Caravan and camping

UNDER-VALUE INSURANCE WARNING

Posted on August 2, 2022

UNDER-VALUE INSURANCE WARNING

COMPASS INSURANCE offers vital advice on insurance valuations.

 

Arguably the most important aspect of an owner’s caravan or lodge insurance is the sum they are insured for, Compass Insurance advises. It is not always the number the customer looks at, in the first instance, but it’s the one that, in the event of a claim, becomes critical. If the estimated amount is too low, then claims payments end up being reduced. “We’ve seen a few examples where the rising cost of new caravans has resulted in customers becoming under insured through absolutely no fault of their own,” explains Richard Walker, Head of Product, Marketing and Development at Compass Insurance.

“They insure for the right amount at their new business or renewal but then six months later when they have a claim, that sum is then not enough to cover a brand-new replacement.” “We have had instances like this and have made sure that customers weren’t penalised or left worse off and paid the claim in full. “However, we’ve also heard stories where this hasn’t happened and as with any contract, and insurance is at the end of the day a contract, if it isn’t written in, then you rely on good will and good faith. “So, at Compass, and because we work with the interests of the industry at our core, we set about making sure this couldn’t happen to any of our customers.”

POLICY PROTECTION
From June 2022 every customer who insures with Compass will benefit from protection in their policy against this. Richard continues: “We’ve introduced a very simple insurance ‘instrument’ known as a Waiver of Average and written it in a way that means so long as the customer insured for an amount that was correct and adequate at the point their policy was taken out, or at their most recent renewal. “We won’t make any deduction for under insurance if they find themselves under insured due to supply chain and replacement caravan issues.

“They need to be able to show that the amount was adequate at the time, and there obviously needs to be a valid claim in the first place and no issues with policy compliance,” Richard says. “But we know this offers the protection that customers need against the unintended consequences of the caravan market right now.” No one knows where the current rise in replacement costs might end up, or how long the pressure on the supply chain will last for, but the Compass team is ready and willing to enable you to support your owners in the best way possible.

Compass Insurance
T. 0344 274 3908
E. relationshipteam@compass.co.uk
W. www.compassparks.co.uk

SAFETY MELTING POT

Posted on August 2, 2022

SAFETY MELTING POT

Take a strategic site safety approach urges Ramtech's Tom Ambler...

WINTER AND SPRING are the ideal times to review a site and prepare it for the busier seasons.

 

Fire constitutes one of the biggest risks to the total loss of a park home, and with many sites often at lower capacity or closed during off-season, upgrading site safety and efficiency should be a top priority for site managers. Recent fire reports provide a stark warning to site owners, including how fire crews battled a large blaze at a Dorset holiday park, showcasing the chaos that fire can wreak.

Fortunately, no more than property damage was the outcome on this occasion but investing in the appropriate safety measures ahead of time, can help to reduce fire risk and help to stop a blaze quickly with the right detection in place. Preparing a site in advance of opening, by checking that the current fire safety system is working, is advisable. Any faulty wiring or machinery - particularly relating to power generators for homes or common buildings - as well as the threat of arson and vandalism should be front of mind all year around.

 

RAMTECH’S WES3 places the power in site owners’ hands

 

SHOW COMPLIANCE
Currently, holiday park site owners have a legal obligation to manage fire safety under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (“the FSO”). The act applies to all non-domestic premises including certain types of parks, such as those with common areas in leisure complexes, restaurants and guest houses. With park residents often mingling in these types of campsite community buildings, the threat to human life is very real.

Just a few years ago, there was an incident at a leisure facility on a campsite near Newquay, which resulted in extensive damage to several communal buildings including a swimming pool, sauna and gym. So, not only is protecting against fire a requirement under the FSO, it is also vitally important to avoid the financial implications, which can be huge.

 

A fire forces site owners into a massive rebuild operation, potentially putting them out of action for a season for more. A system, like Ramtech’s WES3, places the power in site owners’ hands. It’s an EN54-25 compliant connected device, that can be deployed at various points across holiday parks on stands.

It acts as an emergency response system, with automatic smoke and heat detectors responding to site incidents and maintaining 24/7 coverage through the CONNECT unit, otherwise known as the brains of the system. The WES3 is also IP55 rated, which means they are suitable for outdoor areas and won’t be affected by varying weather conditions. What’s more, the CONNECT system ensures off-site notifications can also be enabled, informing site owners and even alerting emergency authorities.

 

RECENT FIRE REPORTS provide a stark warning to site owners.

