Holiday Park Owners

Timely Cover

Posted on May 15, 2018

Timely Cover

Timely Cover

Compass, a trading brand of Thistle Insurance Services, is keeping its fingers crossed that this summer will be accident and incident free for its customers. The chances are that something will go amiss on a handful of parks over this busy period, so they have issued some timely advice. In the event of an accident involving a customer always do the obvious first! If the emergency services need to be called, do so immediately and ensure people are in place to guide them to the site of the incident. Be kind and sympathetic. It would not be advisable to enter into a debate about the cause of the accident, but apologising to a customer that the visit/holiday experience hasn’t gone as planned isn’t the same as admitting liability and can help to ensure that matters don’t escalate. Gather information immediately, as any delay can mean that things get missed or mixed-up. Conducting suitable and sufficient risk assessments is a legal requirement. For further general advice on risk assessment, visit http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/. If a claim arises, your insurer/broker will need to know whether or not you have taken reasonable precautions to prevent the accident or incident occurring. There’s no excuse for not carrying out regular risk assessments. There are plenty of companies out there that can do this for you if you need help. It’s really important that you can produce documented (written down) evidence that you have used a tried and tested risk management system if a claim arises.

 

Top Of British Holiday Survey Pops

Posted on May 15, 2018

Top Of British Holiday Survey Pops

Above : The Away Resorts Survey showed Brits still want to head for their annual holiday getaway.

According to a recent survey by market-leading holiday park operator Away Resorts, 55% of Brits are taking their main holiday at a UK lodge or caravan park this year. Away Resorts is a UK holiday park operator, with six parks in Lincolnshire, Isle of Wight, North Wales, Hampshire, Hayling Island & Essex. It was the 35 – 44 and 45 – 54 age groups that picked lodge and caravan parks the most, suggesting that families and empty nesters are interested in an experience where the facilities and entertainment within easy reach. Carl Castledine, the Chief Executive of Away Resorts, said: “It’s great to see that the great British holiday continues to go from strength to strength. We British are taking more and more domestic short breaks throughout the year, but to see that a third of consumers are taking their main holiday in the UK just goes to show that our fabulous island can inspire people to stay here over far-flung destinations. “Away Resorts has six lovely resorts in stunning locations throughout the UK. From the vibrant coastal surroundings at our Mersea Island park to the luxury leafy tranquillity at our New Forest resort and from the serene waterscapes at Tattershall Lakes to the dramatic landscape of Barmouth Bay in Wales, it’s easy to see why we’ve seen an increase in visitors to our resorts too.”

BEACH LOCATION

In terms of where Brits will be holidaying, 44% of respondents will be taking their holiday next to the beach. So, if your holiday park is right near a beach, you’ll likely attract more bookings. Location has also proven to be a determining factor, with 60% saying the local area influences their decision to book in a certain place, followed by the accommodation type and thirdly, the facilities. This suggests that although accommodation is important for holiday makers, where they stay is mostly used as a base to explore the local area and get the most from their holiday. The majority of holidaymakers are willing to travel over four hours to reach their destination and most will be staying for six nights. Considering the beach is where most will be heading, this suggests Brits are willing to travel further to reach a beauty spot. Over 43% of those having a staycation return regularly to where they’ll be heading in 2018. Unsurprisingly, most respondents said they will be going away in the summer months. When asked how much their UK holiday will cost, most respondents, 32%, said they will pay £250 - £500 per person, excluding spending money. With only 14% of respondents saying their UK holiday will cost up to a maximum of £100 per person.

Thumbs Up For Beach Lodges

Posted on May 15, 2018

Thumbs Up For Beach Lodges

Above : Lodges on Bournemouth Beach are proving a five star attraction.

Business is booming for the Bournemouth Beach Lodges now entering their second season. Waking up to the sounds of the sea with stunning views of the Purbecks and Isle of Wight, many guests have commented their Lodge stay has been typical of a five-star experience. Designed and built by local New Forest craftsmen, each Lodge is heated with a fully equipped kitchen and shower room, can sleep up to four adults and two children, all of whom can stay connected via wifi and great local 4G coverage.

The 15 contemporary overnight stay Lodges are situated a stone’s throw from the water’s edge, a short walk east of Boscombe Pier, and include bespoke interior details which complement the natural warmth and look of the Lodges. Since their launch last April more than 1,250 bookings have been made and more 12,500 Dorset biscuits have been dunked into more than 7,500 cups of Dorset Tea, both found in the complimentary Beach Lodge welcome packs.

