Coastal Breaks Top Holiday Wish List

Posted on July 4, 2017

Coastal Breaks Top Holiday Wish List

‘Seasiding’ is the most popular way to spend your holidays in 2017 according to holiday park operator Parkdean Resorts.

The new term has been coined by the company to describe a trend in holidaymakers booking up to take a trip to the seaside, either for their children to share in the same experiences they have enjoyed years ago or simply to appreciate the wonders of a holiday by the sea. The UK staycation market has grown steadily over recent years, with many people opting for domestic holidays over going abroad.

As a result, Parkdean Resorts welcomed over 500,000 holidaymakers in 2016, a figure which is set to increase this year - with real demand for coastal breaks in particular emerging. John Waterworth, chief executive of Parkdean Resorts, said: “This year will see more and more people reliving memories of childhood holidays at the sea, reflected by an uplift in our booking figures for 2017 breaks across our coastal parks.

“While nostalgia and tradition play an important part in the trend, ‘seasiding’ is all about holidaying at the coast in new ways. The seaside offering has evolved considerably over the decades since my parents visited as children, not least on our parks which now provide caravans with central heating and double glazing, and often with indoor pools and adventure play areas, making it comfortable to holiday both sides of the peak summer months.” John added: “We have made a significant investment of £50m across our parks on accommodation, retail and leisure facilities this year, where families can create memories that will last a lifetime.”

Suffolk Park Under New Ownership

Posted on July 4, 2017

Suffolk Park Under New Ownership

Park Holidays UK has become the new owner of Carlton Meres Country Park in Suffolk. he company’s acquisition of the long-established business near Aldeburgh brings the number of parks operated by the group in Southern England to 27. Carlton Meres has long been a popular choice for holiday home buyers, and more than 200 lodges and caravan holiday homes are located in its extensive grounds. There are also holiday homes to rent, and pitches for touring caravans and motorhomes. Facilities include an outdoor swimming pool, a fully-equipped gym and spa suite, tennis courts, an adventure playground, plus restaurant, bar, and games and snooker areas.

Park Holidays UK now owns four parks in Suffolk, and director Tony Clish says that Carlton Meres is an exciting new addition to the existing portfolio. “Our plan is to start rolling out an extensive investment programme which will benefit both existing holiday home owners and new customers,” he said. “Park Holidays UK always aims to ensure that its parks provide the very best in their class, and we’ll be applying exactly the same principles to Carlton Meres. “We’re very proud to welcome a park of such character and distinction to our group, and to broaden even further the range of experiences we can deliver,” added Tony.

Happy Hounds

Posted on June 30, 2017

Happy Hounds

Some 72 per cent of dog owners consider their dogs to be family member when it comes to booking a holiday. With eight and a half million dogs kept as pets in the UK; that is a customer focus group not to be barked at!

So no wonder that many UK holiday parks now offer options to bring along Rover and Patch with a dog-friendly levy attached. Manager of the North Devon safari tent glamping site, Daisy Meadows; Tina Walters, knows how difficult it can be for dog owners and since taking over the North Devon site in 2013, has aimed to make the park more enjoyable for dogs and owners alike.

The strategy is paying off. In 2016, 80 per cent of Daisy Meadows guests were accompanied on their summer break by their pooch. Visitors can enjoy a spectacular glamping experience as well as including the dog as a special guest, with its Happy Hounds Doggy Day Crèche.

“We created Daisy Meadows as just the right mix for guests, particularly those who have dogs,” says Tina. “We can provide a doggy day crèche so that you can still bring your dog on holiday. We realise that sometimes you might want to spend the day shopping or go to a show and still come back at the end of the day to your happy hound.”

Tina adds: “They are always cared for as if they are our own. On site, dogs are free to roam in the meadow, but we always ask guests to check with their neighbours, and pick up their dog’s poo and pop it in the bins provided, of course!”

The family-run business is situated in two-and-a-half acres of land in the Blackdown Hills area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - also known as the ‘Gateway to Devon’ - and offers a back to nature safari tent experience. The site is set in a secluded corner of the county, but within easy access of the M5, linking it to Exmoor and Dartmoor National Parks.

