Home Grown Success

Posted on May 3, 2017

Home Grown Success

Killarney Park was the Kellam’s first park and is still the flagship of the Killarney Homes portfolio.

Nottinghamshire–based Killarney Homes started life in the 1960s when David and Sheila Kellam purchased land to create Killarney Park. The couple built Killarney into a successful holiday park with a clubhouse, swimming pool and fish & chip bar. When home-grown tourism started to decline in the mid- 1980s, their son Gary, who had previously joined the family firm aged just 16, saw the opportunity to develop the park for residential use. Today, Gary and his wife Joanne, still oversee the business but their daughter Sophie and son Alex, are increasingly taking the reins. The Killarney Homes portfolio now includes three parks and employs 11 full time staff. Despite its growth, the family firm ethos is still central to everything they do. Their philosophy is that “Killarney is small enough to care and experienced enough to cope.”

“Mum does the accounts, Dad oversees things, Alex does the ground works and I look after the office,” explains Sophie. “One year, Dad put 18 homes on Killarney Park in a 12 month period with the help of just two staff. Now, we have a small team of staff to help us but we take a personal interest in everything and like to get to know all our owners and tenants. We don’t have ‘departments’ for marketing, sales, accounting, IT and so on… we’ve just been doing it for 60 years so the park business is in our blood!” Killarney Homes has over 185 private residential homes with 300+ residents and 200 rental properties with around 300 tenants. Killarney Park and Willow Park are purely for home-owners, whilst Moor Farm Park offers short term rental accommodation.

FLAGSHIP SITE : Killarney Park is still very much the flagship of the business. Located just six miles northeast of Nottingham in 35 acres of picturesque woodland, this gated community offers 148 homes. Designed exclusively for the over 45s, Killarney Park mostly contains park homes in the traditional style and offers a range of amenities to keep even the most active residents busy. An on-site clubhouse offers a wide range of regular activities including arts and crafts classes, exercise clubs, supper evenings and themed party nights. According to Sophie, Killarney Park “offers residents the serenity of the countryside with all the conveniences of modern daily life nearby.” A courtesy bus service offers regular trips to the local market town of Arnold, as well as Nottingham and Mansfield. The local area also offers plenty of natural beauty with walking trails, golf courses and many historic places to visit. Five years ago, the Kellam family started to develop Willow Park. Offering modern and exclusive accommodation for the over 45s, Willow Park offers sustainable luxury living in a sheltered valley on the edge of the pretty village of Calverton, ten miles outside Nottingham. A partnership with Stately Albion has been key to the development of Willow Park. “We have worked exclusively with Stately Albion to create beautiful homes for Willow Park,” explains Sophie. “Vaulted ceilings, exterior cladding, triple glazed windows – these gorgeous, modern homes challenge the ‘traditional view’ of park homes.”

Willow Park offers residents modern homes and plenty of green space.

GREEN CREDENTIALS : “The homes also have the most fantastic eco-credentials. Specifically designed for low carbon footprint lifestyles with double the insulation of a standard build, they can reduce energy bills by up to 50% and save residents money, as well as the environment.” Willow Park has just 35 available plots with new homes being added all the time. Each home is set in its own private garden with driveway parking for two cars. The design of the park allows for plenty of green space and residents have use of a communal allotment and composter for garden waste. All the water supplied to the homes is sourced directly on site from the park’s own natural spring, providing the most affordable water rates in the area. Killarney Homes’ final park is also located on the outskirts of Calverton. Moor Farm Park provides affordable rental accommodation starting from just £55 per week.

Killarney Homes Tel. 0115 965 2426 www.killarneyhomes.co.uk

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Hey Big Spenders!

Posted on May 3, 2017

Hey Big Spenders!

Outstanding Safari Tents’ catalogue of tents ranges from 7.5m² to over 100m² and includes a substantial collection of luxury furniture.