Calls For Fixed Easter Date

Posted on May 15, 2018
Above : Tony Bywater, Salop Leisure's Chairman wants a fixed date for Easter.

Above : Tony Bywater, Salop Leisure's Chairman.

Calls For Fixed Easter Date

A leading businessman is calling for the date of Easter to be fixed to help businesses and avoid public confusion every year. Tony Bywater, chairman of caravan and motorhome dealership Salop Leisure, said fixing the date of Easter, which can vary by as much as month every year, would help businesses and their customers when planning for the year. This year, Easter is from March 30 to April 2, but it can potentially be any date between March 22 and April 25.

Easter is usually celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon on or after March 21, the first day of spring, because it is based on the lunar calendar. “The fact that Easter falls on a different date every year causes businesses tremendous problems and I think fixing a date would help the tourism industry especially,” said Mr Bywater, whose business has sales centres in Shrewsbury, Machynlleth and Stourport-on- Severn. “Businesses like to know how many days they have got after Christmas to get ready for Easter and currently the date can fall anytime between March 22 and April 25. It’s confusing to businesses, tourists and the public in general. “We also have a situation where some businesses open on Good Friday and Easter Sunday while others don’t, which is also confusing for customers.” Mr Bywater has raised the issue with Shrewsbury and Atcham MP Daniel Kawczynski, who has pledged to investigate.

Sixty Years And Still Shining Bright

Posted on May 15, 2018

Sixty Years And Still Shining Bright

The Jeavons family celebrate six decades in business.

Reaching the major milestone of 60 years is no easy feat for any business, but family run Beverley Holidays is bucking the trend as it celebrates six decades of shining bright on the holiday park scene in 2018. Situated on the sunny English Riviera, Beverley Holidays was founded by Joseph Stanley Jeavons and his wife Marion in 1958 after they transformed 20 acres of farmland into their holiday park dream. Born in Wolverhampton, ‘Stan’ crowned the site Beverley in homage to his beloved Wolverhampton Wanderers FC who’s then captain Billy Wright was married to a member of the ‘Beverley Sisters’. Regarded as Britain’s first female pop group, the ‘Beverley Sisters’ became familiar faces at the Paignton-based holiday park where they regularly performed to its growing number of guests. Fast forward nearly half a century and while you won’t find the singing sisters treading the Beverley Holidays boards today, the forward-thinking philosophy of its founder ‘Stan’ remains the same. Now in its third generation of the Jeavons family, its owners continue to provide guests with the same holiday magic as it did more than six decades ago by constantly refining the guest experience. The last few years have been no exception, with a cool £3million invested in a fleet of super stylish hot tub holiday lodges and caravans for those seeking a seaside staycation with a sprinkling of glamour. As a fitting tribute to its 60 years of success, family run Beverley Holidays was officially named one of the top three best holiday parks in Britain at the prestigious 2017 British Travel Awards.

Holiday Snaps From John Kinnear

Posted on May 15, 2018

Holiday Snaps

Holiday Snaps - John KinnearJohn Kinnear, Head of Programmes, the Family Holiday Association

John has been involved with the Family Holiday Association for three years having worked previously with charities like BBC Children in Need and Volunteering Matters.

What was your career path into the industry?

I’ve always worked for charities and wanted my next move to be to an organisation that focused on doing one thing really well.

What challenges does your organisation currently face and how do you predict changes or the future?

I’ve been amazed at the difference that a short break or day out can make for a struggling family and am passionate about the potential that domestic travel and tourism has to change lives. In the next five to ten years, I fear that we’ll see even more families unable to take a break, on top of the one in three, who aren’t able to today.

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

Without doubt, advice from my first boss. …‘make sure you bring people on the bus with you’ basically if you want people to help you don’t cheese them off.

What do you most like to listen to on the radio on your way to and from work?

I either read or listen to ‘Coffee Break Spanish’ podcast as I’m trying to learn…..

What do you enjoy most out of working hours?

I love keeping fit – mainly via British Military Fitness – and it is great to be outdoors in all weathers.

If we could give you three guests, who would like most like to sit down to dinner with and why?

Mary Beard – such an interesting person and conversation would flow. Barack Obama – he will motivate me to be a better person! My friend Martin – always excellent company (though wine spillages are an issue).

