Fit For Purpose

Posted on November 6, 2018

Fit For Purpose

Look before you leap on holiday let hot tubs…

Educated estimates put the number of hot tubs in a holiday let setting, throughout the UK and Eire, at between 3,500 and 5,000 installations. Good news for some, with seven out of ten bookers looking for a hot tub with their holiday let while accommodation promoted as being supplied with a hot tub will generally sustain increased rates of around 30%.

The bad news is that any of those hot tubs, installed pre 2018, are probably out of date and do not comply with current regulations of HSG282. Not a problem, some would say, fiercely clutching their risk assessment paperwork. Not a problem, that is, until there is a high profile incident which will send the prospects for hot tubs and their non-conforming holiday park operator, down a rather large drain. “If you speak to any online booking agent they will usually place a hot tub in the top three options search or ticked; people really do want one,” says Dan Johnson of Marquis Spas, that markets a fully-compliant range of hot tubs for the holiday let market. “While some dealers have been specifying or retro-fitting continuous feeders to outdated models, the bather capacity and water turn over rates, will still make many hot tubs fall foul of HSG282,” explains Dan. “I think the big operators are paying attention as they understand the power of the HSE and thus the importance of following guidelines – it is built into their management infrastructure,” adds Dan.

POOR ADVICE

“My worry is people are getting poor advice from companies who are unaware or choose to ignore the guidelines because their product does not comply,” agrees Gareth Jones, of UK Leisure Living, the reigning UK Hot Tub Retailer Of The Year. “I would emphasise that 95% of our customers take the advice we give but there is a small percentage who disregard them dismissing them as just guidelines. “Some companies change their hot tub stock every two years however, we believe, between five and ten years is achievable, if they are properly looked after and investment has been in a quality product from the start,” Gareth emphasises.

Jessica Anthony of Award Leisure, UK distributors of Coast Spas, agrees. She warns of false economies: “If you think its expensive buying a better spa, wait until you find out how much it costs in the longer term, to buy a cheap equivalent.” Jessica also believes passionately that knowledge is power and that properly trained staff are essential. “Consistent attention to water quality that is clean and well-balanced is important,” she says. “Over-chlorinated water, which is a solution to inefficient system, effects the user’s skin, respiratory system and even their bathing costumes. “Over chlorination also has a detrimental effect on the plastics of the spa and erodes the filters,” warns Jessica. “It causes skin issues, upset stomachs, eye and ear infections, sickness and serious illness.”

The award-winning Rotospa currently have units fitted in excess of 110 holiday parks throughout the UK and Eire. “There are several important criteria when considering which spa would be best for you,” emphasises Rotospa’s Jason Smith. “If your spa isn’t fully HSG282 complaint, or you aren’t sure how to make it compliant, you really need to discuss this with the supplier as it is key when providing spas in a holiday setting.” Buoyed by 15 years’ experience supplying to the holiday park sector, Rotospa have now developed a fully compliant HSG282, holiday park specific spa.

CUSTOMER SAFETY

“As a manufacturer we have a responsibility to ensure people have a product fit for purpose and that our customers are trained in product use and ensuring safety of their customers,” Jason says. “In the early days, it seemed that people paid little attention to the compliancy and people were selling domestic spas for a commercial setting with little or no guidance,” he adds. “Since the introduction of HSG282, businesses now need to be more aware of their responsibilities and as a company this is something we shout about, as it is a major considerate when purchasing a holiday spa.” Jason believes it is imperative that site owners are informed of the benefts and opportunities that offering a hot tub as a part of their accommodation, can bring. He says: “Not only can they drive out-of-season bookings, but increasing occupancy levels by at least 25% and increasing revenue is essential.”

LEARNING CURVE

Dan Johnson of Marquis Spas agrees and warns: “I am aware that cases of infection are ongoing now, but are being settled out of court with NDA’s – I can only hope those who fall foul of poor operational controls learn from their mistakes. “I am seeing truly ancient hot tubs in situ, which is understandable as operators try to wring every last penny out of them and recoup their ROI, albeit as a false economy not only in running costs but also client experience,” says Dan.

“The real worry is someone will lose their life, that’d be tragic and pointless,” warns Dan and adds: “The damage would impact the whole sector as the HSE will come down on everyone hard and the Press will be extremely negative on hot tubs as a whole.”

COMPANY CONTACTS

AWARD LEISURE (COAST SPAS)
Tel. 07387 140283
www.sellhottubs.co.uk

MARQUIS SPA
Tel. 07722 187272
marquishottubs.co.uk/holidaypark

ROTOSPA
Tel. 0121 354 3428
www.rotospa.co.uk

UK LEISURE LIVING
Tel. 08450 343550
www.ukleisureliving.co.uk

No Quick Fix

Posted on September 11, 2018

No Quick Fix

I will start with a confession. Wisper it quietly, but there is no ‘quick fix’ that will instantly fill your holiday park with customers, especially in the quieter months. That magic button for your website – the one that will send bookings through the roof is, well, I’m afraid just a myth…
So, it’s time for a reality check. The only way to ensure your park is best placed to turn those clicks and enquiries into bookings and sales is to have a proper strategy in place. It can be really frustrating to see large volumes of traffic coming to your website but so few of those continuing to book their holidays. Abandoned bookings and poor conversions rates are an obvious sign that all is not well somewhere in the online booking process.