Growth in demand for glamping accommodation options, such as yurts, is up 13 per cent on last year according to Pitchup.com. Meanwhile bell tents, which bridge the gap between glamping and camping, have enjoyed a 101 per cent growth in bookings as holidaymakers search for more affordable glamping options. A North Herefordshire activity centre is reaping the benefits of its highly successful glamping villages, which have seen year on year growth of over 100 per cent.

Business is booming for Oaker Wood Leisure near Leominster, since it launched its first woodland glamping village in 2014. The park quickly reached maximum capacity, so over the winter of 2014/15 they built a second village. Each village is made up of nine wooden pods, made locally by Jaques International Ltd, and can be booked exclusively by groups which has proved popular with corporate team building groups and stag and hen parties. School and youth groups visits have also increased year on year with the second glamping village meaning Oaker Wood can now accommodate groups of up to 120 young people.

Kate Tudge of Oaker Wood Leisure explains: “We have two glamping villages that each sleep between 12 and 50 people in wooden pods. We only take exclusive bookings so the groups have private use of all the village facilities, including the fire circle, dining and kitchen hut, Scandinavian style barbecue hut, showers and toilets.” She continues: “Our Glamping & Activity weekend package is very popular. This includes two nights glamping and two outdoor activities at a package price of £160 per person. We could sell our weekends in spring and summer several times over, so there is definitely a growing marketing for packaged activity and glamping weekends.”

Inspired by the African experience, Safari Tents are fast becoming one of the most popular forms of glamping accommodation. Pic: Boldscan.

HOME FROM HOME : Glamping has changed markedly in the last few years, with a definitive move into more luxurious interiors, higher specification facilities and the provision of individual toilets and showers. New designs and innovations are constantly evolving and premium quality components and interiors are now the norm, rather than the exception. “Around 65 per cent of the enquiries we get from people who are thinking about adding glamping to their parks or farms never go beyond the initial thought stage. The usual issues include planning considerations, lack of identifiable locations within the parks or lack of understanding within the old guard,” reveals Mark Scott of Clear Sky Safari Tents. “Holiday parks are all about selling caravans and lodges and it is often difficult for existing management structures to fully understand the revolution that is happening throughout the holiday park industry with the UK and Europe.” He adds: “Glamping is a revolution that will continue to grow and develop in all sorts of directions, this is not a fad, it’s a movement led by the networked generation, fuelled by social media and experienced by younger families for a more adventurous holiday experience.”

CHANGING MARKET : Anouk Wanders of Outstanding Safari Tents agrees: “Glamping has not only proved to be a trend, it has changed the holiday industry. “The level of comfort that guests have come to expect is getting higher and higher. For example, private bathrooms was a rare luxury just a few years ago, but nowadays most glamping accommodation features built-in bathroom facilities.” Anouk adds: “The market is going through major changes and we have to adapt very fast. We need to keep developing new structures and need to be innovative to keep up with this increasing demand.” Inspired by the African experience, safari tents are fast becoming one of the most popular forms of glamping accommodation. Great for families, couples or groups, tents offer something extra special for holiday makers and many parks are reaping the rewards of a safari tent investment.

COMPANY CONTACTS

BOLDSCAN Tel. 01823 665849 www.albioncanvas.co.uk

CLEAR SKY SAFARI TENTS Tel. 0845 299 6484 www.safaritents.net

FUTURE ROOMS Tel. 01452 501455 www.futurerooms.co.uk

OUTSTANDING SAFARI TENTS Tel. +31 (0)318 575056 www.safaritents.co.uk

OAKER WOOD LEISURE Tel. 01568 780111 www.oakerwoodleisure.co.uk

YURTS FOR LIFE Tel. 01803 762370 www.yurtsforlife.com

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Fit For Purpose

Posted on May 2, 2017

Fit For Purpose - Holiday Hot Tubs

Hot tubs are the must-have ingredient in the recipe to holiday booking success it has been revealed. According to self-catering specialists Hoseasons, a private hot tub is the number one searched for item on the website, accounting for more than 100,000 searches each month. With thousands of models to choose from, selecting the right hot tub for a holiday let can be a potential minefield. Holiday home owner Lucy Dawson recently invested in two new hot tubs for her two rental properties at Easter Ellister Farm, situated on the Rhinns of the Isle of Islay - an island off the west coast of Scotland.

