Park Resorts Launch Caravan Sales App

Posted on July 3, 2014

Park Resorts new caravan sales App is designed to make buying a caravan as simple as possible for prospective home owners.

Park Resorts Launch Caravan Sales App

Park Resorts has become the first UK holiday park operator to launch an App showcasing all of the current caravans, lodges and chalets for sale on its parks.

The free App is a one-stop shop for people looking to invest in a holiday home, as well as existing home owners.

Users can search for properties by location using a UK map, find parks closest to their current location, or search by model or price range. The App also allows prospective buyers to view details of the facilities at all of Park Resorts 38 parks as well as photo galleries of all of the caravans, lodges and chalets for sale. A useful finance calculator also helps them to work out costs and repayments.

Martin Abrams, head of digital at Park Resorts said: “We know that around a third of visits to the Park Resorts website are now made from tablets or mobile phones and we expect this number to further increase over the coming 12 months.

“Nowadays people want to easily access information when and where it suits them and often on the move. This new user-friendly App is designed to meet the growing demand for people browsing on these devices. This is just the first part of some big changes to our web and mobile offer this year and we’re excited at what lies ahead.”

The App was produced, built and tested by Park Resorts inhouse web team based at its Hemel Hempstead HQ. It is available to download for free from the App Store or Google Play.

Accolade For Outstanding Parks

Posted on July 3, 2014

The team from Seafield Caravan Park in Northumberland were presented with a gold award at the VisitEngland Awards of Excellence.

Accolade For Outstanding Parks

Holiday parks from across the country have been recognised in the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence.

The awards, which celebrate their silver jubilee this year, promote quality in England’s tourism industry and celebrate the very best the country has to offer.

Leading the pack was Seafield Caravan Park in Northumberland, which scooped the gold award in the Holiday Park of the Year category. Located in the small fishing village of Seahouses, the family-run park offers a mix of touring pitches and holiday lodges to hire or buy.

Allison Thompson of Seafield Caravan Park said she was delighted to win gold - the second time the site has landed the top prize. She added: “It is testament to the continued investment in the park and most importantly to the dedicated and motivated team at Seafield, who continually strive to not only maintain but to improve the customer experience.”

The silver award for Holiday Park of the Year went to Gwel an Mor Resort in Portreath, Cornwall. Leaplish Waterside Park at Kielder Water in Northumberland and Waldegraves and Cosways Family Holiday Parks in Essex were awarded joint bronze in the category, and Hoburne Bashley came highly commended.

VisitEngland chief executive James Berresford said: “The VisitEngland Awards celebrate the very best in the tourism industry. It is the highest accolade in English tourism and recognises the true champions of our industry, and the top quality visitor experiences we are fortunate to have on offer in England.”

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Pop Star Boosts Charity Coffee Morning

Posted on July 3, 2014

Abby Garner (far right) and members of the Bunn Leisure fundraising team with Billy Ocean.

Pop Star Boosts Charity Coffee Morning

Fundraisers who decided to hold a coffee morning to support a cancer charity, ended up raising £10,000 after it got Billy Ocean’s backing.

The group were surprised when the recording artist turned up at the event at Bunn Leisure Holiday Park in West Sussex. The friends had hoped to raise a few hundred pounds at most when they agreed to host a small event in aid of Macmillan Cancer Care.

But the fundraiser took on a life of its own after the group asked Bunn Leisure Holiday Park, where they all own caravans, whether they could use a few tables at one its entertainment venues to host the event. Staff at the park offered their support and helped spread the word among owners and holidaymakers. Then pop star Billy Ocean, who was performing at the park, lent his support by posing for photos and offering a signed shirt for auction.

Fundraiser Abby Garner, said: “I had a vision that we’d get maybe 30 or 40 people and raise a couple of hundred pounds. I thought if a few of us got together we could do our little bit.

“We had raised about £5,000 before the doors even opened thanks to the raffle tickets and sponsorship. And on the day we raised that much again. We were stunned that from such a small beginning we raised so much.”

John Bunn, managing director of Bunn Leisure Holiday Park, said: “Abby owns a caravan here on the park and is a regular visitor – and when she asked for help, we were all too pleased to do everything we could to help her raise money for this worthy cause.” He added: “I’m delighted the team have raised so much and pleased that we were able to support those who put so much energy and effort into this extraordinary fundraiser.”

Double Attraction For Windsor Event Date

Posted on July 3, 2014

Expected to attract in excess of 8,000, SALTEX 2014 takes place at Windsor Racecourse.