 

ROBUST FEATURES
While sites must ensure that fire safety is robust, other park management features that support the efficient and daily running of the park, are also welcome. This is where technology has evolved to help answer these added value requirements at the same time as emergency response needs. WiSE, for instance, is a reliable business information and monitoring platform providing real time alerts, data and information about security coverage. For holiday park operators, WiSE can also extend your existing security and fire system coverage, reducing the complexity and cost of enhancing your risk management systems.

The WiSE wireless security solution gives you peace of mind that your holiday park business and on- park properties are being securely monitored 24/7. Powered by long-life batteries and connected to a reliable radio technology, the system allows thousands of devices to be linked to a central base station that creates an instant alert via email, text or pager. WiSE is not dependent on SIM or WiFi to function, which is great for sites with little or no data or internet coverage.

 

WISE CAN ALSO EXTEND your existing security and fire system coverage.

 

Winter and spring are the ideal times to review a site and prepare it for the busier Easter and summer period. This should vitally include fire safety standards - as once peak season arrives, and the warmer weather attracts more visitors, the heat, coupled with popular campsite activities such as fires and barbecues, can be a real melting pot in terms of park accidents.

For more information on how Ramtech’s solutions can help protect holiday park sites, visit www.ramtechglobal.com

KEEPING YOUR CAMPERS HAPPY

Posted on August 2, 2022

KEEPING YOUR CAMPERS HAPPY

Neil Campbell, a veteran traveller, offers some friendly campsite feedback...

BOTH CANTERBURY AND HENLEY campsites have merited return trips. Pic. The Camping and Caravanning Club

 

As I scooped out the huge pool of rainwater in the middle of our collapsed inflatable tent with an old ice cream tub, I thought to myself “I absolutely love camping!” Ridiculous as this may sound, given that we were racing against time to bail out and re-inflate the tent before a fresh deluge, campsites always give you an adventure, memories to treasure and something to laugh about.

They are a truly analogue experience in a digital world, are eco-friendly, cheap and — especially after the pandemic — offer a huge dose of freedom. We have used campsites and holiday parks all over Britain, from the Isle of Skye to the Jurassic coast, from Snowdonia to Essex’s Mersea Island. And they have been infinitely varied — from little more than a farmer’s field with six pitches and a neighbouring bull (but a view of the Highlands) near Loch Ness, to brilliantly-run and comprehensively- equipped holiday parks in Norfolk.

 

WE LOVE TO MAKE the most of on-site opportunities like pond dipping. Pic Kelling Heath

 

MAKE OR BREAK
But the good ones all have several things in common that can make or break a camping holiday. From a veteran camper’s point of view, what is an ideal campsite? A speedy check-in process is a massive bonus and gets the holiday off to the right start, particularly after a long journey with everyone a bit grumpy. Most of the form-filling of checking-in and payment can be done online in advance, so it should be a straightforward matching of you to your pitch number and off you go.

Our most recent trip, to the Graffham campsite in Sussex in June, had check- in down to a tee — we didn’t even have to leave our car, and were checked in and being shown to our pitch within a minute or two. The staff greeting you are also critical — a cheery welcome makes a vast difference and costs nothing. And if the numbering of pitches is clear and the directions to facilities are easy to understand, you’re off to a good start. An early check-in and late check-out time is always good.

 

If the previous occupant has left by mid-day, there is no reason why the new one shouldn’t arrive at 1pm — really, what needs to happen in that hour? It makes a big difference if you have set up camp and are sitting down with a cuppa by 4pm rather than toiling at 6pm when painfully delicious barbecue smells start to waft around. Compare this to a lengthy check-in at 3pm, surly or indifferent staff and a confusing layout, and the difference between a well-run campsite and its opposite is clear.

I’ve also developed something of an allergy to “sign-usitis”: signs with information or warnings are fine in moderation, but a plethora of signs with rules outlawing a long list of activities have me wondering if I’m a customer or an inmate. One rule I am keen on, though, is quiet after 10.30pm — camping can be tiring! I’m glad to say that the vast majority of sites these days are well run — word gets out about the bad ones, and they tend to go out of business.

 

GOOD DRAINAGE is key if the elements conspire against you.

 

ON THE LEVEL
Pitches obviously vary hugely, and campers have different expectations depending on what type of campsite and what level of pitch you have booked — but the cost and the pitch should match. A normal-size grass pitch is not the same as a jumbo pitch with electricity and a water tap. But it is reasonable to expect all pitches to be clean, newly mown if appropriate and — my pet bugbear — decently level, or the means to make it so (such as stones to level up a motorhome, as we were able to use on a campsite in Skye).

