Holiday Pools Shortlisted For Awards

Posted on November 3, 2017

Holiday Pools Shortlisted For Awards

Entrepreneur, television celebrity and former winner of The Apprentice, Michelle Dewberry, will be the VIP guest at the UK Pool & Spa Awards at the NEC, Birmingham on December 4th.

With record-breaking entries, the Holiday Park Pool category is shaping into one of the most hotly-contested groups with ten shortlisted entrants vying for success. Last year’s category winners, Tydd Giles Golf & Country Club, return to defend their title. They are joined by 2016’s gold standard winners; Lady’s Mile Holiday Park, Brean Leisure and Holiday Park Unity, and Plas Coch Holiday Homes.

New entrants this year include Bourne Leisure, Ladram Bay Holiday Park, Ribby Hall Village Holiday Park, Seashore Holiday Park, Calypso Cove Waterpark, and Kelling Heath Holiday Park make up the ten parks battling it out to be crowned ‘Holiday Park Pool of the Year 2017’.

With entries for the hotly-anticipated UK Pool and Spa Awards closed, and votes pouring in across over 30 categories, the tenth anniversary of the awards are shaping up to be most tightly contested yet.

Log on to www. ukpoolandspaawards.com to see this year’s entrants, cast your vote and book your place at the awards show.

Fun For The Family

Posted on November 3, 2017

Fun For The Family

When Bert House, a Somerset dairy farmer, opened his farm to a group of scouts in the summer of 1948, it started a trend which continues to grow to this day. From its humble beginnings, the family-led team of Holiday Resort Unity have been aiming to get people smiling for over 65 years.

Grandson, Alan House, says: “Guests still enjoy many of the same things which that troop of scouts loved about their pioneering visit here fresh air, fantastic views and the sandy beach of Brean”. Today the four-star resort incorporates Brean Leisure Park and Golden Sands Holiday Park under the name of Holiday Resort Unity. “We have continued to develop the facilities of the resort with Brean Play Indoor Softplay centre, Brean Splash Waterpark and Brean Golf Club; and did we mention that we’re just 200m from the beach,” adds Alan.

CATERING QUALITY

As well as scooping numerous awards, including five in 2016 alone, Holiday Resort Unity boasts a vast array of on-site facilities and catering options which includes ten restaurants and a supermarket for guests. With such a large footprint on the Somerset countryside Holiday Resort Unity spreads its 76 static caravans and 445 touring pitches across three sites. The original Holiday Resort Unity is perfect for families with easy access to entertainment and facilities; Brean Leisure Park is closer to the action and onsite fun; and Golden Sands, the quietest site, with five miles of golden beaches. “As one of Somerset’s top camping and caravan parks, we have a great choice of accommodation to suit your needs and budget. Whether you’re a seasoned camper, wannabe glamper or looking for high-end luxury,” comments Alan.

HUGE ATTRACTIONS

With on-site facilities such as the state-of-the-art gym and indoor and outdoor splash zones with views overlooking the Mendips, there is plenty for the whole family. The indoor and outdoor splash zones feature slides, interactive water features, tipping buckets, mini-slides, and a 25m six-lane swimming pool with male and female gym exclusive changing and sauna and steam room. Kids are also encouraged to enjoy the soft play centre, and big kids have the options of Brean’s Golf Course – open to beginners and pros – or Brean Theme Park with over 40 rides and attractions including rollercoasters and dodgems.

Brean Golf Club’s 18-hole course is set in 120 acres of lush green meadowland, the course is interspersed by several water ways and ponds that make formidable hazards around the flat landscape. “With the course being so close to the sea, you’ll find the fresh winds and breezes can change a hole dramatically from one day to the next. We also offer a range of services including coaching, club repairs and a selection of golf equipment to buy and rent,” adds Alan.

“If great fishing and beautiful surroundings are what you’re looking for, Holiday Resort Unity is the place for you. On the edge of yellow field nestled beneath the willow trees you will find our fishing lake.” Adding to the extensive list of attractions in 2017 was Sunshine Farm, a delightful experience for kids to meet and learn about some of the resident farmyard favourites with lots of animals to hold and pet.

Holiday Resort Unity
Tel. 01278 751235
www.hru.co.uk

Luring Activity Lovers

Posted on November 3, 2017

Luring Activity Lovers

An all-action holiday park near York, Thornton Lodge Country Retreats says its planned 20 bespoke lodges, to own and rent, are designed to satisfy the growing appetite for outdoor challenges among guests.

The park, based on a 220-acre farm owned by the same family for over 70 years, is winning a national reputation for the excellence of its country sport activities. Its extensive fishing lakes and clay pigeon shooting facilities provide the opportunity for all ages to learn traditional sporting skills under expert tuition.