Do you have any claims to fame?

My old babysitter is the Krankies’ niece (does this even count as ‘fame’?)

Where do you prefer to take your holidays?

I like to go on walking holidays in the UK and to explore cities and mountains further afield.

The Bubble Factor

Posted on May 9, 2018

The Bubble Factor

Hot tubs

Hot tubs are simply too good to resist, offering the bubble factor for holiday lets up and down the country.

The most common Internet search term with accommodation and holiday properties, no-one can afford to ignore the hot tub appeal.
And hot tub investment adds up. The increased pricing of a hot tub accommodation upgrade can see payback in under one year on the initial hot tub investment. Hoseasons and Sykes have both conducted their own independent research and say you can expect a 25% uptake of bookings if offered with a hot tub.
“What most of the holiday park resorts are looking for are simple spas with basic controls, a great warranty and back-upservice,” advises Gareth Jones, of UK Leisure Living, the UK’s reigning Spa Retailer Of the Year.
“A good quality holiday hot tub should last 10 years, no problem,” Gareth points out. “But I would advise to replace a holiday spa every five years,” he continues. “A bit like a car, the older they get, the more things tend to go wrong.
Hot tubs can take a hammering over the course of a season. Covers in particular, typically see toggles ripped. But, as they are heated up from cold every week, compared to every three months in a domestic settings. its the overall wear and tear on the pumps and heating elements that really takes its toll. “Changing the spa when the warranty runs out would also make commercial sense. As a business you can lease or finance them and this a great way of funding hot tubs at your premises. They also have a residual value to sell on after your term has finished.”

COMMERCIAL SENSE
“As with anything in life you get what you pay for! Buy a quality product from the start that will last,” Gareth advises.  “Ensure you get an adequate warranty to match your needs. “Ensure your hot tub supplier has adequate part provisions of core components in the event the tub does break down.  “If you are planning to keep the spa beyond its warranty period check the prices on packs, pumps and heating elements.  You don’t want expensive parts to pay for outside your warranty period,” continues Gareth.  “Don’t forget we live in a world of web reviews and poorly maintained hot tubs are dirty water is any excuse to leave a bad review,” he advises. “This is why its essential staff are adequately trained. I am always a big believer that the tub quality needs to mirror the property.” With new HSG guidelines, parks need to be seen to have product that is compliant. Although the HSG282 is not statutory law, it is considered best practice and is viewed as an approved code of practice. The standard would be used in a court of law asa measure of whether or not a risk holder has complied ‘as far a reasonably practical’ to meet the requirements of the Health &Safety at Work Act 1974.
In accordance with regulations made by the Health & Safety Executive, regular testing of both pH and disinfection should be made at least three times a day and the results logged and kept for at least five years. A monthly microbiological test is also required, testing for Legionella every quarter. “A lot of holiday parks are not aware, or worse still, ignore the Health & Safety guidance that is published relating to hot tub use and control of Legionella in spa pools in business and commercial settings,” comments Chris Brady of 1 Stop Spas,Lincolnshire, who offers a fully compliant Marquis Spa that ismore than fi t for the holiday let purpose.
Working with Marquis Spas, 1 Stop Spas have designed aHSG282 compliant hot tub which also boasts some additional features such as simple auxiliary controls, limited hands-on parts, plus filtration systems and in-line sanitisers to reduce the risk of water related illnesses.

TICKING BOXES
1 Stop Spas’ bestselling holiday hot tub is a Vita Spa Joli,which is a compact shape and has low sides that can easily be incorporated into new or existing decking. The Vita Spa range also uses off the shelf Balboa control system sand pumps, therefore sourcing parts quickly is easy, meaning minimal down time if you were unlucky enough to develop a fault.
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.
Says Chris: “The release of HSG282 is very particular for all the right reasons, however, there were little or no hot tubs available on the market that ticked all of the criteria thatHSG282 recommends.
“Now that the industry has taken time to digest the detail released in HSG282, we are starting to see manufacturers designing and producing hot tubs which will be fit for purpose and comply with HSG282 in the very near future.”Chris adds: “The biggest consideration which is often overlooked is aftercare. We recommend that you have the spa serviced at least every six months to ensure any wear and tear is identified early and rectified to avoid breakdowns. It is advisable to team up with a local hot tub retailer, who can provide aftercare on your doorstep.” For holiday park operators, adding a hot tub is an opportunity to enhance visitor appeal and to add a premium to the letting price of the accommodation. Appealing to families as well as couples, for many holidaymakers, having their own hot tub, is the highlight of their break.
Perfect any time of the year, hot tubs are especially indulgent when it is cold outside to add to the lure of an autumn or winter holiday offering. Potentially profitable, there are however, many pitfalls to avoid before taking the plunge and adding a hot tub to your holiday offering. Shrewd operators and owners will look before they leap when it comes to showing duty of care, not to mention doing the necessary sums to ensure a profitable bottom line.

