Caravan Park

MORE MEANS MORE FUN!

Posted on August 5, 2021

MORE MEANS MORE FUN!

HAPPY CHILDREN equal happy and relaxed parents and carers.

In an increasingly ‘more is more’ world, businesses, especially holiday venues, are starting to realise the benefits of developing their sites to provide more than just a one-off experience.We are seeing more and more business owners begin to invest in a well-designed play area to not only attract customers but retain them for longer providing them with a greater return on investment.

External play areas can:
• Attract families to your site - External play areas are no longer an after-thought but are fast becoming essential in all redevelopments as operators understand that play facilities are a key driver and drawcard for families.
• Increase dwell time – Research has shown that children’s play facilities influence customer’s decisions on where to visit, dine out or holiday. Installing a well-designed play area illustrates how businesses are working to improve the customer experience.
• Boost foot traffic - Parents often use the promise of visiting a play area as a motivation to visit somewhere more frequently.

As the play areas are safe and secure it gives families peace of mind to allow their children to play. It’s also an inexpensive option to entertain the children, whatever the occasion. As any commercial operator will tell you, happy entertained children mean happy and relaxed parents! An exciting and challenging play area gives children somewhere to let off steam and make new friends. Investing in new or existing play equipment is a great way to show customers that your commercial establishment caters for families with young children who want to be entertained and have fun. HAGS, a world leader in outdoor play equipment helps clients understand how to design play spaces that attract customers to your destination.

HAGS
Tel. 0845 2601655
www.hags.co.uk

PLAY REMAINS CRUCIAL DRAW

Posted on August 5, 2021

PLAY REMAINS CRUCIAL DRAW

FAMILIES STILLWANT TO ENJOY traditional playground facilities

Independently commissioned research by leading outdoor play and sport provider Proludic has shown that the public still wants to see high-quality outdoor play facilities at leading leisure attractions across the UK. In 2018 Proludic researched what adults thought about play facilities at leisure and hospitality venues. The results were revealing and showed a clear relationship between the availability of play facilities and time spent at leisure venues. Furthermore, it led to greater loyalty.

There is a clear desire to see play as an integral part of the offering. Three years have passed since the last research. We wanted to revisit it to see the current situation, particularly in the aftermath of the global pandemic. We, therefore, asked the same questions to a randomly selected representative sample of 1000 adults. Over half (51%) of the respondents said play areas were an important consideration for them when visiting a pub, holiday park, or visitor attraction. Furthermore, 41% said they were more likely to book a UK holiday park vacation if they had made good provisions for children’s play.

As you would expect, this was more of a factor for families (83%) with children under the age of 16. The results clearly show that, despite the pandemic, families are keen to get out and about to tourist and leisure attractions with play facilities.

Proludic
Tel. 0115 982 3980
www.proludic.co.uk

MAGICAL PLAY FOR ALL AGES

Posted on August 5, 2021

MAGICAL PLAY FOR ALL AGES

KOMPAN believe in working together when it comes to designing and building playgrounds for children, sports arenas for teenagers, effective outdoor fitness equipment for adults, and stay fit solutions for active seniors. KOMPAN achieve this through developing playful and inspiring solutions that trigger the fantasy and curiosity of children, and drive adults to become fit for life.

To makes users stay for longer and visit time and time again, we pack playgrounds full of high variety and increasingly challenging play features, so it keeps on being fun, adventurous, and stimulating. The designers at our Design Studio are ready to customise a unique concept based on your local vision, enabling you to say something important about where you live.We use the highest quality playground materials and advanced engineering to ensure that they last a lifetime. In the years ahead, today’s children will be able to enjoy the same KOMPAN activity area with their children.

KOMPAN
Tel. 01908 201002
www.kompan.co.uk

TURNING TIDES

Posted on August 5, 2021

TURNING TIDES

LEEDONS RESIDENTIAL PARK IS THE FLAGSHIP in Allens Caravans residential portfolio.

Planners are favourable to Park Home applications reports Jane Herbert...

