indoor swimming pool

DARWIN ESCAPES RESORTS

Posted on February 11, 2025

With a portfolio of 26 leading holiday resorts and three golf courses across the UK, Darwin Escapes is one of the trailblazers transforming the UK holiday park industry. Darwin Escapes offers holiday breaks, holiday home ownership and golf breaks with the widest range of holiday accommodation at its resorts, from romantic boutique escapes to luxury lodge retreats and traditional family-focused holiday parks.

With such variety on offer, there is sure to be something to appeal to everyone. “No two Darwin Escapes resorts are the same,” explains Drew Campbell, Director of Operations, “But every resort in our portfolio shares a common aim - to provide the best possible holiday experience for holidaymakers and holiday homeowners.”

“With this in mind, we have created brand new resorts in stunning locations with accommodation and facilities that rival those of 5-star hotels, and lovingly updated our existing sites across the UK.” One resort that is a flagship for the company in terms of the facilities on offer is Norfolk Woods Resort & Spa.

This multi-award-winning park recently scooped the Diamond Award for East of England large park for the third time in the prestigious Hoseasons Awards in November 2024. Norfolk Woods, established in 2019, is situated close to the market town of Kings Lynn in an ideal location for holidaymakers wishing to take advantage of Norfolk’s breath taking countryside and coastal scenery.

DARWIN ESCAPES RESORTS aim to provide the best possible holiday experience for holidaymakers and holiday homeowners

Guests at Norfolk Woods can choose from a selection of stylish and contemporary accommodation including premium lodges with outdoor hot tubs. Open plan in design, the lodges boast the latest entertainment features and kitchen facilities for a luxurious stay.

There is an abundance of on-site amenities and activities on offer at the park including an indoor swimming pool, stylish bar and bistro, outdoor children’s splash park, as well as a superbly equipped spa for adult relaxation. Norfolk Woods Resort & Spa may be fairly new, but it has a rich heritage in the region.

The original site was known as Pentney Holiday Park, a resort designed for touring caravans and camping holidaymakers, which was the home of decades of happy holiday memories. “We wanted to keep our resort as the home for more of those amazing holiday memories for decades to come, but with a new, contemporary and fresh feel,” explains Anne Foulkes, Regional & General Manager of Norfolk Woods.

“Our aim was to retain the gorgeous natural scenery and preserve the site as a true destination, whilst creating Norfolk’s best luxury lodge park.” Luxury lodges are also on offer at Darwin Escapes newest premium development: Blenheim Palace Lodge Retreat. Partnering with historic Blenheim Palace, the company has created a range of one-, two- and three-bedroom lodges in the grounds of the stunning Blenheim Estate in Oxfordshire.

NORFOLK WOODS RESORT & Spa boasts great leisure facilities for all ages

The self-catering holiday lodges, which opened in August 2023, feature high-end furnishings and facilities including luxury open-plan dining and living areas, walk-in wardrobes and ensuite bathrooms. Working together with the team at Blenheim Palace, Darwin Escapes were keen to respect both the prestige of the existing site and the local area’s environmental factors.

Each lodge is fully electric and fitted with air-source heat pumps and personal car charging stations to help to reduce impact on the environment. “We’ve ensured our lodge accommodation fits seamlessly into the surrounding landscape near Blenheim Palace,” explains Drew Campbell, Director of Operations.

“We’ve also honoured the heritage with the naming of our lodges – Winston, Hawksmoor, Vanbrugh and Marlborough. This, along with our interior decoration, is a nod to the rich history of the area that awaits guests in their Blenheim lodge accommodation.” Some of the design features of the Blenheim lodges might also be familiar to viewers of the BBC television series Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr.

In the final episode of the 2024 series, the two finalists took on the challenge to design the interior and outdoor space of two of the lodges at the Retreat. Holidaymakers can now choose to stay in one of the two lodges that the finalists designed. Unique accommodation is a feature of many of the Darwin Escapes resorts.

DARWIN ESCAPES RESORTS are available at 26 stunning locations throughout the UK. Pictured, Wareham Forest Lodge Retreat in Poole, Dorset

Amongst the most innovative and desirable are the treehouses available at Rivendale Lodge Retreat in the Peak District, and Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat on the Isle of Wight. These one-bedroom treehouses are designed with couples in mind and feature stylish copper furnishings, fully equipped kitchens with wine coolers and dishwashers, and multi-decked outdoor areas with luxurious sunken hot tubs.

The Darwin Escapes portfolio is managed by a 900-strong team of staff. The head office is based at the Talacre Beach Resort in North Wales, which is one of the company’s leading parks for holiday home ownership. Across the portfolio of 26 resorts, 15 offer holidays only, 3 offer holiday home ownership only, and 8 offer a mix of holiday home ownership and holidays such as at Talacre.