At Graffham we had a secluded forest pitch with electricity, and it was level and large enough both for a tent and pop-up gazebo — we also had a lovely soundtrack of birds. In terms of proximity to facilities, I think a one or two-minute walk is fine — and we always take our bikes, so that can speed things up. No-one wants to be pitched right next to facilities. I would never want a pitch within earshot of washrooms — we’re talking hand-dryers and hairdryers, and with screening it’s possible to keep them out of everyone’s eyeline too.

 

HELPFUL SIGNS ARE FINE, but too many can leave you feeling a bit put upon.

 

It hardly needs to be said that facilities need to be kept clean and appropriately equipped, that is just a fundamental of a decently-run campsite. If there are coin-operated hairdryers, that is probably worth mentioning at check-in, and if there have to be time-limited button-operated showers, please can that be at least 20 seconds and not less than ten? This seems like a fairly lengthy wish- list, but campers do return to well-run sites. We’ve been back to Kelling Heath holiday site in Norfolk a couple of times over the past decade, and I remember it well from a trip when I was ten — several decades ago!

It’s a large holiday site, well-run and friendly with a great shop, and close to the coast, cycling routes and a steam railway. It’s also a fabulous site for kids, with acres of space. Canterbury and Henley campsites have also merited return trips — as well as being great sites, they are close enough for a weekend trip, and just a short drive or walk into the city. We’ve also done quite a few one-off trips to campsites for particular reasons — at Bala, in Snowdonia, we were doing an outdoor activity week including zipwiring, kayaking and coasteering, so a quiet and peaceful campsite with a great view was ideal at the end of each day.

 

A SPACIOUS, SHADY and secluded pitch — with added birdsong.

 

PREMIUM SPACE
At Norman’s Bay in Sussex, we wanted to be right by the beach. Of course, there is a premium on space at seaside sites, but this was well run by friendly staff, with a good shop and — heaven-sent given its coastal location — a visiting fish and chip van. It also had a railway station within ten minutes’ walk for car-free trips to Hastings and Brighton. Camping is pretty cheap at any time of the year, and so is great for young people — dare I mention the word “festivals”?

If you’re on a budget, it is perfectly possible to get a basic grass pitch for a tent for £12-17 per person per night, and with a coolbox it’s fine. If you go slightly out of season, you can still get great weather but lower prices, perhaps in or around summer half-term or mid-September. Larger sites with a wider range of facilities such as swimming pools do cost more, as is reasonable — you do get what you pay for. We paid about £20 per person per night (pppn) at Graffham in June and at Norman’s Bay in August, for instance, but for a basic pitch without electricity at Bala in mid-September it’s about £12pppn.

I’ve found it worth joining one of the camping, caravanning or motorhome clubs, both for their reviews and online communities, but also as a source of expertise — and for easy booking. The AA’s camping guides I’ve also found to be reliable, and I’ve used pitchup.com and Cool Camping as well to book. I will say that a set of good photos and an accurate description can often swing a decision to reserve. We tend to go away for four or five nights if we’re tent camping and go a couple of times a year. That feels like the right length given that camping is quite intense — you’re outside most of the time, and at the mercy of the elements. When we’ve motorhomed we’ve gone for one to two weeks, as you’re more self-contained and setting up and touring is easier. You even get a decent bed!

FLORAL FANFARES FOR WINDERMERE

Posted on February 16, 2022

FLORAL FANFARES FOR WINDERMERE

 

BLOOMING MARVELLOUS: pictured at Park Cliffe are (from left) Cumbria in Bloom judges Ronnie Auld and Chris Scales, together with the park’s head groundsman Roger Holmes who masterminds the annual floral displays

 

Lakeland’s Park Cliffe holiday park has returned from the recent Cumbria in Bloom awards with a whole bunch of floral and environmental accolades.
The family-run park, near the shores of Windermere, scooped no fewer than four glittering prizes in the competition which attracted hundreds of entries from across Cumbria.
Judges described Park Cliffe as “outstanding” and a perfect fit to the world-famous landscape where wildlife and nature were given the same VIP treatment as guests. The four awards celebrated different aspects of the park including its stunning floral displays, the care of its woodlands, and the wide range of biodiversity in its grounds.
The park has been owned for over 13 years by Susan and Derek Dickson and has won a host of awards for its care of the natural world and conservation work. But Susan says that the real credit for its 2021 Cumbria in Bloom success was owed to its green-fingered staff team, and especially head groundsman Roger Holmes.
“Guests often comment on how visually stunning the park looks, not just in spring but also right throughout the year, thanks to Roger’s imagination and careful planning.