PAMPERED POOCHES

“This is a great base to explore areas of outstanding natural beauty,” says Tina, “And it’s a doggy-walking paradise. Guests can set off in a different direction every day and be at a beach or place of interest within minutes.” Not only do their owners enjoy the amenities laid on for pampered pooches, but it is also cost-effective. The average cost of a kennel is around £140 per week, whilst many holiday parks allow pets for free – or a nominal fee, often to cover cleaning costs and supplies – although one in four are happy to pay the same amount to take their dog on holiday, as it would cost to take another adult.

Dennis O’Connor, Tourism Liaison Manager of Pembrokeshire Tourism says: “Increasingly, visitors are looking for dog-friendly destinations to avoid the distress of leaving their pets in kennels. “The wonderful coast and countryside is a very special place for visitors, and we are delighted to have been able to recognise the work of dog friendly businesses throughout the county as well as our fantastic towns and beaches.”

Coastal Wood Camping was crowned ‘Best Dog Friendly Campsite’ in May. The Pembrokeshire site is rapidly becoming a first-choice holiday destination for dog owners – not only for its beautiful coastline but for the many facilities that now welcome holiday makers with their dogs.

This status was celebrated at the inaugural Dog Friendly Pembrokeshire Tourism Awards ceremony to recognise businesses, villages and locations going the extra mile, and awarded by Pembrokeshire Tourism and Burns Pet Nutrition. The judges assessed a wide range of criteria to decide the winner, but most specifically; an area dogs can enjoy safely with exceptional dog litter facilities, facilities to wash dogs if they got muddy and excellent dog friendly facilities and supplies.

Although the majority of campsites, holiday parks and beaches allow dogs, vacations in caravans and motorhomes are usually accessible for pet owners, perfectly tailored for their animal’s needs. With some of the most beautiful national parks, forests and beaches in the world, the UK is perfect for a caravanning dog-friendly holiday. Woodhill Park in East Runton, Norfolk has been dog-friendly since its owners took over the site in 1988, but the park has noticed a steady increase in the number of guests bringing their pets with them in the last 18 months. “

To read more about Dog Friendly Holiday Parks subscribe to Holiday Park Scene

Company Contacts

Daisy Meadows Tel. 07852 544219 www.daisymeadowsafaritents.co.uk

Coastal Wood Camping Tel. 01994 453214 www.coastalwoodholidays.co.uk

Thornley Leisure Centres Tel. 01606 861043 www.thornleyleisure.co.uk

Whitehill Country Park Tel. 01803 782338 www.whitehill-park.co.uk

Woodhill Park Tel. 01263 588181 www.woodhill-park.com

Thrills And Spills

Posted on June 30, 2017

Thrills And Spills

Water play is sure to keep guests returning year after year…

There’s no better time for enjoying the thrills and spills of water play than on a family holiday.

A holiday park that can offer a unique and exhilarating swimming experience is sure to score over it’s nearest rivals. Through smart design and a clever selection of features, any holiday park can transform their swimming pool into an exciting aquatic play space that guests will enjoy and want to return to on repeat visits. “Water play installations offer a range of benefits when compared to standard swimming or paddling pools,” explains Ernie Hemming of Ustigate Waterplay.

“Firstly, a water play installation uses water on demand, which is a more economical and cheaper solution as water will be consumed only when someone touches one of our activation bollards using considerably less water. Moreover, a water play installation provides countless hours of fun for all the family.”

Ustigate installed a bespoke splash zone at Dinosaur Adventure Park in Norfolk last year.

The allocated splash area had previously been home to long-standing old wooden outdoor play equipment which had become outdated so the park owners took the decision to reinvest in the area and give it a new lease of life. The new splash zone takes inspiration from the famous Dippy the Dinosaur, the mascot and one of the Dinosaur Adventure Park’s most popular attractions in order to attract and retain more customers on site.

The splash zone was divided into three bays which have range of play items designed for each age group - toddler, teen and family. The focal point is the huge ‘supersplash’ elevation consisting of a bucket that tilts over crashing onto a platform creating a mini-tidal wave soaking everyone in its spray zone. The fully PWTAG compliant filtration and recirculated water system ensures highest quality of water for children to play in.

