Coastal Retreat For Bereft Families

Posted on March 20, 2015

A holiday home at Haggerston Castle Holiday Park is the fourth in the UK opened by the charity which supports the families of those who have lost their lives while serving in the British Armed Forces.

Coastal Retreat For Bereft Families

A Northumberland holiday park has become a retreat for families that have lost a loved one in the British Armed Forces after a new holiday lodge was opened by a national children’s charity.

The holiday home at Haggerston Castle Holiday Park is the fourth in the UK opened by the charity, Scotty’s Little Soldiers, which supports the children and families of those who have lost their lives whilst serving in the British Armed Forces.

The lodge at the holiday park near Berwick is intended to offer more families the chance to take a much-needed break following the loss of a loved one.

Inspired by her own experience of being an army widow, Nikki Scott set up Scotty’s Little Soldiers five years ago in honour of her husband Corporal Lee Scott who was killed in Afghanistan in 2009. Currently Scotty’s Little Soldiers supports over 100 children with money raised through events, fundraising, donations, merchandise and corporate sponsorship.

Each lodge is filled with home comforts and the charity ensures that the families have everything they could need, from bedding to high chairs and toys and games. Scotty’s also cover travel fees and provide each family with £100 every time they stay to help towards both food and activities.

Popular Show Returns To Stoneleigh This Summer

Posted on March 16, 2015

The World of Park & Leisure Homes Show returns to Stoneleigh Park from 11th – 14th June.

Popular Show Returns To Stoneleigh This Summer

The UK’s biggest show for leisure lodges and residential park homes returns once again to the grounds of Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire this year.

The World of Park & Leisure Homes Show 2015 is your chance to view over 50 show homes including the launch of several new lodges and homes from the country’s leading manufacturers.

In addition to the display of homes, a host of suppliers will be exhibiting related products and services including decking, coatings, hot tubs, insurance, refurbishment and garages. The Trade Preview Day is Thursday June 11 and the show will be open to the public Friday to Sunday June 12 to 14.

Entry and parking are free and each visitor receives a complimentary show guide. Keep up to date with the latest show news by visiting www.parkhomeandleisure.co.uk

Butlins Enforces Pool Safety Policy

Posted on February 9, 2015

Butlins stand by their swimming pool safety policy which states that every two children must be accompanied by an adult.

Butlins Enforces Pool Safety Policy

Holiday park operator Butlins came under fire recently, after a mother-of-four was asked to leave the swimming pool at Butlins’ Skegness resort for having too many children.

Kelly Noble was approached by a lifeguard while swimming with her four children and advised of the company’s swimming pool safety policy which states that every two children aged eight years old and under must be accompanied by at least one adult – a policy which is mirrored by many other commercial pool operators.

While Ms Noble was clearly outraged, Butlins insists that the policy is in place to ensure the safety of its guests.

A spokesperson for Butlins commented: “When guests book with us, our telephone advisors make them aware of our policies with regard to child supervision in our pools and at our fairgrounds. The same information is available on our website.

“Due to Ms Noble’s eldest children also requiring additional supervision, they were unable to be responsible for the younger children, which is why they would have not been able to use the pool.”

The spokesperson added: “The safety of all our guests is our absolute priority at all times and we cannot compromise that.”

Aqua Sana Takes Top Spot

Posted on February 9, 2015

Aqua Sana Takes Top Spot

Opened in June last year, the spa at Center Parcs Woburn Forest has been named ‘Best Spa to be Social’ at the Good Spa Guide Awards.

Aqua Sana at Center Parcs Woburn Forest has been named ‘Best Spa to be Social’ at the prestigious Good Spa Guide Awards.

The Good Spa Guide Awards are decided by specially appointed Good Spa Spies who review over 100 spas every year and complete a detailed audit sheet, covering all aspects of the spa from service and facilities to cleanliness and maintenance.

Delighted with the win, Aqua Sana group manager Kerry Fenton-Kent said: “Aqua Sana Woburn Forest has only been open since June and to already be recognised as one of the best spas in the country is amazing. The award is testament to the dedication and hard work of the whole team and we’re all thrilled.”

Inspired by nature and combining different approaches from many of the leading European spas, Aqua Sana Woburn Forest encompasses six unique spas, each one with a variety of multi-sensory experience rooms, including two world-first experiences – the Mineral Room and the Sensory Experience.

The Good Spa Guide panel said: “Aqua Sana Woburn Forest is a beautiful, well laid out, well designed spa which is perfect for small social groups. Spa visitors can move around as they wish in whatever way they wish but with cosy areas all around the spa, it offers a private element too. It’s a high standard of spa-ing in a social environment.”

Lifestyle Living Group On The Up

Posted on January 15, 2015

Lifestyle Living Group owns eight parks across England, including Carlton Meres Country Park in Suffolk.

Lifestyle Living Group On The Up

Luxury residential and holiday park operator Lifestyle Living Group has announced a rise in retained profits of £1.2m. The figures are the first to be released by the group since it announced a £20m acquisition of the parks in June last year.

The family run company, which has its headquarters in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, reports profits are up from £0.42m to £1.64m, with tangible assets standing at £27.6m, up from £19m.

