Changes to Smart Card Hook-Ups

Posted on March 7, 2017

Changes to Smart Card Hook-Ups

October 2016 saw changes to the regulations relating to kWh metering of caravan hook-ups, making it mandatory for all meters installed after this date to have full MID approval. As a result of this regulation change, Rolec Services, one of the UK’s leading specialists in caravan electrical distribution and hook-up

All caravan hook-up meters installed after October 2016 must have full MID approval.

systems, has invested heavily in a new range of MID approved Smart Card metered hook-up systems.

Martin Georgeson, Rolec’s Sales Director, commented: “Our range of Smart Card metered hook-ups for both static and touring caravans have proved exceptionally popular and, as a result of this demand, we chose to invest in the design, certification and manufacture of a new range of MID approved Smart Card meters.”

Georgeson continued: “As a result of our investment in developing the MID approved Smart Card meter, and our bulk buying policy, we are able to provide the lowest priced MID approved Smart Card hook-ups in the UK.” In addition to providing Smart Card metered hook-ups, Rolec also supply individual MID approved Smart Card meters and MID approved credit meters for retro-fitting into existing static and touring hook-up units.

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.”

Worthy Cause

Posted on March 7, 2017

Worthy Cause

Porth Beach Holiday Park raised over £1,000 months to help fund six-year-old Izzy Pearce’s operation

Staff and guests at Porth Beach Holiday Park in Newquay have raised £1,000 to help a young girl from Cornwall undergo a pioneering surgical procedure in America. Six-year-old Izzy Pearce suffers from cerebral palsy and is unable to walk properly or stand unaided.

Her parents, Michael and Ursula, learned of the potentially life-changing operation known as Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) – but discovered it was not available on the NHS and so began a huge fundraising campaign.

Porth Beach Holiday Park made the very first donation on Izzy’s JustGiving page and kick-started the campaign. The family reached their £86,000 target in October - and donations continue to flood in.

All money raised over the target will go towards Izzy’s post-op physiotherapy that she will require over the next few years. Chris Case, Manager at Porth Beach said he was pleased to have helped such a worthy cause.

Camping Sector Growth

Posted on March 7, 2017

The total camping trips taken figure is expected to rise to 17.9 million in 2017 and to over 21 million in 2020.

Camping Sector Growth

Camping is on the up according to a new report by Mintel, which suggests that Great Britain’s camping and caravanning market will be worth over £3.2 billion by 2020.

A total of over 17 million camping and caravanning trips are estimated to have been taken by UK adults in 2016, over 15 million of which were in Great Britain, and include a spectrum of accommodation options from yurts, safari tents and shepherd’s huts to tiny two-berth mini and large luxury caravans, sophisticated motorhomes and holiday lodges.

The total trips taken figure is expected to rise to 17.9 million in 2017 and to over 21 million in 2020. Of those camping in a tent in the last three years, ‘getting away from it all’ is one of the key attractions (42%) as well as ‘connecting with nature’ (41%). Market drivers for camping, caravanning and motorhomes trips in recent years include a reduction in petrol prices and a desire for families to reconnect with their environment.

£14m Upgrade

Posted on March 7, 2017

Bunn Leisure is investing heavily this year in improving its on-site facilities.

£14m Upgrade

Bunn Leisure, a five-star holiday village complex in West Sussex, has embarked on an ambitious £14m refurbishment programme, which will create jobs and provide a welcome boost to the local economy. The first phase of the plans passed by Chichester District Council will see the creation of a new head office and main visitor reception, with a new entertainment complex and improvements at the White Horse and Green Lawns sites following 12 months later.

John Bunn, managing director of the 300-acre park, said: “Bunn Leisure offers outstanding family holidays at our four wonderful parks and this refurbishment programme will enable us to provide an even better service. “We begin 2017 investing heavily in our facilities and it shows our ongoing commitment to be an innovative leader in the family holiday sector. “Our park employs 350 full-time and 350 seasonal staff, and we welcome 100,000 holidaymakers every year.

Bunn Leisure already generates more than £60m for the local economy, and we hope these developments will create future employment opportunities and increase our popularity as a tourist destination.”

Quality Street

Posted on March 7, 2017

Pathfinder’s clients can select everything from the size, the layout, the external finishing and the internal furnishings of the lodge.

Quality Street

Research has revealed that Brits spend on average, 15 per cent of their income on leisure activities including holidays - totalling a whopping £8.3bn per month. Conducted by YouGov, the survey of 2,061 adults also found that all Brits, irrespective of age and gender, prioritised experiences over material goods.

No wonder then that the drive towards high quality holiday accommodation in the last two decades has seen real innovation in the holiday park sector. For many years the humble caravan dominated the holiday parks market but cabins and lodges continue to grow their market share. Cabins and lodges are known to attract longer let periods than caravans, typically being very popular in the ‘harder to let’ shoulder months outside the peak season.