 

LOTS OF THE BLOOMS are specially chosen for their high nectar content, providing valuable foraging for insects

 

“Roger also gives priority to high nectar-bearing blooms, including wild flowers, which provide valuable foraging for butterflies, honey bees and other pollinators.
“We also try and ensure that there are plenty of late-flowering plants at this time of year so that these insects can top-up their energy levels before winter sets in.”
Park Cliffe nestles in 25 acres of picture-perfect countryside, and provides holiday homes to rent and buy, glamping pods, and pitches for touring caravans, motorhomes and tents. The park has been praised for the many wildlife habitats it has created, its championing of local foods in its shop and restaurant, and the use of low-level lighting so guests can enjoy the night sky.
Other initiatives include the banning of single-use plastics throughout the business, and the switch to non-polluting all-electric vehicles around the grounds.

Park Cliffe Holiday Park
www.parkcliffe.co.uk

WISH YOU WERE HERE – Brighouse Bay Holiday Park in Southern Scotland

Posted on February 16, 2022

WISH YOU WERE HERE

Picture postcards from Brighouse Bay Holiday Park in Southern Scotland…

 

Southern Scotland’s Brighouse Bay Holiday Park in Dumfries and Galloway has been named by the AA as the best campsite in Scotland. The family-run business near Borgue beat hundreds of other eligible parks in Scotland to the title when it was announced in November.
Awards given by the AA – based on guest reviews and a “secret shopper” visit by inspectors - are regarded as the Oscars of the holiday parks industry. The seaside park’s facilities, services and levels of hospitality all went under the microscope – and each was found to meet or exceed the AA’s highest standards on every level.

 

 

As well as welcoming campers and the owners of touring caravans and motorhomes, Brighouse Bay provides a number of other accommodation options. They include luxury holiday lodges to own and to hire, some with private hot-tubs, plus cosy glamping lodges which are especially popular with young families.
A member of the prestigious Best of British group of independent parks, site facilities include an 18-hole golf course with spectacular coastal views, and a leisure complex which features an indoor pool, bistro, bar and family entertainment.
Activities available on the park include a mountain bike pump track and, during the summer, pony trekking for all ages as well as an all-tide slipway for boat owners.

 

 

Not that Brighouse Bay is any stranger to awards for it has been graded 4 stars by inspectors from VisitScotland and won a number of environmental accolades. These include the David Bellamy Conservation Award at its top gold level, achieved for over 20 successive years in recognition of its many wildlife initiatives.
It also gained an additional award last year for its work to conserve hedges and woodlands, plus wildflower areas which provide vital foraging for honey bees and other pollinators. The park is also undertaking an ambitious rewilding project in areas of the grounds which will help provide additional wildlife habitats.

Brighouse Bay
Tel. 01557 870 267
www.brighousebayholidaypark.co.uk

BEWARE THE SLIPS AND TRIPS

Posted on February 16, 2022

BEWARE THE SLIPS AND TRIPS

All you need to know about holiday park insurance…

 

WINTER IS TRADITIONALLY the time to check if your park and all its assets are properly protected against any eventuality.

 

As a holiday and caravan park owner or manager, the quieter winter season is often used as an opportunity to run annual maintenance checks and undertake refurbishment to interiors and exteriors where needed.
This is also a time when it is important to make sure that your park and all its assets are properly protected against any eventuality.
“Holiday park insurance can help you to identify what your park insurance needs are, and to make certain that these are provided for with a cost-effective policy,” says Dave Moffat, Director of Pib Group Insurance, the company behind the popular Park Protect scheme.
Whilst holiday parks present similar risk to many businesses there are significant differences. Holiday parks rely on the infrastructure on the park in the form of underground pipes and hook ups, access barriers, on site lighting etc and it is important that your insurance policy can cater for this.
“Many holiday parks will also have holiday home hire feet and holiday home stock,” advises Dave. “As such it is important that a parks insurance policy is able to cater for such units and also the debris removal and re-siting costs associated with replacing holiday homes. ”These are just two of many areas to consider when insuring holiday parks and it is important that your needs are professionally assessed.