CEDAR HOT TUBS : Lucy first invested in a circular cedar hot tub for her property – An Linnean – in 2008. The hot tub proved to a be a very popular addition with guests, so Lucy decided to upgrade the hot tub this year and has also purchased a second hot tub for her other property – Easter Ellister. “Having run the two self-catering houses of similar standard and in the same location, I can say without doubt that the house with the hot tub is more popular than the one without. I would say I get at least 25 per cent more bookings for An Linnean and the property is booked up most of the year round,” says Lucy. “This is the main reason why I have decided to install one at Easter Ellister too.

People just want that little added bit of luxury on holiday and for some reason a hot tub hits those buttons!” Lucy purchased the hot tubs from Eagle Leisure, based near Glasgow. She opted for the seven-seater Freedom model and the six person Vantage model out of the Coast Spas stable. Both have full foam insulation and insulated covers to help retain heat. They also feature Coast Spas’ 50sq ft cyclonic pressurised filtration to ensure the guests are sitting in the cleanest possible water. Each of the hot tubs cost around £7,000, but Lucy estimates that she can make most of this money back within ten weeks of rentals of the property.

RotoSpa recommend that holiday hot tubs are changed every five years to keep them in tip-top condition.

“It is a big investment to install hot tubs but I believe them to be an essential part of my business in attracting customers,” says Lucy. “I would always advise other holiday property owners to do their research before taking the plunge though. I paid the price in choosing an internet ill-researched purchase the first time around and had countless problems with the tub over the years. It was very costly to maintain and run. She continues: “You need to make sure you are buying good quality, well made tub that is well insulated and good filtration system. “I would advise going to a reputable spa retailer who knows their stuff. I was incredibly impressed with the customer service and installation service from Eagle Leisure, something you just don’t get when you order online.” Eagle Leisure recommend the Coast Spas range of hot tubs for holiday properties. Their bestselling models for this market are the 7ft and 8ft options, which seat up to six and eight adults respectively and are available from £6,995.

TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE

“There will be some customers looking for a low end hot tub just to say that they have one,” explains Debbie Ekins, Commercial and Communications Manager at Eagle Leisure. “These usually retail between £2,000 - £3,000, but personally I don’t think there are any great quality holiday hot tubs on the market place within this price range. If something seems too good to be true it probably is.” Debbie continues: “On the other hand, we get some holiday owners who realise that a hot tub purchase of £7,000 - £8,000 is an investment. Adding a hot tub allows the property owner to a) charge a higher rental rate and b) rent out the property to full capacity – so should be able to quickly make their money back. Plus they get the peace of mind knowing they have a quality hot tub that the guest will be happy with and that will last them a long time.”

COMMERCIAL USE

Holiday hot tubs should be suitable for commercial use. Pic Easter Ellister Farm.

Over the past ten years, a significant amount of holiday park operators and holiday let owners have purchased and operate what are in fact domestic hot tubs only designed for home, and not intended for commercial use. Commercial spas, the type found at health clubs and spas, are generally much larger than the average portable spa with bigger and better filtration and sanitation systems along with other features that suit much heavier bather use. “It can be tempting to purchase cheap imported tubs but it can be a very expensive mistake if you experience service issues,” reveals Jason Smith, Sales Director at RotoSpa. “Holiday hot tubs drive revenue so they need to be reliable. If they are not you will regret it. My advice is to buy quality, buy once and buy British.”

The British-made RotoSpa range is ideal for holiday use given its durability, low cost, UK support and the ability to specify bespoke features tailored to the individual risk assessment for the site. The RotoSpa Quatrospa and DuraSpa are among the UK’s bestselling holiday let units, which feature Individual auto dosing sanitiser systems and individual sand filters. The autofill and quickdrain system is operated by the touch of a button and enables the water to be completely changed in less than ten minutes.