North-Wales based, UK Leisure Living offers 10 holiday hot tubs in its fully-compliant Aspen range from four seater to eight seater in a range of colours and sizes and at different prices.Supplying hot tubs to some of the country’s biggest parks,UK Leisure Living ensures its spas are fit for purpose whether residentially-owned or a holiday let.“Our spas are holiday compliant and have an ozone and in-line chemical feeder as standard,” explains UK Leisure Living’s Gareth Jones.“Our Aspen range have a simple layout and components canbe easily replaced,” adds Gareth.“We stock, in our large showroom, almost all of our holidaycompliant hot tubs. This means if a spa does go down, we can borrow a part of a floor model, repair quickly and get it back up and running very quickly, minimising down time.UK Leisure Living Tel. 0845 034 35 50 www.hottubsnorthwales.biz

North-Wales based, UK Leisure Living offers 10 holiday hot tubs in its fully-compliant Aspen range from four seater to eight seater in a range of colours and sizes and at different prices.Supplying hot tubs to some of the country’s biggest parks,UK Leisure Living ensures its spas are fit for purpose whether residentially-owned or a holiday let.“Our spas are holiday compliant and have an ozone and in-line chemical feeder as standard,” explains UK Leisure Living’s Gareth Jones.“Our Aspen range have a simple layout and components canbe easily replaced,” adds Gareth.“We stock, in our large showroom, almost all of our holiday compliant hot tubs. This means if a spa does go down, we can borrow a part of a floor model, repair quickly and get it back up and running very quickly, minimising down time. * UK Leisure Living - www.hottubsnorthwales.biz *

Away Resorts approached Urban Cedar at a recent Holiday Park & Resort Innovation show as they were interested in its contemporary hot tubs for use at their parks around the UK.Not only did they like the look of the Urban Cedar hot tubs but they also wanted a hot tub which was more commercial and designed specifically for a holiday home use as Urban Cedar’s are.They had experienced problems in the past with other hot tubs which allowed the guests to change the temperature and filter settings. Urban Cedar had a meeting with Away resorts and created a tailored solution to their exact requirements. This included chlorine auto-dosing, tamper proof jets and fitting a dual control system so the guest can only operate the jets and led lights. Away Resorts subsequently placed an order for over 40 hot tubs for three of their developments which were delivered and installed by April 2016. We have continued to work closely with Away resorts and are currently looking at design ideas for 2018. *Urban Cedar Hot Tubs www.urbancedarhottubs.co.uk*

Before you make a decision on which hot tubs are the best fit for your holiday setting, make sure you check out the Riptide range of spas. A quality build with a robust holiday let specification for a long trouble-free experience, Riptide offers a choice of three models. The four, five and six seater options are all available with built-in chlorinators, no pillows and no surface- mounted controls to be interfered with.All of the range offers easy filter removal for faster cleaning and includes courtesy lighting at the front steps to help avoid slips and falls.It is not too late to add a hot tub or two for the 2018 as Riptide has product in stock for immediate delivery. Large orders can be unloaded directly from containers on customers’ sites in just eight weeks.For one-offs or small orders of two to five units, Riptide offer an onsite handover service. For larger orders, Riptide prefer to train the park maintenance team to handle basic service and parts replacements.Riptide Spas www.riptidepools.co.uk

Before you make a decision on which hot tubs are the best fit for your holiday setting, make sure you check out the Riptide range of spas. A quality build with a robust holiday let specification for a long trouble-free experience, Riptide offers a choice of three models. The four, five and six seater options are all available with built-in chlorinators, no pillows and no surface- mounted controls to be interfered with.All of the range offers easy filter removal for faster cleaning and includes courtesy lighting at the front steps to help avoid slips and falls.It is not too late to add a hot tub or two for the 2018 as Riptide has product in stock for immediate delivery. Large orders can be unloaded directly from containers on customers’ sites in just eight weeks.For one-offs or small orders of two to five units, Riptide offer an onsite handover service. For larger orders, Riptide prefer to train the park maintenance team to handle basic service and parts replacements.*Riptide Spas www.riptidepools.co.uk*

Alfresco Thinking – Outdoor Play

Posted on May 9, 2018

Alfresco Thinking - Outdoor Play

Alfresco

ABOVE: A brushwood tunnel and whispering tube for secret messages on this outdoor play design from Earth Wrights.