 

 

REVENUE LOSS
In addition to recouping the actual financial cost of rebuilding or buying new holiday homes and buildings, it makes financial sense to obtain insurance which will provide you with a cover for the loss of revenue or profit incurred following a material loss.
It is important that you seek professional advice in this area to make sure the sum insured and indemnity period are sufficient for your business needs and the period your business could be affected following a serious loss, such as a fire or flood.
Pib offers common sense advice: “Having members of the public stay in your caravans and spend time in your park on a daily basis also exposes you to other financial risks.
“We live in an increasingly compensation-based culture, in which some people are willing to sue for the smallest things. Though some compensation claims may be for fatuous reasons, there are also very real risks within any holiday park that could result in injury or loss.”
One indemnity limit area holiday parks do need to consider is the limit of indemnity under this cover as the levels of very serious losses has increased exponentially in recent years and claims well in excess of £5m are no longer unusual. Crucially the limit of indemnity is set at the time of the incident but the ultimate settlement amount can fluctuate depending on the calculators used for such claims at the time of settlement. It is not possible to buy additional cover after the event and if your limit of indemnity is exhausted you would be responsible for the shortfall.
All businesses with employees are required to have Employers Liability Insurance arrangements, which usually has a £10,000,000 limit of indemnity. As with Public Liability, all Holiday Parks should consider higher limits of indemnity as it is no longer inconceivable that a very serious injury to an employee could exhaust this cover. The cost of arranging such Excess Liability cover is relatively small and should be discussed with a specialist Insurance provider.

 

Each holiday park will have different insurance needs, depending on size and a variety of other factors. A large-scale park with hundreds of caravans will have different policy requirements to that of a smaller family run park.
Insuring more than 200 caravan and holiday parks across the UK, Park Protect provides tailor-made insurance for the specific needs of your business.
Meanwhile, with all the signs pointing towards another bumper year for the industry what do Holiday Parks need to think about in relation to Insurance.
Compass Insurance have consistently raised awareness about the importance of being insured for the right amount, whether that’s parks themselves or their owners and their individual caravans and lodges. As the costs of rebuilding and replacing park buildings and in particular, caravans and lodges increases, this places more emphasis on sums insured being accurate.
For Parks this means making sure that any buildings and infrastructure insured on their policy is accurate and in some cases a valuation or survey is a good idea especially if you haven’t reviewed this for a few years.
Analysis at the end of 2021 showed that the cost of rebuilding and repairing damaged buildings had increased 7.9% in the last 12 months and forecasts show this continuing to increase as shortages of materials and labour continue into 2022. With that in mind we’re introducing a valuation service for parks insured with Compass so they can have the peace of mind that comes with a professional valuation for their sums insured.
For the owners of individual caravans on your park this can have greater significance as the current issues with supply of new and second-hand units means that what a customer insured for in good faith just six months ago may already be less than the cost of replacing that unit in today’s market.

 

 

IN GOOD FAITH
Compass always look at what the customer insured for at the point the policy was taken out or renewed and base our assessment of any claim on that value. In 2022 our policies will also be updated to contain a provision for this growing trend so that customers don’t find themselves underinsured for no fault of their own.
Compass are renowned for our market leading Holiday Caravan and Lodge product but in 2021 they invested time and resource in developing and launching more products that parks and their customers can benefit from.
Its Residential Park Home product underwent a major overhaul including the introduction of two tiers of cover (Essentials and Extra) which enable the customer to tailor it to meet their needs, as well as the addition of Home Emergency and Legal Expenses as optional covers.

 

 

TRAVEL INSURANCE
They have also developed and launched products for owners of Touring Caravans and Motorhomes both of which give market leading levels of cover at very competitive premiums.
Finally, and new for 2022, Compass is excited to be announcing the launch of its travel insurance product for customers who book breaks on Holiday Parks in the UK.
This product has been developed specifically to meet the growing demand for UK holidays and gives the customer a wide range of cover including cancellation, curtailment and emergency assistance and also includes cover for Covid19 related illness or restrictions.

Caravan Guard (Leisuredays)
Tel. 01422 396 693
Email. park-operator@leisuredays.co.uk
www.leisuredays.co.uk

Compass Insurance
Tel. 0344 274 3908
Email. enquiries@compass.co.uk
www.compassparks.co.uk

Pib Group (Park Protect)
Tel. 01422 358 525
Email. hello@pib-insurance.com
www.pib-insurance.com

AN INSPECTOR CALLS

Posted on February 16, 2022

AN INSPECTOR CALLS

AA unveil latest national destination gongs…

 

SOUTH EAST ENGLAND regional champions were Swiss Farm Touring & Camping, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire

 

Returning for the first time since 2019, the AA has unveiled its UK’s top campsites and caravanning UK destinations with the announcement of the 2021 Caravan and Camping Award winners in a virtual ceremony.
This year’s Campsite of the Year for England, and Overall Winner, was revealed as South Lytchett Manor Caravan & Camping Park, Poole, Dorset. Brighouse Bay Holiday Park, Brighouse Bay, Dumfries & Galloway took the prize for Scotland and Pencelli Castle Caravan & Camping Park, Brecon, Powys won the top award for Wales.
In addition to regional campsite categories, other awards included Holiday Centre of the Year, which was awarded to Park Foot Caravan & Camping Park, Pooley Bridge, Cumbria and Glamping Site of the Year, which went to Concierge Glamping, Chichester, West Sussex, which previously won Regional Campsite of the Year South East in 2019.
“We are delighted to announce the winners of the Caravan and Camping Awards 2021 and have the opportunity to celebrate those sites offering holidaymakers the highest quality camping and caravanning experiences,” Simon Numphud, Managing Director at AA Media.

