs, invest in the region and bring revenue to the local community,” explains Alfi e. Giving back to its communities is at the heart of Wyldecrest Parks’ ethos and to this end, the company recently launched the Wyldecrest Parks Charitable Trust. The aim of the Trust is to deliver family support, equipment and health care to those who are facing life-threatening health conditions in and around their park communities. The charity will also be supporting holiday breaks for families in need. Through the Trust, the Wyldecrest Parks Group hopes to inspire some of its 120 staff and many thousands of homeowners to organise their own fundraising activities and get involved in volunteering opportunities within their own communities. “As a company, we are really excited about this development. We feel it’s our duty as a successful, growing company, to make a positive contribution to worthy causes and this is our expression of that deeply held commitment”, says Alfie Best. If Wyldecrest Parks’ recent growth (30% expansion over two years) is anything to go by, the business is assured of a bright future. Over the years, Alfi e has also built up a number of other successful businesses within the hospitality and leisure, events, trading and finance industries including Vinyl Bar, Best Park Home Finance, Kyoto Clearance and Wylde Events.

Memory Makers – Hafan y Môr

Posted on May 16, 2018

We dip a toe into Haven’s award-winning Hafan y Môr resort…

Above : New investment will include significant accommodation choice upgrade.

Boasting a continuous re-investment schedule into its 36 nationwide locations, Haven is the UK’s leading provider of family holidays. Part of Bourne Leisure, the company is the Sunday Times’ sixth ‘Best Big Company to Work For in the UK’ and Haven was the winner of the Best Family Holiday Company of the Year 2017 at the British Travel Awards. Bourne Leisure’s main ethos is to simply give guests a great time, with memories that last a lifetime. Hafan y Môr gets that customer seal of approval with in excess of 200,000 visitors every year between March and November. If you think, with such high visitor numbers, that the park feels crowded then you would be mistaken. Hafan y Môr is spread over 500 spacious acres with a stunning beach and coast line, offering guests an irresistible great escape from and a fantastic launching pad to explore the local area, which boasts rich culture and awarding-winning tourist attractions. Hafan y Môr is the largest single self-catering holiday provider in North Wales and is the biggest employer in Gwynedd.

Above : The resort boasts 1400 caravans across its 500 acres.

The park is critical to the success of the local economy and the tourism industry. At peak times, the park doubles the population of the local town Pwllheli. The park employs 430 team members at peak, with over 50% of them being native Welsh speakers. The holiday resort is home to an outstanding array of great family friendly activities and facilities including 1,400 caravan pitches. This is combined with a whole host of on-site activities from an Aerial Adventure high ropes course down to the relaxing boating lake and fun indoor SportsDrome to expert led outdoor Nature Rockz sessions. The Old Butlin’s Starcoast World closed in 1998 and was refurbished and re-opened as Haven’s Hafan y Môr in 1999 transforming it into a stunning family park on Llyn Peninsular. Featuring extensively in the latest Haven television commercials, Hafan y Môr’s fl agship pool complex, Splashaway Bay, has undergone a £4million transformation over the last two years, culminating in the completion of the new £1million Changing Village.

AWARD-WINNING

ABOVE: The flagship attraction at Hafan y Môr is its award-winning pool complex.

Recently winning the coveted UK Pool & Spa Awards’ Holiday Park Swimming Pool Of The Year, the pool serves as an all-weather venue where families of all ages and abilities can feel safe. The holiday park pool is often the first time families will have been in the water together and this memory is one that lasts a lifetime. The refurbished water complex hosts a brand new fresh design alongside an array of exciting family friendly water features. These include an exhilarating new flume slide, exciting wave machine, a fully-fited, themed children’s pool with fun features such as tipping buckets and new water slides together with a multilane pool for committed swimmers. To top it all off guests can enjoy a new Milly’s coffee and cookie bar. There is no question of Hafan y Môr resting on its award-winning laurels. The management team has just unveiled its next ten year Strategic Development Plans that include over £21million of investment, including additional facilities, restaurants, Owners Club and more caravan and lodge developments as well as the demolition of the remaining apartment accommodation. This is in addition to the continual investment in the park environment and landscaping, and supporting the diverse ecology on the park.

Wish You Were Here – Sanhills in Dorset

Posted on May 15, 2018

Wish You Were Here - Sandhills in Dorset

With its stunning seafront position near Christchurch on the Dorset coast, Sandhills is a holiday home location like no other...

Little wonder that discerning buyers are willing to pay up to £400,000 to own a luxury lodge at the Sandhills, located near Mudeford Quay. However, such prices still compare very favourably with smaller and less well-appointed cottages in this property hot-spot. And buyers don’t have to be in the super-rich bracket, for it’s also possible to secure a holiday home here for under £150,000.

WYWH THREE Owned by Park Holidays UK, Sandhills’ associations with holiday escapes for the privileged go back almost two centuries. The impressive manor house at the heart of the park was once the holiday home of MP Sir George Rose (1744 – 1818) whose close friends – and frequent guests at his property – included Prime Minister William Pitt and King George III.

Blue Flag sandy beaches and coastal paths abound, and inland the unspoiled countryside also provides endless opportunities for exploration on foot or by cycle. There’s no shortage of either of fi rst-class restaurants and pubs, plus many specialist shops in surrounding towns and villages. Easily accessible too are the New Forest National Park, larger resorts such as Bournemouth, the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site and activities from sea cruises to golf and water-skiing. Its beautiful outdoor pool, adjacent to the manor house, is maintained at a comfortable 30C. There is also a country club and a gymnasium, and attentive staff at Sandhills are always on hand to give advice and help owners get the most out of their stays. The park is open all year, with only February restricted to day-time visits only.