Unfortunately, the days when children played out on the street all day are long gone. For many children today – especially families without gardens – outdoor play only happens on trips to the park or on holidays.
The onus is therefore on holiday park owners and operators to ensure the play facilities they offer are the best they can be.
“Children between the ages of three and 12 are still the ones who dictate their family’s holidays and day-out destinations,” says David Robinson of World of Rides. With that in mind – and unless you’re specifically targeting adults – your holiday park should always have an outdoor play area.”
Gary Wallis, UK Marketing Manager for HAGS, elaborates: “As any commercial operator will tell you, happy entertained children mean happy and relaxed parents! An exciting and challenging play area gives children somewhere to let off steam and make new friends. “Investing in play equipment is a great way to show visitors that your establishment caters for families with young children who want to be entertained and have fun. Parents can explore your ‘grown-up’ environment, while the children will stay occupied with fun play solutions that stimulate their imagination and challenge them physically.”
External play areas are no longer an after-thought but are fast becoming essential in all redevelopments, as operators understand that they are a key driver and draw card for families. More and more business owners are now beginning to invest in a well designed play area to not only attract customers, but to retain them for longer and providing a greater return on investment. “Good play facilities make all the difference to a site,” adds Cathy Craddock from Outdoor Play People. “Just putting in something to tick a box is all well and good, but with some thought you can create a real talking point and asset to your park.”

QUALITY PLAY
Outdoor play can take many forms, from conventional playgrounds and rides to more nature-based facilities. “If you invest in a good quality play area and really think about the design, you shouldn’t have to change your play areas very often at all,” continues Cathy. “If you look after it, it will serve you longer.” World of Rides’ David Robinson again: “While static play equipment may need to be replaced or refurbished on almost an annual basis on heavy footfall holiday parks, battery rides can still be earning very high incomes a decade or two later.” He stresses, however, that only certain rides and equipment are suitable for outdoor play. World of Rides’ extra low voltage battery cars, boats and trikes are obviously suitable, but any higher voltage equipment to be used outdoors must be fitted with a residual circuit device. All rides manufactured in the UK and Europe must also carry the CE mark, which imported rides from the rest of the world do not always comply with.
“Fully interactive rides are still the most popular children’s attraction, as young guests and visitors want to be in full control of everything their ride is doing,” continues David. “Our bumper cars and boats are particularly popular, along with our driving schools, with a number of holiday parks operating a multiple number of tracks of the same or differing models.” The company’s appealing designs and its use of the latest technology means it now has the most popular range of battery rides across the UK and Europe, with over seventy models to choose from.

World of Rides is launching its brand new batteryoperated off-road Outlander driving school cars for the 2018 season. According to the company, the cars will provide operators with safe, colourful, popular and very profi table new attraction for their venues – either indoors or outdoors – while also teaching children about road safety. The large twin-seat cars are fi tted with a working dashboard, ignition key and fully-operational seat belts, horn, head lights, direction indicators, accelerator and brake pedal with brake lights – and a reverse gear! “Our main purpose is to ‘edutain’ children with learning through fun,” says Customer Support Manager Andrew Robinson. World Of Rides Tel. 0191 492 0999 www.worldofrides.com

World of Rides is launching its brand new battery-operated off-road Outlander driving school cars for the 2018 season. According to the company, the cars will provide operators with safe, colourful, popular and very profitable new attraction for their venues – either indoors or outdoors – while also teaching children about road safety. The large twin-seat cars are fitted with a working dashboard, ignition key and fully-operational seat belts, horn, head lights, direction indicators, accelerator and brake pedal with brake lights – and a reverse gear! “Our main purpose is to ‘edutain’ children with learning through fun,” says Customer Support Manager Andrew Robinson. World Of Rides Tel. 0191 492 0999 www.worldofrides.com