Double Attraction For Windsor Event Date

Offering a one stop shop for all aspects of ground care, amenities and green space management, SALTEX 2014 takes place at the Windsor Racecourse from Tuesday to Thursday September 2 to 4 inclusive.

Expected to attract in excess of 8,000 visitors from turf care and specialist machinery to landscaping and playgrounds, over 200 SALTEX exhibitors will take part.

Alongside SALTEX, the UK play industry will be showcasing the latest innovations in play equipment and safety surfacing at PlayFair 2014, which is co-located with SALTEX. The annual trade event is a must for all those involved in the procurement and maintenance of children’s play equipment and safety surfacing.

Both shows are free to attend, and visitors can register online in advance.

SALTEX
Tel. +44 (0)20 7973 6401
www.2014.iog-saltex.com

Vauxhall Half Century

Posted on July 3, 2014

The indoor water world and outdoor splash zones are the most popular leisure facilities at the family friendly Vauxhall Holiday Park.

Vauxhall Half Century

Celebrating its 50th birthday this year, Vauxhall Holiday Park remains one of Norfolk’s most popular holiday resorts.

Offering family holidays and short breaks to suit all budgets, the five star park is a firm favorite among holidaymakers looking to visit Great Yarmouth and the Norfolk Broads.

The family owned park was founded by the late Stanley Biss in 1964, and his sons Wayne and James Biss now deal with the day-to-day running of the park. Both are supported by general manager Roger Finney and a 50-strong team of on-site staff.

Amy Woodyatt, marketing manager at Vauxhall says: “We are very proud to have recently achieved the number one spot on Tripadvisor in our category, and a certificate of excellence award.

“Our loyal customers are great ambassadors for the park, often returning a few times a year. We actively encourage feedback from guests, as we find that word of mouth and customer reviews often attract new holidaymakers.”

As one of the first parks in the country to offer caravans with running water and electric in the 1960s, Vauxhall’s accommodation options have come a long way in the last 50 years. The park now accommodates approximately 430 bespoke holiday homes, including 48 chalets, plus 200 standard camping pitches and 13 super pitches.

There is also an ongoing investment strategy to replace older holiday homes to keep at the forefront of comfort and design. This year the Vauxhall team have introduced a new and exclusive owners site, following requests from returning customers, as well as investing in a new range of holiday homes and glamping mega pods.

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Staycation Trend To Rise

Posted on July 3, 2014

Domestic tourist expenditure is forecast to grow by 25% over the next four years.

Staycation Trend To Rise

Spending from staycationers is set to rise by around 25% over the next three years, according to a new report by Barclays.

Overall spending by UK domestic tourists is forecast to rise to £108 million between 2013 and 2017.

The forecast is based on the recovery staying on track without people immediately switching back to their pre-recessionary holiday habits with trips abroad. Barclays said the hospitality and leisure sectors will benefit most from the staycationing trend, with spend in pubs and restaurants forecast to rise 26% to £37bn as more people dine out.

UK-wide hotel and B&B spend is expected to increase by 25% to £17bn, with leisure attractions going up 27% to £15bn and shopping rising 23% to £15.6bn.

“The economy is improving and confidence is certainly growing,” commented Mike Saul, head of hospitality and leisure at Barclays. He added: “With domestic tourism set to be big business for the UK’s hospitality and retail sectors, those with a clearly targeted strategy are set to benefit.”

First Guests Arrive At Woburn Center Parcs

Posted on July 3, 2014

Center Parcs Woburn Forest Village is predicted to inject £20 million into the local economy.

First Guests Arrive At Woburn Center Parcs

The doors were officially opened at the fifth Center Parcs village at the beginning of June, with an estimated 350,000 guests expected to visit each year. It is hoped that the village will inject over £20 million into the regional economy annually.

Martin Dalby, CEO of Center Parcs, said: “After years of hard work, dedication and passion, we’re thrilled to be welcoming our first guests to Woburn Forest and strongly believe the new village has all the ingredients for a very special family break”.

The new village boasts Center Parcs’ largest subtropical swimming paradise, along with an Aqua Sana spa, 625 lodges, a 75 bedroom hotel, six spa suites and a host of restaurants, shops and leisure activities.

Woburn Forest is one of the largest development projects of its kind in Britain for many years and represents a £250 million investment. Center Parcs owners Blackstone invested £100 million in the project whilst the remaining £150 million was financed from four UK lending banks.

“Center Parcs Woburn Forest will provide a massive boost to the area,” says Martin. “In addition to the 1,200 people employed in the construction of Woburn Forest, we have recruited and trained 1,500 employees, most of which live within a 15 mile radius. These are local jobs for young local people.”