Sandhills, Dorset
www.ParkHolidays.com

Gates Tops Bunn Leisure Entertainment

Posted on May 15, 2018

Gates Tops Bunn Leisure Entertainment

Bunn Leisure has confirmed Gareth Gates as one of its headline entertainment acts.

Pop star Gareth Gates is one of the top acts in West Sussex holiday park Bunn Leisure’s 2018 entertainment line-up. On May 12 this year, the 33-yearold singer will be heading to the south coast holiday park to perform an eclectic mix of pop classics including Spirit In The Sky, Summer of 69, and Suspicious Minds. It’s been 16 years since Gareth Gates won the hearts of the nation on the UK’s first Pop Idol, wowing the judges and finishing a close runner-up to Will Young. Since then, the Bradford-born star has carved out a hugely successful career, selling over 3.5 million records worldwide, with four UK No1 singles. He’s starred in West End musicals, come fourth in Dancing On Ice, made a TV documentary about the struggle faced by people who stammer – and has recently launched the world’s first range of coconut teas!

Unmissable Show Dates

Posted on May 15, 2018

Make a date to visit June’s World of Park & Leisure Homes.

Unmissable Show Dates

Offering possibly the biggest collection of Park Homes and Leisure Lodges on display at any event, the World of Park & Leisure Homes takes place next month at the Stoneleigh Showground from June 7 to 10th inclusive.

Leading UK manufacturers are lined up to transform Stoneleigh into a huge luxury park with some 60 styles of the latest lodge homes on display.

The event is an unmissable opportunity to meet up with other park owners and operators as well as meeting industry specific exhibitors from a vast array of core specialist suppliers from insurance providers to indoor and outdoor furniture.

Open from 10 am daily, Thursday June 7th is an exclusive Trade Preview Day. The show opens to the public as well as the trade on Friday, Saturday and Sunday June 8th, 9th and 10th. For those planning for extended visits, a wide variety of accommodation is available locally at neighbouring towns like Kenilworth, Leamington Spa and Stratford-Upon-Avon.

Sat navs should be set for CV8 2LG but for all other information and updates, visit the event’s new website at www.parkhomeandleisure.co.uk

Award-Winning Welsh Park For Sale

Posted on May 15, 2018

Award-Winning Welsh Park For Sale

The Willows, a multi-award winning caravan and camping park near North Wales’ seaside resort Abersoch, is up for sale.

Offers close to £1.375m are being sought for The Willows, a multiaward winning caravan and camping park near North Wales’ seaside resort Abersoch.

The 9.2-acre (3.7 hectare) park has 54 pitches including four exclusive ‘glamping’ or glamorous camping units, a static holiday hire caravan, reception/office, three-bedroom owners’ accommodation and another 3.7 acres for development subject to planning. Located beside the village of Mynytho and overlooking the Llyn Peninsula and Cardigan Bay, the park offers easy access to Abersoch and Pwllheli, some of Europe’s best beaches and activities including walking, sailing, water sports, golf courses, Surf Snowdonia and Snowdonia Zip Wire.

Being offered through Colliers International, The Willows continues to benefit from ongoing investment by the owners, achieving a turnover in excess of £115,000 and ‘very strong profits’ in the financial year to the end of February 2017. The park has won numerous awards including 5 Star Visit Wales & Britain accredited, the National Tourism Awards ‘Best Place to Stay’ (Touring and Camping), Top 100 Practical Caravan, Top 10 Glampsite and Premier Parks Award.

Sixtieth Anniversary Park Acquisitions

Posted on May 15, 2018

Sixtieth Anniversary Park Acquisitions

Shorefield Holidays, one of the UK’s leading family-run holiday park businesses, has started its milestone 60th birthday year by adding two major, strategic investments to its portfolio with support from HSBC.

The first of its two acquisitions was officially opened by Cllr Barry Dunning, the Town Mayor of Lymington and Pennington Town Council.

New Forest Lodge Retreat, Shorefield Holidays’ seventh park on the edge of the New Forest, was acquired last year and has been turned into an exclusive, gated community of 12 luxury boutique holiday ownership lodges. Homeowners will have access to luxury facilities including an exclusive health and fitness club with heated indoor and outdoor pools, a sauna, steam room and spa bath.

Shorefield acquired its eighth and latest park at the beginning of this year. Wilksworth Caravan Park is in Dorset and offers both holiday ownership as well as award-winning camping and touring facilities.

Five-Star Family Break Winners

Posted on May 15, 2018

Five-Star Family Break Winners

Rob & Hilary Hedison with Holiday Sales Co-ordinator Rhiannon Morris, left.

Lucky couple Hilary and Rob Hedison are celebrating after winning a luxury break at Park Leisure’s fivestar holiday home park, Brynteg, a popular holiday park with exclusive owners-only communities, nestled in the foothills of Snowdonia and surrounded by spectacular scenery.

The couple, from North Killingholme, took part in the leading holiday home provider’s nationwide competition to ‘Win A Luxury Break’ at last year’s Motorhome and Caravan Show at Birmingham’s NEC.

Retired teacher Hilary (56), her tanker driver husband Rob (56), their daughter Katie and her partner Reece, enjoyed a two-night stay in a beautiful holiday home, which comprises of three bedrooms, a spacious open plan living area, modern kitchen with integrated appliances and large outdoor decking area with a hot tub as well as an array of on-site leisure and pleasure facilities.

Holiday Park Scene Magazine

British Holiday and Home Parks Association

Scottish Honours For Perthshire Park