For those looking to buy a holiday home, Darwin Escapes offers a wide range of homes for sale, from static caravans to luxury lodges, to suit all budgets and requirements. Lodge and caravan holidays, meanwhile, are booked through their trusted booking partner Hoseasons, who handle all resort holiday bookings excluding those at Dundonald Links Resort in Ayrshire, Scotland, and Blenheim Palace Lodge Retreat, which are booked directly with the resorts.

The team behind Darwin Escapes is constantly on the lookout for exciting solutions to increase their market share and the profile of their resorts amongst prospective buyers and holidaymakers. “Whilst UK holidays have been swept up in the staycation boom, one of the challenges over recent years has been the smaller marketplace for the sales community, with signs of a slight downtrend in holiday home ownership,” explains Shaun Roberts, Group Head of Sales.

THE BISTRO at Norfolk Woods Resort & Spa

“One of the ways we have responded to this is by branching out with new marketing adventures. Our appearance on Interior Design Masters is one example, alongside a Win a Caravan competition, increasing our out of home digital screen advertising across the country with particular interest in the North West, and attending more events throughout the year.”

Darwin Escapes are corporate partners with many of the UK’s top business and visitor attractions such as Chester Zoo, the Royal Shakespeare Company, Birmingham Hippodrome, Derby Book Festival and Venue Cymru. These partnerships offer their guests unique opportunities and help to ensure the very best holiday experience when they stay at a Darwin Escapes Resort.

The partnerships also involve giving back to the partner organisations with sponsorship of events and other collaborations. Each resort also chooses their own local charities to fund raise for throughout the year. It’s an innovative plan that’s clearly working in terms of both customer and industry recognition.

INTERIOR OF ONE of the lodges featured on television series Interior Design Masters

Since 2015, the Darwin Escapes resorts have collected a vast range of accolades from Best in Britain to 5-star ratings and regional award titles too. Most resorts have been assigned the Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence and several are also rated 5 Black Pennant by AA Hotel and Hospitality Services.

All the North Wales holiday resorts have been awarded a 5-star status by Visit Wales, and in England, all resorts have either been given 5-star status by Visit England, or also boast Visit England Gold Awards.

“We are so proud of our award-winning resorts and these achievements are a credit to all of our hard-working teams across the UK, who strive to set the standard in the holiday resort industry,” says Drew Campbell, Director of Operations.

Darwin Escapes
0800 717707
www.darwinescapes.co.uk

HOSPITALITY HERITAGE

Posted on August 7, 2024

Preston-born entrepreneur John Morphet founded the Pure Leisure Group in 2004, having entered the tourism market with his inaugural South Lakeland Caravans business in 1988. With John at the helm, Pure Leisure Group is now a third-generation family-run businesses employing 230 staff across its portfolio of 19 holiday parks throughout the UK.

Pure Leisure Group operates 13 holiday lodge and caravan parks in the Northwest, one lodge park in Wales, one in Yorkshire and a further two in East Anglia. Tydd St Giles Golf and Leisure Estate in Cambridgeshire, and Bridlington Links Golf and Leisure Estate in West Yorkshire, complete the UK portfolio.

Most recently, the Gledfield Highland Estate also joined the business, a 6,500-acre estate with holiday cottages in northern Scotland. Overseas, the company’s flagship is Royal Westmoreland, Barbados, a luxurious 750-acre estate with a world class golf course and a choice of magnificent, newly built properties from luxury apartments to exclusive custom-built villas.

Pure Leisure Group’s success is an extraordinary rise from the relatively humble origins of John’s early steps into the park and leisure industry. As a fourteen year old lad, he started helping out at the small caravan park on his family’s farm in Westmoreland. By the early 1970s, John was running the combined business himself, but it was a farming accident a decade later, that secured his path as a park operator, leaving the farming life behind.

SOUTH LAKELAND Leisure Village has a Gold award from the David Bellamy Conservation Trust.

John’s dedication to the business is legendary and it is this, and the ongoing involvement of his family, that has laid the foundations for the success of Pure Leisure Group today. John’s son Will is the General Manager of the Docker Holiday Park, Sons Rob and Matthew are a Regional Manager and Head of Operations respectively, whilst daughter Rebecca works at head office in the sales and bookings team.

More recently, grandson Cameron has joined the team as maintenance and support services, also responsible for the farming, green keeping and environmental side of the business at each of the holiday parks. “Having three generations of the family working full time at Pure Leisure Group makes for a more exciting business,” explains Dean Turner, Group Marketing Manager.