In terms of life expectancy, RotoSpa recommend that hot tubs are changed every five years, however, the company has installed tubs on holiday park sites that are still going strong some ten years later. When selecting a hot tub supplier, Jason advises: “Choose a hot tub supply partner with a long pedigree of manufacture and service - someone who will listen to your needs and offer solutions to them rather than try and force you into an overpriced unit from their stock with features unsuitable for high demand use. Use someone who will work with you as a partner not just sell you a tub.”

HOT TUB HAZARDS

From an insurance claims perspective, hot tub-related slip and trip injuries are not uncommon. If a holidaymaker slips in a wet area, or even inside the hot tub itself, there’s a potential for them to be quite seriously hurt. “Skin irritation claims are also quite high up on the claims list, from minor rashes to quite serious skin conditions,” says Tom Dallow, Customer Claims Manager at Compass Insurance. “We were particularly surprised by a claim made in relation to a baby getting a rash from a hot tub - but this is certainly not the only claim we’ve received relating to an individual who shouldn’t have been in a hot tub in the first place!”

VITAL IMPORTANCE

Further highlighting the vital importance of managing water health and safety correctly, Compass has had one allegation of Legionnaire’s Disease having being ‘caught’ from a hot tub on record, as well as several claims made related to injuries sustained by suction from hot tub outlets. Says Tom: “Thankfully for all involved, Compass doesn’t receive hot tub related claims in high numbers. Of those we have dealt with, park owners will be interested to note that in many cases no negligence was found, so no pay-out to the claimant was made. “However, we must stress that insurers will struggle to defend parks where written evidence of appropriate hot tub management is not available. A compliant, common sense approach is critical.” If parks carry out appropriate risk assessments, follow relevant health and safety regulations to the letter, keep relevant documentation up-to-date and display clear rules on safe usage for users to adhere to, then there’s no reason why hot tubs should be considered a commercial hazard. You should speak to your insurance advisor to discuss your individual circumstances.

COMPANY CONTACTS

COMPASS INSURANCE Tel. 01452 511 430 www.compass.co.uk

EAGLE LEISURE Tel. 01355 264466 www.eagleleisure.co.uk

ROTOSPA Tel. 0121 354 3428 www.rotospa.co.uk

WELLIS Tel. 01246 559071 www.wellis.eu

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Holiday Snaps – Alex Saul, General Manager at Greenacres, Cardigan View and Garreg Wen holiday parks.

Posted on April 26, 2017

Holiday Snaps - Alex Saul, General Manager at Greenacres, Cardigan View and Garreg Wen holiday parks.

Alex is the General Manger of three holiday parks North Wales. His career began in the nightclub industry, before a brief spell managing health clubs and then joining the holiday parks industry at parks in Cornwall and South Wales. He now looks after more than 1,400 holiday homes across the Greenacres, Cardigan View and Garreg Wen sites. Alex’s downtime is spent with his wife Claire and two children, Annabel and Barnaby. During the summer he enjoys kitesurfing and in the winter he likes to go shooting with his Labrador Floyd.

How is the summer season shaping up for your parks? The 2017 season is looking fabulous; double digit growth in holiday bookings and strong caravan sales mean we are in a great place. I keep seeing reports that it will be the hottest summer in years which would be the icing on the cake.

What are you most looking forward to about the summer season? I think the parks look a bit lost and forlorn when they are closed. I am looking forward to seeing families enjoying themselves, venues full of people having fun, kids riding around on their bikes and the smell of BBQs in the air.

If you had to identify one element, what is the most crucial aspect to the success of the parks? The team - it’s a cliché but so true. Without your team you do not have a business. Even in the age of the internet, people buy from people and relationships are important. They are also the parts of the holiday families remember long after the photos of a sunny day have faded.

What challenges are currently facing the holiday park sector? Competition between parks and the drive to create value for customers will always be a challenge. Things like a weak pound are on our side but we cannot take it for granted, we have to provide great service and high standards if we are going to maximize on the opportunities in front of us.

