TV Drama Draws A Crowd

Posted on June 30, 2017

TV Drama Draws A Crowd

Fans of TV drama series Broadchurch have helped set a record year for visitors to West Dorset, according to a major holiday parks group in the region.

West Dorset Leisure Holidays says bookings are currently up 25 per cent on last year’s figures as families go in search of the picturesque vistas and seascapes seen on screen.

The final series of the award-winning drama finished in April, and the parks’ General Manager, James Cox, said that enquiries began to swell from the first episode: “We experienced similar uplifts during the first two series of Broadchurch, and many of those guests became repeat visitors – so obviously the county lives up to expectations!

“Now with this latest wave of demand, we are expecting to see the busiest year yet for our business, and will be helping to point families to some of the locations seen on television.

“So overall, Broadchurch has proved a massive boom for Dorset’s visitor economy,” added James.

Family-owned West Dorset Leisure Holidays owns five holiday parks in the region, including its flagship Highlands End Holiday Park in Bridport. All parts of the business have seen booking figures rise, says James, and there has also been an uplift in sales of new and pre-owned caravan holiday homes.

Thrills And Spills

Posted on June 30, 2017

Thrills And Spills

Water play is sure to keep guests returning year after year…

There’s no better time for enjoying the thrills and spills of water play than on a family holiday.

A holiday park that can offer a unique and exhilarating swimming experience is sure to score over it’s nearest rivals. Through smart design and a clever selection of features, any holiday park can transform their swimming pool into an exciting aquatic play space that guests will enjoy and want to return to on repeat visits. “Water play installations offer a range of benefits when compared to standard swimming or paddling pools,” explains Ernie Hemming of Ustigate Waterplay.

“Firstly, a water play installation uses water on demand, which is a more economical and cheaper solution as water will be consumed only when someone touches one of our activation bollards using considerably less water. Moreover, a water play installation provides countless hours of fun for all the family.”

Ustigate installed a bespoke splash zone at Dinosaur Adventure Park in Norfolk last year.

The allocated splash area had previously been home to long-standing old wooden outdoor play equipment which had become outdated so the park owners took the decision to reinvest in the area and give it a new lease of life. The new splash zone takes inspiration from the famous Dippy the Dinosaur, the mascot and one of the Dinosaur Adventure Park’s most popular attractions in order to attract and retain more customers on site.

The splash zone was divided into three bays which have range of play items designed for each age group - toddler, teen and family. The focal point is the huge ‘supersplash’ elevation consisting of a bucket that tilts over crashing onto a platform creating a mini-tidal wave soaking everyone in its spray zone. The fully PWTAG compliant filtration and recirculated water system ensures highest quality of water for children to play in.

EXPLORE OPTIONS

Ustigate’s Vortex sourced products offer the latest designs and features which are premium quality and competitively priced. The price of a typical splash pad depends mainly on three factors; size of the scheme, the type of water system that will be used - one use or re-circulating - and finally the selected water features. According to Ustigate, a typical once use system would usually cost between £50,000- £100,000 and a recirculating system costing £300,000- £500,000.

“Ensure you have explored all possible options as water installations can be expensive and time consuming,” comments Ernie. “Remember that the cheapest option may not always be the right decision in the long term as a significant drop in quality may lead to additional repair or alteration costs in the future or even worse closing of the water play installation. “Even though initial setup costs for a high quality and robust water system may be excessive this will be cost effective in the long run as the water system will be able to stand the test of time and demands of excited children.”

Leyland-based World Leisure recently completed a £1.5m overhaul of the swimming pool facilities at Ribby Hall Village Holiday Park in Lancashire, in just 12 weeks.

MAIN ATTRACTION

The holiday park’s pool is well-known for its water slides and is used by members and visitors alike. It was given a refurbishment eight years ago but bosses at the attraction decided the time was right for a complete revamp, with added facilities to maintain interest for visitors. The new pool features new slides including a 48m interactive play slide. Members and guests are able to climb a tower to the top of the slide, which then takes them out of the building and back inside again. As they come down the slide, they can play an interactive touchpad game on the inside of the slide, with scores recorded once the ride is complete.