“Each person brings a unique perspective and creative ideas. The door is always open to new initiatives and the team is flexible and keen to try them. It’s this breath of fresh air that the entire family brings to the table and one, particularly, that John is keen to nurture.” One of the key advantages to being family-run is the fact that there is no ‘board’ to answer to. According to John, this means that the team can adapt and change direction quickly.

“Sharing the same goals and vision for the group, the family works in the best interest of the business and its guests, and in the best interest of future generations that may want to join the business,” explains Dean. The family’s diverse skillset of expertise allows the business to embrace both the tradition of hospitality and heritage of the brand, alongside understanding and meeting the modern demands of consumers.

BOATING IS POPULAR with all the family at South Lakeland Leisure Village.

“This ensures that our parks develop appropriately and evolve their offering to suit,” explains Dean. “This can be seen recently with the introduction of new play areas, as well as the new rustic log cabins and hot tubs at four of our parks. Our focus on sustainability has led to the creation of camping pods created from the waste decking from the park creating a fully circular economic process.

Any excess wood is then used for the rustic pod wood fired hot tubs.” The Group is committed to maximising energy efficiency and sustainability across the board. A recycling initiative runs across all parks and both biomass heating and solar panels have been introduced to 50% of parks to date, with a full roll out due for completion by 2030. South Lakeland Leisure Village – known as the ‘Jewel in the Crown’ – is considered the flagship UK property in the PLG portfolio.

Set in the borders of the southern Lake District and Yorkshire Dales, the park boasts an award-winning restaurant and a whole host of leisure facilities including a sailing lake, indoor swimming pool and state-of-the-art gym to cater to guests staying at any of its 320 lodges and cottages. The park makes the most of its setting in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Recently, the team managed the successful retention of the five gold star rating from Visit England and Gold award from the David Bellamy Conservation Trust, for its ongoing work to enhance the South Lakeland Leisure Village environment for wildlife. Pure Leisure Group’s head office is located close to South Lakeland Leisure Village in Carnforth, Lancashire.

JOHN MORPHET Founded the Pure Leisure Group in 2004.

The purpose-built building is home to 30 of the Group’s 230 UK employees, although the staff total is closer to 400 globally including Royal Westmoreland. Careful expansion is always on the agenda at Pure Leisure Group. Planning has been agreed at Gledfield, the Royal Westmoreland Highland Estate and the Group has also recently acquired the Loch Ness Highland Resort.

Situated at the southern tip of the world-famous Loch Ness, this luxury glamping retreat’s cosy glamping pods and spacious holiday homes are perfect for the modern adventurer. Despite the cost-of-living challenges which have affected the majority of the industry, Pure Leisure Group has continued to grow and exceed targets.

The team has also continued to give back, whether it be in charitable actions or supporting other local businesses. “Corporate Social Responsibility underpins the running operation at Pure Leisure Group,” explains Dean. “At our parks offering food and beverage, we work hard to support local and, wherever possible, a farm to fork solution with chefs using the finest, freshest local produce. We also actively give back to the community.

GUESTS STAYING at Fell End Holiday Park in Cumbria can enjoy great leisure facilities.

Most recently, donating a £50,000 business profit and charity pot share to a hospice in Lancaster and a cancer care centre in Stockport.” A slew of awards is testament to Pure Leisure Group’s commitment to quality and care. The team recently won the coveted Red Rose Award for Best Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality business.

They were also a finalist in the Family Business of the Year at these same awards. Pure Leisure is also shortlisted for a trio of top accolades from the renowned BIBA’s run by the North and Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce. The team is hoping to return from the ceremony at the Blackpool Tower Ballroom in September celebrating a hat-trick.

PURE LEISURE
01524 784290
www.pure-leisure.co.uk

GOLDEN OPPORTUNITIES

Posted on March 13, 2024

GOLDEN OPPORTUNITIES

Verdant Leisure offers an award-winning holiday formula...

VERDANT LEISURE expanded in 2002 with two parks in Devon - Golden Coast Leisure Park and Cleavewood Leisure Park, pictured

Creating the perfect environment for customers to relax, enjoy and experience is an award-winning formula for leading holiday park operator Verdant Leisure. Since its foundation in 2010, Verdant Leisure has gone from strength to strength, and now boasts 13 parks within its growing portfolio.

Offering quality self-catering holidays and holiday home ownership in stunning coastal and countryside locations across Scotland and northern England, the Verdant Leisure story began with Thurston Manor Leisure Park in East Lothian and Pease Bay Leisure Park in Berwickshire. Riverside in Northumberland and Viewfield Manor in Ayrshire soon followed in 2011.