JIGSAW PIECES

Whether you own a large group of holiday parks or you’re just starting out with a few touring pitches, your online booking platform is arguably the most important piece of the jigsaw. You can spend thousands of pounds per month on marketing but, if it’s all let down by a process that inhibits the booking process then you’re wasting all your hard-earned cash. Online booking systems vary greatly from one another - and the most expensive one may not necessarily be the best for your park. You need a system that not only fulfils your requirements from a park management perspective but is, crucially, easy for your customers to navigate and book online.

It is too easy to forget the customer booking journey with parks too often spending more time focusing on the back-office functionality of an online booking system. But these online booking steps are, potentially, far more important than whether the system can produce all your different financial reports. Most systems (but not all) on the market will come with a set of online booking steps that will be the link between your website and booking system. It is crucial that you choose a system that has booking steps that are clear, straightforward and easily navigable for your customers.Why not take the journey yourself, as a customer would (we recommend trying this on a mobile too). If you find yourself getting frustrated then multiply this by the average number of people who visit your website and you’ll soon see why so many people abandon their bookings.

GDPR COMPLIANCE

hate to be the bearer of bad news but complying with GDPR wasn’t just sending out a few re-subscribe emails to your database at the end of May. It’s fair to say that it’s had (and will continue to have) a big impact on the holiday park industry. One thing’s for sure – it’s already had a big impact on the online booking sector, with many changes having been made to systems to comply as best they can with the new regulations. A cornerstone element of GDPR is customer data. Your online booking system is, potentially, storing thousands of customer records, accounts and, in some cases, payment details too.

Do you know for sure where all that customer data is? Is it stored directly on the computer in your office – and is this vulnerable to hackers? Or is the data stored in the cloud? Is it encrypted to the highest level? Are your online booking steps collecting marketing information even from those who don’t complete a booking? If so, what’s being done with all that data? All these are vitally important questions you should ask your current provider or ask yourself before changing to a new system as you will be liable, should the worst happen.If your online booking is the final part of the jigsaw, then getting your customers into that booking process, is the first. How do you attract the right sort of customer to your park to begin with?
Before you commit to spending hundreds or thousands of pounds per month on a Google AdWords PPC campaign or such like you need to ask yourself one fundamental question – who are your customers? How old are they? Where do they live? What interests do they have? What do they spend on an average holiday? Once you have a clear idea of the people you’re targeting then you’re more likely to achieve the desired result. Depending on the sort of customer you’re targeting, your marketing can be grouped into various activities, including your website, email, social media, pay per click (PPC) or printed media. All of this will filter back to the online booking process.

KEY WORDS

A good website that’s well optimised for all the relevant keywords is certainly a good start and will be integral for just about everything you do but it will not, necessarily, be the huge driver of traffic on its own, that it once was. Things are ever-changing in the world of the web and the level of competition has gone from stiff to fierce, especially in popular holiday destinations such as the South West of England.

That being said, there are some key things to consider with your current website to help it work best for you:

• Does it stand out from the crowd? Does it have a ‘wow’ factor?
• Is it quick and easy to use on a mobile device?
• Do the images properly showcase your setting and accommodation range?
• Are your CTAs (calls to action) clear and consistent – ‘book now’ ‘check prices & availability’ ‘call now’

How much do you spend on your marketing and what sort of Return on Investment (ROI) are you getting? Do you know? If the answer to this last question is a resounding ‘no’ then it’s time to take stock of your current activity…and think again. If, for whatever reason, you are not able to apportion revenue against your marketing then you are working with one hand behind your back.

MEASURE SUCCESS

E-commerce tracking really is the cornerstone of measuring a campaign’s success, whether it be a promotional email or a Google AdWords campaign. Without this knowledge it’s almost impossible to know if what you’re doing is right. So many people are obsessed with the volume of clicks and traffic that a campaign sends to their website but this can often be very misleading. Always think – quality over quantity! You’re aiming for ‘qualified’ clicks; those that come from an audience who are in-tune and interested in your product, not those who may have clicked your banner ad by mistake. To this end, your external marketing should follow the same premise. As mentioned, know your audience and aim your marketing at this focused bunch of people, don’t waste your time and money on a scattergun approach because it simply won’t work.

Pitched
Tel. 01726 418118
Pitched.co.uk

Hot Tub Revolution

Posted on September 11, 2018

Hot Tub Revolution

We have all been there. It is the height of the season. The clock is ticking on your holiday lets. Just a six-hour changeover window to dump the old hot tub water and heat the fresh water in time for the new arrivals who are chomping at the bit to take the plunge. This typical scenario is generally a twice-weekly race against the clock; the quickest of rollovers that needs to be completed seamlessly if we are to side-step the inevitable complaints and money-back claims. As an industry standard, using conventional methods, a holiday hot tub, with a normal 3kw heater, will heat water on changeover at one degree an hour, that is up to 24 hours to get up to optimum temperatures.

So take note of a ground-breaking new state-of-the-art product, called the Climacube that will heat a hot tub at seven to eight degrees per hour. The Climacube will heat hot tubs in around 4-5 hours from cold with a consumption of only 1KW per/hour with a COP of over 3.5 in minus temperatures. If I then told you the Climacube can cut heating costs by up to 70 per cent and this technology can be used to provide hot water and heating to your holiday lodges themselves....yes, keep calm and form an orderly queue. Available as a stand-alone unit, the ClimaCube can be retro-fittedto all makes of hot tubs. It is also available as a pre-installed feature in a bespoke range of hot tubs by ClimaCube’s creator, Park Leisure Solutions. Launched at the start of the 2018 season; good news travels fast. Forward thinking companies like Parkdean Resorts were amongst the first to snap up the new technology that already features on over 70 hot tubs at holiday parks in Poole, Norwich and Skegness. Based on a thermo-dynamic patented technology, working off a 13 amp supply, the all-singing, all-dancing Climacube is a refrigerant-based product.

