Bunn Leisure Announces Record Year

Posted on May 27, 2015

Bunn Leisure is celebrating its record-breaking 2014 results, which saw an increase in bookings, sales and turnover.

Bunn Leisure Announces Record Year

South coast holiday park Bunn Leisure has announced a record breaking year in 2014, with holiday bookings, turnover and caravan sales all reaching a new high.

The park in Selsey, West Sussex, benefited from last year’s sweltering summer and extended months of opening to post its best ever set of results. The park sold a record 420 caravans with sales up 12 per cent on the previous year. Turnover from bookings at Bunn Leisure and its sister campsite Warner Farm rose significantly, as did income from retail sales and site fees.

The company was also recognised by its industry peers with an award for 20 years of partnership from Hoseasons, a Hoseasons Diamond Award for customer service and a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence.

John Bunn, managing director of Bunn Leisure said: “Our mission is to provide our owners and guests with a fantastic, fun and safe place to enjoy the traditional British holiday and our aim is to always exceed our customers’ expectations.

“Our success in 2014 shows we are getting the formula right – and we are continuing to invest in Bunn Leisure to grow this successful park where people love to holiday and our staff love to work.”

Carry On Glamping

Posted on May 20, 2015

Bespoke yurts from Hearthworks can be customised to suit specific size and layout requirements and optional extras such as wood burning stoves can be included.

Carry On Glamping

Over the past few years we have seen a huge explosion in the popularity of glamping with all manner of yurts, shepherd huts, safari tents and camping pods popping up in quiet corners of the countryside.

Farmers and landowners have been quick to cash in on the potential for diversification as an additional income stream by investing in units on their land. The obvious appeal for holidaymakers is that they can experience the great outdoors, while enjoying the luxury of a boutique hotel, coupled with rustic country charm. The UK festival scene has been one of the main pioneers in organising luxury temporary accommodation for those who aren’t so keen on the mud and the rise of the staycation has also helped push glamping to the forefront.

Now holidaymakers can stay in a huge range of unusual accommodation and it’s this variety, uniqueness and creativity that has a strong appeal to the discerning traveller who wants to holiday somewhere where that will be a real talking point.

Rivendale in the Peak District is one of the many businesses in the UK that has successfully branched into the camping and glamping market. The owners of Rivendale wanted to offer glamping accommodation to increase occupancy in the winter months. Owner Greg Potter comments: “We are one of the few parks in the Peak District National Park that is able to operate 11 months of the year. We know people want to take short breaks in the winter, just not in a tent, that’s why we became interested in glamping. We knew this was the best way of increasing our winter occupancy and appealing to a wider group of people.”

Camping Cabins supplied a 17m2 cabin for Rivendale in April 2014. Constructed from sustainable redwood pine, the cabin has two side room extensions with two sets of bunk beds and a table and seating area. Since then, Rivendale has taken delivery of a 10m2 cabin that is used as a treatment room for the on-site spa and they have placed a further order for a 14m2 Camping Cabin to replace one of their existing canvas yurts.

Greg adds: “The first Camping Cabin was a direct investment for the business. It is achieving around 50 per cent occupancy and with the costs of the fit out we envisage that the cabin will pay back in 16–18 months."

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Parks Find Winning Ways

Posted on May 19, 2015

All the 2015 AA Caravan and Camping Awards winners were recognised for their achievements at the lunch held at the Aztec Hotel in Bristol.

Parks Find Winning Ways

The 2015 season has got off to a flying start for eleven of the UK’s top campsites after they were recognised at the recent AA Caravan and Camping Awards 2015.

Oakdown Touring and Holiday Park in Sidmouth, Devon was named the winner of the AA Campsite of the Year for England and the overall winner for 2015, while Witches Craig Caravan and Camping Park in Stirling and Bron Derw Touring Caravan Park in Conwy were named Campsite of the Year Scotland and Wales respectively.

Alistair Franks of Oakdown Touring and Holiday Park said: “We are all absolutely delighted with our award. We are continually investing in Oakdown to improve our facilities across the board to make our guests as comfortable as possible and we are thrilled that the commitment shown by us and our staff has been recognised by the judges of this prestigious awards scheme.”

The annual AA Caravan and Camping Awards recognise the best of the best when it comes to the nation’s caravan and camping sites. The winners are selected by the AA’s team of expert inspectors who travel the length and breadth of the country to ensure that campers can be confident of high standards wherever they see the AA Pennants at a campsite.

David Hancock, co-ordinator of the AA Caravan and Camping Scheme commented: “Today’s campers expect so much more than previous generations. Just because we’re away from home doesn’t mean we don’t want home comforts like privacy, clean and warm bathrooms and good access to the internet.”

David added: “Customer care is one thing that all our award winners have paid attention to. How well guests are looked after from the moment they arrive can make or break any holiday.

“Location also plays a significant part – the park must be in a place people want to visit and improvements to facilities can also score highly, especially if they have enhanced that all-important customer experience.”

All the 2015 award winners were recognised for their achievements at the lunch held at the Aztec Hotel in Bristol. The awards lunch also marked the official launch of the 47th AA Caravan and Camping Guide, which has details of over 900 fully inspected and independently graded camping parks across the UK.