 

 

“As the hospitality industry has reopened over the past few months, we have seen British tourists exploring the UK more than ever, enjoying incredible campsites and caravan parks across the country. We hope that our latest Caravan and Camping Guide helps them discover even more fantastic holiday destinations, including our wonderful winners.”
All Caravan and Camping Award winners are featured in the 54th edition of the AA Caravan and Camping Guide 2022, the ultimate guide to the UK’s best camping and caravanning destinations.
Each site included in the guide have been visited by one of the AA’s experienced Campsite Inspectors, grading sites from one to five Pennants, based on their facilities and hospitality.
Only the parks of the very highest standard are awarded the coveted Platinum Pennant award. Each entry within the guide includes location, ratings, contact details, directions, prices, opening times, facilities and a description to help select the right site for your needs.

 

CARBON BUSTERS

Posted on February 16, 2022

CARBON BUSTERS

Leading holiday parks share their green credentials…

 

THE QUIET SITE is located near the shores of Ullswater in picture-perfect Lake District countryside

 

When it comes to combating climate change, the holiday park industry stands loud and proud above most other sectors when it comes to carbon neutral investment.
Before you undertake your carbon footprint assessment, there are some outstanding examples from our peers who are putting their green credentials into action.
You will be well advised to follow their example and add your eco-friendly performance to this year’s marketing themes as customers love nothing more than investing in a planted-friendly holiday.
For instance, The Quiet Site, a family’s holiday park on Ullswater, in the Lake District, has been celebrated at the recent COP26 climate change conference for its fight against global warming.
The park, in Pooley Bridge, was highly commended for its carbon neutral initiatives, and hailed as a Hero of Net Zero at the UN conference’s awards ceremony. The award is part of the Together For Our Planet campaign which recognises original and creative actions taken by small businesses to cut their own greenhouse gas emissions.
Park owner Daniel Holder and his family travelled to the COP26 awards ceremony to receive the judges’ commendation from Andrew Griffith MP.

 

 

CLIMATE HUB
More than 160 businesses entered the competition, making a commitment at the UK Business Climate Hub to achieve net zero by 2050, in line with the Government’s own climate commitment.
The Quiet Site was highly commended in the small business category for demonstrating a range of measures taken on their journey to net zero. These included prioritising nature by planting wildflower meadows and native trees, building accommodation that generates more energy than it uses, and opening a zero-waste shop.
“All businesses need to become Heroes of Net Zero if the world is going to have an impact on climate change,” said Daniel.
“Our journey has been fascinating, bringing technologies and techniques together in a unique energy mix to enable us to be carbon neutral.
“We started introducing sustainable practices twenty years ago, not because we wanted to save the world but because the initiatives we introduced were based on elegant engineering and made good business sense.
“Our focus is now to enable our customers to visit us without using private cars. Great holidays don’t have to cost the earth,” added Daniel.
The Quiet Site won over the competition judges by not only reducing its own energy consumption and environmental impact, but also encouraging customers to be more environmentally friendly.

 

DEVON-BASED COFTON HOLIDAYS has been recognised for its rewilding efforts.

 

QUEEN’S AWARD
The business provides quality holidays in the heart of the Lake District, offering pitches for tents, camping, motorhomes and a variety of glamping options. Earlier this year, the park became Britain’s first holiday park to win a Queen’s Award for sustainability which was presented by Her Majesty’s Lord- Lieutenant of Cumbria, Claire Hensmen.
Not to be outshone, multi award- winning South West holiday park Cofton Holidays has scooped the Environment and Sustainability award at the Western Morning News Business Awards 2021, recognising its sustained conservation efforts during the pandemic.
Set within 80 acres of glorious Devon countryside, Cofton Holidays has been a family-run holiday park for over 40 years. Guests return year after year to enjoy its beautiful and convenient location, extensive facilities and wide choice of accommodation types for all the family.
Visitors to Cofton can choose from a range of holiday homes, cottages and lodges in the heart of the main park, or cottages and apartments on the estuary-view Eastdon Estate. Cofton also offers a choice of pitches for touring caravan holidays including hard- standing and RV pitches.
Cofton Holidays offers a variety of accommodation to suit all guests including luxury lodges, dog-friendly cottages, Georgian-style apartments, modern holiday homes and camping and caravanning pitches. Facilities include an indoor pool heated by a biomass hub with a splash pad area and hydrotherapy loungers, a gym, restaurant, pub, steam room, sauna, fitness studio, soft play area, playground, sports wall, outdoor pools and much more.
Guests also have access to five coarse fishing lakes, miles of cycle paths and nature trails that take visitors through woodland to the golden sands of Dawlish Warren beach and nature reserve.
Sustainability and green initiatives have always been at the top of the agenda for Cofton Holidays, but its rewilding project really took of during the pandemic. With 20 years’ worth of David Bellamy Conservation Awards under their belts, the team saw lockdown as the perfect opportunity to give the park back to Mother Nature.