In essence, it is the next step for heat pumps – heaven-sent for parks who can cut their reliability on piped or bottle gas supply lines and switch to reliable off-grid sources.

PROBLEM SOLVER

What Trevor Baylis was to the wind-up radio, so is Climacube creator, Stuart Mulcahy, for the holiday hot tub sector. Having over 20 years’ experience in the hot tub industry, Stuart dipped a toe into the holiday park market some five years ago and began searching for a product that would both solve problems and cut running costs. “I had worked in the industry long enough to understand the problems facing holiday lets with hot tubs,” says Stuart. “The solution, to supply quality built, energy efficient, commercial hot tubs that customers can rely on,” says Stuart.

WORLDWIDE PATENT

“So many holiday park operators have been sold domestic tubs or modified tubs that are not easy to maintain, have domestic spa covers and present a serious amount of problems when it comes to customer care,” he adds. The lightbulb moment came with a variation on proven heat The Climacube Heat System offers the very latest energy saving heat technology, dramatically reducing running costs, increasing customer usage, reducing the carbon footprint and enabling customers to use hot tubs all year round, at the desired temperature without the concern of cost. Customers are already benefiting, with installations producing significant reductions in their energy heating costs.

Unlike conventional heat systems, Climacube will heat hot tubs in around 4-5 hours from cold with a consumption of only 1KW per/hour with a COP of over 3.5 in minus temperatures – meaning a dramatic reduction in your annual hot tub energy costs. pump technology that is now backed by a worldwide patent. Much more than a heat pump, significant techniques include the way air is brought into the unit and distributed via a compressor. Supplied with the appropriate European wide accreditations, the UK designed Climacube is in full production and is supplied and serviced nationwide. “This is very new and different way of heating that has been developed over three years with tests and proto-types in the factory and on site,” explains Stuart. “It would be very easy to say, I will buy that heat pump and see if I can adapt it,” he says. “Rather than do that, we have started from scratch to ensure the system draws minimum current but produces maximum results.”

Developments are already in the pipeline to offer remote control and apps to refine monitoring and diagnostics by the 2019 season. “Much more than heat pumps, this bespoke-designed system has been developed to specifically to speed the heating of hot water in the tub while drawing only 1kw of energy to put 7kw into the water. “ Offering their own nationwide team of hot tub installers and offering training to both the hot tub and holiday park industries, Park Leisure Solutions already has its system working on nearly 70 sites even though it is its launch year. They are working with leading suppliers on the strategic changeover of redundant hot tub stock, replacing them with the super energy-efficient and time-strategic alternatives. “Time after time, we are meeting with exasperated holiday park operators who find themselves with hot tub issues not of their making. “All too often running with out-dated product, or domestic units, trying to get as much rental income as possible out of them before making changes. “Often those tubs have been supplied with no back-up or service,” says Stuart, who warns that some operators are falling out of love with holiday hot tubs and a bucket-load of problems and potential client complaints.

“Having recognised the issues and developed commercial built, reliable solutions we are now working with leading industry names, including Parkdean Resorts, to re-invest in hot tubs. “For all the positives with encouraging bookings, we all know the pitfalls with hot tubs with customers tampering with controls, tearing covers that look terrible and do not insulate properly. “We are offering the right product that ticks all boxes,” emphasises Stuart. Made in Canada the Park Leisure Solutions hot tub range is made up of a five hand-picked models, specifically adapted for holiday park market. Stuart points out. “Our hot tub range is supplied with a strong white acrylic finish with luxurious silver and grey marbling, polysteel cabinetry with galvanized SureSteel Frame plus layered ROXUL® Insulation and industry leading warranties as standard.”

RESEARCH AND DESIGN

The Park Leisure Solutions team has worked with specialist health and safety consultants to ensure their models not just meet but exceed HSE hot tub guidelines. The company has invested ignificantly in research and design, questioning some industry advice, such as erosion feeders, which they believe are not right for the holiday park marketplace. “There is so much misinformation out there,” Stuart despairs. “We have carried out extensive research, development and testing over three years before launch.”

“We can either adapt existing stock or simply supply alternative stock.” Stuart adds: “We can sell on the technology but the biggest bonus is avoiding the complaints that accompany changeovers,” As well as the positives it brings to holiday hot tubs, the Climacube offers huge promise for the improvement in energy efficiency of swim spas with impressive reduced running costs The technology is also available for swimming pools with scope to link to hot water and heating systems for holiday lodges and caravans – all offered off the national gas grid. Quick. That queue is getting longer!

Park Leisure Solutions
Tel. 01202 69 11 66
www.parkleisuresolutions.co.uk

Test Pilots

Posted on June 29, 2018

Test Pilots - Outdoor Essentials

Let your guests be the judge of your outdoor improvements...