There are equestrian facilities on offer including stabling, cross country, show jumps and regular events, plus instant access to some of North Yorkshire’s finest cycling and walking routes. The new lodges will sport luxury features such as hot-tubs, high-end furnishings, glass-fronted decking, and spectacular views across the park’s lakes and the surrounding Howardian Hills.

Surfing At Arnside

Posted on November 3, 2017

Surfing At Arnside

Hundreds of households across south Cumbria have received a broadband boost thanks to a local holiday park group. Silverdale Park near Arnside were switched on to ultra-fast fibre broadband in October, with the community-led broadband provider B4RN installing junction chambers along the five-mile route.

This meant that instead of struggling with poor speeds, sometimes less than 1MB, local homes can now surf the web one thousand times quicker. The speeds they are getting are much higher than what the most efficient BT line can provide, at a fraction of the cost too.

Parks owner Michael Holgate said the much greater speed will make a vast improvement to the efficiency of his business - and will be welcomed by holiday guests: “Like many rural businesses in Cumbria, we rely on the internet to generate sales, communicate with customers, and keep our website up to date,” he said.

Quick Service For UK Parks

Posted on September 8, 2017

Quick Service For UK Parks

Quick Move Properties has teamed up with some of the biggest leisure home manufacturers to offer a turn-key solution for independent leisure park operators. Their Stock Support service is designed to shorten the timescales usually associated with lodge purchases, speeding up the process to bring forward completion dates and aid cash flow.

The service is available for no charge to any UK leisure park operator when their customer uses Quick Move Properties’ house buying services to help fund their holiday property purchase. The units on offer are ordered from manufacturers such as Prestige, Homeseeker and Pathfinder.

Return On Searles Leisure Investment

Posted on September 1, 2017

Return On Searles Leisure Investment

Norfolk’s Searles Leisure Resort says investments of over £1 million have helped put the park on course for the busiest ever summer in its 60-plus year history. The multi-award winning Hunstanton venue met its deadline of adding the extra facilities by the start of the school holidays with the investments in a raft of new activities, including an innovative new indoor splash zone.

Managing Director, Paul Searle, Chairman of the BHPHA says providing first-class facilities and experiences for touring guests is still the park’s core aim. He commented: “I think that many people now realise that, compared with going abroad, British park holidays offer great value and a far more relaxing time for the whole family.”

The site is also celebrating receiving AA’s Gold Pennant after meeting the stringent conditions of a five-pennant rating – and then going on to achieve a quality score of over 90 per cent in that band. “The AA’s awards put a strong emphasis on the hospitality which qualifying parks provide, and here we are indebted to our hard-working staff team at Searles,” said Paul adding: “Our thanks go to them, and to our many loyal touring customers.”

Leisure Investment

Posted on July 4, 2017

Leisure Investment

Park Holidays UK has just completed a £2million investment into new leisure facilities at Vale Holiday Park in Kent.

The 100-acre park now has at its heart a brand new complex, which includes a 150m2 swimming pool, shop, cafe-restaurant, and arcade area. Outside, a newly built patio area provides barbecues, super-size TV screens, seating and tables.

Elsewhere on the park an additional 97 leisure homes will be developed, adding to the current 280 holiday caravans and luxury lodges which are available to buy and to let.

Tony Clish, director of Park Holidays UK, said he was confident that his company’s investment in Birchington Vale would pay dividends for the whole region: “The Margate area has long been a holiday favourite for many families, and a top quality holiday park such as this will do much to further bolster its popularity.”

Keeping Up Appearances

Posted on July 4, 2017

Keeping Up Appearances

From weather-proofing picnic areas, to investing in new playground equipment and waste recycling systems, holiday park owners that take pride in their park’s exterior appearance and make the most of their outdoor appeal will ultimately reap the rewards.

If you’re considering transforming your outdoor areas it needn’t be a daunting task. In fact, investing in a few simple and cost effective measures can go a long way in improving aesthetics, comfort and facilities for your guests. “It’s important to keep outdoor spaces well-maintained as this is one of the first impressions visitors will experience at your park,” says Stephen Toone, Managing Director of Fordingbridge Plc – a leading manufacturer of canopies, walkways and sustainable buildings.

“Your clientele are more likely to return to your site and recommend to their friends and family if the external appearance is tidy.”

Maximising the use of outdoor spaces all year round by weather-proofing your facilities can not only improve your customers’ experience, but also set your park apart from the competition.

“We are seeing an increase in demand for weather protected activity areas and dining spaces. Popular designs include the soft aesthetics of timber, which blend nicely into forest parks. Alternatively, tensile structures which can be applied to all types of parks in any setting,” says Stephen.

Fordingbridge work in partnership with parks to maximise customer experience and increase revenue potential. The experienced in-house design team assists by designing a canopy, walkway or queuing area pertinent to a park’s individual requirements or brand consistency at different sites. “Canopies can be used for increasing dining and picnic areas, which improve dwell time and all year round usage. Further uses include aesthetically pleasing storage facilities, such as secure bike shelters or outdoor activity equipment,” says Stephen.