Back in the mid-1930’s, when auto trader Bill Allen decided to display touring Allens Caravans on his garage forecourt in Wolverhampton to fill some empty space., He could never have foreseen that Auto Selling Cars would grow into the huge success Allens Caravans is today. But times were changing, and caravan sales took off. Bill’s curiosity was piqued. Just a few years later in the 1950’s, with business growing, Bill moved the company to the historic stately home of Wootton Hall inWarwickshire’s Henley- in-Arden, which is still Allens Caravans headquarters today. Here, he hosted the first-ever Annual Midlands Caravan Exhibition, and its success made Bill realise that he was onto something. In the 1960s he travelled to the USA where he was inspired not just by the trend for caravan holidays, but also by the increasing popularity of Allens Caravans for all-year residential living. Bill returned toWootton Hall convinced of the potential growth for residential caravan parks in the UK, and with caravan sales soon outstripping car sales, Allens Caravans was born. Today, Allens Caravans is one of the country’s leading Park Operators with a portfolio of 13 Holiday and Residential Parks across the Midlands and Wales. The business, which now employs around 160 staff, is still managed by Bill’s grandchildren and other family members, with joint Managing Directors, Joe Folkes and James Allen, heading up the team.

THRIVING BUSINESS
“Allens Caravans has come a long way since its foundation in the 1930’s,” explains Joe Folkes. “But at heart we are still a thriving family business, the owners of which are not just faceless names, but third generation working Directors who can be found at our Head Office or on the Parks looking after the day-to-day running of the company,” he continues. “As a whole team, we ensure the highest possible standards are delivered at our Parks, for the benefit of our customers,” he adds. “We are so proud of the excellent reputation we have built with those customers, and also our colleagues within the caravan industry.” Currently, five of Allens Caravans 13 Parks are residential: Broadway Park with 82 residents and Leedons Residential Park with 129 residents in Worcestershire; Wootton Hall in Warwickshire with 290 residents; Pendeford Hall inWolverhampton with 62 residents; and Overstone Solarium Residential Park with 80 residents in Northamptonshire. Typically, Allens Caravans Parks have all been chosen for their stunning locations in the great British countryside. Residents of both Wootton Hall and Pendeford Hall can enjoy the outstanding surrounding scenery of two former historic country estates. Similarly, Overstone Solarium is set amongst 115 acres of beautiful woodland – the perfect spot to relish in the peace and quiet of retirement.


GAMES ROOM
Both Broadway Park and Leedons Residential Park are situated just ten minutes’ walk from the charming and picturesque village of Broadway in the prime location of the Cotswolds. With a scenic setting nestled beneath the Cotswold escarpment and overlooked by Broadway Tower, the Parks are blessed with plentiful wildlife and both Broadway and Leedons hold the prestigious Gold David Bellamy Conservation Award. Residents at the two sister Parks also benefit from an enviable array of facilities including an indoor swimming pool, a three rink bowling green, tennis court, social hall, launderette and games room. Leedons Residential Park is the newer development of the two, and the flagship in Allens Caravans residential portfolio. Originally acquired in the 1980’s, Leedons has been the focus of considerable expansion over the years and several £million investment both in its infrastructure and leisure facilities. A proportion of the Park is devoted to holiday home ownership (ten months of the year) but the focus is on delivering Residential Park Homes for the over 50s semi-retired and retired. Phase three of the Leedons development has recently been released and work is currently continuing on around 40 plots. Phase four is already in the planning with more luxury homes with exceptional countryside views coming soon. Prospective residents can choose from a variety of manufacturers including Willerby, Omar, Stately, Lissett, Homeseeker/Prestige, Tingdene and Pathfinder. Each home has its own garden area, a shed or greenhouse, and parking for up to two cars adjacent to the property. Pets are welcome on site and amongst the team of eight staff, there are resident Park Managers and Wardens for peace of mind.

