Leisure Resorts

FIRST IMPRESSIONS PAY OFF

Posted on October 24, 2023

FIRST IMPRESSIONS PAY OFF

ROB AND CHRISTINA Skeel’s perceptions of holiday park home ownership were transformed.

A Northamptonshire couple has described how a spur of the moment visit to a Leisure Resorts holiday park in Yorkshire led to them buying a holiday home there the same day – despite never having considered owning one. Leisure Resorts is an award-winning, five-star luxury holiday home and holiday park provider, with parks across the UK in The Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and North Yorkshire Moors.

Christina and Rob Skeel bought their luxury three bedroom, two bathroom lodge in Angrove Country Park in the North York Moors last summer and have since spent a third of their time in what they now refer to as their ‘happy place.’ Angrove is set in 70 acres of stunning countryside on the edge of the moors, yet just 20 minutes from the coastal resort of Saltburn-by-the-Sea.

Christina, 57, said: “My impressions of holiday parks had come from seeing lots of static caravans, side by side in rows along the Norfolk coastline and when Rob suggested we take a look at a park on our way home from a cottage holiday in Yorkshire my first reaction was ‘Not a chance!’” “We had never even been to the North York Moors until the day we visited Angrove,” said Rob, 58.

“We fell in love with both the park and the location immediately – and then the lodge itself clinched it for us. It has a deck at both the front and the back, as well as a patio on one side, so as well as the sun throughout the day we have spectacular views in every direction.”

LOVE STORY
“You could say we’re quite impulsive, buying the lodge the first day we visited the park, but we’re strong believers in fate and prepared to take a risk. If we hadn’t visited Angrove that day we wouldn’t have found our happy place.”

BESSY THE DOG IS COMPLETELY comfortable in her holiday home environment.

Simply The Best – On Location

Posted on September 10, 2019

Simply The Best

Newly-opened luxury resort Ullswater Heights has a simple but clear mission – to be the UK’s best holiday park.
Situated on the site of an abandoned quarry at Newbiggin, Penrith, this stunning new location on the edge of the Lake District officially opened its doors to customers in July, promising new standards in UK self-catering.
Just six miles from Ullswater and 40 minutes from Windermere, it’s not hard to see why the park’s owners – five-star resort operators Leisure Resorts - chose this spot for their £20m new location and why they believe it should be considered among the best in Britain.
Set around 70 acres of landscaped gardens and an eight-acre lake, the park features 74 one to four bed luxury lodges and 10 one and two-storey centrally heated glamping tents - all of which come complete with their own decking and steamy hot tubs.
There’s an on-site farm and a playground for the little ones, while the Lake House Bar and Restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and serves a menu featuring locally sourced Lakeland produce and ingredients.

LURE OF LAKES
Leisure Resorts director Grant Gidman says the range of topquality accommodation and facilities on offer reflects the varied customer base the park expects to attract. “The lure of the Lakes is undeniable - whether it’s families wanting to get their kids out and about, groups of friends on a walking holiday or couples looking for an indulgent romantic break, this incredible area has it all - but that doesn’t mean ‘average’ is going to be good enough when it comes to where they stay,” says Grant. “Customers quite rightly expect more and more from their staycation these days, and that’s why we’re doing everything we can to make a stay at Ullswater Heights as memorable as possible.”
Guests who really want to live the high life will soon be able to have their every whim catered for by indulging in the park’s concierge service. Transport arrangements, restaurant reservations and entertainment bookings will all be taken care of, as the park looks to make good on its commitment to premium customer service.
It’s a quality mark Leisure Resorts are backing with investment in a 40-strong Ullswater team, led by General Manager, Laura Corner, who has been brought in from sister park Aysgarth Lodges to make sure standards exceed expectations.
That means for pets as well as their owners - Ullswater Heights is dog-friendly with cosy beds, water bowls and dog toys available free of charge. There’s also dedicated bins dotted around the park to make dog walking as stress-free as possible.
Leisure Resorts initially had no intention of including holiday lets at the park, but it thought again when bookings for sister park Aysgarth Lodges did so well through self-catering specialist Hoseasons.
Gidman says working with the firm famous for its luxury hot tub breaks is one of the best decisions the business has made since being set up by former Park Leisure boss Gary Molloy in 2017.


