Heroes Fund Gets A Boost

Posted on May 4, 2016

Heroes Fund Gets A Boost

Over £6,000 was raised for Help for Heroes by the team at Hendra Holiday Park

Guests and staff at Hendra Holiday Park in Cornwall have raised a £6,300 for the charity Help for Heroes throughout a year of fundraising in 2015.

Help for Heroes was named as Hendra’s adopted charity for the year at the start of last season, and donations came via a raft of initiatives by the park and its staff.

Hendra Holiday Park director Janine Hyatt said: “We would like to thank all those who contributed to Hendra’s fundraising effort, especially our holiday guests whose donations make a big difference.

“Even in difficult times, many people are happy to put their hands in their pockets for a good cause, and we’re delighted to be able to provide these much-needed funds for Help for Heroes,” said Janine.

Wish You Were Here… Woodhill Park

Posted on May 4, 2016

Wish You Were Here... Woodhill Park

Woodhill Park in East Runton, Norfolk… Located in a picturesque clifftop location, Woodhill Park in East Runton enjoys views of the Norfolk coastline and surrounding countryside.

On-site facilities include a small convenience shop and a launderette, as well as recently refurbished shower and bathroom facilities. Guests can make the most of the leisure areas on-site, such as the large recreation field which has a petanque court, tennis nets, and crazy golf course.

There is also a play area with a giant chess and draughts board. There is a wide variety of accommodation at the park, including touring and camping pitches, holiday homes and luxury and classic caravans which are available to hire for up to 14 nights.

Woodhill Park’s popular Seashell Events are family focused seasonal activities with the emphasis on the natural environment. Held during the main holiday periods and open to all, this year’s Seashell Events include live moth trapping and identification, beachcombing and rock pooling sessions.

New Energy Meter Legislation

Posted on May 4, 2016

New Energy Meter Legislation

DigiCard Systems, a leading manufacturer of electricity meters is urging holiday parks to be aware of new legislation governing the design and manufacture of energy meters.

Currently all electricity and gas meters installed in the UK for billing or prepayment of energy must, by law, be of a type approved by Ofgem (Office of Gas & Electricity Markets).

From October, the Ofgem legislation is due to be replaced by new MID regulations (Measuring Instruments Directive).

Ofgem regulations will still apply to existing meter installations but property owners could be liable for prosecution if they install new meters that do not meet the new MID requirements.

“The purpose of these regulations is to protect the consumer by ensuring that all meters are manufactured under controlled conditions in order to guarantee long-term accuracy and quality assurance,” says Chris Smith of DigiCard Systems.

If in doubt ask your meter supplier for a copy of the MID Approval Certificate for your meters or visit the Government website www. gov.uk/government/publications/schedule-4- uk-nationally-approved-electricity-meters.

Dorset Clinches Title

Posted on April 15, 2016

Dorset Clinches Title

South Lytchett Manor in Dorset has been named by the AA as the best caravan and campsite in the UK, earning it the overall title of the AA’s Campsite of The Year.

The family-run business, near to Poole and Bournemouth, beat more than 900 other camping parks across Britain to take the prestigious pole place.

The accolade is awarded every year following a rigorous assessment by AA inspectors of parks’ standards of customer care, quality, and cleanliness.

Joanne Bridgen of South Lytchett Manor commented: “We’re absolutely delighted to have been chosen for this award and extend our heartfelt thanks to our holiday guests for their continuing support. “We are also extremely grateful to members of our hardworking staff team whose friendliness and commitment to quality service has been crucial to our success,” said Joanne.

Ten other camping and caravan parks across the UK were also recognised in the 2016 awards. The winning parks will be presented with their awards at a special prize giving ceremony in March.

Jeanette’s Royal Recognition

Posted on April 15, 2016

Jeanette’s Royal Recognition

Policy director for the British Holiday & Home Parks Association (BH&HPA) Scotland, Jeanette Wilson, has been made an MBE in the 2016 New Year’s Honours List for her highly-valued services to the holiday parks sector.

A well-known figure within the industry, Edinburgh-based Jeanette is best known for her role at BH&HPA Scotland and for the part she plays in helping promote the Best of British group of top rated independent parks.

Jeanette joined BH&HPA in 1993, and has since provided the secretariat to the association in Scotland which comprises more than 200 park businesses. She also represents the parks industry to the Scottish government, Visit Scotland and many other tourism organisations.

Show Business

Posted on April 15, 2016

Show Business

recipeforsuccess The Holiday Park & Resort Innovation Show will return to the NEC Birmingham in November and is set to be even bigger than last year.