Urban Cedar Launches First Lodge

Posted on May 19, 2015

The new Urban Cedar home adds a new dimension to Urban
Cedar’s already extensive product range of high quality hot tubs.

Urban Cedar Launches First Lodge

Hot tub specialists Urban Cedar have branched into the holiday lodge market with the launch of their brand new holiday home lodge. The luxury Urban Cedar Home features a contemporary design, cedar galley style kitchen, solid oak flooring and Bosch appliances.

The first lodge is sited at The Retreats, a brand new development of just 25 lodges located at Padstow Holiday Park in Cornwall. The 40 x 12ft lodge is finished with galvanised steel and cedar decking and steel gabions filled with local Cornish stone.

Antony Perry, managing director at Bristol-based Urban Cedar explains: “A key feature we wanted to create within the lodge design was space. When the master bedroom door is open you can see from one end of the lodge to the other.

“We also decided to locate the French doors on the side so to make a clearly defined lounge area.”

The lodge design can be adapted to suit all size requirements and bespoke features can also be added.

Antony adds: “We’re excited to be launching our Urban Cedar Home which will add a new dimension to our already extensive product range of high quality cedar hot tubs. “Looking ahead, we would like to grow this side of the business by buying and redeveloping old caravan sites.”

Urban Cedar
Tel. +44 (0)1934 833 844
www.urbancedarhome.co.uk

Playground Upgrades

Posted on May 19, 2015

RSS Playground Inspection and Maintenance recently
completed a substantial refurbishment of a 7-tower HAGS SMP play unit at Sundown Adventureland.

Playground Upgrades

The outdoor play area at Sundown Adventureland in Nottinghamshire has recently been transformed into a state-of-the- art play zone, with help from RSS Playground Inspection and Maintenance.

An independent inspection of the play unit identified significant timber decay, leaking from roofs and rusting of metal components. The park’s owners faced an estimated replacement cost of £200,000, but RSS stepped to provide a more cost effective solution.

RSS undertook a full site survey identifying all the defective items and proposed a full refurbishment. The fixed price for the complete refurbishment totalled £76,000, a little over a third of the cost of a replacement unit and took around four months to complete.

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Guests Do Donkey Work

Posted on May 13, 2015

Carers at the Donkey Sanctuary adjacent
to Oakdown Holiday Park near Sidmouth are ready to welcome park guests for a VIP donkey experience.

Guests Do Donkey Work

Guests staying at a top East Devon holiday park can this year enjoy a VIP donkey experience to raise much-needed funds for a local sanctuary.

Oakdown Holiday Park in Weston is offering holidaymakers a behind-the-scenes introduction to the world of Britain’s largest equine charity. The Donkey Sanctuary, adjacent to the park, provides care for around 500 donkeys – many of which have been neglected, overworked or abandoned.

In conjunction with the park, small groups will spend a hands-on morning helping the sanctuary team with a variety of tasks including grooming, walking, feeding and petting. The VIP package, priced at £38.00 per person, also includes a slap-up farmhouse cooked breakfast with a special gift for younger donkey devotees.

Park owner Alastair Franks said: “Donkeys and mules are hardworking animals, and can also be very affectionate – but sadly, they are sometimes the victims of neglect and cruelty.

“But these animals, as our visitors will see, are now leading happy and fulfilled lives in the care of dedicated volunteers who provide all the treatment and attention they need. “For children especially, this will prove a real eye-opener of a morning!” added Alastair.

Plans For Irish Center Parcs Village

Posted on May 13, 2015

Center Parcs has announced plans to open a new holiday village in Northern Ireland in 2019.

Plans For Irish Center Parcs Village

Center Parcs has announced plans to develop a holiday village at Newcastle Wood in County Longford, Northern Ireland.

The new development will feature up to 500 lodges, more than 100 indoor and outdoor activities, a spa, a range of restaurants and the iconic subtropical swimming paradise. The 375 acre site is currently owned by Coillte, the state forestry company and Center Parcs has signed an option agreement with the company.

The new Center Parcs, which is expected to open to guests in 2019, will create approximately 750 jobs during construction. Once open, the €200 million development will have capacity for up to 2,500 guests and will employ up to 1,000 people in permanent jobs. Center Parcs estimates that, when operational, the new holiday village will add approximately €32 million to Irish GDP per annum.

Martin Dalby, CEO of Center Parcs, said: “We are thrilled and excited about the prospect of bringing the Center Parcs concept to families in Ireland. “This new Center Parcs will have all of the ingredients that have made us so popular with families in the UK for the last 28 years and I am certain that Center Parcs will be a great success in Longford.

“We look forward to liaising closely with the local community during the next few months to fully share our vision and to explain the huge economic and social benefits that a Center Parcs holiday village will bring to the area.”

Pathfinder Reaches Peak

Posted on May 5, 2015

Pathfinder Homes launched The Summit lodge at the Ideal
Home Show in April.