Whatever your preference, we can all agree that investing in high-value holiday accommodation makes sound business sense for park owners and operators. Because of their extended season appeal, it is imperative that lodges are well-built and insulated. Leading lodge manufacturer, Pathfinder Homes, recently boasted that on average, their lodges are 20 per cent better than the British Standard. Pathfinder’s typical build offers a minimum of 100mm thick insulation to the external walls and the floor with the roof boasting 200mm. This, in hand with a rated appliances, argon gas filled windows, low energy lighting and many other features means the lodge is not only kind to the environment but these changes add up and keep the average running costs down too.

NO COMPROMISE “Unlike a traditional bricks and mortar home, where you would be expected to compromise on at least a few of your desires, choosing a park home or lodge can open doors you never even knew existed – excuse the pun!” comments a spokesperson for Pathfinder. Pathfinder’s clients can select everything from the size, the layout, the external finishing and the internal furnishings of the lodge. Each customer is offered a blank canvas to start with, or they can choose from a preselected, standard design. The design studio presents a tangible design experience – so they can touch and feel the fabrics and virtually walk through the lodge before it is built. Leading lodge and holiday home manufacturer, Victory Leisure Homes has just launched its brand new model for 2017, which allows customers to create their own design, specified to their personal tastes from a list of 10 optional extras.

For nearly 60 years Pathfinder Homes has been a pioneering manufacturer of luxurious residential park homes and holiday lodges.

HOME FROM HOME The Echo comes in four sizes and room configurations – 36ft, two or three bedroom; 33ft, two bedroom, and; 28ft, two bedroom – and boasts a host of standard features, as well as an extensive list of extras including central heating, double glazing and integrated appliances. Standard features include, among others, Sandstone aluminium cladding, lounge electric fire, uPVC single glazed windows, USB sockets to all bedrooms and lounge, panoramic large front windows and Victory’s own design SoCozeee mattresses. The Echo is Victory’s first mid-season launch since 2015 when the company unveiled its popular model, the Sandhurst, to the industry. However last year, the company took a step back from launching a mid-season model, amid rising sales for its existing range.

Peter Nevitt, Managing Director of Victory Leisure Homes said: “In 2015/2016 sales across the range were flying, so we decided not to launch a mid-season model. “But since then we have expanded our manufacturing capacity significantly, meaning we are able to accommodate an extra, midseason model, which is why we’re delighted to be launching the Echo in 2017.”

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Fresh Approach

Posted on March 7, 2017

Fresh Approach

Peter Bull Resorts purchased Newquay View Holiday Park in 2014 and have since invested £2 million in upgrades to the facilities and general appearance of the park.

Purchased as a run-down park with a bad reputation for attracting the wrong sort of crowd to Newquay, Peter Bull Resorts has achieved a complete 180° turnaround at Newquay View Holiday Park in just three seasons. The group purchased the park in 2014 and has invested over £2m to improve the holiday fleet, refurbish and introduce new facilities and completely upgrade the general appearance of the park.

In fact, last year the park welcomed almost 19,000 holidaymakers and there are plans to further expand and enhance the facilities in the next 12 months. “Our ambition is to become a five star park, with all of the modern facilities and activities that guests expect from a resort,” reveals Barry McGregor, Managing Director at Peter Bull Resorts. “Having replaced every single hire fleet caravan since 2015, we now have planning in for a modern fully landscaped touring park with 85 fully serviced pitches and top notch amenities.”

He adds: “Newquay is all about outdoor living and we want to champion Porth as a top class destination.” Newquay View has the benefit of being very close to Newquay and all that it has to offer in the way of restaurants, pubs, clubs, beaches and attractions; but the park is set back in a peaceful valley with beautiful surrounding countryside, allowing our guests to enjoy the best of both worlds.

The park is managed on a day-to-day basis by General Manager Sue Hogg, who has over 30 years’ experience in improving customer experience and sales for top leisure brands

HIRE FLEET : On the park is a hire fleet of 75 caravans, ten glamping pods and over 100 touring and camping pitches. In addition there are over 110 holiday home owners on-site and 60 seasonal tourers. For the 2017 season, the park will be adding two Swift S Pods to its offering as a luxury glamping option. “We now have a strong base of holiday home owners and touring customers, a new holiday fleet and glamping accommodation too.

Situated near the beach at Porth, just outside the main town of Newquay, the park is popular with the outdoor family market,” comments Barry. “Ultimately the most important thing is that people enjoy their holidays with us so that they want to come back year after year. To achieve this it is vital we work well as a team and also listen to our guests to ensure that we are providing them with everything that they need to make their time with us special and memorable.”