What better time than peak season to carry out an audit of your outdoor amenities. From weather-proofing al fresco entertainment areas, to checking the popularity of new playground features; your guests are the ultimate test pilots. It is your customers who will ultimately decide on the return on investment of your winter improvements; voting with their feet, this year’s – and crucially – next year’s holiday budget. Now is the time to start the appraisal process, You need to spot what look like winners or losers. Modifications may be needed and some may have to wait until the winter months. But it may not be prudent to wait when a stitch in time could reap rich rewards in the form of repeat business and maximising spend.
Quick fix amendments could be something as simple as adding more bins or sprucing up your signage, or garden displays. If outdoor spaces are well maintained, they will encourage user-participation by inspiring visitors to be outdoors in the grounds, making full use of the facilities,” points out Christine Virginie, Marketing Manager for Fordingbridge, who are key suppliers when it comes to maximising outdoor space. “This can create great word of mouth and repeat business from visitors having just had a great experience at your park,” Christine continues. “Word of mouth is the most powerful form of marketing and the best aspect is, it’s free! “If your equipment is covered by a canopy, it also increases the life span and therefore reduces maintenance and replacement costs,” adds Christine.

Offering customer-friendly outdoor dining is a no-brainer. An inviting al fresco experience with smart furniture and heaters for chilly evenings will increase the number of covers you can serve and ultimately increase your bottom line. One of the key decisions when planning to utilise external areas, is whether the space is for activities, that can generate income or that simply add value to your overall offering. “Presentation of all areas is important, whether a playground, a dining area or a wild flower meadow – they all need to be maintained,” says Simon Williams, Commercial Director at Bridge Leisure Parks. According to Simon there is also a growing trend of people wanting to reconnect with nature and to be active outdoors – and this has been an area of focus for Bridge Leisure Parks. “Our recent outdoor developments include foot golf, archery, dog agility courses, pitch and putt and crazy golf. At Ashbourne Heights in Derbyshire, we’ve recently invested in a foot golf course for one of the fields and developed a nature trail through the woods.

Bridge Leisure not only provides active areas on its parks – the operator also promotes ranger activities to take advantage of their parks’ surroundings, providing expert knowledge about the local landscape and wildlife. This is complemented with on-park signage providing more detail about the plants and animals that can be found. There is no better way of enhancing and enriching an outdoor space than by investing in play equipment. Creating an innovative play space that fi res a child’s imagination and creates a pleasant environment for parents to get together is a winning formula for holiday parks. If you are looking to breathe new life into your play offering then HAGS boasts a huge portfolio and bucket-loads of experience. The company provides a turnkey solution with services including landscaping, fencing, decking and even artificial rock faces. The play specialists manufacture a vast range of products including play equipment for all ages, outdoor gym and fitness equipment, multi-use games areas, skating, ‘parkour’ and furniture. Camber Sands Holiday Park is a typical example. The park owners wanted separate areas for toddlers and juniors and a wide range of equipment. HUGE HIT They enlisted the help of HAGS-SMP to design and install the scheme, which included themed multi-play units, dynamic equipment, a zip line, sunken trampolines and a trail with an 8m traverse wall. The play area has proven to be a huge hit with customers, and according to HAGS, the only complaint from site has been to ask how to keep the adults off the equipment! “Theming seems to be a constant favourite with our clients. From pirate ships to fairytale castles you can add real play value to your areas by engaging a child’s imagination,” comments Simon Wright, Head of Sales at HAGS. Simon advises: “If your budget is tight you might consider planning your scheme in phases, this way you can add to the playground over a period of time that suits.” Specialists in recycled furniture, NBB’s furniture designs are enjoying unprecedented interest this season. “They not only look great and are eco-friendly, but they’ll also will save the park owner money in the long run!” exclaims the company’s Group Marketing Manager David Dean. “In today’s world we all need to be more aware of the materials we use and ensure sustainability is on the agenda. “All of NBB’s recycled furniture products are manufactured in the UK from recycled plastic milk bottles. Purchasing a standard A-frame picnic table, for example, will save over 2,000 milk bottles from entering our waste chain,” adds David.

TOP TIPS

Maximising Your Outdoor Space :

Provide weather protected outdoor spaces.
Offer safe and secure bike storage for visitors.
Have all weather sports facilities such as MUGAs and covered green gyms.
Provide shaded areas for seating and dining.
Use walkway canopies to offer weather-protected connections between buildings.

WEATHER-PROOF SOLUTIONS

Specialist design and built contractors, Fordingbridge is a one-stop shop when it comes to outdoor weather-proofi ng solutions. A typical installation recently took place at the Cotswold Country Park and Beach provides water sport activities on a wide expanse of lake. The owners wanted to create a weather-protected, outdoor dining/spectating space where friends and family of those participating in the water sports could dine and watch in comfort, sheltered from the elements. After conducting a free site survey, Fordingbridge proposed a twin-span, barrel-vaulted timber canopy to provide 128m2 of covered space overlooking the lake. The Opal 60 fabric roof covering was designed exclusively for Fordingbridge and is known for its longevity, high tear strength and UV resistance. The install team delivered the project in four days, keeping disruption to a minimum.

Fordingbridge
Tel: 01243 554455
www.fordingbridge.co.uk

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PLANET FRIENDLY FURNITURE

Great for park operators and the planet, increasingly the holiday sector is choosing recycled plastic furniture over traditional wooden furniture. The reasons are clear. Not only will it never rot, splinter or rust but it is guaranteed against rot for 25 years. There are no long-term maintenance commitment such as painting or sanding down. It’s waterproof and not affected by exposure to chemicals, severe weather or intense sunlight, meaning it can be left outside all year round without any effect on its look and feel – and no unsightly green algae. New for this season from NBB is its London Dining Set – a contemporary table and bench set manufactured in grey plastic, seating up to six guests and saving nearly 4,000 plastic milk bottles from going to landfi ll.