Despite Allens Caravans obvious growth, long term expansion for the residential park sector as a whole is still reliant on the vagaries of the planning process. “We are always striving to expand our Park portfolio and there are a couple of Parks in the pipeline for the near future,” explains Joe. “The supply of new, modern sites for Parks is always going to be the biggest hurdle. “Fortunately, the tides are turning, and as local communities, councils and consumers start to see Park Homes (rightly so) on a par with conventional housing, the easier planning applications for Residential Parks will be.” Allens Caravans continued success is also evident in their Holiday Park portfolio. A brand new luxury Holiday Park, Bredon View, opened in Worcestershire on May 1st this year, bringing a five year development plan to fruition. No mean feat considering the tricky trading conditions of the pandemic. “Park Homes, much like every supply chain industry, has been hit by delays due to Covid,” says Joe. “With hundreds of supplies involved in manufacture and construction, this has inevitably resulted in a knock-on effect of price increases and, more significantly, longer waiting times,” Joe points out. “But we continue to invest back into all our Parks, both in terms of facilities and infrastructure.We have a solid history of investment spanning nine decades and this spirit is ingrained into every new generation who take on the stewardship of the Allens Caravans brand.”

Allens Caravans
Tel. 01564 792323
www.allenscaravans.co.uk

 

HOBURNE NEW CEO CONFIRMED

Posted on August 5, 2021

HOBURNE NEW CEO CONFIRMED

JIM FORWARD has taken the reins of the Hoburne Group

The Hoburne Group has confirmed the appointment of Riviera Travel chief commercial officer Jim Forward as its new CEO. He will take over from Rod Tucker, who will be retiring from his position of managing director at the end of this year after seven years of leading the family- run business.

Forward has worked in the holiday sector for over 25 years and has held senior management positions at companies including HF Holidays,Warner Leisure Hotels and Butlins.Most recently, as chief commercial officer of Riviera Travel, Jim has taken his team and the business through the challenges of COVID while maintaining his strong commitment to doing the right thing for customers, an approach that Hoburne has also taken through the pandemic.

“Hoburne has a fantastic history and as a family-run company, it genuinely believes in respect and integrity,” said Jim. “From my experience of meeting with team members, I am already impressed by their enthusiasm and concerted efforts to offer an outstanding level of customer service.”

 

SAT NAVS SET FOR NORTHWALES

Posted on August 5, 2021

SAT NAVS SET FOR NORTHWALES

THE RWST holiday lodge park in North Wales opened to guests this summer.

The picturesque North Wales market town of Llanrwst is welcoming the launch of ‘Rwst’, a luxurious new holiday lodge park. The £1.8m development opened its doors to its first guests in July, just as North Wales topped the charts as the UK’s most popular staycation destination, overtaking the coastal and rural charms of Devon and Cornwall for the first time, according to a survey by Sykes Holiday Cottages. Rwst occupies a prime location on the edge of the historic town, with scenic views across the River Conwy to the Gwydir Forest and Snowdonia mountains beyond. The park, which is a high-end redevelopment of the much-loved Trem Gwydir holiday village, includes 22, five-star holiday lodges, with one, two, and three-bedroom single-storey lodges available for holiday rentals

BRITS BULK BUYING UK HOLIDAYS

Posted on May 5, 2021

BRITS BULK BUYING UK HOLIDAYS

THERE IS A RUSH ON UK holiday bookings in case providers are forced to ration their accommodation.

Many families are now ‘multi- buying’ holiday breaks in Britain this year in case providers are forced to ration their accommodation later in the season. Camping, glamping and holiday park agency Caravan Sitefinder says that almost one in ten of the bookings it receives are now for two or more stays. The firm’s CEO Michael Paul believes that the diminishing prospect of foreign travel this year is fuelling concerns that there simply won’t be enough UK holidays to go around: “Our bookings website covers thousands of parks, but it’s not a bottomless well - and many operators say some summer weeks are already near capacity,” he said. “They would normally be reporting this much further into the season, so the prospect of “no vacancies” notices going up in the near future is very real.

“The shortage is also being exasperated because a lot of parks are deliberately operating under capacity in order to ensure the protection of staff and guests. “Many people these days choose to take short breaks at different locations in the UK throughout the year – so they clearly want to stake their claims while there is availability. “We’re certainly unlikely to see many last-minute deals this summer, so those who in previous years have gambled on an eleventh-hour bargain will risk disappointment. “The good news is that there is little evidence of parks raising prices in response to demand, and the majority of stays are pitched at around last year’s price levels,” added Michael. Parks in England re-opened from April 12th as part of the government’s ‘roadmap’ post Lockdown. “May and June are already looking like peak season on many parks, and autumn and winter are also popular with those booking more than one holiday,” he says. The Caravan Sitefinder website, which has around one million visitors annually, was established 25 years ago and provides user reviews for many of the parks it features.

