Hospitality Most Sociable Industry

Posted on May 29, 2015

Those working in the hospitality industry are the most likely to socialise and find life-long friends with people they’ve met through their jobs.

Hospitality Most Sociable Industry

The hospitality industry has been revealed as one of the most sociable sectors to work in with almost half of those surveyed stating that they see colleagues socially at least once a month.

According to the study of 2,792 full-time workers in the UK, those working in hospitality, construction and retail are the most likely to socialise and find life-long friends with individuals they’ve met through their jobs.

Respondents were initially asked if they considered themselves a sociable person whilst at work, with the vast majority (73 per cent) agreeing. Of these participants, 49 per cent stated that they indulge in nights out or social activities with their colleagues at least once a month, with a further 13 per cent admitting their answer was closer to once a week.

Lyndon Wood, CEO and creator of www. constructaquote.com which carried out the survey said: “Considering the fact that we spend more time with our co-workers than our partners, family members or children, it seems pretty crucial that there are individuals within a workplace that we can identify, socialise and become good friends with.

“Not only will having strong friendships within the workplace help ease any stress or pressure that might come alongside the job, they are no doubt key in ensuring high rates of staff retention."

Park And Leisure Show Hots Up

Posted on May 27, 2015

The World of Park & Leisure Homes Show returns to Stoneleigh Park from 11th – 14th June, offering free entry and free parking.

Park And Leisure Show Hots Up

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

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. Pathfinder Homes will be showcasing their Keepers Lodge, which launched earlier this year and Omar Park & Leisure Homes will be exhibiting a selection of their bestselling homes including the Heritage, the Colorado and the Accent on stand M11. There will also be homes and lodges to view from The Dream Lodge Group, Willerby Holiday Homes and Stately Albion to name a few.

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. Be sure to make a beeline for the Quick Move Properties stand – the UK’s largest property part exchange company – where the team of experts will be on hand to offer advice on all aspects of part exchange.

If its spas and hot tubs that you’re interested in, stop by the Superior Spas stand to learn more about their full range of wellness products including spas, steam rooms, saunas and hot tubs. You may also benefit from speaking to the Spaeuro team who can advise on spa filters, parts and accessories.

Show organiser Jo Turner comments: “Our experience shows that 95 per cent of our visitors want to meet owners and operators face to face so they can truly discover what’s on offer.” She adds: “Following its tremendously successful introduction last year, the Trade Preview Day allows park owners, site managers and others working within the industry to come along and view the homes, chat with manufacturers, discover new models and discuss the latest issues and developments.”

The Trade Preview Day is Thursday 11th June and the show will be open to the public Friday 12th – Sunday 14th June. 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

Parks Find Winning Ways

Posted on May 19, 2015

All the 2015 AA Caravan and Camping Awards winners were recognised for their achievements at the lunch held at the Aztec Hotel in Bristol.

Parks Find Winning Ways

The 2015 season has got off to a flying start for eleven of the UK’s top campsites after they were recognised at the recent AA Caravan and Camping Awards 2015.

Oakdown Touring and Holiday Park in Sidmouth, Devon was named the winner of the AA Campsite of the Year for England and the overall winner for 2015, while Witches Craig Caravan and Camping Park in Stirling and Bron Derw Touring Caravan Park in Conwy were named Campsite of the Year Scotland and Wales respectively.

Alistair Franks of Oakdown Touring and Holiday Park said: “We are all absolutely delighted with our award. We are continually investing in Oakdown to improve our facilities across the board to make our guests as comfortable as possible and we are thrilled that the commitment shown by us and our staff has been recognised by the judges of this prestigious awards scheme.”

The annual AA Caravan and Camping Awards recognise the best of the best when it comes to the nation’s caravan and camping sites. The winners are selected by the AA’s team of expert inspectors who travel the length and breadth of the country to ensure that campers can be confident of high standards wherever they see the AA Pennants at a campsite.

David Hancock, co-ordinator of the AA Caravan and Camping Scheme commented: “Today’s campers expect so much more than previous generations. Just because we’re away from home doesn’t mean we don’t want home comforts like privacy, clean and warm bathrooms and good access to the internet.”

David added: “Customer care is one thing that all our award winners have paid attention to. How well guests are looked after from the moment they arrive can make or break any holiday.