Last year Center Parcs welcomed 1.7 million guests to its four existing Villages, the opening of Woburn Forest will increase that figure to over 2 million.

Butlins Defends Holidaymakers’ Legal Action

Posted on July 3, 2014

Over 200 holidaymakers are suing Butlins after suffering a gastric illness while staying at the Bognor Regis resort between May and July 2011.

Butlins Defends Holidaymakers’ Legal Action

Butlins’ parent company Bourne Leisure says it will ‘robustly defend’ legal action being taken by more than 200 holidaymakers in relation to problems at their Bognor Regis resort in 2011.

Legal firm Irwin Mitchell is representing more than 215 holidaymakers following a denial of liability by Bourne Leisure. Court proceedings relate to an outbreak of illness at the Bognor Regis resort between May and July 2011.

The holidaymakers are said to have cited a range of issues at the resort, including undercooked food, flies seen on and around food, pigeons on tables, rude staff, managers ignoring requests for help and asking ill guests to leave early, sewage smells around the resort, a cloudy swimming pool with slime around the edges, and failure to clean communal areas.

Elizabeth Tetzner, at Irwin Mitchell, who is representing the holidaymakers said: “Our clients have given us worrying accounts of their stays, including concerns regarding cleanliness, standards of food preparation and service as well as their treatment by staff.

"Bourne Leisure has denied liability and as such our clients have been left with no other option than to issue court proceedings as they seek justice for their ruined holidays.

“Gastric illness can have a devastating impact on people’s health and the effects of it cannot be underestimated,” she said.

In response, Butlins issued a statement, which read: “We will robustly defend this speculative action raised at the High Court in Birmingham. We operate our resorts to the highest health and safety standards and work closely with the Health and Safety Executive to ensure that our guests’ safety takes priority.

“Our standards of cleanliness and hygiene are recognised throughout the tourist industry worldwide. Such is our reputation on health issues that environmental officers from around the UK have described our policies and procedure as outstanding.”

First Guests Arrive At Center Parcs Woburn Forest

Posted on July 3, 2014

Center Parcs Woburn Forest Village is predicted to inject £20 million into the local economy.

First Guests Arrive At Center Parcs Woburn Forest

Center Parcs has welcomed its first guests to the new Woburn Forest village in Bedfordshire.

The doors were officially opened at the fifth Center Parcs village on Friday June 6th, with an estimated 350,000 guests expected to visit each year. It is hoped that the village will inject over £20 million into the regional economy annually.

Martin Dalby, CEO of Center Parcs, said: “After years of hard work, dedication and passion, we’re thrilled to be welcoming our first guests to Woburn Forest and strongly believe the new village has all the ingredients for a very special family break”

The new village boasts Center Parcs’ largest Subtropical Swimming Paradise, along with an Aqua Sana spa, 625 lodges, a 75 bedroom hotel, six spa suites and a host of restaurants, shops and leisure activities.

Woburn Forest is one of the largest development projects of its kind in Britain for many years and represents a £250 million investment. Center Parcs owners Blackstone invested £100 million in the project whilst the remaining £150 million was financed from four UK lending banks.

“Center Parcs Woburn Forest will provide a massive boost to the area,” says Martin. “In addition to the 1,200 people employed in the construction of Woburn Forest, we have recruited and trained 1,500 employees, most of which live within a 15 mile radius. These are local jobs for young local people.”

Last year Center Parcs welcomed 1.7 million guests to its four existing Villages, the opening of Woburn Forest will increase that figure to over 2 million.

Pedal Power At Woburn Forest

Posted on June 9, 2014

Thousands of Center Parcs bikes are
geared up to go at the new Woburn Forest Village.

Pedal Power At Woburn Forest

Officially open from Friday June 6, Center Parcs has taken delivery of 2,300 bikes at the newly completed Cycle Centre at Woburn Forest site in time for the village’s official opening later this spring.

Cycling has become synonymous with Center Parcs, with more than 20 per cent of guests choosing to hire a bike during their stay, and many more bringing their own. The new bikes will add to Center Parcs’ fleet of over 10,000 – making Woburn Forest one of the largest fleets in the UK.

A further 300 cycles have been allocated for the site team including housekeepers and technical services. Following a decade of planning and a massive £250 million investment, the new Woburn Forest village will welcome over 400,000 guests per year.

Short break bookings are already being taken for arrival from 30th June 2014 and spring breaks are expected to be released soon.