CORE TEAM : The park is managed on a day-to-day basis by General Manager Sue Hogg, who has over 30 years’ experience in improving customer experience and sales for top leisure brands including Bourne Leisure and Park Leisure. Sue leads a core team of 25 staff with the support of a Leisure Manager, Operations Manager, Entertainment Manager and Housekeeping Manager. Amenities on the park include a 22m indoor pool, sauna, steam room, an endless elite training pool, café, amusements, a nightclub, two playgrounds, an outdoor heated pool, a convenience store, a fitness facility and specialist sports coaching.

The park boasts an indoor and an outdoor pool, which are popular hotspots for holidaymakers

There’s also an on-site surf school, Blue Surf, which gives lessons at nearby Watergate Bay. The park also supports the local community by making its facilities available to all neighbours. The indoor pool is used for weekly training and lessons by several local schools, the surf rescue services, local swimming clubs and the emergency services. Many Cornish organisations use the Venue Club to host their presentations or awards dinners, theatre productions, weddings and local events. “The bulk of our customers are families during the peak seasons, but we are increasingly seeing a growth in the couples and very young family market during the shoulder seasons and this is something that we are keen to encourage as we are now open all year round,” Barry explains.

He adds: “The biggest challenge that the park faces is providing high quality holidays to increasingly discerning customers, some of whom have never stayed in Cornwall before. Newquay View has required record levels of investment, which is challenging for owner managers, and higher staffing levels to manage facilities that will be flat out.”

New Ownership

Posted on March 7, 2017

Park Leisure has been acquired by Midlothian Capital Partners for £103 million.

New Ownership

Luxury holiday park operator Park Leisure has been sold for £103 million. Private equity firm Midlothian Capital Partners and a consortium of investors have agreed to acquire the business, which was founded by Miles Dewhurst and Gary Molloy 19 years ago.

Upon completion, Gary will exit the business to pursue other avenues and Miles will take up the role of CEO supported by the existing management team as well as MCP. Park Leisure operates ten holiday home parks across the UK with a turnover of £58 million and 350 staff.

Gary Molloy, CEO and co-founder of Park Leisure, added: “After 19 dedicated years I have decided to take a back seat and exit the business over this coming season. The company started from an office in a bedroom in my house and has steadily grown ever since. “I have very much enjoyed working with Andrew and the MCP team, and wish them, as well as Miles and the Park Leisure team the very best for the future.”

Taking The Plunge

Posted on January 16, 2017

Taking The Plunge

A new £1 million pool complex is being built at Seawick Holiday Park in Clacton.

One of Clacton’s largest holiday parks, Seawick in St Osyth, is investing £1m this winter on a prestigious new swimming pool complex. It’s envisaged that the new pool complex, complete with flumes and new changing areas, will be ready for the park’s re-opening in March. Owners of the park, Park Holidays UK, says the pool will benefit not just the local economy but also the environment – as it will be heated by a super-efficient biomass boiler.

Much more environmentally friendly than conventional heating systems, the green energy boiler will be fuelled by wood pellets and reduce substantially the park’s carbon emissions. Seawick’s new pool will complete a series of new developments at the park, which included the opening of a new £1.8m entertainment complex last summer.

Park Holidays UK Director Tony Clish, commented: “I am confident that our investment will help attract even more visitors to Clacton in the future, and this will also benefit the many other businesses in this part of Essex which rely on tourism.”

Park Faces Fire Safety Failure Fines

Posted on January 16, 2017

The owner of Europa Holiday Park has been fined for safety breaches, following a serious fire at the park in August 2015.

Park Faces Fire Safety Failure Fines

The owner of Europa Holiday Park, in North Devon has been fined £40,000 and ordered to pay £15,500 costs after pleading guilty to six offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Graham Toms, Director of Woolacombe Beach Holiday Park Ltd (operating at Europa Holiday Park), was also given a six-month sentence suspended for two years when he appeared before Exeter Crown Court. On the afternoon of August 3, 2015 a significant fire broke out in the club house at Europa Park Holiday park.

During the course of the fire, two staff members suffered burns and a guest, using the pool with his young son, had to break out of the building by using his bare feet to smash the glass of a locked fire exit with only minutes to spare. The resulting investigations by Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service revealed a number of failings including lack of emergency escape lighting and failure to provide adequate safety training for staff. The investigation also found that Mr Toms had failed to act on the findings of a fire risk assessment carried in 2009, which had identified several issues.

Business Safety Manager Paul Bray, of Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service, said: “Mr Toms had been in the industry for many years and should have been well aware of what was expected and needed in respect of fire safety at the premises. “He understood the need for a Fire Risk Assessment, yet failed to comply with the requirements of the Fire Safety Order by ignoring advice from those he had appointed to assist, putting lives at risk as evidenced by the actions and resulting injuries sustained by a guest and staff as a result of a fire on the premises.”