LODGE LOCATIONS
He says: “The team at Hoseasons have been so integral to our success at Aysgarth that bringing them on board here was a complete no brainer. The relationship is evolving all the time and now we’ve got to know them I can’t imagine what it would be like without them.”
Ullswater Heights, like Aysgarth Lodges, is part of Hoseasons’ luxury Evermore Lodge Holidays Collection - an exclusive range of 23 hot tub lodge locations designed for families and groups of friends to relax and spend quality time together in beautiful surroundings.
This investment at Ullswater comes at a time when Hoseasons says it is, for the first time ever, selling more holidays with hot tubs than without. The company has seen a 20% increase in the number of hot tub holidays it has sold in 2019, compared to the same time last year.
Holiday lodge rentals at Ullswater Heights start from £464 per week and range up to £2,200 for the most luxurious rentals at peak times.

Ullswater Heights
01768 800857
www.hoseasons.co.uk

Holiday Snaps From Gary Molloy

Posted on September 11, 2018

Holiday Snaps From Gary Molloy

Gary Molley

What was your career path into the industry?

Leaving school at the age of 15, I undertook an apprenticeship in mechanical engineering and tool-making before moving to Portugal to sell properties. On my return to the UK, I joined the Haven sales team for eight years, until . I felt I’d gained enough industry knowhow and confidence to go it alone. In 1997, I set up my own company, Park Leisure 2000 Ltd. It’s amazing to think that I started the business from my spare bedroom and ended up selling it 20 years later when we were operating 12 5-star parks and employing more than 350 people across the UK.

What is your current role in the industry?

I set up Leisure Resorts in May 2017. Just over a year later and we have three parks in operation with a fourth scheduled to join the Leisure Resorts portfolio later this year. My mission is to develop Leisure Resorts into a small but perfectly formed group that will concentrate on delivering the very best that the industry has to offer.

How has the market changed during your time in the industry?

As customers’ expectations have increased, the market has listened and adapted. Holiday homes now offer an incredible range of options to suit every taste and budget. Located across the UK in the most desirable and picturesque locations they offer spacious accommodation within easy access of fun things to do, whether you’re eight or 80.

How do you predict things will change in the next five to ten years?

Holiday home manufacturers are producing some amazing designs and it’s great to see how far they’ve come and what they’re planning next. The ‘staycation’ is certainly helping our industry and I expect this trend to continue. As more private equity money enters the market, I see the holiday park market going from strength to strength, particularly as the UK is constantly improving its position as a world-leading tourism destination.

What are the biggest challenges you face in your working life?

The biggest challenge is staying ahead of the competition - the better we get, the better they do. What is the best piece of business advice you have been given? I have two pieces of advice that have always been important to me. One, never ask anybody to do something you wouldn’t be prepared to do yourself. Two, always pay suppliers on time and if you have the cash to hand, pay them early.

How do you most like to spend your time out of working hours?

Family and friends are, and always will be, the most import thing to me. Work commitments often make it hard to spend as much time with them as I’d like, but I ensure I make the most of the time we do have. I am also a huge Manchester United fan and have followed them through thick and thin ever since I was a little boy in the early 70’s.

If we could give you three guests, who would you most like to sit down to dinner with and why?

My first would be Margaret Thatcher. Love her or loathe her, a truly amazing lady. As a Manchester United fan, how could I not invite Sir Alex Ferguson? In my opinion, the greatest sporting team leader of all time. My final choice would be Carl Pilkington, The Idiot Abroad. He just doesn’t realise how funny he is.

Where do you prefer to take your holidays?

If I am staying in the UK, there’s no better place than the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales. I guess it’s my love for these places that has heavily influenced the locations of our Leisure Resorts’ sites.