“Location also plays a significant part – the park must be in a place people want to visit and improvements to facilities can also score highly, especially if they have enhanced that all-important customer experience.”

All the 2015 award winners were recognised for their achievements at the lunch held at the Aztec Hotel in Bristol. The awards lunch also marked the official launch of the 47th AA Caravan and Camping Guide, which has details of over 900 fully inspected and independently graded camping parks across the UK.

Urban Cedar Launches First Lodge

Posted on May 19, 2015

The new Urban Cedar home adds a new dimension to Urban
Cedar’s already extensive product range of high quality hot tubs.

Urban Cedar Launches First Lodge

Hot tub specialists Urban Cedar have branched into the holiday lodge market with the launch of their brand new holiday home lodge. The luxury Urban Cedar Home features a contemporary design, cedar galley style kitchen, solid oak flooring and Bosch appliances.

The first lodge is sited at The Retreats, a brand new development of just 25 lodges located at Padstow Holiday Park in Cornwall. The 40 x 12ft lodge is finished with galvanised steel and cedar decking and steel gabions filled with local Cornish stone.

Antony Perry, managing director at Bristol-based Urban Cedar explains: “A key feature we wanted to create within the lodge design was space. When the master bedroom door is open you can see from one end of the lodge to the other.

“We also decided to locate the French doors on the side so to make a clearly defined lounge area.”

The lodge design can be adapted to suit all size requirements and bespoke features can also be added.

Antony adds: “We’re excited to be launching our Urban Cedar Home which will add a new dimension to our already extensive product range of high quality cedar hot tubs. “Looking ahead, we would like to grow this side of the business by buying and redeveloping old caravan sites.”

Urban Cedar
Tel. +44 (0)1934 833 844
www.urbancedarhome.co.uk

Playground Upgrades

Posted on May 19, 2015

RSS Playground Inspection and Maintenance recently
completed a substantial refurbishment of a 7-tower HAGS SMP play unit at Sundown Adventureland.

Playground Upgrades

The outdoor play area at Sundown Adventureland in Nottinghamshire has recently been transformed into a state-of-the- art play zone, with help from RSS Playground Inspection and Maintenance.

An independent inspection of the play unit identified significant timber decay, leaking from roofs and rusting of metal components. The park’s owners faced an estimated replacement cost of £200,000, but RSS stepped to provide a more cost effective solution.

RSS undertook a full site survey identifying all the defective items and proposed a full refurbishment. The fixed price for the complete refurbishment totalled £76,000, a little over a third of the cost of a replacement unit and took around four months to complete.

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Guests Do Donkey Work

Posted on May 13, 2015

Carers at the Donkey Sanctuary adjacent
to Oakdown Holiday Park near Sidmouth are ready to welcome park guests for a VIP donkey experience.

Guests Do Donkey Work

Guests staying at a top East Devon holiday park can this year enjoy a VIP donkey experience to raise much-needed funds for a local sanctuary.

Oakdown Holiday Park in Weston is offering holidaymakers a behind-the-scenes introduction to the world of Britain’s largest equine charity. The Donkey Sanctuary, adjacent to the park, provides care for around 500 donkeys – many of which have been neglected, overworked or abandoned.

In conjunction with the park, small groups will spend a hands-on morning helping the sanctuary team with a variety of tasks including grooming, walking, feeding and petting. The VIP package, priced at £38.00 per person, also includes a slap-up farmhouse cooked breakfast with a special gift for younger donkey devotees.

Park owner Alastair Franks said: “Donkeys and mules are hardworking animals, and can also be very affectionate – but sadly, they are sometimes the victims of neglect and cruelty.

“But these animals, as our visitors will see, are now leading happy and fulfilled lives in the care of dedicated volunteers who provide all the treatment and attention they need. “For children especially, this will prove a real eye-opener of a morning!” added Alastair.

Norovirus Outbreak Closes Resort

Posted on April 20, 2015

Management at Potters Resort took the decision to close the resort to prevent further spread of the virus.

Norovirus Outbreak Closes Resort

Potters Resort in Norfolk was temporarily closed in February following a suspected outbreak of the winter bug Norovirus.