To find out more about water play facilities please subscribe at Holiday Park Scene

Company Contacts

Certikin Tel. 01993 778855 www.certikin.co.uk

Hippo Leisure Tel. 01752 771740 www.hippoleisure.com

Ustigate Waterplay Tel. 01322 424445 www.ustigatewaterplay.co.uk

World Leisure UK Tel. 01777 284883 www.worldleisureuk.co.uk

Centre Stage

Posted on February 9, 2017

Mill Rythe Holiday Village in Hampshire places huge emphasis on premium entertainment and family fun.

Centre Stage

With an emphasis on first class entertainment and good old fashioned family fun, Mill Rythe Holiday Village on Hayling Island in Hampshire is a traditional UK holiday park. Millions of pounds worth of investment has been made into improving the park’s accommodation, facilities and entertainment offering in the last few years.

In fact, the park’s entertainment team boasts West End credentials. The investment has certainly paid off, with more than 50,000 guests visiting the park each year. “We aim to help everyone have a brilliant and memorable holiday by crafting holiday experiences for our guests,” comments Cathy Murphy, Head of Sales at Mill Rythe. “We have an internal mission to help every one of our guests experience ‘The Away Resorts Effect’ and all of our activities, entertainment, facilities, accommodation and restaurants are designed to deliver this.” Mill Rythe has a packed programme of daytime and evening entertainment ABOVE: Mill Rythe Holiday Village in Hampshire places huge emphasis on premium entertainment and family fun. ABOVE: Cathy Murphy is the Head of Sales at Mill Rythe. provided by the in-house entertainment team.

In the evening, there’s bingo and musical shows including Electric Dreams, Champions of Rock and the Christmas Spectacular. Cabaret stars regularly visit the park too, with the likes of Martin Kemp, Steve Harley and the Cockney Rebel Band and Des O’Connor taking to the stage. There is also a resident band and DJ that play on into the early hours and next year the cast of the UK tour of the West End musical Priscilla Queen of the Desert will be at Mill Rythe. “We have a hugely loyal base of customers who keep coming back to Mill Rythe,” says Cathy. “Because of our entertainment-focused, themed mid-week and weekend breaks - many of which are adults-only - the majority of the clientele is over 50s.

For more on this story subscribe to Holiday Park Scene at www.holidayparkscene,com

Poston Mill Takes Top Spot

Posted on July 4, 2015

Poston Mill Takes Top Spot

Poston Mill received the top gold honour in the parks category at May’s VisitEngland awards ceremony.

Herefordshire is now home to England’s highest rated holiday park after Poston Mill emerged as the overall victor in the 2015 VisitEngland awards for Excellence.

Poston Mill received the top gold honour in the parks category at May’s VisitEngland awards ceremony, beating nearly 2000 other eligible parks in England to the title.

Stepping up to receive the accolade from VisitEngland chief James Beresford at The Sage in Gateshead were the family business’s co-owners Wayne and Sarah Jones.

Sarah commented: “From the outset we wanted to make this a park where guests would feel genuinely welcome.

“That’s why the VisitEngland award for excellence means so much to us, because it is based not just on the quality of the park, but also the standards of service we provide."

Beautifully landscaped, Poston Mill has come a long way since first being taken over as a basic farm-based park just over 20 years ago. Since then, Wayne and Sarah have invested much time and energy into creating a high quality destination for discerning guests.

“I hope that one effect of our award will be to help other tourism businesses in the area by highlighting what a beautiful region this is to enjoy a truly memorable holiday,” added Sarah.

Family Values

Posted on August 29, 2014

Family Values

Park directors Phillip and Becki Osborne collected Polmanter’s Campsite of the Year for 2014 award at the recent AA awards.

With views of the Cornish coastline from St Ives Bay to Trevose Head, Polmanter Touring Park has been a popular destination for families and couples looking for a base from which to explore the West Cornwall peninsula for more than four decades.

“We are fortunate to have an enviable location within walking distance of the stunning seaside town of St Ives, with sea views from many pitches,” says Phillip Osborne, director at Polmanter. “This, coupled with the high standards of the park ensures that a significant proportion of our visitors return year after year.”