Ryan Neill, owner of Lifestyle Living Group said: “We are delighted to have received this set of results. Despite tough trading conditions the business continues to thrive. Our product is a strong one and should continue to defy the economic gloom as we improve in the years ahead.”

Eight residential and holiday parks throughout England are at the heart of the company’s offering, including Carlton Meres Country Park, Haveringland Hall Country Park, Redhill Country Park, the Flagship Country Park, Uphill Park, Lakeland View, Carlton Manor Park and Silecroft Holiday Park.

Since taking over a selection of parks around the UK, Lifestyle Living Group has put in place a £10million investment plan to be rolled out over the next three years. This fund will include substantial upgrades to existing park facilities.

Managing director, David Macdonald added: “With property prices looking set to continue rising for the foreseeable future, prefabricated homes are increasingly establishing themselves as viable alternatives for homebuyers in specific markets, such as retirees.

“Pre-fabricated builds will continue to grow in popularity as they can be delivered in a more favourable time frame in comparison to standard building methods, helping to satisfy the growing national demand for immediate housing. People will continue to spend as long as they realise value from their outlay.”

Coastal Retreat

Posted on January 6, 2015

Coastal Retreat

Seafield currently boasts 380 privately owned caravan pitches, with a further 30 due to be added for the start of the 2015 season.

Located adjacent to the picture-postcard village of Seahouses on the Northumberland coast, Seafield Caravan Park offers its guests the ultimate peaceful getaway.

The park boasts a string of accolades, including a gold David Bellamy Conservation award and a gold Enjoy England award. Most recently, Seafield was named as VisitEngland’s Holiday Village of the Year 2014 and also took gold in the North East Tourism Awards for the seventh consecutive year.

“The peace and tranquility of the park is one of its greatest attractions, which is why we have resisted any temptation to build bars or evening entertainment centres on site,” explains Alison Thompson, park manager.

“By far the most critical aspect to the success of the business is the team of people that work on the park, who constantly deliver exceptional customer service which in turn encourages our customers to return year after year.”

Alison Thompson, second from right, and the Seafield Caravan Park team took gold at VisitEngland Awards for Excellence last year.

Seafield is managed by Alison’s father, Ken Britton, along with several other members of the family who are involved in managing the daily running of the business. Part owned by the Britton family, and partly by the Earl of Moray, the park was established in 1960 as a small caravan site. By 1979, it had expanded to include 200 pitches, plus utilities and touring pitches. In 2001, 200 further pitches were added, followed by the construction of a £2.5 million private leisure club, The Ocean Club, consisting of a 20m indoor swimming pool, a separate children’s pool, gymnasium and spa area.

“Our mission statement of going far beyond expectations is achieved by giving a five star service in every aspect of our business. Attention to detail is of the utmost importance leaving no stone unturned however trivial it might be,” says Alison.

“Perhaps one of our biggest challenges is to always be one step ahead and thinking of ways to continually improve the facilities and service we offer to our guests.”

The majority of caravans on the site are privately owned, but the park also hires lodges, apartments and touring pitches. During the peak season, Seafield operates at an average occupancy rate of 92 per cent across its caravans and chalet lettings, of which 62 per cent are repeat bookings.

Alison comments: “Our typical customer base includes families with young children, activity groups such as golfers and walkers, plus over 50’s looking to rest and relax. We liaise with tourism partners to identify our target market and work closely with them as well as other tourism businesses in the community to conduct marketing and promotional campaigns to attract new and existing customers to stay with us.”

Exhibition Season Gets Underway

Posted on January 6, 2015

Exhibition Season Gets Underway

Tickets are on sale now for the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show, taking place from 17th – 22nd February 2015 at the NEC in Birmingham.

Thousands will be heading to the NEC in Birmingham in February, as the 2015 exhibition season gets underway with the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show.

Taking place from 17th – 22nd February, the show welcomes over 350 exhibitors offering the latest in caravans, motorhomes, campervans, tents, holiday homes and lodges, campsites, awnings and porches, all under one roof.

Organised by NCC Events, a wholly owned subsidiary of industry trade body the National Caravan Council, and supported by The Caravan Club and The Camping and Caravanning Club the show is the best place to see what is in store for the 2015 holiday season.

This year’s show will also feature a host of well-known personalities with a love of the great outdoors, including TV’s wilderness bushcraft expert Ray Mears and Olympic champion Sally Gunnell. Both will speak about their passions and undertake audience Q&A’s in the Experts’ Theatre.

NCC Events managing director Andrew Whalley said: “If anyone wants to find out more about holidaying in the great outdoors with their family they need to come to the NEC in February.

“Not only do we have a huge array of products on show that facilitate adventure, we’ve got features and speakers that will also inspire visitors to go camping and caravanning in 2015.”

Advanced tickets start from £7, kids go free, and free parking is available.

Impact Of Scottish Parks Revealed

Posted on December 19, 2014

Impact Of Scottish Parks Revealed

The Scottish Caravan and Camping Forum (SCCF) undertook an assessment of the economic impact of the holiday park sector in Scotland.