Pathfinder Reaches Peak

The Ideal Home Show at London’s Olympia proved to be the ideal platform for Pathfinder Homes to launch its new and highly innovative lodge – The Summit.

Visitors to the 18-day show were the first to see the new five star luxury lodge which is inspired by Alpine landscapes and the spirit of Tibet and the Himalayas. Pathfinder Homes attended the Ideal Home Show in partnership with The Dream Lodge Group and welcomed a number of television personalities to the stand to view The Summit, including Channel 4’s George Clarke and BBC’s Melissa Porter.

Oscar Absalom of Pathfinder Homes comments: “The inspiration behind the lodge came from the managing director’s trip to the Alps. Each and every last detail of the interior and exterior of the lodge was considered and scrutinised - there could be no substitute for perfection with the design.

“The response we received at the Ideal Home Show was extremely positive and we look forward to presenting the lodge at other shows during the summer.”

Pathfinder Homes
Tel. 01626 833799
W. www.pathfinderhomes.co.uk

Holiday Scene: Patrick Langmaid

Posted on May 5, 2015

Patrick Langmaid of Mother Ivey's Bay Holiday Park

Holiday Scene: Patrick Langmaid

Patrick Langmaid is director of Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park near Padstow in Cornwall, owned by his family’s business for over 25 years. Patrick trained as a chartered surveyor, and spent three years working for a property agent in Germany. He then returned to the UK to study for an MBA at Cranfield University, going on to complete a post-graduate marketing diploma before joining Mother Ivey’s. Today he manages the park with the help of his wife Margaret.

How do you see the UK holiday industry at the moment?

These are tremendously exciting times and the industry is, I believe, in very good shape. But the best opportunities are reserved for those who enjoy embracing change – and anyone insisting on just ploughing the same furrow is at risk of being left behind. However, I regret that the punitive taxation system in England does fetter this industry’s ability to market itself more aggressively to overseas markets.

How is the 2015 summer season shaping up?

Many holiday parks experienced a downward trajectory post-2008 which finally bottomed out, at least for Mother Ivey’s, in 2013. The curve is now very definitely up, and bookings for 2015 are racing ahead of 2014, itself a very good year.

What are the main challenges facing the industry?

Some parks in popular seaside areas such as ours are having to adjust to the changing dynamics created by the ban on term-time holidays for children. A more positive challenge, though, is taking advantage of the huge marketing opportunities presented by social media. I also think the hospitality industry as a whole needs to engage more closely with schools and universities to give a more accurate picture of the great career opportunities we provide.

How do you see your business beyond its profit objectives?

We have a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility which manifests itself in a number of way. We are a Living Wage employer, provide accredited training and apprenticeship schemes for staff, believe strongly in environmental sustainability, and are active in the local community. We also invest much time and energy in charity fundraising.

What is the best piece of business advice you have been given and by whom?

Many years ago, my father told me to limit my worrying to those things which I could change and not to waste energy worrying about things that cannot be changed. He gave me the advice when I was struggling with O-levels, but it applies equally to business and to life generally.

Where do you go on holiday?

Almost always within the UK. This year we are going to Rye on the Sussex coast, drawn there by the wonderful scenery in the TV drama Mapp and Lucia which we enjoyed over Christmas. Let’s hope Poldark works its similar magic for Cornwall!

Natural World

Posted on April 24, 2015

It is Forest Park’s commitment to its surroundings, the beautiful scenery and natural attraction of North Norfolk that brings families back to the park each year.

Natural World

Situated on the North Norfolk coastline and nestled amongst 100 acres of woodland, it is Forest Park’s unique mix of coastline and forest, along with its commitment to nature that has made the park a firm favourite among holidaymakers for generations.

Since 1967, owners Simon and Deborah Gurney have run holiday park that it is today. Among its accolades, Forest Park has been awarded a David Bellamy gold conservation award each year since 2001 for helping wildlife to flourish and reducing energy consumption.

"Our location is probably what makes us stand out the most,” comments park owner Deborah Gurney. “We are very proud to be able to offer beautiful scenery which includes sea views and sheltered woodland. Having lived in Norfolk for the majority of our lives we appreciate how precious the unique woodland and coastline is too. The scenery is what makes Norfolk so special so we have an unwavering commitment to nature and conservation too.”

Visitors to the park will spot a range of environmentally friendly initiatives that have been employed around the site, including bird and butterfly boxes, as well as the management of dead trees and forest areas to encourage natural habitats to thrive. The park also uses low energy light bulbs, runs electric buggies, monitors water usage and encourages recycling. It also supports the community where possible by buying from local suppliers and backing local events and sporting clubs.

Today, the park accommodates 250 tourers, motorhomes and campers, complemented by two cottages, a wilderness campsite and over 400 wooden lodges and holiday homes. Open for ten months of the year from March to January, Forest Park welcomes over 20,000 guests each year.

“We welcome a whole host of clientele from couples and young families to group bookings, the three generation holiday and the retired. We are also proud to be a dog-friendly resort to ensure that the whole family can enjoy a break together,” says Deborah.

Forest Park
Tel. +44 (0)1263 513290
www.forest-park.co.uk