Park owners, John and Sheena Osborne, have always been supported in running and developing the site by their four sons, of which Phillip and his wife Becki now run the site, living there with their two young children Kerenza and William.

Phillip provides day-to-day site management and continues to develop the park, with the aim of maintaining the high standards set by his parents. He comments: “We have a great team of permanent and seasonal staff who enjoy their work and provide a great level of service to our customers.”

Polmanter boasts 295 camping and toring pitches, accommodating 11,000 guests each year.

With almost 300 spacious pitches on site, all with individual hedges and many with a sea view, Polmanter pride themselves on providing a quality camping and touring experience for their guests.

Philip adds: “We offer the opportunity for returning guests to book a specific pitch, and the online ‘pick a pitch’ facility on our website allows less familiar visitors to select their preferred pitch before arrival – which has proven to be an effective marketing tool for us.”

The Osborne family first moved to Polmanter in 1968, when the site was predominantly a dairy farm, which had offered basic camping facilities for the previous six summers. In the early days the family ran the farm and campsite simultaneously, selling milk produced by the dairy herd to campers in the on-site shop.

In 1982 the family decided to sell the dairy herd and focus solely on the touring business. Improvements were made to the amenity blocks, two tennis courts were added, and shortly afterwards a swimming pool with changing facilities and a sun terrace were constructed in the old farmyard.

Pop Star Boosts Charity Coffee Morning

Posted on July 3, 2014

Abby Garner (far right) and members of the Bunn Leisure fundraising team with Billy Ocean.

Pop Star Boosts Charity Coffee Morning

Fundraisers who decided to hold a coffee morning to support a cancer charity, ended up raising £10,000 after it got Billy Ocean’s backing.

The group were surprised when the recording artist turned up at the event at Bunn Leisure Holiday Park in West Sussex. The friends had hoped to raise a few hundred pounds at most when they agreed to host a small event in aid of Macmillan Cancer Care.

But the fundraiser took on a life of its own after the group asked Bunn Leisure Holiday Park, where they all own caravans, whether they could use a few tables at one its entertainment venues to host the event. Staff at the park offered their support and helped spread the word among owners and holidaymakers. Then pop star Billy Ocean, who was performing at the park, lent his support by posing for photos and offering a signed shirt for auction.

Fundraiser Abby Garner, said: “I had a vision that we’d get maybe 30 or 40 people and raise a couple of hundred pounds. I thought if a few of us got together we could do our little bit.

“We had raised about £5,000 before the doors even opened thanks to the raffle tickets and sponsorship. And on the day we raised that much again. We were stunned that from such a small beginning we raised so much.”

John Bunn, managing director of Bunn Leisure Holiday Park, said: “Abby owns a caravan here on the park and is a regular visitor – and when she asked for help, we were all too pleased to do everything we could to help her raise money for this worthy cause.” He added: “I’m delighted the team have raised so much and pleased that we were able to support those who put so much energy and effort into this extraordinary fundraiser.”

Vauxhall Half Century

Posted on July 3, 2014

The indoor water world and outdoor splash zones are the most popular leisure facilities at the family friendly Vauxhall Holiday Park.

Vauxhall Half Century

Celebrating its 50th birthday this year, Vauxhall Holiday Park remains one of Norfolk’s most popular holiday resorts.

Offering family holidays and short breaks to suit all budgets, the five star park is a firm favorite among holidaymakers looking to visit Great Yarmouth and the Norfolk Broads.

The family owned park was founded by the late Stanley Biss in 1964, and his sons Wayne and James Biss now deal with the day-to-day running of the park. Both are supported by general manager Roger Finney and a 50-strong team of on-site staff.

Amy Woodyatt, marketing manager at Vauxhall says: “We are very proud to have recently achieved the number one spot on Tripadvisor in our category, and a certificate of excellence award.

“Our loyal customers are great ambassadors for the park, often returning a few times a year. We actively encourage feedback from guests, as we find that word of mouth and customer reviews often attract new holidaymakers.”

As one of the first parks in the country to offer caravans with running water and electric in the 1960s, Vauxhall’s accommodation options have come a long way in the last 50 years. The park now accommodates approximately 430 bespoke holiday homes, including 48 chalets, plus 200 standard camping pitches and 13 super pitches.