County Durham- based Heather View and Kingfisher were acquired in 2016, Coldingham Bay, Berwickshire in 2017, Scoutscroft in Berwickshire, and Queensberry Bay in Dumfriesshire in 2018. Two parks in Perthshire – Erigmore and Ballintuim – joined the group in 2019 and 2022 respectively. Finally, in 2022, Verdant Leisure expanded further south with two Devon-based acquisitions: Golden Coast Leisure Park and Cleavewood Leisure Park.

“Golden Coast is a fantastic, family friendly park in North Devon,” says Verdant Leisure Communications Director, Stacey Hope. “As the newest addition to the Verdant Leisure family, it offers a wide range of accommodation options and a whole host of fun filled facilities. Golden Coast Leisure Park is a great addition to the Verdant Leisure portfolio.”

A WAVE SURFING SIMULATOR is just one of the activities on offer at Golden Coast Leisure Park.

ACTION-PACKED
Situated amidst picturesque countryside, just a couple of miles to the east of the award-winning golden sands of Woolacombe beach, Golden Coast Leisure Park offers guests an action-packed holiday. A huge range of family friendly activities is on offer including indoor and outdoor swimming pools with flumes, a wave surfing simulator, high ropes course, climbing wall, ten pin bowling, fishing lake, arcade, adventure golf facilities, and plenty of places to eat and drink.

For those seeking something more relaxing, the Waves Ceramic Studio is ideal for creative pottery decorating. Verdant Leisure parks offer a wide range of entertainment options. From packed programmes including kids’ clubs with their resident foxes Vinnie and Violet, to visiting acts offering everything from comedy to live singers, there really is something for everyone.

Accommodation at Golden Coast includes a wide range of apartments, houses and villas (including some with hot tubs) to suit all budgets and requirements. Modern and stylish self- the exceptional location, Cleavewood owners can also use all the facilities at Golden Coast and enjoy delicious food and drink at the historic Old Mill pub and restaurant on-park.”

WATER ZORBING at Thurston Manor Leisure Park.

HOME-OWNERS
Verdant Leisure caters to 2,000 holiday home-owners across its parks, and this is an ever-growing sector. Another new holiday home development was recently completed at Thurston Manor Leisure Park in Dunbar, Scotland. Nestled at the foot of the Lammermuir Hills, near the stunning East Lothian coastline, Thurston Manor Leisure Park is set in 176 acres of breathtaking countryside.

This beautiful holiday park is under an hour’s drive from Edinburgh, making this park a top choice for holiday makers wanting to combine a visit to the Scottish capital with the benefit of a home from home woodland retreat. Once a private estate visited by kings, Thurston Manor now offers a superb range of luxury caravan and lodge holiday accommodation, alongside fantastic facilities for all the family, on the historic site of the original 16th century castle whose scenic ruins still stand today.

The Glade development consisting of six lodge pitches and 34 caravan pitches for holiday home-owners has been built on an exclusive area of Thurston Manor, offering fabulous views and a private gated entrance. Facilities on the park include an indoor heated swimming pool, fishing lake, gym, outdoor play parks, games room, arcade, dedicated family room with seasonal entertainment, as well as Hunter’s Bar & Restaurant and Muir’s Pub.

Verdant Leisure, whose Head Office is in Lancaster, say that their mission is “To create the perfect environment for customers to relax, enjoy precious family time and experience a new lifestyle.” They also place considerable importance on creating a more environmentally aware holiday experience.

GOLDEN COAST is a fantastic, family friendly park in North Devon.

GREEN TOURISM
“We’re committed to promoting sustainable tourism and protecting and enhancing our natural environment,” explains Stacey Hope. “We have a dedicated Green Team in place across the business, and each park has its own Green Champion. All of our parks are members of the Green Tourism scheme, and we aim to make all Verdant Leisure parks more environmentally conscious and help our customers to do more whilst visiting our locations.”

As part of their Green Tourism commitment, Verdant Leisure also champions investment and improvement in local communities. The company nominates a different Charity of the Year each year, and raised over £80,000 for Blood Cancer UK in 2022. Additionally, it supports the Wildlife Trusts close to their parks (Durham, Northumberland, Scottish and Devon Wildlife Trusts) by offering holiday guests the option to donate £1 per holiday booking.

As a team that prides itself on the exceptional standards of their parks and the customer experience for all holiday guests, it’s unsurprising that Verdant Leisure’s success has been recognised by a slew of top awards, including most recently, Silver for Best Company for UK Family Holidays and Bronze for Best Company for UK Parks and Lodges Holidays in the British Travel Awards 2023.

Verdant Leisure has also won several accolades for its employee engagement. The business has been voted one of the Best Companies to work for within the entirety of the UK, in the northern region, and in the leisure and hospitality sector several times over. A superb achievement, based on ratings from their own employees. With guest – and employee – satisfaction top of the agenda, continued success seems assured.

