DORSET PARK DECLARED BEST IN BRITAIN

Posted on February 15, 2022

DORSET PARK DECLARED BEST IN BRITAIN

THE PARK HAS GATHERED THREE AWARDS this year, all celebrating its high- quality standards across various facilities

Dorset’s South Lytchett Manor holiday park has been named by the AA as the UK’s top destination for campers, glampers, caravanners and motorhome owners.
The family business beat thousands of other eligible parks to take both the England and the overall British Campsite of the Year titles in the AA’s 2021 Caravan and Camping Awards.
Awards given by the AA – based on guest reviews and a “secret shopper” visit by inspectors - are regarded as the Oscars of the holiday parks industry. The park’s facilities, services and levels of hospitality all went under the microscope – and each was found to meet or exceed the platinum standard on every level.
South Lytchett Manor’s owners, Joanne and David Bridgen, say they were “stunned but absolutely delighted” when news came through that they had clinched the major honour:
“We are so proud to be able to bring this title home to Dorset, and I hope it will help throw the national spotlight on all tourism businesses in the county,” said Joanne.
“The AA award is particularly special to us because the judging is based not just on our quality standards, but also the experience which guests enjoy during their stay.

: DAVID AND JOANNE BRIDGEN (left) celebrate the overall AA award with park managers Deb and Phil Tonks

“Providing happy holiday memories has always been our main priority, and our friendly and helpful team here deserve a big vote of thanks for helping us achieve this,” she added.
Guests at the park can bring their own motorhome, touring caravan or tent, or choose to stay in one of South Lytchett Manor’s many glamping options. These include picturesque Romany caravans fully fitted out with all home comforts, cosy shepherd’s huts, and six new glamping pods.
“It’s been a fantastically busy year for us and bookings for 2022 are at record levels, so these awards have really helped us to finish the season on a high!” said Joanne.
South Lytchett Manor is a member of the Best of British group which comprises some 50 independently-run parks with top quality ratings based throughout the UK.
The AA accolade completes a triple triumph of successes this year for Joanne and David who run the park with the help of their son Matt and marketing manager Emily Freeman. In spring, South Lytchett Manor took the overall gold title in the Camping and Caravanning Park of the Year category in the South West Tourism Excellence awards and in the autumn won a diamond award in the Loo Of The Year competition.

Magnificent Seven

Posted on April 29, 2019

Magnificent Seven

Less than two miles away from seven of Newquay’s world famous beautiful golden sand beaches, Hendra Holiday Park aims to offer something for everybody. Located in glorious countryside, just outside Newquay in Cornwall, with 80-acres of landscaped parkland, Hendra welcomes approximately 1,000 to over 3,500 people a night during the peak season, in a range of accommodation options, including camping, touring, glamping, holiday homes and lodges. It may come as a surprise to many that for such a large park, Hendra has been owned and operated by the same two families for over 47 years. Hendra was started in 1972 with just camping and touring but grew and grew as time went on and now has over 300 luxury holiday homes of different types, sizes and styles and over 600 pitches ranging from standard grass ones to super ones with water, electricity and cable tv connections. Family holidays are Hendra’s passion. The second and third generations of the Hyatt and May families are both involved with the day-to-day running of the Park and the fourth generation are small children themselves. The families live nearby, and with everything, including administration, located on the Park this makes the day-to- day running of the business very efficient. Hendra’s guests span several generations too, many have been coming to Hendra since they were young children and now bring their children and grandchildren to the park – so they have grown with the business. Hendra is passionate about sustainable tourism and is committed to protecting the Cornish heritage and landscape by making sure providing family holidays has no impact on the environment!