There is also an ongoing investment strategy to replace older holiday homes to keep at the forefront of comfort and design. This year the Vauxhall team have introduced a new and exclusive owners site, following requests from returning customers, as well as investing in a new range of holiday homes and glamping mega pods.

To read more on Vauxhall Holiday Park, please subscribe online.

First Guests Arrive At Woburn Center Parcs

Posted on July 3, 2014

Center Parcs Woburn Forest Village is predicted to inject £20 million into the local economy.

First Guests Arrive At Woburn Center Parcs

The doors were officially opened at the fifth Center Parcs village at the beginning of June, with an estimated 350,000 guests expected to visit each year. It is hoped that the village will inject over £20 million into the regional economy annually.

Martin Dalby, CEO of Center Parcs, said: “After years of hard work, dedication and passion, we’re thrilled to be welcoming our first guests to Woburn Forest and strongly believe the new village has all the ingredients for a very special family break”.

The new village boasts Center Parcs’ largest subtropical swimming paradise, along with an Aqua Sana spa, 625 lodges, a 75 bedroom hotel, six spa suites and a host of restaurants, shops and leisure activities.

Woburn Forest is one of the largest development projects of its kind in Britain for many years and represents a £250 million investment. Center Parcs owners Blackstone invested £100 million in the project whilst the remaining £150 million was financed from four UK lending banks.

“Center Parcs Woburn Forest will provide a massive boost to the area,” says Martin. “In addition to the 1,200 people employed in the construction of Woburn Forest, we have recruited and trained 1,500 employees, most of which live within a 15 mile radius. These are local jobs for young local people.”

Last year Center Parcs welcomed 1.7 million guests to its four existing Villages, the opening of Woburn Forest will increase that figure to over 2 million.

Park Focus: Hendra Holiday Park

Posted on May 2, 2014

Hendra Holiday Park in Newquay is one of Cornwall’s largest parks, welcoming 380,000 visitors per year.

Park Focus: Hendra Holiday Park

For over 42 years, Hendra Holiday Park in Newquay has been a popular tourist destination for families and couples looking to explore the Cornwall coastline from the comfort of a 5-star caravan and camping site.

The family-run park has been owned and operated by three generations of the May and Hyatt families since it opened as a touring and camping park in 1972. Static holiday homes were added to the site in the mid 80’s and the park now boasts over 300 holiday homes and 500 touring, camping and motorhome pitches. Both May and Hyatt families still live on the site and are actively involved in the day to day running of the park.

Jon Hyatt, director at Hendra Holiday Park comments: “Our philosophy is to offer great family holidays for all budgets at the highest, 5 star quality standard. We invest heavily on an annual basis to improve, upgrade, build and install new facilities for our guests, to not only fulfil, but surpass their expectations.”

The park has a high profile among holidaymakers and is one of the largest in the county. The 80 acre site provides guests with various catering options, a supermarket, indoor and outdoor children’s play facilities as well as sports and entertainment activities. But as Jon explains, the park must constantly evolve to keep up with customer demand: “I would say the biggest challenge we face is continuing to meet the needs of an increasingly sophisticated market with higher and higher expectations from a holiday.” He adds: “Whilst Cornwall remains the UK’s favourite holiday destination, household spending on holidays has been reduced and competition from cheap overseas destinations with guaranteed weather is very strong.”

Continuous development and investment into the facilities and services has won Hendra numerous awards and accreditations including a National Quality Assured Scheme 5 star grading, an AA 5 Pennant award, and a Cornwall Tourism Award for Holiday Park of the Year and Sustainable Tourism. Most recently Hendra’s Fish & Chip Takeaway won Seasonal Fish & Chip Operator of the Year at the Seafish National Fish & Chip Awards.

To read more on this story, please subscribe online.

Hendra Holiday Park
Tel. 01637 875778
www.hendra-holidays.com

Make ‘Em Smile!

Posted on April 16, 2014

Butlins holiday resorts have always been known for their entertainment including seasonal pantomime performances.

Make ‘Em Smile!