HOLIDAY HEROES

Posted on August 2, 2023

HOLIDAY HEROES

Away Resort's raises the UK holiday park bar...

WATERSPORTS are a big attraction at Tattershall Lakes

International travel is back, but the Great British Holiday continues its rise. At the forefront of this increasingly sophisticated market are innovative operators like Away Resorts. A UK holiday park operator with a difference, Away Resorts started life in 2008 when Chief Executive Carl Castledine teamed up with industry stalwarts Neill Ryder and Greg Lashley.

Following in the footsteps of his grandfather who ran one of Britain’s first holiday camps, it was written in the stars that Carl would enter the parks business. In fact, according to colleagues, if you cut Carl in half, he would have the words ‘holiday park’ and ‘Away Resorts’ running through him like a stick of rock! With the acquisition of their first holiday park – Whitecliff Bay on the Isle of Wight – and a self-confessed ambition to ‘shake up the industry,’ Away Resorts was in business.

“We wanted to take the best bits of the great British holiday park, throw out the worst aspects, then add in some amazing contemporary touches, creating holiday parks for the next generation,” says Carl. And that’s exactly what they have done. Today, Away Resorts operates 27 holiday parks across the UK set in beautiful locations throughout Scotland, Lincolnshire, Isle of Wight, North Wales, Hampshire, Dorset, Cornwall, Hayling Island and Essex.

INNOVATION SUCH AS CONTEMPORARY themed accommodation fuels development. Pictured, the Rockstar.

Each park in the portfolio is unique and has its own individual appeal, whether it be festival inspired entertainment and Instagrammable themed accommodation, or retro-style talent shows and low-key camping under the stars. At the heart of every park is the same desire to inspire their guests to make memories.

“Whether customers want coastal or country locations, full-on fun or a relaxing time with loved ones, each resort is alive with character and atmosphere, and specifically crafted to suit customer needs,” explains Laura Miller, who joined Away Resorts as Head of Marketing in 2017.

“We want to ensure that our customers feel inspired and leave with ‘remember when we did that?’ moments that will last a lifetime. We want our guests to remember their holidays forever.” With an accommodation portfolio that includes over 500 Lodges (250 with Hot Tubs), 1,800 caravans, three hotels and over 200 chalets, that’s more than 120,000 holiday bookers in any one season.

Not forgetting the additional 4,000 holiday home owners across 20 parks. With investment in holiday homes growing across the UK, owners are an increasingly important part of the Away Resorts family. “Our owners tell us they enjoy their time with us again and again: unlimited holidays led by our teams on park - true Holiday Heroes,” says Laura.

THE WIDEST RANGE of accommodation appeals to all types of guest. Pictured, Camping Pod at St Ives Bay Beach Resort.

CORE VALUES
Away Resorts have 172 ‘Holiday Heroes’ supporting guests at the central office in Hemel Hempstead. During peak season, the total number of employees is just shy of 2,400. Employees share a common goal: to ‘deliver delight’ to customers. “Ultimately, our vision is to inspire everyone to holiday in the UK, driven by a mission to ‘strive for extraordinary’.

At the heart of all this are our people, led by three core values: Attentive, Amazing, Lovers,” explains Laura. Building a team that aims to be the ‘best in the industry’ has not been without issue in recent times. “The pandemic was obviously a huge challenge for all businesses, and some of these challenges have continued, most notably in hospitality and seeing a return of this skillset in particular destinations,” says Carl Castledine, CEO.

“During the pandemic, our fantastic team responded well to the crisis, continually putting each other and our customers first. For now, we look to attract talent with some of our fantastic benefits, training and coaching opportunities. We have such an amazing sector to work in and it’s about attracting new, young talent.” Latterly, the war in Ukraine has also put pressure on the business.

“The impact of both energy and non-energy commodities continues to be challenging,” says Carl. “We have had to work smarter through this difficult period, whilst not compromising our great offering for guests and owners.” There’s clearly no slowing down on delivering on expectations at Away Resorts. Excellence in service and a commitment to innovation are the hallmarks of their continued success, and there’s a constant flow of new and exciting ideas to fuel development.

With over £14.5 million invested in the last 5 years, Tattershall Lakes in Lincolnshire is now the biggest resort in Away Resorts’ portfolio. With a guest profile split equally between young families, families with teenagers, couples and groups, Tattershall Lakes really does offer something for everyone. Water-based activities are a major draw at this eight-lake site (three offering watersports) including water and jet skis, stand-up-paddleboarding, canoeing and kayaking, as well as more laid back pedaloes.

NEW STARGAZER ACCOMMODATION at St Ives Bay Beach Resort.