NBB
Tel. 0800 1777 052
www.recycledfurniture.co.uk

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CHARGING POINTS DEMAND

Rolec Leisure is seeing a growing number of parks installing charging stations for electric vehicles. Something that park operators are probably encountering more and more are visitors with electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (EVs and PHEVs). “Demand for EVs and PHEVs is at an all-time high in the UK, with year-on-year sales having increased by more than 27% explains,” explains Martin Georgeson, Sales Director of Rolec Services, the award-winning company is widely recognised as one of Europe’s leading designers, manufacturers and suppliers of EV charging points and accessories. “We are aware of a number of disgruntled visitors to other leisure parks around the country who have aired their disappointment at the lack of EV charging points on EV internet forums, highlighting the fact that demand is out there,” warns Martin. Rolec’s EV charging points are specially designed to be easy and economical to install, safe, and adaptable to a holiday park requirements.

ROLEC
Tel. 01205 724754
www.rolecserv.com

Swim Star Opens Devon Splash Pad

Posted on June 26, 2018

Swim Star Opens Devon Splash Pad

Olympic Gold-medallist swimmer Liam Tancock took time out from the fast lane recently to open the new Splash Zone at Ladram Bay Holiday Park in East Devon. Set alongside the park’s main swimming pool, the 160m2 zone includes interactive water features, spray guns, and even a sea serpent that sprays water. The ocean-themed Splash Zone is part of a £1 million investment made by the family-owned park in the run-up to the 2018 summer season when its 75 anniversary is being marked. With its own private beach and longstanding appeal to young families, Ladram Bay has prided itself on continually expanding its range of attractions.

In 2017 Ladram Bay Holiday Park approached Ustigate Waterplay to request a design and build program to establish a splash zone outside their indoor pool complex. The splash pad consists of 19 products to please all ages. There is a low level interactive fi sh, six jet stream geysers and six wave geysers to tickle small children and a boat feature, tipping bucket, cannons and a sea serpent to cater for all those that love nothing more than being soaked in splash. One of the wonders of a splash pad with zero standing water is the creation of an environment where children of all ages and abilities can access aquatic recreation and play together safely.

Ladram Bay director Zoe House, who is a member of the parkowning Carter family, said it was a great privilege to welcome Exeter-based Liam to Ladram Bay: “Although the Splash Zone is all about having fun, Liam knows that youngsters just enjoying themselves in the water can be a great introduction to swimming as a sport,” she said. “We have many guests which return here year after year, and we’re often told that one big reason is the wealth of things to do for all ages, no matter what the weather. “Our main aim has always been to create amazing holiday memories with fi rst-class facilities, and I think that our new Splash Zone comes right up to the mark,” added Zoe.

Ustigate Waterplay
Telephone: 01322 424445
www.ustigatewaterplay.co.uk

The Bubble Factor

Posted on May 9, 2018

The Bubble Factor

Hot tubs

Hot tubs are simply too good to resist, offering the bubble factor for holiday lets up and down the country.

The most common Internet search term with accommodation and holiday properties, no-one can afford to ignore the hot tub appeal.
And hot tub investment adds up. The increased pricing of a hot tub accommodation upgrade can see payback in under one year on the initial hot tub investment. Hoseasons and Sykes have both conducted their own independent research and say you can expect a 25% uptake of bookings if offered with a hot tub.
“What most of the holiday park resorts are looking for are simple spas with basic controls, a great warranty and back-upservice,” advises Gareth Jones, of UK Leisure Living, the UK’s reigning Spa Retailer Of the Year.
“A good quality holiday hot tub should last 10 years, no problem,” Gareth points out. “But I would advise to replace a holiday spa every five years,” he continues. “A bit like a car, the older they get, the more things tend to go wrong.
Hot tubs can take a hammering over the course of a season. Covers in particular, typically see toggles ripped. But, as they are heated up from cold every week, compared to every three months in a domestic settings. its the overall wear and tear on the pumps and heating elements that really takes its toll. “Changing the spa when the warranty runs out would also make commercial sense. As a business you can lease or finance them and this a great way of funding hot tubs at your premises. They also have a residual value to sell on after your term has finished.”

COMMERCIAL SENSE
“As with anything in life you get what you pay for! Buy a quality product from the start that will last,” Gareth advises. “Ensure you get an adequate warranty to match your needs. “Ensure your hot tub supplier has adequate part provisions of core components in the event the tub does break down. “If you are planning to keep the spa beyond its warranty period check the prices on packs, pumps and heating elements. You don’t want expensive parts to pay for outside your warranty period,” continues Gareth. “Don’t forget we live in a world of web reviews and poorly maintained hot tubs are dirty water is any excuse to leave a bad review,” he advises. “This is why its essential staff are adequately trained. I am always a big believer that the tub quality needs to mirror the property.” With new HSG guidelines, parks need to be seen to have product that is compliant. Although the HSG282 is not statutory law, it is considered best practice and is viewed as an approved code of practice. The standard would be used in a court of law asa measure of whether or not a risk holder has complied ‘as far a reasonably practical’ to meet the requirements of the Health &Safety at Work Act 1974.
In accordance with regulations made by the Health & Safety Executive, regular testing of both pH and disinfection should be made at least three times a day and the results logged and kept for at least five years. A monthly microbiological test is also required, testing for Legionella every quarter. “A lot of holiday parks are not aware, or worse still, ignore the Health & Safety guidance that is published relating to hot tub use and control of Legionella in spa pools in business and commercial settings,” comments Chris Brady of 1 Stop Spas,Lincolnshire, who offers a fully compliant Marquis Spa that ismore than fi t for the holiday let purpose.
Working with Marquis Spas, 1 Stop Spas have designed aHSG282 compliant hot tub which also boasts some additional features such as simple auxiliary controls, limited hands-on parts, plus filtration systems and in-line sanitisers to reduce the risk of water related illnesses.