EXPLORE OPTIONS

Ustigate’s Vortex sourced products offer the latest designs and features which are premium quality and competitively priced. The price of a typical splash pad depends mainly on three factors; size of the scheme, the type of water system that will be used - one use or re-circulating - and finally the selected water features. According to Ustigate, a typical once use system would usually cost between £50,000- £100,000 and a recirculating system costing £300,000- £500,000.

“Ensure you have explored all possible options as water installations can be expensive and time consuming,” comments Ernie. “Remember that the cheapest option may not always be the right decision in the long term as a significant drop in quality may lead to additional repair or alteration costs in the future or even worse closing of the water play installation. “Even though initial setup costs for a high quality and robust water system may be excessive this will be cost effective in the long run as the water system will be able to stand the test of time and demands of excited children.”

Leyland-based World Leisure recently completed a £1.5m overhaul of the swimming pool facilities at Ribby Hall Village Holiday Park in Lancashire, in just 12 weeks.

MAIN ATTRACTION

The holiday park’s pool is well-known for its water slides and is used by members and visitors alike. It was given a refurbishment eight years ago but bosses at the attraction decided the time was right for a complete revamp, with added facilities to maintain interest for visitors. The new pool features new slides including a 48m interactive play slide. Members and guests are able to climb a tower to the top of the slide, which then takes them out of the building and back inside again. As they come down the slide, they can play an interactive touchpad game on the inside of the slide, with scores recorded once the ride is complete.

To find out more about water play facilities please subscribe at Holiday Park Scene

Company Contacts

Certikin Tel. 01993 778855 www.certikin.co.uk

Hippo Leisure Tel. 01752 771740 www.hippoleisure.com

Ustigate Waterplay Tel. 01322 424445 www.ustigatewaterplay.co.uk

World Leisure UK Tel. 01777 284883 www.worldleisureuk.co.uk

Into The Woods

Posted on June 30, 2017

Into The Woods

For over 35 years Blairgowrie Holiday Park was the Wood family’s flagship site, but after the expansion of the company – extending to a further four parks – the 2008 purchase of Deeside has since changed the landscape.

The Deeside site boasts exquisite hot tub lodges, contemporary holiday homes and en-suite glamping pods. The Woods’ also welcome campers with large areas of hardstanding and fully serviced pitches available. Says Park Manager Shona Stewart: “The park provides a peaceful and tranquil environment for its guests to have a relaxing stay while enjoying picturesque countryside views with nature on your doorstep. The area is popular among visitors from Scotland and further afield who come to explore Royal Deeside.”

As the parks have spread across the country, so too has the family’s involvement in running the company. Colin and Margaret, who started the business three decades ago have since been joined on the team by their daughters, Rachel, Kirsty and Sarah.

The eldest, Rachel, is in charge of the administrative and financial side of the business. Middle daughter, Kirsty, manages the HR and Health & Safety sectors, and the youngest, Sarah, is the head of the Marketing and Sales department.

The girls are also joined by their husbands, who oversee the parks operations, and most recently Shona Stewart who — two years ago — was promoted to Park Manager after six-years as the Administrator for Deeside Holiday Park.

Wood Leisure
Tel. 01250 878123
www.woodleisure.co.uk

To read more about Wood Leisure and Deeside Holiday Park subscribe to Holiday Park Scene

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.”

Surge In Club Membership

Posted on May 31, 2016

Surge In Club Membership

The Camping and Caravanning Club is celebrating record membership with nearly 600,000 individuals, or 281,674 households now being members of the Club.

The Club hit its previous membership peak in August 2011, shortly after the global recession when more Brits switched to camping and caravanning as an affordable and sociable staycation holiday option.

Robert Louden MBE, director general of The Camping and Caravanning Club, said: “In a time when some member organisations are experiencing a downturn in their membership numbers, we are extremely proud to announce our highest ever membership.”