There’s also an inflatable Aqua Park, outdoor lakeside Lido, outdoor splash pad, sandy man-made beach, as well as an indoor swimming pool complex with an aqua play splash zone. An extensive variety of accommodation offers the widest appeal from classic caravans to lakeside lodges, to the ultimate in ways to stay with Away Resorts new range: the Esme, the Rockstar and the TriBeCa.

With enormous flatscreen TVs, private hot-tubs and stylish, contemporary furnishings, as well as quirky individualised design touches (think foliage and Union Flag feature walls and neon light décor), these exclusive holiday homes are ideal for a new generation of UK holidaymakers. And when they want to head out after dark, how about a trip to the Giggling Goose, a stylish over 18s gin and cocktail bar with an expert mixologist and secret rooftop garden.

With a multi-million-pound private equity investment taking place in 2021, Away Resorts were primed for further expansion with the acquisition of St Ives Bay Beach Resort. This beautiful location with access to 3 miles of prime Cornish beach has seen £3.7m investment in new accommodation over the past two years. The new Thalassa and Stargazer holiday homes are the ultimate in indulgence with the latter offering roll top baths, hot tubs, and a glass window in the bedroom for exploring the evening stars.

More innovation is apparent at Sandy Balls Holiday Park, one of Away Resorts most popular destinations. This holiday village offers forest-themed accommodation, exceptional family leisure activities including walks with resident alpacas, and an annual Forest Festival, all with the outstanding natural beauty of the New Forest as its backdrop.

AWAY RESORTS INVEST heavily in new entertainment and activities. Pictured, Alpaca Walks at Sandy Balls Holiday Park.

FUTURE-PROOFING
With future-proofing a top priority, it’s no surprise that sustainability and ‘giving back’ are also high on the agenda. All new developments are built using the latest energy-saving technology and the team work closely with caravan and lodge manufacturers to keep pushing boundaries.

“In our recent new development at Mill Rythe Coastal Village in Hampshire, we’re installing a brand-new natural airflow system instead of electric-powered air handling units,” explains Carl. “This natural airflow system is PV (solar) powered.” Projects to end single plastic use and increase recycling including uniforms are well underway. Charitable giving is also significant.

Working with Creating Tomorrow’s Forest, Away Resorts plant a tree for every holiday home sold to a new owner. There’s also a partnership with Surfers Against Sewage with many locations doing regular beach cleans. A commitment to protect the Great British Holiday and our Planet… it seems Away Resorts are well on the way to their ambition ‘to make the future amazing for everyone!’

CELEBRATIONS FOR DREAM DEVON DESTINATIONS

Posted on May 10, 2023

CELEBRATIONS FOR DREAM DEVON DESTINATIONS

THE BEVERLEY TEAM is celebrating the park’s 65th anniversary.

Eighty years of providing happy holidays on the Devon coast are being marked this year by the family owners of Ladram Bay Holiday Park in Budleigh Salterton. The five-star park is possibly the oldest in Britain to have remained under the same family’s ownership for such a length of time – and a full year of celebrations is planned. The celebrations will come to a climax in June when an all-stops-out party is planned to mark the same month in 1943 when Ladram Bay first began welcoming visitors.

It was then that farmer Frank Carter and his wife Margaret decided to allow Scouts to pitch up on their front field amid some of Devon’s loveliest countryside. The spectacular views of the bay and access to the farm’s private beach soon won the site an enthusiastic following which quickly grew in numbers as news of it spread. Eight decades on, Ladram Bay now welcomes customers from across the world, and provides one of the West Country’s best equipped parks for family holidays.

Its high-quality standards have won a top five-star grade for excellence from Visit England, and past accolades in the Devon Tourism Awards and South West Tourism Awards. Attractions at the park include an indoor climbing wall, indoor swimming pool and outdoor splash zone, watersports equipment hire, and adventure golf course. In addition to the planned birthday celebration weekend in June, there will be other themed events throughout the year, and a competition to try and find the earliest memory of the park.

OWNED BY THE SAME FAMILY SINCE 1943, Ladram Bay Holiday Park is set to celebrate 80 years of service

Every guest aged 80-plus who pre-books their holiday in 2023 will be offered a cream tea. Meanwhile, more than six decades after the first families booked a seaside caravan stay at Beverley Holidays in Devon, the park is marking its 65th anniversary. Celebrating the milestone will be members of the Jeavons family, who originally opened up part of their farmland to visitors in 1958. A series of events is planned throughout spring and summer, including themed party nights, special get-togethers for children and grown-ups, plus live entertainment.

The year has also seen the opening of a new £800,000 holiday home development, and new facilities for camping, touring caravan and motorhome guests. The investment is on top of almost £2.5 million spent in recent years on a fleet of holiday lodges and caravans with private hot-tubs, and a nautical themed play park. Located in Paignton on the English Riviera coast, Beverley Holidays has won a raft of national and regional excellence awards over the years, plus accolades for its environmental work.