What is the best piece of business advice you have been given and by whom? A coach and phycologist called Martin Perry made us do an exercise involving throwing tennis balls around. You stand in a circle throwing to each other and keep adding balls until they start to drop. The lesson is that you can do loads to get a successful catch and it taught me that the responsibility for a successful catch lies with the thrower. In business this means that the responsibility for a team successfully implementing projects, lies with the management.

What has been your most interesting experience in the holiday industry? The variety that I am faced with in a single day is staggering and definitely keeps me on my toes. The best part is getting to know the different types of people we encounter, from the successful entrepreneur who is looking to buy a holiday home to the young family taking a well-earned weekend away.

Where do you see yourself and the park in ten years’ time? I think the next ten years are going to be very exciting and a fabulous time for the industry. New players will come in and for the companies that get it right, great rewards and success will come. I love this industry and in ten years’ time I hope to be doing pretty much the same, enjoying the challenge, working with great people and helping families get the most out of their recreation time.

Where do you go on holiday? I am a keen kite surfer so anywhere there is sun a wind. This year as a family we went to Cape Verde which was amazing.

Wish You Were Here

Posted on March 17, 2017

Wish You Were Here

Picture postcards from Pearl Lake Leisure Park, Shobdon in Herefordshire… Run by Glenn and Hannah Jones, Pearl Lake Leisure Park is a luxury country park set around a breathtaking 15 acre glacial lake. The lake is the largest natural lake in Herefordshire and is the crowning jewel to 80 acres of rolling park land that also boasts an exclusive nine hole golf course, a crown bowling green and relaxing woodland walks.

Pearl Lake Leisure Park is being continually improved and updated by Glenn and Hannah and has won numerous awards for their efforts in the time they have been there. As a member of Visit England’s grading system the park has achieved a five star status. The Lakeside Bar Kitchen was revamped last year and the owners are also investing in a new sun terrace for the 2017 season. Children can enjoy the play area, football pitch, skate ramps and recreation field.

In the village of Shobdon there’s a village shop and Post Office that takes care of all the essentials, and the local village pub is just a few minutes’ walk away. Open for a ten month season, March 1st to January 2nd, holiday home owners can even celebrate Christmas and New Year at Pearl Lake. Tourers are welcome and self-catering holidays are available. There are also a wide range of both new and pre-owned holiday homes for sale.

New Income Stream For Caravan Parks

Posted on March 7, 2017

New Income Stream For Caravan Parks

The EV Charge Online charging pedestals from Rolec provide a new income stream to the caravan park.

A revolutionary EV charge point management system which means that EV drivers no longer have to pay any membership, subscription or connection fees and the caravan park operator does not have to pay a licence fee, has been developed by one of the UK’s electric vehicle charge point manufacturers.

The EV Charge Online from Rolec enables EV drivers to simply pull up to a charge point and, using their mobile phone, login to the charge point and pay-to-charge using Visa, MasterCard, American Express or PayPal via Rolec EV’s secure back office. GPRS connectivity to the back office is provided by Rolec’s network partner Vodafone, who supply roaming SIM cards designed to lock onto the strongest signal in the area, regardless of network provider. Over 200 businesses have already installed EV charging pedestals complete with the EV Charge Online system.

Rolec EV’s Managing Director Kieron Alsop commented: “These charging pedestals, when used by an EV driver, immediately begin paying money back directly into the caravan park operator’s bank account.” He added: “These self-managing pedestals are easy to install, requiring only an electricity supply in order to provide EV drivers with charging facilities.”

High Praise

Posted on March 7, 2017

High Praise

Center Parcs has achieved double reconition for delivering excellent service.

Short break provider Center Parcs has been recognised by two industry standard organisations for continuing to deliver excellent service to its guests. All five Center Parcs villages retained their five star status from Quality in Tourism whilst the company also maintained its Hospitality Assured Premier position.