SOLAR FARM
Hendra has its own solar farm, which provides over 70% of electricity to the Park, and two Biomass boilers which heat the Oasis Fun Pool using locally sourced wood chips. Hendra’s commitment to being a sustainable business has been recognised with the Gold Award for Sustainable Tourism at the 2016/17 Cornwall Tourism Awards, building on the ‘Winner of Winners’ award at the Cornwall Sustainability Awards in 2011. Hendra not only has great accommodation and a wonderful location, one of the things that keeps guests coming back are the facilities. The Oasis Fun Pools are one of the main attractions of staying on the park. The indoor pool has a river rapid ride to take your breath away, water cannon and geyser for a real soaking, then get drenched under the giant tap, fountains and waterfalls too.
There are three water flumes, the fast and furious high-speed aqua whiz flume, the exciting wet & wild 265ft super flume, and the fun for all gentle fun slide! There’s a brilliant toddlers’ pool for safe water splashy fun with a slide, squirty creatures, and lots of warm water to splash about in! In the summer months the outdoor pool is open, a perfect place for cooling off, with sun loungers around the pool for relaxing in the sun – bliss! There’s so much to do for kids, so t hey won’t be bored. The indoor play centre Henry’s Play Loft will keep little ones occupied for hours, a skate and scooter park for older kids to enjoy their skateboard or scooter in a safe environment, an outdoor gym, a play park and indoor amusements too. Families love the Hendra Safari Train, which goes around the park each morning. Hendra has a range of dining options, the terrace bar and restaurant is open early until late, and a coffee bar offering hot and cold drinks and snacks. There’s a fish and chip takeaway for a traditional seaside supper, or Mario’s Pizzeria for freshly baked pizzas served in its Italian themed restaurant or as takeaway. Both have outside seating, which overlooks the children’s play area. The fun doesn’t stop when the sun goes down. Lots of evening entertainment make a night in our Venue cabaret club a must. The evening starts with mascots Henry and Henrietta Hippo entertaining the kids and then the holiday favourite bingo, followed by live acts on stage including comedians, theme nights, variety acts, game shows, bands, karaoke, talents shows, illusionists and more. Hendra has won many accolades, in 2018 alone it scooped AA Platinum Award ‘elite park’ 5 Pennant rating, Gold 5 Star Visit England ‘exceptional’ quality grading, two South West in Bloom Awards, a Gold award for Tourism and Leisure category, The Bruford Cup for Best Horticultural Display, Platinum Loo of the Year Award and the Hoseasons Diamond Award. The awards show the Park's commitment to excellence as a top destination for family holidays.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Hendra chooses a charity each year to raise money for, and guests kindly donating an optional 50p on each booking. This is small change but makes such huge difference and last year, together with collecting tine on the park, raffles and other fund raising events Hendra raised a record-breaking £13,398 for Macmillan Cancer Support. This year the chosen charity is the Alzheimer’s society, which is the UK's leading dementia support and research charity. Another way Hendra’s guests help to make their stay green and sustainable is by ‘freecycling’ a facility provided on the park so they can leave behind unwanted holiday items like beach toys, windbreaks and BBQs at the end of their break for other guests to enjoy. The park actively encourages guest feedback, via surveys, reviews and social media, which is always valued and responded to. It’s vital to continue to make Hendra the holiday destination for future generations too, so it’s important to keep improving, developing and maintaining the Park, whilst being sustainable. It is a challenge, but one that’s relished by owners and staff.

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Flushed With Success

Posted on February 28, 2019

Flushed With Success

Donkey Creek Farm Caravan Park on Lancashire’s Fylde coast is officially one of the best place to ‘go’ in Britain, according to judges of the annual Loo of the Year awards. The park’s washrooms have been named as top platinum winners in the latest Loo of the Year awards, bringing a chain of honour to the family-run business. The prestigious accolade was made to Donkey Creek after the shower and toilet facilities provided for guests were ‘mystery shopped’ by inspectors. Celebrating the news of the award are Paul Lancaster and his wife Jane who opened the park last summer in a quiet rural location near the market town of Freckleton. One of their first tasks was a built a state-of-the-art washroom facility for guests pitching up at the park with motorhomes, touring caravans and tents. Paul and Jane also know that their success is not just a flash in the pan because, they say, advance bookings for 2019 are ‘way beyond our expectations.

Bare Essentials

Posted on May 11, 2016

Bare Essentials

Green Hill Farm Holiday Park in the New Forest is officially the best place to ‘go’ in Britain, according to judges of the annual Loo of the Year awards. The business was recently named as the overall 2016 Loo of the Year winner in the holiday parks category of the competition, beating more than 3,000 other UK parks to the title.