WISH YOU WERE HERE

Posted on May 9, 2023

WISH YOU WERE HERE

Snapsots from Islawrffordd Caravan Park, the best caravan park in Wales...

A luxury caravan park on the Southern Snowdonia coast was named the best in Wales in the AA Caravan and Camping Awards 2022-23. Islawrffordd Caravan Park at Talybont, near Barmouth, has been owned and run by the Evans family since 1957, and won the prestigious award for the second time, having previously triumphed in 2012.

The 25-acre park has 12 staff, 201 holiday homes, 75 fully services pitches for touring caravans and motorhomes, an indoor swimming pool, sauna and jacuzzi, Nineteen.57 Bar and Restaurant, an entertainment complex, luxury shower and toilet block, children’s playground with a pirate ship, car hire and a private slipway onto a sandy beach.

Luxury Super Pitches at the destination include a courtesy light, electric hook up, fresh/waste water and elsan point, TV connection to a bespoke digital free-view network and gravelled hard standing for each individual tourer and awning. In a double celebration for the park, Nineteen.57 Bar and Restaurant was runner-up in the Best of North Wales category in the Welsh Restaurant of the Year Awards 2022.

The bar and 40-cover restaurant are leased by Chris and Emma Statham and Sion Wellings. In the assessment of Islawrffordd Caravan Park, the AA Inspector said: “Situated on the coast between Barmouth and Harlech and within the Snowdonia National Park, this site has clear views of Cardigan Bay, the Llŷn Peninsula and the Snowdonia and Cader Idris mountain ranges.

The park, which is an AA 5 Platinum Pennant Campsite, is open all year around and includes former British motor racing champion Nigel Mansell as one of its holiday home owners. The Mansell family has been enjoying holidays at Islawrfford for 65 years and the Evans family lays claim to setting Nigel on the road to stardom by starting him go-karting as a boy.

Islawrffordd Caravan Park
Tel. 01341 247269
www.islawrffordd.com

HOORAY! IT’S RAINING!

Posted on April 27, 2022

HOORAY! IT’S RAINING!

Emily Martin presents top tips for weather-proof play…

INDOOR PLAYGROUNDS are a guaranteed crowd pleaser. Pic. Hendra

In 2021, temperatures hit an unseasonable 24 degrees Celsius in March, followed by the wettest every May on record. In 2020 (or as we call it, ‘the year we do not mention’) we had the wettest February ever recorded followed by a gloriously sunny spring. There’s nothing more unpredictable than a British summer and with extreme weather becoming increasingly the norm, savvy holiday parks are advised to be ready for anything.

Unpredictable weather can sometimes a deterrent for holidaymakers who don’t want to waste their precious annual leave (or money) on a holiday that might be a wash-out. But for cunning holiday park owners, when it comes to indoor play there are ways you can reassure prospective bookers and stand out from the crowd. “British weather can be unpredictable, so it’s really important to provide plenty of indoor entertainment, as well as opportunities to eat and dine in the same area,” advises Helen Scott a Director at Cofton Holidays where indoor play is held in high regard.

ALL-YEAR ROUND

“We’re proud to be an all year round, all-weather holiday destination in South Devon. Come rain or shine, there’s always something to keep families entertained and we’ve worked hard to provide a rich and varied range of indoor entertainment experiences, mixing activities and play so there’s always something for the whole family to enjoy.”

Cofton have indoor play covered or the children and the adults too as Helen explains: “Our indoor play offering includes a heated indoor swimming pool with hydrotherapy loungers, bubbling water jets and splash pad area, sauna, steam room and gym. “Also fitness and cycling studios, a bowling alley an amusement arcade and soft play area. Having all our indoor play facilities in one central complex works really well for our guests,” says Helen.

“When it’s raining, you don’t want to be running from one end of the site to the other, ducking from the wet weather.” Helen continues: “Our indoor pool is perfectly located next to our café so guests can enjoy a morning swim and recharge afterwards with a fresh coffee and fluffy slice of cake. Many of our guests regularly spend half of their day in our indoor complex.” The Cofton Holidays indoor play facilities have been carefully chosen so that they meet the needs of all age groups.

Helen says: “The soft play area is aimed at children under the age of eight, and has been carefully located with plenty of seating nearby, so that adults can keep an eye on their young ones, while they enjoy light refreshments.” Helen flags up: “Something that we have adopted recently is a pre booking system for our indoor pool. This is something we introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure we complied with social distancing rules, but it has worked really well for us.