NOVELTY IMPORTS CELEBRATE 20 YEARS

Posted on May 5, 2021

NOVELTY IMPORTS CELEBRATE 20 YEARS

VISIT THE NOVELTY IMPORTS ‘glowroom’ or view video clips on-line

About to celebrate 20 years in the event supplies industry, Staffordshire based Novelty Imports supply a broad range of fast-selling novelty lights to many market sectors including, theme parks, schools, pantomimes, circus and funfairs. Covering the whole of the UK network with their 24-hour online ecommerce website and telephone mail order service, Novelty Imports also boast a customer showroom at the heart of all the major motorway networks, where all the latest and best-selling light up event novelties, inflatable prizes, carnival festival items and pocket money toys can be found.

Owner Nigel Browne comments: “We are not an ordinary everyday warehouse who sells pots n pans and knick knacks; we sell light-up novelties, inflatable prize toys and carnival festival items all year round. It is what we do best! “With all the doom and gloom hopefully coming to a distant end now,” Nigel continues. “We can see a much brighter future with people making up for lockdown by treating their children and spending a lot more on gifts and novelty products in the UK holiday market this year.”

Novelty Imports strive to make sure their products are reliable, fast selling, great value for money and of course most importantly safe with CE EN71 toy safety testing certificates gained for every item imported.

You can call Novelty Imports or order online where the light- up novelties have video clips, so you can see them in action before placing your order. Alternatively, call to arrange a visit to the company’s dedicated Midlands ‘glowroom’. The future looks set to be good for Novelty Imports as their range of goods and customer database grows bigger every year. Here’s to the next 20 years! Happy Birthday Novelty Imports!

Novelty Imports
T: 01543 732008
www.noveltyimports.co.uk

BIBLICAL CHALLENGES

Posted on May 5, 2021

BIBLICAL CHALLENGES

Insurance companies respond to unprecedented times...

It has been an unprecedented period for holiday park operators with challenges of biblical proportions as they faced floods, a global plague and a stop-start famine then feast on bookings. It is a period that has also challenged insurance cover suppliers to step up for their holiday park customers. Given the extraordinary circumstances of Covid, one of the hottest insurance topics has been Business Interruption (BI) cover. Long-awaited clarity about how BI claims should be handled came with the publication of the Supreme Court judgement on 15th January 2021. Not all customers will have the specific cover the test case referred to, which means that not all customers’ policies will be expected to cover Covid. The process of assessing BI claims is a complex one, and there are steps that need to be followed in order to submit a valid claim. Specialist insurers are working with the holiday trade who had the relevant policy coverage to confirm and assess their claims as quickly as they can. Champions of the Park Protect Scheme, David Moffat, Associate Director, of PIB Insurance Brokers says: “Unfortunately the pandemic has coincided with a significant hardening of the insurance market with insurance rates for certain types of insurance increasing markedly in recent months.

PARK PROTECT
“This often happens at a time of uncertainty as it usually comes with increases in claims and the insurance market reacts accordingly,” David explains. “Insurers have seen increasing claims costs, particularly from natural disasters but also due to an increasingly litigious society,” David continues. “As insurer profitability declines, they either decide to exit unprofitable markets or increase premiums.” Meanwhile, Leisuredays have been working hard, often behind the scenes: “We worked hard to educate caravan and lodge owners that their units remained at risk during lockdown using press releases, online content and through our advisers,” says Gareth Walker, Head of Leisuredays Development. “Covid, may have meant parks were closed for long periods but the winds still blow, rivers still flood, thieves still steal and pipes still freeze,” Gareth continues. “We calculate over 90% of claims could still occur even when units are unoccupied and parks closed, with storm and flood, fire, vermin damage and theft topping the list of claim types,” says Gareth. With parks’ income drying up overnight, it was clear that specialist insurance companies needed to do whatever we could as quickly as possible to help customers through the lockdown period. Compass were quick out of the blocks, developing a tailored product, Compass Essentials, which was offered to all holiday park businesses from May 2020. The product was designed to ensure all park customers, existing and new, could be offered a discount or refund of some sort. It largely worked on the premise that parks’ insurance needs changed, as a direct result of being closed to the public. For many, this meant liability covers could be reduced without putting the park business at risk. By further eliminating less critical covers such as frozen food cover and accidental damage, many parks were able to secure immediate premium refunds of up to 25%.