 

WINNING THE ENVIRONMENT and Sustainability Business Award has been a fabulous achievement for the Cofton team.

 

REWILDING PROJECT
Enhancing the park’s carefully considered planting, extensive woodland, wildlife-friendly hedges, wildflower zones and on-site bug and bee hotel, Cofton has planted additional hedges, shrubs and trees to strengthen wildlife corridors across the site, bringing nature to the doorstep of its visitors. Wild deer, buzzards, butterflies, hedgehogs and a range of fascinating migrating birds can all be spotted thanks to the biodiversity on site. As well as planting perennial flora to attract more insects and pollinators, new hedges provide enhanced nesting environments and food for a variety of birds and bats.
A further scheme that gave Cofton the edge over its competitors is its £60,000 investment in 16 electric car charging points. No other business in the South West has more electric vehicle charging points in one location.
Added to that, Cofton has invested in 144kw of solar power units for the park’s 12 luxury lodges, an electric vehicle for housekeeping, an outdoor lighting review, and the planting of 36 mature trees, making it one of the region’s leading sustainable holiday parks.
Helen Scott, Director at Cofton Holidays, is thrilled with Cofton’s success: “Winning the Environment and Sustainability Award at this year’s Western Morning News Business Awards is a fabulous achievement for us.
“It’s testament to the hard work the team have put into our sustainable initiatives this year, and strengthens our reputation as a holiday park that puts the environment at the forefront of all that we do.”

 

DEVON-BASED Cofton Holidays has been recognised for its rewilding efforts.

 

MOTHER NATURE
Helen continued: “Throughout lockdown, we concentrated all our efforts on making improvements to the park. It was the perfect opportunity to enhance the natural landscape whilst our guests were away, ready for them to marvel at Mother Nature’s handy work once they returned.
“Our sustainability efforts have been recognised by a number of award bodies now including iTravel, VisitEngland and VisitDevon, but this is by no means the end to our investment in green initiatives.
“We will continue to nurture our local environment, fulfilling our sustainability commitment with plans to review our outdoor lighting to reduce light pollution overspill, investing in more charging units for guests staying at the cottages and participating in the tree planting scheme which will celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.
“As the recent climate change summit, COP26, has highlighted, it’s more important now than ever before that businesses take responsibility for operating in a sustainable way that will protect the environment for future generations. We take this seriously at Cofton and will continue to do all that we can to protect our beautiful corner of South Devon.”

 

 

CARBON BUSTING
Skelwith Fold, an Ambleside holiday park, has cut the green ribbon on a new office complex which can generate all of its own energy – and still have some to spare.
The 3,000 square foot building adjoins the park’s existing offices and has been designed for total self- sufficiency, powering everything from air-conditioning to espresso machines.
Its secret is a bank of high-efficiency solar panels on the roof which will deliver up to 14 kWh per day, even under the gloomiest winter skies.
Skelwith Fold’s Henry Wild says the two-storey complex has taken the park a huge step closer to its goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2024:”We wanted to see if we could make the building entirely carbon neutral, and found this was possible by using the latest solar technology to generate electricity.

 

SUSTAINABILITY AND GREEN initiatives have always been at the top of the agenda for Cofton Holidays.

 

“Even in use seven days a week, the building will still produce surplus power to harness elsewhere on the park and further reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. With the help of other solar panels elsewhere on the park, we are nearing our goal of all our buildings being self-sufficient in energy.
“I also hope that within two years we will create a state of carbon neutrality, and guests will be able to enjoy totally green holidays, even after their journey by car to the park is taken into account.”
The new building’s sustainable credentials are further enhanced by the use in its construction of recycled timber from larch trees grown in the park’s 130-acre grounds.
Skelwith Fold was forced to fell more than 200 larches last year after the Forestry Commission found them to be suffering from a fungal plant disease called Phytophthoras. Many of the areas left by the trees are now subject to an ambitious rewilding scheme.