“Our indoor pool is incredibly popular and can get busy, particularly during the school holidays, so we have decided to keep this booking system in place for the foreseeable future. It allows us to control how busy the pool gets without disappointing customers so it is definitely something I would recommend other park owners think about.” Tony Clish, is the Director at Park Holidays UK. We asked him about indoor play facilities and how important the planning and preparation of those areas are to a Park Holidays site. Tony says: “As a family-focussed holiday parks group, we recognise the importance of providing play facilities for all ages – and in all weathers.

“That’s why many of our 40-plus parks make provision for indoor play areas suitable for toddler-age upwards, with the obvious provision that parental supervision is required at all times in the case of smaller children. Tony continues: “Soft play areas are especially popular as they provide a safe environment in which youngsters can let off steam for an hour or two – and, of course, give mum and dad a breather. “Seating and café areas are often located nearby which give parents an opportunity to view their children at play, and park staff keep a regular eye open to check on aspects such as cleanliness and the number of youngsters using the amenity.

“Children are also well provided for in other indoor areas such as swimming pools where smaller slides and other water features mean that all ages can make use of the facility. Customer comments from younger families often pay tribute to our indoor play zones, and they represent a significant part of the investment we make in activities at our parks.” Whether you’re singing in the rain or walking on sunshine, having plenty to do inside and undercover is a must if you want to ensure happy guests and consistent income all your round.

ADVICE ON TAP

For those who incorporate a gaming, play or adventure zone within your visitor attraction within your resort, the InterFun Expo is a great opportunity to find out about the latest product innovations and learn about current trends and new tech to help you drive more visitors to your attraction. The InterFun Expo will take place on 26-27 April, 2022, at New Dock Hall in the Royal Armouries complex in Leeds. The opening hours are 10am-5pm on 26 April and 10am – 4pm on 27 April. A huge range of products will be represented:

• Aerial adventure
• Soft play
• Arcade games
• Edutainment
• Mini sports
• Inflatables
• Family and kiddie rides
• Playground equipment
• Laser tag & paintball
• Table games

The exhibition is supported by an eye-catching seminar timetable that are all free to attend and do not have to be pre-booked; you simply drop in and out of those of interest to you and your organisation. Michael Harrison kicks off the schedule with a look at Trends In the UK Leisure Sector with other subjects including Attracting Visitors Through Mixed Marketing Techniques, The Soft Play Sector Post Covid and Immersive Tech – turning Visitors Into Players. Simply register to attend and you will gain access to the exhibition and seminars via www.interfunexpo.com

BEACON PARK SELLS FOR £11M

Posted on August 5, 2021

BEACON PARK SELLS FOR £11M

THE BEACON FELL VIEW is licensed for 419 caravans with planning consent for further lodge development.

One of the UK’s biggest holiday park deals so far this year has seen Beacon Fell View, in Lancashire, sold off a guide price of £11 million to a cash buyer. It has been sold to Hill Brothers Residential & Leisure Parks, an expanding UK parks company that is looking to grow further, in an off- market deal negotiated by sector specialist Colliers on behalf of Hagans Leisure UK Ltd.

Tom Hill, of Hill Brothers, commented: “I would like to thank Hagans Leisure. We see it as a great opportunity to expand our portfolio in the Ribble Valley, as parks of this quality and size don’t often come to the market in the North West, and we look forward to further expansion in this sector.” The 4* holiday park is set in around 35 landscaped acres overlooking Dilworth Upper Reservoir in the picturesque Ribble Valley. It is licensed for a total of 419 caravans and has planning consent for further lodge development. Facilities include an indoor swimming pool, a bar, an amusement arcade, a gym, and an entertainment venue with food and beverage offer.

Cotswolds Holiday Park Expands Leisure Facilities

Posted on February 11, 2014

Cotswolds Holiday Park Expands Leisure Facilities

The new social complex at Leedons Holiday Park offers visitors and residents additional recreational facilities.

Caravan park operator Allens Caravans has recently invested in a new state-of-the-art indoor swimming pool and social complex at Leedons Holiday Park in the Cotswolds.
Disused buildings on the holiday park site were demolished to make way for the new facility, which includes a 15m x 6m indoor swimming pool and changing rooms, a large social hall area and a hair studio.
The project was carried out by Derbyshire based pool and commercial building specialists Pinelog, who proposed a contemporary yet practical design of a timber frame building that folds into the landscape. The almost symmetrical, low profile structure, has two main wings housing the swimming pool and hall with separate mono-pitched roofs over the wings and central part of the building.
Pinelog also applied a number of sustainable design and energy efficient features to the leisure centre. In addition to the timber frame and larch cladding being constructed from sustainably produced materials, the building also includes solar roof panels, natural ventilation, extensive use of natural light, heat recovery from the extract ventilation, low energy lighting and recycling the swimming pool water.