Show Attendance Breaks Previous Records

Posted on May 31, 2016

Show Attendance Breaks Previous Records

A whopping 87,589 visitors attended the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show at the NEC in Birmingham in February

The record-breaking success of the recent Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show reflects findings a boom in interest in caravan purchases.

The National Caravan Council (NCC) revealed that the sale and dispatch of new touring caravans, motorhomes and caravan holiday homes in the UK increased by 10.3 per cent in 2015 compared to 2014. The figures reinforce the growing British preference over the last few years to holidaying at home, with trips in Great Britain rising by seven per cent to 105 million last year, while overall spend on accommodation in the camping and caravanning sector has increased by seven per cent year on year - the largest increase across all accommodation types.

“The flexibility and freedom a leisure vehicle offers is fundamental to the growth of the industry,” commented John Lally, director general of the NCC.

“Families and people of all ages enjoy caravanning and motor-homing. “We’re also seeing increasing numbers of younger people choosing to holiday in the UK. With caravans and motorhomes equipped with all the latest technology and comforts, the industry provides the perfect solution for holidaymakers to enjoy a ‘home from home’ experience any time of the year.”

A record breaking number of visitors flocked to the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show in February, making it the most successful show in the event’s history.

A whopping 87,589 visitors attended the six-day show at the NEC in Birmingham, between in February. The Saturday was the busiest day, welcoming more than 26,050 visitors in the eight-hour window.

With over 350 exhibitors and a host of well-known personalities, the show provided the ideal platform for companies to showcase their latest products and innovations.

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Pitch Perfect

Posted on May 11, 2016

Pitch Perfect

Pengion poo pegs and Glamping Tent Chessington Frank PR

Zoos and holiday parks have realised glamping opportunities Pic: Albion Canvas By Boldscan

For those that have branched into the glamping market, well invested! The glamping business is booming – and it shows no signs of slowing down.

“Glamping seems to be the gift that keeps giving,” declares Tobyn Cleeves of Bell Tent UK.

“It will continue to become more popular as it is a wonderful way of having a great UK based family holiday.”

Bell Tent UK has been at the forefront of the glamping scene for over a decade. Established in 2006, the company has grown to incorporate all aspects of glamping equipment including tents and camping accessories not found on the High Street. Also in the portfolio is Hotel Bell Tent, which provides boutique accommodation for festivals, sporting and private events, and even won the 2015 Festival Awards Best Temporary Structure Award.

Business is booming in the glamping market – and it shows no sign of slowing down. Pic: Bell Tent UK.

“Glamping started out at private parties and festivals and soon filtered through to the mainstream,” Tobyn explains. “We are approached more and more by park owners looking to diversify into glamping - one of the major benefits is the fact that it often attracts a different demographic who would not normally consider staying at a park and are often prepared to pay a premium for a beautiful spot,” he adds.

Bell Tent UK specialises in high quality unbleached cotton canvas tents, ranging in diameter from 3m to 6m. New for 2016 is the launch of a new size bell tent, known as the ‘In- Betweener’. At 4.5m in diameter, the tent is a half-way house between the original 4m bell tent and the large best-selling 5m diameter bell tent.

“It’s important to remember you are buying a tent, not a permanent structure and you might consider putting it away when not in use to extend its life span,” says Tobyn.

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Dorset Clinches Title

Posted on April 15, 2016

Dorset Clinches Title

South Lytchett Manor in Dorset has been named by the AA as the best caravan and campsite in the UK, earning it the overall title of the AA’s Campsite of The Year.

The family-run business, near to Poole and Bournemouth, beat more than 900 other camping parks across Britain to take the prestigious pole place.

The accolade is awarded every year following a rigorous assessment by AA inspectors of parks’ standards of customer care, quality, and cleanliness.

Joanne Bridgen of South Lytchett Manor commented: “We’re absolutely delighted to have been chosen for this award and extend our heartfelt thanks to our holiday guests for their continuing support. “We are also extremely grateful to members of our hardworking staff team whose friendliness and commitment to quality service has been crucial to our success,” said Joanne.

Ten other camping and caravan parks across the UK were also recognised in the 2016 awards. The winning parks will be presented with their awards at a special prize giving ceremony in March.