HOME OWNERS
Several Compass insured parks have experienced flooding in the past six months, and a few have been very badly affected. Over half of the claims that Compass handles relate to flood and storm. One of the biggest lockdown issues for holiday home owners has been their ability to comply with insurance policy conditions. Holiday caravan owners also need to think about their sums insured as pressures on the supply chain mean that the cost of replacing caravans is likely to increase sharply, if only for the next 12 – 18 months “Coronavirus has had a significant impact on the way in which holiday caravan and lodge manufacturers can operate,” Richard Walker, of Compass points out. “Coupled with supply chain issues, this has resulted in fewer units being produced at a time when staycation bookings and new caravan/ lodge sales have boomed. “The high demand for the units that are available could potentially impact any total losses experienced by parks and their customers in the next year or so. “The fact that the dearth in available units is driving up prices may also be relevant, as will the increased costs of many of the materials used in caravan/ lodge construction,” Paula adds. Once parks re-opened, Leisuredays say they dealt with a record number of insurance enquiries as parks enjoyed healthy sales of new units.

RECORD NUMBERS

“For those suffering temporary financial difficulty as a result of Covid, we were able to defer payments or waive cancellation charges,” says Gareth. “If a customer asked to cancel their policy but was intending to keep their unit uninsured, we would do everything possible to keep them insured because the last thing they needed on top of everything else was an uncovered bill for a caravan repair or replacement. The closing of parks at the end of October also brought difficulties for customers to drain down their units for winter in line with insurance policy terms. “We were able to offer flexibility for customers to arrange for their parks to drain down within an extended timeframe yet maintain full cover until this was completed,” he adds. Leisuredays set about making it even easier for park customers by offering a new online renewal portal so they could renew 24/7. Gareth explains: “To ease any stress, we provided an up to 10% uplift to policy sum insured at no charge. “This was beneficial to customers on a new for old policy who have to insure at the price of a brand-new equivalent unit.” In effect, the Leisuredays approach meant the customer could renew and be sure their caravan would be fully replaced with a new one on the park – it also reassured the parks that the customer would have sufficient funds to replace their unit via them.

SUFFICIENT FUNDS
“If anything, our way of working with parks has worked extremely well during the pandemic,” Gareth emphasises. “Because our parks work with us as Introducer Appointed Representatives they effectively introduce the customer to us for us to quote, then setup and administrate policies. “When parks re-opened in July 2020, many parks were keen to maximise sales so they bundled our free insurance offer with new units as a deal sweetener. “This proved extremely popular for new owners who wanted everything to be provided as part of the purchase package.” Gareth believes Covid has made self- administration of customer insurance even less attractive for holiday park operators. “We’re even more confident the route of introducing to a specialist like ourselves delivers better results,” says Gareth. “Letting a specialist such as Leisuredays do the insurance admin lets them concentrate on their core business. Gareth adds: “We firmly believe they’re in for a bumper season of demand for holiday caravan sales and holidays so they need to make hay whilst the sun shines in that regard – why let insurance get in the way?”

COMPANY CONTACTS

Compass Insurance
Tel. 0344 274 0276
enquiries@compass.co.uk
www.compassparks.co.uk

Leisuredays Insurance
Tel. 01422 396 693
parkoperator@leisuredays.co.uk
www.leisuredays.co.uk

PIB Insurance Brokers
Tel. 01422 358 525
david.moffat@pib-insurance.com
www.pib-insurance.com/business/hospitality/caravan-and-holiday-park-insurance

FLUSHED WITH SUCCESS

Posted on May 5, 2021

FLUSHED WITH SUCCESS

IT PAYS TO KEEP UP TO DATE with washrooms trends.

It pays to invest your washroom facilites pennies in wisely, as Emily Martin investigates...