 

 

The UK Ramp Co. understands just how important it is to implement creative areas and facilities designed to engage children in outdoor play. Its Modular Pumptrack has much to offer holiday park owners and their guests. Made up of 11 interchangeable modules which can be custom designed to fi t any environment, the track options with the Modular Pumptrack are endless. What’s more, the modules can be picked up and moved at any time, meaning the longevity of the product will surpass any site redesigns or upgrades with very little maintenance required. They can even be installed indoors or hired for one-off events. Sands Caravan and Camping Park in Gairloch, Scotland has found out fi rst-hand how popular the Modular Pumptrack can be. Last March, even before the park was open for the season, potential guests were visiting the Facebook page to ask when the site was open and if they could book the Pumptrack. The UK Ramp Company Tel. 01923 678432 www.theukrampco.com

The UK Ramp Co.understands just how important it is to implement creative areas and facilities designed to engage children in outdoor play. Its Modular Pumptrack has much to offer holiday park owners and their guests. Made up of 11 interchangeable modules which can be custom designed to fit any environment, the track options with the Modular Pumptrack are endless.What’s more, the modules can be picked up and moved at anytime, meaning the longevity of the product will surpass any site redesigns or upgrades with very little maintenance required. They can even be installed indoors or hired for one-off events.Sands Caravan and Camping Park in Gairloch, Scotland has found out first-hand how popular the Modular Pumptrack can be. Last March, even before the park was open for the season, potential guests were visiting the Facebook page to ask when the site was open and if they could book the Pumptrack. The UK Ramp Company Tel. 01923 678432 www.theukrampco.com

 

 

Fool’s Gold

Posted on March 20, 2018

Giving Visitors value for money pays off, reports Damien Corbet

FOOL'S GOLD

Giving Visitors value for money pays off, reports Damien Corbet

With the holiday park market as robust as it is, the biggest mistake operators can make is to cut corners. “Customers are increasingly aspirational and are looking for a ‘better than home’ experience” says Jon Moxon, Hoseasons’ Business Development Manager. “People are happy to pay for their UK short break or summer holiday but want to know they’re getting value for money. “So, to ensure the longevity of your cabin or lodge – and to sustain the price – I’d advise any owner to buy on quality, not price and furnish the unit to the highest standard they can.” This sentiment is echoed across the industry. The popularity of the UK ‘staycation’ has been on an upward trend for many years and shows no sign of slowing down. Less travelling time, no language issues, no currency exchange – and safety – are all factors encouraging increasing numbers of Brits to holiday at home. “All these factors have increased demand, with a trend emerging for shorter but more frequent breaks. With all this, guests are also expecting a lot more from their accommodation,” adds Pathfinder Homes’ Kelly Martyr.

In 2018, the winners will be those owners who meet the value for money proposition. Jon Moxon again: “Typically, I would expect these units to be open plan, light and airy with a great sense of space – and packed with features. The accommodation should be fitted out with branded equipment, large TV in the lounge and TVs in the bedrooms, and ideally a hot tub on the deck! Other features customers are looking for are wine coolers, wood burners and of course free wi-fi.

The striking exterior of North Lakes Lodges in Cumbria, part of Hoseasons' Evermore range.

The striking exterior of North Lakes Lodges in Cumbria, part of Hoseasons' Evermore range.

 

BOUTIQUE SITES

“We know space is at a premium on a park, but privacy is a rare commodity and the more space that can be provided between neighbours the better. There are several parks that are comfortably achieving this across the country, from the smaller quirky boutique sites such as Mallory Meadows in Leicestershire and Blossom Plantation in Northumberland, to sites offering activities such as shooting and fishing. Westlands Country Park in Scotland is a great example of a new site mixing traditional outdoor pursuits and contemporary comfort. Overall, it’s a combination of factors that make any unit and park stand out from the crowd. It’s about having a sense of identity and providing a quality lodge experience that is as good, if not better, than home,” added Jon. Another trend Pathfinder Homes is seeing is a strong rise in ‘romantic style’ designs. “We have recently created a bespoke Tuscany design specifically for the romantic rental market,” says Kelly. “This cabin measures at 40 x 22 and is a luxurious onebedroom home with an open plan layout featuring a freestanding bath sharing the same room as the huge super king size bed.” Operators should always be thinking about new ways to market their parks. If your park is situated in the right kind settings, you should certainly consider adapting a proportion of your site to meet this growing romantic break market.