Television is largely responsible for the public view today of holiday parks with some thinking the image of Hi-De-Hi and “Hello Campers” is still the style.
But today’s holiday parks are far more sophisticated, while still aiming to provide ‘fun for everybody’ – including the thousands of staff and entertainers across the UK who make holidays unforgettable for families.
We are probably all familiar with the colour codes of those in charge of entertaining at the biggest venues in Britain.
Redcoats for Butlins, Bluecoats for Pontins and Greencoats for Warners.
And then there’s the Yellowcoats of Haven Holidays staff – 300 FunStar entertainers .
Haven Holidays entertain over three million guests and owners during a 34 week season across their 35 family holiday parks.
Daytime children’s clubs and nightly entertainment are all included in the price of a Haven holiday and each year they introduce new elements to keep it fresh and exciting and for this they need bright new talent.
Steve Donnelly, head of entertainment, says: “My vision has been to embrace entertainment concepts that are current and in tune, such as The X Factor, Strictly Come Dancing, and Britain’s Got Talent.

SPARKLY FROCKS

“In particular it has been really important to identify current and future trends that will engage and delight the whole family. The days of jazz hands and sparkly frocks are gone for Haven.
“We want dynamic young cast members who can, aside from performing, interact meaningfully with the guests and take an interest in how they are enjoying their holiday.
“By developing and improving what’s on offer to them in terms of entertainment and events, we can enhance their time at Haven and they’ll want to come back again and again.”
Butlins holiday resorts have always been known for their entertainment.
Many big names in the world of showbiz started their careers at the ‘seaside camps’, as they used to be known.
Sir Cliff Richard started his career playing with The Drifters at the Clacton-On-Sea camp.
In 1962 the Skegness camp played its part in the formation of The Beatles, when Paul McCartney and John Lennon visited to meet Ringo Starr who was playing drums with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes at the time.
They offered Ringo the drummer’s position with The Beatles, because they had just secured a recording contract. The first song McCartney himself ever sang in public was “Long Tall Sally”, at a Butlins talent competition.
As well as the many other famous names to come through the Butlins doors, they’re probably most famous for their Redcoats. Employed originally by Sir Billy Butlin to help guests find their way around the resort and entertain them through their stay, Butlin’s Redcoats are just as big a part of the Butlins experience today as they were back at the start in 1939.
Many famous faces started life as Butlins Redcoats, including Stephen Mulhern (Britain’s Got More Talent, Catchphrase), Shane Ritchie (Eastenders), Johnny Ball (Think of a Number, Playschool), Des O’Connor, Jimmy Tarbuck and Dave Allen to name but a few.
Today Butlins entertainment and entertainers are still at the heart of any visit to the three remaining seaside resorts in West Sussex (Bognor Regis), Somerset (Minehead) and Lincolnshire (Skegness).
With more than 1.5 million guests visiting each year, the Butlins team work endlessly to discover new shows, ideas and talented people to entertain the visitors.

Haven FunStars are chosen for their good work ethic and great
customer focus.

This year Butlins is putting on a wide variety of brand new shows. Starting in February half term guests will be treated to the premiere of Scooby Doo Live, which combines live actors and characters in a musical mystery tour with monsters and ghouls!
Also making their 2014 debut in February are TV presenters and all round cheeky chaps Dick and Dom, who are bringing their unique style of mayhem into a live show for the whole family during all school holidays this year.
There will also be new live shows such as Freddie - a musical tribute to the music of Freddie Mercury and Queen - Cirque Du Hilarious, Titan The Robot and character shows from Angelina Ballerina, Mike The Knight, Thomas and Friends, Bob The Builder and Fireman Sam.
During the summer holidays Butlins will have a purpose built Big Top Circus at each of their resorts playing host to amazing aerial gymnasts, trapeze artists and comedy routines from around the world.
Mister Maker (CBeebies) will be playing all Butlins resorts over the summer with an exclusive live show, featuring music and special guests. Other summer entertainment includes The Wheel Of Death stunt team, live music, Redcoat shows and a spectacular acrobatics show.

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Holiday Park Scene Magazine

Holiday Park Entertainment

TV Drama Draws A Crowd