Expanding into Hall 8 at the NEC, the 2016 show brings together top industry experts, leading suppliers, interactive workshops, live debates and seminars all focused on providing the inspiration, advice and resources that holiday park owners really need to put their business on the map. The show will also run alongside Farm Business Innovation & Country House Innovation in Hall 9, the UK’s leading trade show for farmers, landowners and estate and country house owners.

“Once again in 2016 the Holiday Park Show we delighted to be working alongside Holiday Park Scene as our main media partners for the event and we are excited to develop this successful and exciting partnership further for the next show,” says Will Mansfield, event organiser.

The Holiday Park & Resort Innovation Show returns to the NEC Birmingham on November 9 – 10. Visit www.holidayparkshow.co.uk to view the full list of exhibitors and to order your free tickets.

Holiday Snaps: Poston Mill Country Holiday Park

Posted on April 4, 2016

Holiday Snaps: Poston Mill Country Holiday Park

Wayne Jones is the owner of Poston Mill Country Holiday Park in Herefordshire, which he runs with his wife Sarah. Once a farm, watermill and bakery, the 35 acres of countryside that is Poston Mill was purchased by the couple in 1992. Since then, Wayne and Sarah have consistently improved the park and have won numerous awards for their efforts; including awards for Excellence in Tourism in both silver and gold over consecutive years, Excellence in Sustainable Tourism, Holiday Park of the Year 2015 and a Hereford Chamber of Commerce Tourism Business award. Poston Mill is also a member of the Best of British group and affiliated to the British Holiday Home Parks Association.

How is 2016 shaping up for Poston Mill?

In a word - excellent. We have developed a new premier holiday home area and we have secured planning permission for more touring pitches to include a luxury camping area and new play area. Our online bookings are already showing an increase, so I feel 2016 will be a positive year for us.

What are the main challenges facing the holiday park industry at the moment?

The main challenges facing us are financial constraints, we have so much we would love to do but still need to pay the bank.

If you had to identify one element, what is the most crucial aspect to the success of Poston Mill?

Without a doubt, our team is the main reason for our success. Without them we would not be able to offer the service or have an award-winning park. We are so lucky.

What does a typical day in the office for you consist of?

I love my job, because I do not have a typical day at the office. Communication is very important, so every morning I catch up with the team and discuss what happened the day before and plans for the rest of the day.

What has been your most interesting experience in the industry?

I love talking to other people who own and run their own caravan parks. You can learn so much from talking to others and hearing their experiences. Everyone within the industry is so friendly and very often they have a solution to your problem or vice versa.

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

Never stop moving forward. This advice was given to me by a guy we use for business management consultancy. He was the one who pushed me to sort out the planning, that will come to fruition this year. I thank him every time I see him!

Last word?

Owning a park is a way of life, not a job. You have to be prepared to work anti-social hours and muck in at all times. But the people you meet and the people you work with both colleagues and beyond, far out-weigh any of the challenge. I wake up every morning looking forward to the day and wouldn’t change my life for anything.

Smart Thinking

Posted on March 8, 2016

Smart Thinking

There are now a vast number of ways for holiday park owners to save energy and reduce costs.

Put aside all the moralistic haranguing about improving energy efficiency and cutting down on waste ‘for the good of the planet’.

Investing in park efficiency makes just as much sense because it can cut swathes off your bottom line. With a vast number of cost-saving measures, offering fixed term payback periods, there has never been a better time to improve your green credentials and trim your annual overheads.

“Energy is usually the biggest cost after wages, so being energy efficient is key,” points out Jon Proctor, chief executive of Green Tourism.

“There are many ways that this can be incorporated; for example, lighting should now be LED as these are the most efficient and environmentally friendly forms both indoors and out,” says John.

“Space heating can be better-controlled with timers and occupancy sensors for lighting and heating will avoid wastage. Hot water should be stored no more than 60 degrees and ideas like solar hot water should also be considered.”

The owners of Concierge Camping, located on the Ratham Estate near Chichester have taken a ‘green’ approach to the design of their park and have made significant investments to future-proof the site. Guy and Tracey Hodgkin purchased the estate in 2011 and are bringing it back to its former glory. Last year saw the development of Concierge Camping – a luxury touring park on the estate, which offers 15 hardstanding pitches, each with a 16 or 32 amp electrical supply. The on-site shower and toilet block has an energy efficiency B rating and costs the park owners just £10 per week to run. The water is heated by highly efficient heat pumps and the internal environment is controlled by a heat recovery unit. All lightbulbs are LED and Guy plans to add solar panels to the building later this year, to efficiently generate electricity.