Pathfinder's new 'Retreat' has a carefully planned layout and stunning internal design, utilising a combination of unfurnished style wood and red brick.

Pathfinder's new 'Retreat' has a carefully planned layout and stunning internal design, utilising a combination of unfurnished style wood and red brick.

SMART SWITCH

The growing demand for better value for money, with guests expecting more from their accommodation, are just some of the factors that should encourage operators to consider switching from caravans to lodges. According to Robert Sheridan, Managing Director of Finlog, their log cabins are always more popular than other types of accommodation: “They get more repeat bookings, always book out first and demand higher rents. “From an ecological point of view, you also can’t beat a log cabin. They last for generations, so you won’t need to waste money, time, energy and down-time replacing them every five years or so. As they never go out of fashion, revenues stay strong; they are also far more-energy efficient than a standard holiday mobile home.” Robert also stressed that log cabins don’t really have a ‘season’ and are not influenced by current trends, so their ‘shelf life’ is far longer than a factory-made cabin or lodge. When it comes to payback for your investment, it’s not always a straightforward calculation and there are many factors to take into consideration. The purchase price of lodges varies tremendously depending on model and finish, and the addition of key features for the rental market such as hot tubs. “For the rental market we would typically target a four-year ROI, possibly less given the continued buoyancy in the market,” added Jon Moxon.

Finlog’s log cabins are available in a choice of contemporary or traditional interiors.

Finlog’s log cabins are available in a choice of contemporary or traditional interiors.

ROBUST RENTALS

“With the rental market being as robust as it has been, the main pitfall is not to cut corners,” explains Jon. “As already mentioned, customers are increasingly aspirational and looking for a ‘better than home’ experience. So, for the longevity of the product and sustaining the price, I’d certainly advise any owner to buy on quality, not price, and furnish the unit to the highest standard they can. “It’s also important that the accommodation has a sense of place and fits its location. A white-washed, beach-style lodge in the Yorkshire Dales, flor example would feel out of place! Similarly, if your park has great views, take advantage of them – have a gable window or a central living layout so the bedrooms have an equally good view as the lounge. “Remember the accommodation is a rental unit, so fit it to the highest standard possible and use branded products, but also make sure it can take the hard work of two changeovers a week for 32+ weeks a year.” The message coming from the industry is loud and clear: Don’t cut corners, give visitors value for money and provide the best quality you can afford. The payback will be handsome.

 

 

Kent Seaside Park Reveals £4m Revamp

Posted on March 20, 2018

Kent Seaside Park Reveals £4m Revamp

Holiday home owners and staff at a popular Kent holiday park are celebrating after the curtains went up on a £4 million makeover which took place over winter.
It means that New Beach Holiday Park near Dymchurch is now ready for the 2018 season with facilities described as ‘wholly unrivalled’ in South East England.  Park Holidays UK, which owns New Beach, said the on-time completion of such a major project was a fantastic team effort for which everyone deserved credit. Kent SeasideIn just a few months, the park’s former clubhouse has been demolished and replaced with a modern new complex, fully equipped with the latest showbiz technology. The high-tech lighting and sound systems will allow New Beach to stage West End standard live shows as part of the free entertainment provided to guests. Park Holidays UK has also equipped the complex’s arcade area with world-class video and electronic gaming systems suitable for all ages and levels of skill. There’s also a complex bar with supersize TV screens, a restaurant serving meals throughout the day and evening, a mini-supermarket, and a sales administration centre. Also just opened is a new development of leisure homes to buy, ranging from starter caravan holiday homes at around £15,995.00 to fully specified extra-wide luxury lodges. According to Park Holidays UK director Tony Clish, the decision to invest substantially in New Beach is a reflection of the confidence the company has in the park’s future: “New Beach has long been one of the most popular of our 28 parks, and we are determined to ensure it continues offering guests the best possible experience,” he said. “The park is open for 50 weeks of the year for leisure homeowners, so there’s always a great holiday atmosphere and plenty of indoor activities such as a swimming pool. “Park Holidays UK is especially well known for the quality of our free entertainment, and we spend literally millions each year securing first-class acts.

“I am confident that our investment will help attract even more visitors in the future, and this will also benefit the many other businesses in this part of Kent which rely on tourism.”