TICKING BOXES
1 Stop Spas’ bestselling holiday hot tub is a Vita Spa Joli,which is a compact shape and has low sides that can easily be incorporated into new or existing decking. The Vita Spa range also uses off the shelf Balboa control system sand pumps, therefore sourcing parts quickly is easy, meaning minimal down time if you were unlucky enough to develop a fault.
Over the past ten years, a significant amount of holiday park operators and holiday let owners have purchased and operate what are in fact domestic hot tubs only designed for home, and not intended for commercial use.
Commercial spas, the type found at health clubs and spas, are generally much larger than the average portable spa with bigger and better filtration and sanitation systems along with other features that suit much heavier bather use.
Says Chris: “The release of HSG282 is very particular for all the right reasons, however, there were little or no hot tubs available on the market that ticked all of the criteria thatHSG282 recommends.
“Now that the industry has taken time to digest the detail released in HSG282, we are starting to see manufacturers designing and producing hot tubs which will be fit for purpose and comply with HSG282 in the very near future.”Chris adds: “The biggest consideration which is often overlooked is aftercare. We recommend that you have the spa serviced at least every six months to ensure any wear and tear is identified early and rectified to avoid breakdowns. It is advisable to team up with a local hot tub retailer, who can provide aftercare on your doorstep.” For holiday park operators, adding a hot tub is an opportunity to enhance visitor appeal and to add a premium to the letting price of the accommodation. Appealing to families as well as couples, for many holidaymakers, having their own hot tub, is the highlight of their break.
Perfect any time of the year, hot tubs are especially indulgent when it is cold outside to add to the lure of an autumn or winter holiday offering. Potentially profitable, there are however, many pitfalls to avoid before taking the plunge and adding a hot tub to your holiday offering. Shrewd operators and owners will look before they leap when it comes to showing duty of care, not to mention doing the necessary sums to ensure a profitable bottom line.

North-Wales based, UK Leisure Living offers 10 holiday hot tubs in its fully-compliant Aspen range from four seater to eight seater in a range of colours and sizes and at different prices.Supplying hot tubs to some of the country’s biggest parks,UK Leisure Living ensures its spas are fit for purpose whether residentially-owned or a holiday let.“Our spas are holiday compliant and have an ozone and in-line chemical feeder as standard,” explains UK Leisure Living’s Gareth Jones.“Our Aspen range have a simple layout and components canbe easily replaced,” adds Gareth.“We stock, in our large showroom, almost all of our holiday compliant hot tubs. This means if a spa does go down, we can borrow a part of a floor model, repair quickly and get it back up and running very quickly, minimising down time. * UK Leisure Living - www.hottubsnorthwales.biz *

Away Resorts approached Urban Cedar at a recent Holiday Park & Resort Innovation show as they were interested in its contemporary hot tubs for use at their parks around the UK.Not only did they like the look of the Urban Cedar hot tubs but they also wanted a hot tub which was more commercial and designed specifically for a holiday home use as Urban Cedar’s are.They had experienced problems in the past with other hot tubs which allowed the guests to change the temperature and filter settings. Urban Cedar had a meeting with Away resorts and created a tailored solution to their exact requirements. This included chlorine auto-dosing, tamper proof jets and fitting a dual control system so the guest can only operate the jets and led lights. Away Resorts subsequently placed an order for over 40 hot tubs for three of their developments which were delivered and installed by April 2016. We have continued to work closely with Away resorts and are currently looking at design ideas for 2018. *Urban Cedar Hot Tubs www.urbancedarhottubs.co.uk*

Before you make a decision on which hot tubs are the best fit for your holiday setting, make sure you check out the Riptide range of spas. A quality build with a robust holiday let specification for a long trouble-free experience, Riptide offers a choice of three models. The four, five and six seater options are all available with built-in chlorinators, no pillows and no surface- mounted controls to be interfered with.All of the range offers easy filter removal for faster cleaning and includes courtesy lighting at the front steps to help avoid slips and falls.It is not too late to add a hot tub or two for the 2018 as Riptide has product in stock for immediate delivery. Large orders can be unloaded directly from containers on customers’ sites in just eight weeks.For one-offs or small orders of two to five units, Riptide offer an onsite handover service. For larger orders, Riptide prefer to train the park maintenance team to handle basic service and parts replacements.*Riptide Spas www.riptidepools.co.uk*

Alfresco Thinking – Outdoor Play

Posted on May 9, 2018

Alfresco Thinking - Outdoor Play

ABOVE: A brushwood tunnel and whispering tube for secret messages on this outdoor play design from Earth Wrights.