COMPANY CONTACTS

Cofton Holidays
www.coftonholidays.co.uk

Skelwith Fold
www.skelwith.com

The Quiet Site
www.thequietsite.co.uk

PEAKS OF PAMPERING

Posted on February 15, 2022

PEAKS OF PAMPERING

New and returning customers will be welcomed to Celtic Holiday Parks…

A HYDRO POOL COMPLEX provides guests with therapies and relaxation.

Wellbeing, beauty and fitness facilities are among the new features waiting to welcome this year’s visitors to a multi award-winning Wales holiday park group.
Celtic Holiday Parks, based in Pembrokeshire, says it has responded to customer feedback at its three parks by investing in new ways to improve the guest experience.
Business owners Huw Pendleton and his parents Vic and Ann say that the changes will ensure the family-owned group will continue on its course of attracting a new generation of visitors.
“Parks are no longer a one-size-fits-all proposition, and we intend to deliver the type of experience which people have been telling us they want from a holiday,” said Huw.

 

“They still expect fun, but many would rather visit a cocktail bar than a clubhouse, enjoy gastro-pub style meals, and enjoy treatment rooms with first-class facilities and ethical, organic products.
“Beautiful and well cared-for natural surroundings are also often preferred over artificial attractions, and accommodation needs to be exciting, glamorous and perhaps just a bit magical,” Huw continues.
“Many of our guests are repeat visitors, and relatively new to the concept of a park holiday, so we are constantly challenging ourselves to ensure they have something fresh to look forward to.”
Open from March 1st, both new and returning customers in 2022 will be welcomed to surroundings which are a far cry from what met the often more modest expectations of two or three decades ago.

 

NEW DEVELOPMENT WORK is also taking place at Meadow House Park in response to customer demand.

 

FIVE STAR
Five-star accommodation with private hot tubs, safari tents, cosy log cabins, and to-die-for interiors with four-poster beds and designer décor are all part of the pampering process.
“We are privileged to be located in one of the most exquisitely lovely corners of Britain, home to the country’s only coastal national park, so tend to attract people who readily appreciate quality surroundings,” said Huw.
“But although we are continually investing in our parks, our family’s twenty year experience tells us that happy memories are also fashioned by just how welcome people feel.
“That’s why we were delighted to have been given three major awards recently in which the parks’ friendly atmospheres and helpful, cheerful and caring staff all played a big part.”

BLUEBELL PODS AT NOBLE COURT provide guests with a private spa pool and a chance for al-fresco dining.

 

 

BOOKINGS BOOM
The accolades came from bookings giant Hoseasons, Welsh Enterprise, and LUX life magazine – and sit alongside the parks’ Best Caravan and Glamping in Wales distinction from Visit Wales.
Celtic Parks’ picture-perfect Pembrokeshire locations are near the market town of Narberth (Noble Court and Croft Country Park) and overlooking Amroth Bay (Meadow House Park).
Each, said Huw, has its own distinct character with which couples and families often fall in love, leading to their decision to buy a holiday home for four-season use.
“The popularity of UK holidays in recent year has not been for reasons anyone would have chosen, but it has certainly opened many people’s eyes to what a fantastic experience it can be.
“Our record bookings for next year suggest this is no flash in the pan, and I’ve every confidence that we will be investing and raising the bar even higher over the next twelve months,” said Huw.

Celtic Holiday Parks
Tel. 0800 1777 411
www.celticholidayparks.com

PARKS BREAK WINTER HIBERNATION

Posted on February 15, 2022

PARKS BREAK WINTER HIBERNATION

 

BOOKINGS are being extended into the winter months.

 

Park Holidays UK carried on for eight weeks beyond its usual closing date to allow families to enjoy November and December breaks. The group is kept 13 of its most popular parks until the week before Christmas following a “deluge of demand” for a final getaway of the year.
Park Holidays UK director Tony Clish says that the end of the October school half-term would have normally signalled the parks’ winter hibernation. “Brits have been given back their holiday freedom this year, and we’ve welcomed more families than ever in our 30 year history,” said Tony. “But it’s been obvious from the number of enquires we’ve received that many people want to holiday on through to the end of the season. “Now they will have the chance to do just that in a fully insulated holiday caravan or luxury lodge with central heating and double glazing to ensure everyone remains snug.”
Park Holidays UK operates 40- plus parks throughout England and Scotland, and Tony says their beautiful locations are well worth an out-of-season visit.