ENGAGING IDEAS

“With more competition than ever before within the holiday park and leisure sector, attracting customers with new and engaging ideas are vital to achieve this. One of the many innovative ideas is the inspiring and engaging butterfly exhibit, which provides an attraction to suit all ages in all weather conditions.” A comprehensive outdoor play area is a winning formula for hospitality venues looking to appeal to young families.

Camber Sands Holiday Park in Sussex required a large new play area as part of a refurbishment project earlier this year. The park owners wanted separate areas for toddlers and juniors and a wide range of equipment. They enlisted the help of HAGS-SMP to design and install the scheme, which included themed multi-play units, dynamic equipment, a zip line, sunken trampolines and a trail with an 8m traverse wall.

The play area has proven to be a huge hit with customers, and according to HAGS, the only complaint from site has been to ask how to keep the adults off the equipment! “Theming seems to be a constant favourite with our clients. From pirate ships to fairy-tale castles you can add real play value to your areas by engaging a child’s imagination,” comments Simon Wright, Head of Sales at HAGS.

BETTER VALUE

“With something to suit all budgets, our products are built to last, providing better value over a longer period of time. A small play area suitable for approximate six to ten children might start from £10k and increase from there.” Simon add: “Remember though, if your budget is tight you might consider planning your scheme in phases, this way you can add to the playground over a period of time that suits.”

To find out more about maximising your outdoor space, subscribe to Holiday Park Scene

Company Contacts

Fordingbridge Tel. 01243 554 455 www.fordingbridge.co.uk

HAGS-SMP Tel. 01784 489109 www.hags-smp.co.uk

IvyLiving Tel. 08448 002215 www.ivyliving.co

Rolec Services Tel. 01205 724754 www.rolecserv.com

Trimax Tel. 01933 652 235 www.trimaxmowers.co.uk

Coastal Breaks Top Holiday Wish List

Posted on July 4, 2017

Coastal Breaks Top Holiday Wish List

‘Seasiding’ is the most popular way to spend your holidays in 2017 according to holiday park operator Parkdean Resorts.

The new term has been coined by the company to describe a trend in holidaymakers booking up to take a trip to the seaside, either for their children to share in the same experiences they have enjoyed years ago or simply to appreciate the wonders of a holiday by the sea. The UK staycation market has grown steadily over recent years, with many people opting for domestic holidays over going abroad.

As a result, Parkdean Resorts welcomed over 500,000 holidaymakers in 2016, a figure which is set to increase this year - with real demand for coastal breaks in particular emerging. John Waterworth, chief executive of Parkdean Resorts, said: “This year will see more and more people reliving memories of childhood holidays at the sea, reflected by an uplift in our booking figures for 2017 breaks across our coastal parks.

“While nostalgia and tradition play an important part in the trend, ‘seasiding’ is all about holidaying at the coast in new ways. The seaside offering has evolved considerably over the decades since my parents visited as children, not least on our parks which now provide caravans with central heating and double glazing, and often with indoor pools and adventure play areas, making it comfortable to holiday both sides of the peak summer months.” John added: “We have made a significant investment of £50m across our parks on accommodation, retail and leisure facilities this year, where families can create memories that will last a lifetime.”

The UK’s Finest Holiday Park Pools

Posted on June 30, 2017

The UK's Finest Holiday Park Pools

Entries are now open for the hotly-contested Holiday Park Pool of the Year Award, part of the 2017 UK Pool & Spa Awards.

The Holiday Park Pool of the Year category is open to all parks in the UK and Eire with water leisure facilities, regardless of trade affiliation or association. Past winners of the award have said how much they value the competition as an opportunity to raise the profile of their park, both within the industry and most importantly to their target customers.

Returning for the ninth consecutive competition, the UK Pool & Spa Awards showcase the very best of the companies involved in the provision of water leisure in Great Britain. Parks wishing to take part can now enter via the UK Pool & Spa Awards website www.ukpoolandspaawards.co.uk. All entries must be submitted online by Monday September 4th, and an entry fee of £30 plus VAT (£36 total) for each entry is payable via PayPal at time of entry submission.

All entries need to be accompanied by at least one, but ideally three, digital images at 300 dpi or more. This year’s awards presentation evening will once again return to The Vox Conference Centre within Resorts World on the Birmingham NEC site.

The networking event will take place on Monday December 4th, and will begin with a business networking style drinks reception, followed by dinner and the presentation of the awards. Tickets for the business networking style prize-giving event are now available to book online.

Tickets are priced at £50 +VAT, which includes drinks on arrival, dinner and entertainment. With limited seats available, early booking is advised. An informal event and opportunity to celebrate its many successes; the dress code for the evening is smart casual

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Holiday Pools Shortlisted For Awards