Holiday parks in Scotland are worth an estimated £700 million to the Scottish economy, according to new figures from the Scottish Caravan and Camping Forum (SCCF).

For the first time ever, the SCCF has successfully gained an accurate picture of the economic value of the holiday park industry in Scotland, following a major survey across the country.

The research has identified the significant contribution which holiday parks make to the Scottish economy, as a result of visitors’ spend and expenditure by park owners in operating their parks. Results of the survey also reveal that over 5,680 full-time jobs are created by the holiday park sector alone.

David Key, a representative of the National Caravan Council and chair of the SCCF commented: “The Committee is delighted with the results, because we have, for the first time, established the value of this sector to the economy. £700 million is a significant contribution, as are the 5,688 FTE jobs.

“Caravan parks are important to the rural economy because of the jobs they provide and the money spent by their visitors. This report enables the SCCF and the sector as a whole to present robust data to the Scottish Government, to local authorities and to tourism organisations.”

The findings confirm that the holiday park sector attracts a large number of non-Scottish tourists, with 57 per cent of all holidaymakers to Scottish parks visiting from outside of the country. Visitors tend to take a holiday or short break on a holiday park several times over the course of a year, with renters and tourers taking, on average, 4.1 holidays per year, and owner-occupiers taking, on average, 9.1 trips per year.

Forty-five caravan park operators took part in the survey - some of whom operate more than one park - who, together, provided information on 89 parks. An online survey was undertaken of 7,034 people who had taken a holiday on a holiday park in Scotland in either 2013 or 2014.

Holiday Parks See Significant Drop In Term-Time Holidays

Posted on November 28, 2014

Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park in Padstow say some 200 fewer children in the 5-12 age group took term-time holidays in 2014, compared with 2013.

Holiday Parks See Significant Drop In Term-Time Holidays

The Local Government Association (LGA), which represents councils across the country, is calling for the removal of a blanket ban that prevents mums and dads taking children out of school for holidays during term-time.

Under the current rules, hard-pressed parents looking to take family breaks during school holidays can find they are hit with costs that are sometimes more than double that of travelling during term-time. Such block bans can also be particularly hard on workers in key professions such as those working in the NHS, police force and the military as they are often unable to request leave during busy school holiday periods.

The LGA is therefore calling for it to be at the discretion of headteachers, not central government, to make decisions on a case-by-case basis.

Cllr David Simmonds, chairman of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board, said: “Ensuring every child has a good school attendance is of paramount concern.

“However, common-sense must prevail in cases when mums and dads ask to take their child out of school during term-time if there is a legitimate reason,” he continues. “An outright ban is too simplistic, and doesn’t recognise that family life and circumstances aren’t always so black and white. There needs to be flexibility within the system.”

As a result of the crackdown on school absences, Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park in Padstow has seen a notable decline in the number of families visiting the park during term-time. Booking figures show that around 200 fewer children in the 5-12 age group took term-time holidays in 2014, compared with 2013.

Park director Patrick Langmaid says the figures clearly indicate that the threat of fines and even imprisonment was scaring parents into not chancing a term-time holiday: “This devastating drop suggests that many thousands of youngsters throughout Britain are being denied important quality time with their parents.”

On The Menu

Posted on November 28, 2014

From high-class restaurants to family-friendly pizza cafes, the choice on offer at many locations is vast.

On The Menu

WITH millions of British holidaymakers heading for holiday parks in the UK this year, one of the major attractions for most visitors was that the cooking would be done for them.

Catering is the vital ingredient of the holiday park business menu. From high-class restaurants to family-friendly pizza cafes, the choice on offer at many locations is vast. Quality food and good surroundings are key to the restaurant enjoyment factor with staff service and excellent menus par for the course in these competitive times.

Butlins pride themselves on top-quality restaurants with a total of 58 eating and drinking outlets and venues at their three seaside locations – Bognor Regis (West Sussex), Minehead (Somerset) and Skegness (Lincolnshire). These range from pubs, bars, buffet-style restaurants, ice cream parlours, pizza and pasta restaurants, fish and chip restaurants and even a restaurant run by TV chef Brian Turner.

Hendra Holiday Park’s takeaway was named ‘Seasonal Fish & Chip Operator of the Year’ at the Seafish National Fish & Chip Awards earlier this year.

As with other resorts, holidaymakers book either self-catering holidays or the option to buy a dining package, which allows guests breakfast and dinner in their buffet restaurants. With 1.5 million guests a year, around 600,000, equating to 45 per cent, choose to buy the dining plan option. “Catering is an area of the business that we’re investing in heavily,” says James Silverstone of Butlins. “Character meals are available at all resorts – for example breakfast with Billy and Bonnie Bear.”

Haven Holiday Parks, part of Bourne Leisure, have worked hard to make the restaurant experience a memorable one across their locations. Fish and chips shares a quintessentially strong association with the seaside, so with a great level of investment in their fish and chip shops, Haven have increased the quality and experience of its venues to help celebrate the seaside and the UK’s favourite dish. Theme events have also been added to provide choice. Haven’s mid-week and weekend carvery is very popular, whilst Curry Night and Steak & Grill evenings provide added variety.

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