Center Parcs achieved an average score of 92 per cent and the Quality in Tourism assessors commented on the high standards of presentation and service throughout and also praised the number of new initiatives and investments made by the business. Paul Kent, Center Parcs Operations & Development Director said: “We’re really pleased to have maintained a five star status from Quality in Tourism across our villages and uphold our Hospitality Assured position. “The recognition from these external industry assessors is really important to Center Parcs and a testament to everyone who works hard to continually deliver excellent service to our guests.”

Gold Rush For Staffordshire Park

Posted on March 7, 2017

Gold Rush For Staffordshire Park

Adam Breakspeare proudly shows the gold award his family’s park has earned for its quality standards.

The owners of Oakland Holiday Park in Staffordshire are celebrating after the park won the overall gold award in the holiday parks category at the recent Enjoy Staffordshire Tourism Awards. It is the second year in succession that Oakland Holiday Park has scooped the top title. The presentation to the Breakspeare family, which has owned the park for more than 30 years, was made at a glittering ceremony at the Alton Towers Conference Centre.

The park provides luxury caravan holiday homes for private owners, and is also just completing a major refurbishment of its self-catering chalets which are available to rent. The park’s clubhouse has also been given a full makeover this winter, and will be ready to welcome holidaymakers when the park re-opens for the season in March. Partner Adam Breakspeare commented: “Our aim is to provide firstclass surroundings for visitors, and to match these with a high standard of hospitality – both are often mentioned by in our online reviews.

“They are also two of the main criteria in the Enjoy Staffordshire Tourism Awards, so naturally we are delighted that the judges were impressed with what we’ve achieved.” He added: “A big share of the credit must go to our team of staff who help us maintain our high standards, and do a great job of making our guests feel at home.”

Matlock Park Gets £1Million Makeover

Posted on March 7, 2017

Matlock Park Gets £1Million Makeover

Haytop Country Park will feature a number of luxury lodge homes.

Residential and luxury lodge park operator, Countrywide Park Homes is investing £1 million into a new development on Haytop Country Park in Matlock, Derbyshire. This is the 15th park to be added to the Countrywide Park Homes portfolio and will see the addition of a number of new luxury lodge homes while retaining its current camping and touring caravan area. The on-site mill house that has survived two World Wars will be renovated into a farmhouse-style tearoom, shop and residents lounge.

The new development is set to attract prospective homeowners from across the country and boost the local economy with the influx of new visitors to the park. Jonathan Harvey a Partner at Countrywide Park Homes said: “We are investing a lot of money in to the park and hope to create luxury affordable homes, whilst also maintaining the history and beauty of the park.” This is one of the first in a line of luxury lodge parks to be developed by Countrywide Park Homes, following the success of Malton Grange Country Park in Yorkshire. Jonathan added: “I’m thrilled to be expanding our portfolio of parks, and am especially excited about this new addition. Surrounded by the beautiful countryside and picturesque towns, the new homes will be the perfect place to make some lifelong memories with your loved ones.”

Popular Attraction Invests

Posted on March 7, 2017

Popular Attraction Invests

Tourist attraction Wookey Hole has purchased Bucklegrove Holiday Park. Pictured is Wookey Hole Managing Director Daniel Medley (centre) with representatives from legal firm Stephen Scown.

The famous Somerset tourist attraction Wookey Hole Caves has expanded its business with the purchase of its first holiday park. Wookey Hole Ltd has bought Bucklegrove Holiday Park in the Cheddar Valley in a six figure deal.

The seven acre holiday park comprises 41 static caravans, 125 touring caravan pitches and space for 20 tents. The site also boasts a leisure complex, pool, bar, shop and children’s play area. Daniel Medley, Managing Director of Wookey Hole Ltd said: “When Bucklegrove Holiday Park came onto the market we saw immediately its strategic potential for our business.

The holiday park sector is really buoyant and Bucklegrove’s stunning views across Somerset and great facilities attract thousands of visitors each year.” He added: “We plan to build on this success and develop the site even further over the coming months.”

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Home Grown Success