The average person uses the bathroom 2,500 times year and for about 20 minutes every day. Apparently, that works out to a whopping three months of the average lifetime sitting on the proverbial throne. That timing may vary, of course, because the more features your smart phone has, the longer you sit on the toilet! Whether it is holiday parks or restaurants, or both, I always judge a venue by the standard of its toilets and it would seem, I am in good company.

SPOTLESSLY CLEAN
Filtering the all-singing Trip Advisor by toilet blocks, Holiday Park Scene found numerous reports of a ‘spotlessly clean’ facility at one outstanding site, the Macrihanish Holiday Park, near to Argyll in Western Scotland. Offering a variety of accommodation from camping and touring to camping pods and lodges, Macrihanish boasts a block of eight brand new individual toilet and shower rooms similar to the standard you would expect in an ensuite hotel bedroom. “I think the fact that we have private rooms is the unique point,” says Macrihanish’s Ewen MacDonald. “Parents with younger children love the facilities for getting the whole family sorted in the morning and ready for bed at night,” Ewan continues. “When we installed the block, we knew that it would be several years to realise the investment but it has been worth every penny. “It’s without a doubt the most important thing customers are looking for when visiting holiday parks,” Ewan emphasises and adds: “You can have the best pitches, the best views and the best staff in the world but if your toilets aren’t clean or appear scruffy then none of your other hard work is worth anything, you’ll just be remembered for your grubby loos!” Macrihanish Holiday Park is also cracking COVID considerations on health and safety measures implemented since the pandemic. ‘With Covid, last year, it meant we could operate very safely as individual blocks are perfect for social distancing. They are normally cleaned up to five times a day, with hourly buff ups,” says Ewen.

HEALTH AND SAFETY
‘We can also easily isolate each room to fumigate or fog which is something else that we have been doing periodically each day throughout the pandemic.’ Clearly a lot of effort goes into keeping these loos sparkling clean. Does Ewen think it has been worth the investment? “Without a doubt,” Ewan responds enthusiastically. “We have guests rebooking several times a season and now returning as a result of our facilities.” Browsing the internet for getaways, potential customers might prioritise fabulous views, comfortable accommodation, attractions nearby, children’s entertainment, catering… the list goes on. But forget those wash facilities at your peril.

ECO-FRIENDLY
James Feltham from Aaztec.com, a leading installer of holiday park wash- blocks, and asked how much holiday parks tend to budget for the toilet block or washroom and, how important is being eco-friendly to his typical holiday park client?
‘We have completed wash-block projects ranging from a few thousand to over a hundred thousand pounds,” says James. “Caring about the environment is at the forefront of our design. A recent installation at the Lake District National Park included environmentally friendly options such as recycled-plastic vanity units. Other outstanding examples include Flamingo Land in Malton that was designed geared up for a mechanical feel with chequered race-car style cubicles and real tyres for the hand basins. Other Aaztec projects that amplify luxury finishes include the Vale of Pickering in Pickering and Don Amott in Derby James believes customer expectations are constantly changing with guests expecting more, more and more. “Gone are the days when going camping in the UK was about getting stuck in the mud,” he says. Clientele of holiday parks now desire the glamping experience when it comes to facilities.Whether it is a long hike in the forest or a day chilling on the beach, holiday makers want to come back to the park for a hot shower in privacy with all the home comforts.

FAMILIES FIRST
James continues: “Many holiday parks are now opting for unisex and family orientated wash-blocks, where full height cubicles and space efficiency create the feeling of separation from the guest in the cubicle next to you. “It is important to make the most of the space available and depending on capacity requirements, some wash- blocks can feel small because too many cubicles or basins are placed close together. “It is key to remember guests will spend a lot of their holiday using the facilities provided and it’s not just a quick stop like at a service station, thinking about choices of colours and theme are also fundamental when making a washroom feel cosy.” So with cleanliness at the top of the washroom pops, what other tips can James share? “Holiday park washrooms can be subject to intensely high footfalls at peak times of year so you need durable decor and technology that will ensure your wash-block lasts a lifetime,” James emphases, advising strength and sturdiness when it comes to washroom design.

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