“We haven’t made a song and dance about our environmentally-friendly credentials, and if I’m honest, the top end market doesn’t really seem to pay much attention to it,” comments Guy. “When we opened Concierge Camping a year ago, I wanted to make the facilities as economical to run as possible. Every detail was thought out to from day one and the hope is that spending that bit extra on high quality equipment now, should pay-off in the long run.”

Charlie Boughton of Fields End Water Caravan Park, Lodges & Fishery adds: “Our energy efficiency isn’t something we shout about, but I feel it is almost expected by a lot of people these days. “If I am being honest, the main benefits of being energy efficient, is just that I feel I am doing my bit and peace of mind.”

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Recipe For Success

Posted on January 26, 2016

Recipe For Success

Holiday Park Scene was the official media partner at the recent Holiday Park & Resort Innovation Show as Ashleigh MacKenzie reports…

The Holiday Park & Resort Innovation Show welcomed 2,637 visitors through its doors over two days.

The hotly-anticipated Holiday Park & Resort Innovation Show proved to be a recipe for success, as visitors from across the sector flocked to the NEC in Birmingham to see the launch of the brand new exhibition.
The two-day inaugural show ran from November 11 – 12 and had a positive response from visitors, speakers and exhibitors alike.
2,637 visitors made their way through the doors to 60 specialist seminars, 200 hand-picked exhibitors, industry-leading experts and unrivalled networking and new business opportunities.
With a strong emphasis on land diversification and holiday park management, the stellar line-up of guest speakers and seminars was a highlight of the exhibition and a draw for many visitors. Over 30 seminars took place in the two Holiday Park theatres, from the likes of Henry Wild, chairman of the British Holiday & Home Parks Association, Claire Jeavons of the Best of British Holiday & Touring Parks, William McNamara of Bluestone National Park Resort and Alfie Best of Wyldecrest Parks.
Robbie Davies, head of business development gave an interesting presentation on ‘How to make holiday hire work for you’, offering tips and advice on maximising the potential of your park.
“Never forget the basics and do them well,” advised Robbie.
“43 per cent of UK holidaymakers cite quality of accommodation, available facilities and the resulting value for money as most important booking features – so ‘ok’ is simply not good enough.
“The small touches can make a big difference, so be sure to pay attention to special and personal features.”
Meanwhile Chris Laxen, touring development manager at Park Resort offered and insight into setting up a successful glamping business. Speaking from experience, Chris said: “The best piece of advice that I can offer is to ‘think the worst, but expect the best’. Don’t be caught out by unexpected issues, so plan for all scenarios. And remember to listen to all customer reviews, both good and bad.”

BROAD SPECTRUM

Exhibitors at the Holiday Park & Resort Innovation Show covered a broad spectrum of holiday park aspects, from glamping accommodation and outdoor play to family attractions and hot tubs.
Event director Will Mansfield said: “The feedback during and after the event has been exceptional. We take all feedback into consideration, good or bad, and have already began on improvements suggested for next year’s show. This includes introducing a new interactive live debate a

The Holiday Park & Resort Innovation Show took place at the NEC in Birmingham from November 11-12 inclusive

nd expert panel area feature, with some of the most asked questions being debated and answered by specially selected teams of industry experts.
“Looking forward to 2016 we are confident this event can really continue to bring something innovative, relevant and positive to the industry as a whole.”

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New Center Parcs Village Plans Underway

Posted on January 10, 2016

Center Parcs has submitted a planning application for a new holiday Village in Ireland.

New Center Parcs Village Plans Underway

Less than two years after the hugely successful opening of its fifth Village, Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire, Center Parcs has submitted a formal planning application for a new Village in Ireland. The company plans to develop a 395 acre site in Newcastle Wood, County Longford, into what will be their sixth Village and first venture outside of the UK. The development, named ‘Center Parcs Longford Forest’, will be ideally positioned in the heart of Ireland, with excellent transport links for families from both north and south of the border. The planning application outlines the transformative impact that the project could have on both County Longford and the national economy, including adding €1 billion to Ireland’s GDP over a 20 year period and creating approximately 750 jobs during construction and a further 1,000 permanent roles once operational. Subject to receiving satisfactory planning permission, Center Parcs Longford Forest could open to guests in 2019. The new site will incorporate 470 lodges and 30 apartments nestled into the natural surroundings, more than 100 indoor and outdoor family activities, an Aqua Sana Spa, a range of restaurants, shops and cafés and the iconic Subtropical Swimming Paradise.

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Heroes Fund Gets A Boost