The virus was traced back to a coach party of guests at the resort near Great Yarmouth. Potters management team took the proactive decision to prevent further spread of the virus by voluntarily closing the resort over a three day period, during which time the resort was thoroughly disinfected.

Guests that were due to check in during the closure were offered a full refund and a public event celebrating the life of the late Brian Potter MBE also had to be rescheduled.

In a statement, Potters Resort said: “The source of the Norovirus outbreak has been traced back to a coach party bringing it in from outside the resort. It spreads from person to person so Potters management took the decision to close to prevent any chance of further spread and to safeguard guests and staff.

“We have advised the relevant public health authorities and they have praised our preventative course of action.

“Once again, we’d like to apologise for the inconvenience, but we believe that our voluntary decision to close demonstrates our total commitment to the well-being of guests and staff and that Potters has put people before profits.”

Center Parcs Introduces Google 360° Technology

Posted on April 15, 2015

Center Parcs villages have been mapped using Google Business View technology, including the first fully operational sauna to be virtually toured.

Center Parcs Introduces Google 360° Technology

Center Parcs has become the first UK holiday resort to be comprehensively mapped using Google Business View technology.

The technology allows visitors to the Center Parcs website to virtually explore every square inch of the villages at the click of a button, whether viewing the subtropical swimming paradise or taking a look inside the range of accommodation options on offer.

It took 20 days, over 180 hours and in excess of 25,000 individual images to create the 140 different virtual tours. All buildings have been captured internally, including each of the different restaurants, leisure facilities and Aqua Sana spa.

In combination with Google Street View of all Center Parcs Villages, this is the most extensive use of this technology within the UK holiday sector. Four of the five Center Parcs Villages have been mapped, with the recently opened Woburn Forest set to follow later this year.

Broadchurch Fever Hits Bridport

Posted on April 15, 2015

Bookings at Highlands End Holiday Park are up by 57.8 per cent following the return of the TV drama Broadchurch. Pic: ITV

Broadchurch Fever Hits Bridport

Business is booming at Highlands End Holiday Park in West Dorset following the return of the popular ITV drama Broadchurch, which features scenes filmed at the park and the surrounding areas.

Highlands End Holiday Park in Bridport says bookings so far this year are up 57.8 percent for holiday home rentals and up 196 percent for touring pitches.

The programme, filmed around West Bay, returned for a second series on ITV in February, featuring a stellar cast including David Tennant and Olivia Coleman. Visitors flocked to the area last year to see the locations, and many more now seem keen to take a holiday in the heart of the action.

Highlands End Holiday Park general manager James Cox said: “At the end of October the cast and crew of Broadchurch were filming the second series on Eype Beach next to the park.

“While the holidaymakers at Highlands End were asked not to take pictures of any plot spoilers, they had a bird’s-eye view of the filming from the decking of their caravan holiday homes.”

He added: “We have recently expanded our luxury holiday lodge accommodation as the existing lodges, bungalows, holiday homes and apartments are all booking well on the back of Broadchurch fever.”

Cash Boost For Broadland Sands

Posted on April 15, 2015

Park Holidays UK’s investment at Broadland Sands aims to strengthen the commitment to family-friendly features found across other parks within the group.

Cash Boost For Broadland Sands

Holidaymakers at Broadland Sands Holiday Park in Suffolk will soon be benefiting from improved facilities following a £750,000 investment by the park’s owners Park Holidays UK.

The redevelopment project at the popular seaside park in Corton will see upgrades to the guest facilities and the park’s central holiday complex where a new state-of-the-art entertainments venue will be created.

Tony Clish, director of Park Holidays UK commented: “The facilities at Broadland Sands were already of a good standard, but as a company we are committed to keeping our holiday parks one step ahead of the competition.

“That’s why, after taking over the business, we made it our first task to walk around and draw up a wish-list of changes which would add to guests’ experiences.

“We have budgeted three-quarters of a million pounds for these projects, but we are prepared to let this figure over-run if it gives us the results we want.”

Despite only featuring on the company’s website since the New Year, Broadland Sands is already among the top five parks for bookings.

Mr Clish says that holiday home ownership proved extremely popular last year across his group and that 2015 is likely to see demand rise even further.

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Hospitality Most Sociable Industry