Unfortunately, the days when children played out on the street all day are long gone. For many children today – especially families without gardens – outdoor play only happens on trips to the park or on holidays.
The onus is therefore on holiday park owners and operators to ensure the play facilities they offer are the best they can be.
“Children between the ages of three and 12 are still the ones who dictate their family’s holidays and day-out destinations,” says David Robinson of World of Rides. With that in mind – and unless you’re specifically targeting adults – your holiday park should always have an outdoor play area.”
Gary Wallis, UK Marketing Manager for HAGS, elaborates: “As any commercial operator will tell you, happy entertained children mean happy and relaxed parents! An exciting and challenging play area gives children somewhere to let off steam and make new friends. “Investing in play equipment is a great way to show visitors that your establishment caters for families with young children who want to be entertained and have fun. Parents can explore your ‘grown-up’ environment, while the children will stay occupied with fun play solutions that stimulate their imagination and challenge them physically.”
External play areas are no longer an after-thought but are fast becoming essential in all redevelopments, as operators understand that they are a key driver and draw card for families. More and more business owners are now beginning to invest in a well designed play area to not only attract customers, but to retain them for longer and providing a greater return on investment. “Good play facilities make all the difference to a site,” adds Cathy Craddock from Outdoor Play People. “Just putting in something to tick a box is all well and good, but with some thought you can create a real talking point and asset to your park.”

QUALITY PLAY
Outdoor play can take many forms, from conventional playgrounds and rides to more nature-based facilities. “If you invest in a good quality play area and really think about the design, you shouldn’t have to change your play areas very often at all,” continues Cathy. “If you look after it, it will serve you longer.” World of Rides’ David Robinson again: “While static play equipment may need to be replaced or refurbished on almost an annual basis on heavy footfall holiday parks, battery rides can still be earning very high incomes a decade or two later.” He stresses, however, that only certain rides and equipment are suitable for outdoor play. World of Rides’ extra low voltage battery cars, boats and trikes are obviously suitable, but any higher voltage equipment to be used outdoors must be fitted with a residual circuit device. All rides manufactured in the UK and Europe must also carry the CE mark, which imported rides from the rest of the world do not always comply with.
“Fully interactive rides are still the most popular children’s attraction, as young guests and visitors want to be in full control of everything their ride is doing,” continues David. “Our bumper cars and boats are particularly popular, along with our driving schools, with a number of holiday parks operating a multiple number of tracks of the same or differing models.” The company’s appealing designs and its use of the latest technology means it now has the most popular range of battery rides across the UK and Europe, with over seventy models to choose from.

World of Rides is launching its brand new battery-operated off-road Outlander driving school cars for the 2018 season. According to the company, the cars will provide operators with safe, colourful, popular and very profitable new attraction for their venues – either indoors or outdoors – while also teaching children about road safety. The large twin-seat cars are fitted with a working dashboard, ignition key and fully-operational seat belts, horn, head lights, direction indicators, accelerator and brake pedal with brake lights – and a reverse gear! “Our main purpose is to ‘edutain’ children with learning through fun,” says Customer Support Manager Andrew Robinson. World Of Rides Tel. 0191 492 0999 www.worldofrides.com

The UK Ramp Co.understands just how important it is to implement creative areas and facilities designed to engage children in outdoor play. Its Modular Pumptrack has much to offer holiday park owners and their guests. Made up of 11 interchangeable modules which can be custom designed to fit any environment, the track options with the Modular Pumptrack are endless.What’s more, the modules can be picked up and moved at anytime, meaning the longevity of the product will surpass any site redesigns or upgrades with very little maintenance required. They can even be installed indoors or hired for one-off events.Sands Caravan and Camping Park in Gairloch, Scotland has found out first-hand how popular the Modular Pumptrack can be. Last March, even before the park was open for the season, potential guests were visiting the Facebook page to ask when the site was open and if they could book the Pumptrack. The UK Ramp Company Tel. 01923 678432 www.theukrampco.com

Argyll Park Hits Golden Half-Century

Posted on March 20, 2018

Argyll Park Hits Golden Half-Century

Resipole’s picture-postcard setting on the banks of Loch Sunart.

As a West Highlands holiday park prepares to mark its golden anniversary, the family owners have been praised for achieving the gold standard in countryside care. Resipole Farm Holiday Park in Argyll will now be celebrating its 50-year milestone with the David Bellamy Conservation Award at its top gold level. The world-famous botanist said that the Sinclair family have shown themselves to be true friends of wildlife and the natural world with their many green initiatives. Managed today by Rory Sinclair and his partner Karin, it was Rory’s grandfather Archie who first started welcoming camping guests on his farm in the early 1950s.

Deer, red squirrels, badgers, and a myriad of bird species are drawn to the 15-acre grounds which includes an ancient woodland with a nature discovery trail. In addition, the Sinclairs have planted hundreds of native trees and shrubs which provide valuable nesting and breeding habitats as well as food resources.

Show Time

Posted on November 3, 2017

Show Time

Holiday park entertainment has significantly evolved from the first Redcoats of the 1930 and the Hi-De-Hi era of the Sixties. Operators of parks, large and small, still agree that getting the entertainment recipe right remains crucial to ensure happy, satisfied customers.

Celebrating their 75th year in 2018, Ladram Bay Holiday Park in Devon offers a packed family entertainment programme that would put any corporate chain to shame. “We do our best to make sure there’s plenty for families to enjoy all together,” explains Carla Newman, Marketing and Events Manager at Ladram Bay.

“As a family-run business, we know that spending quality time as a family is what really matters.” An entertainments team of five plus and an Entertainments Manager run all the daily entertainment at the park. This includes kids’ club sessions, activities and a full programme of family friendly entertainment from six until midnight in high season. Most evenings end with a spectacular team show.

AUTUMN AUDITIONS

As a former Entertainments Manager at Ladram Bay herself, Carla is well placed to explain how their entertainment ethos works. “We audition for team members in November and rehearsals start in January,” explains Carla. “We like to get our team in place early and design our shows around their skills. In this, our approach at Ladram Bay is very different to a corporate group.” Personalising the shows around the team is a positive step for both customers and staff. “We develop the programme together. All the team are involved in the creative process which helps everyone to perform at their best for our customers,” says Carla. Entertainments Manager Kelly works with an agency to source external acts such as bands, cabaret, singers and magicians that perform at the park every Saturday night and on Tuesdays in peak season.

The team at Ladram Bay work so closely with the Vern Allen Group that the park even hosts the agency’s Showcase event each November. Management teams from other parks often visit the Showcase to select their own acts for the new season. “We do get a good return on investment but it’s really not about the money,” says Anna. “It’s about creating an enjoyable experience for all of our guests. If we didn’t have this level of entertainment, Ladram Bay wouldn’t be the five star park we are today.” Searles in Norfolk, owned and managed by the same family for 83 years, boasts an entertainment programme created and managed by Entertainment Manager Anna Hallard of Resort Entertainments. She oversees an in-house entertainments team and is responsible for booking external acts. Through this connection, Searles also benefits from close links to the Princess Theatre in Hunstanton of which Anna’s father-in-law Brian Hallard and Paul and Andrew Searle are Directors.

To find out more about putting on a show, subscribe to Holiday Park Scene here.

Stitch In Time – Landscaping

Posted on November 3, 2017

Stitch In Time - Landscaping Focus

They say planning is the key to success and in the case of outdoor space and landscaping – a well thought-out strategy will pay huge dividends not least by avoiding costly mistakes. A useful starting point is to focus on the ‘unique selling point’ of your park or for types of clientele.

If a significant proportion of your guests are young adults on a short stay, you will want to provide ‘robust’ spaces with plenty of secure seating. Clever use of security-style planting such as prickly or thorny plants, will deter access to other protected areas. On the other hand, if the bulk of your long-term residents are more mature, ensure that there are safe and attractive ornamental spaces immediately around the living areas and communal spaces, but keep them clear from debris and obstacles and use non-slip surfaces.

DUTY OF CARE

For younger guests, preparing suitable landscaping options can prove even more challenging, ensuring that play areas are safety compliant and you can demonstrate appropriate ‘duty of care’. “People often stay in a holiday park to feel more connected with the local outdoor environment, explains Martin Howe of Wykeham Mature Plants, “But it is the holiday park itself that will bring repeat custom.

“A holiday park business cannot rely solely on their location or the surrounding countryside and must provide attractive, functional spaces,” advises Martin. “Why would you stay on a site, even if there are amazing views of the surrounding countryside, if the site itself is untidy, unloved, looks unprofessional, and even potentially dangerous?” Martin encourages holiday parks to have a clear idea of what they want to achieve and how it will benefit the business and customers alike.

“Prioritise key areas and the timescale in which you need to address them,” he advises, “Large planting schemes, as well as needing significant initial outlay, will also require maintenance, so plan for this from the start and don’t take on more than you can handle in one go,” he continues.

“Balance this with the logistical benefits (lower transport costs, less disruption in the long term, etc) of larger jobs and decide whether to undertake a single, major project or whether to break it into smaller, more manageable chunks,” Martin adds.

Knowledge of site conditions are also essential before preparing large scale landscaping works, specifically the growing conditions in each location (drainage, soil type, exposure, etc) as well as any other limiting factors, such as access by children and proximity to grazing animals. “Select plants accordingly – planting the right plant in the right place will avoid problems later,” warns Martin.

PLANTING SEASON

There is often a wider, or cheaper, selection of suitable plants available during the traditional planting season, which is during dormancy (November to March); for many holiday parks this coincides with the off-season, so this is the ideal time to plant horticulturally, commercially, and logistically to minimise disturbance to your customers. Naturally, demand for planting services at this time of year is high so plan ahead.

To read more about prepping and planning for landscaping work please subscribe to Holiday Park Scene here.

COMPANY CONTACTS

FORDINGBRIDGE Tel.01243 55 44 55 www.fordingbridge.co.uk

WOODLAND HORTICULTURE LTD Tel. 01458 441122 www.woodlandhp.co.uk

WYKEHAM MATURE PLANTS Tel. 01723 862406 www.wykehammatureplants.co.uk

Holiday Park Scene Magazine

Leisure Facilities

Fit For Purpose

Fit For Purpose

Look before you leap on holiday let hot tubs…

POOR ADVICE

CUSTOMER SAFETY

LEARNING CURVE

COMPANY CONTACTS

No Quick Fix

No Quick Fix

JIGSAW PIECES

GDPR COMPLIANCE

KEY WORDS

MEASURE SUCCESS

Hot Tub Revolution

Hot Tub Revolution

PROBLEM SOLVER

WORLDWIDE PATENT

RESEARCH AND DESIGN

Test Pilots

Test Pilots - Outdoor Essentials

TOP TIPS

WEATHER-PROOF SOLUTIONS

PLANET FRIENDLY FURNITURE

CHARGING POINTS DEMAND

Swim Star Opens Devon Splash Pad

Swim Star Opens Devon Splash Pad

The Bubble Factor

The Bubble Factor

Alfresco Thinking – Outdoor Play

Alfresco Thinking - Outdoor Play

Argyll Park Hits Golden Half-Century

Argyll Park Hits Golden Half-Century

Show Time

Show Time

Stitch In Time – Landscaping

Stitch In Time - Landscaping Focus