Pic: Woodhill Park

The prestigious accolade was awarded to the family-run park after its washroom facilities were mystery shopped by inspectors. The spacious new washroom facilities at the park include large showers and drying areas, private vanity cubicles, a family bathroom, hairdryers, underfloor heating, and full access for people with limited mobility.

Celebrating the news of the award are husband-and-wife team Lorna and Graham Lee who, with their two young daughters, acquired the park seven years ago.

According to Lorna, the washroom building simply mirrors what the park itself aspires to: “Green Hill has a very special appeal to people who enjoy away-from-it-all holidays in gorgeous surroundings, and we’ve tried to provide the perfect backdrop for that.” she said.

“Our family feels very privileged to be able to live and work in the beautiful part of the New Forest, and it’s great to have our efforts acknowledged with an award like this,” added Lorna.

Clean washroom facilities, like those at Green Hill Farm, are the bare minimum a guest will expect while on holiday. In an increasingly competitive market, it is more important than ever that holiday parks offer a certain level of comfort and luxury in terms of washroom provisions for their guests, to ensure a positive and lasting impression.

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A Matter Of Convenience

Posted on June 3, 2015

A Matter Of Convenience

Guests expect a certain level of comfort and luxury and the washrooms facilities are a big part of those expectations that will leave a lasting impression. Pic: Commercial Washrooms

As the saying goes, if you want to know what a venue is really like – check out the loos. Anyone who has ever been in an uncomfortable and poorly laid out public washroom will value the importance of good toilet design. The increased demands placed on heavily used facilities require careful consideration and planning. It goes without saying that well-designed washrooms should at least be clean, dry, well ventilated and user friendly.

Modern designs continue to become ever more stylish, sophisticated and eco-friendly, from urinals with television screens to all-in-one toilet, sink and vanity table units. But Mike Bone managing director of the Loo of the Year awards advises that it is often the little things that go a long way in providing outstanding washroom facilities. “Award winning holiday park toilets have the ‘wow factor’ as they provide attractive loos that make away from home toilet use a pleasure, not a concern,” says Mike. “Fresh flowers, excellent ventilation, dry floors, constant availability of toilet tissue and hand wash soap and a safe and hygienic environment separate winning loos from those that will deter visitors from booking again.”

ESSENTIAL PROVISIONS

Last year 67 per cent of the holiday parks that entered the prestigious Loo of the Year Awards achieved the highest Platinum grade for their washroom facilities. The awards provide a valuable monitor of the standard of the essential provision of park toilets. In addition to gaining an independent assessment and grading of their toilet facilities, entrants also gain recognition and benchmarking for their parks. Mike adds: “Holiday park guests are away from home and expect the standards in the parks toilets and showers to be at least to the standard they set at home. They will return to those parks that provide the toilet facilities that meet their needs and avoid those that don’t.” Paul Wonnacott, managing director of Vectair Systems agrees that holiday parks should be prioritising washrooms as part of the overall customer experience: “It is not just about the toilet actually being clean, it is also about perception. “With so many online reviews now being uploaded, holiday parks need to smarten up their washrooms.

Long Meadow Campsite in the New Forest opted for cubicles and vanity units in the colours of their logo. Pic: Commercial Washrooms.

Cleanliness is a key consideration when people book their holidays – if the washroom isn’t clean, is the kitchen? What about the rooms?” Vectair Systems manufacture and supply holiday parks with cleaning and hygiene products including soap dispensers, luxurious soaps, surface cleaners, air fresheners, odour removers and urinal screens. Paul reveals that ‘touch free’ equipment, where the individual doesn’t have to touch anything to wash their hands is a buzzword at the moment when it comes to current washroom trends. “Customers want easyto- use systems that are safe and effective. For example, automatic soap dispensers are popular now as they are ‘touch free’ and therefore are quick and hygienic,” says Paul. He adds: “The Ebola outbreak has been an important reminder to those who do have access to clean water and sanitation, of how lucky we really are. It also serves as a reminder to us as individuals to make sure we wash our hands regularly – and to venues to ensure they provide the right services for us to do that.” Another trend and one that has come over from Asia, is that washroom systems are quiet and discreet. Ladies washrooms especially require systems that don’t make a lot of noise, enabling females to dispose of sanitary waste discreetly.

AUTOMATIC CONTROL

Automatic sensor controlled sanitary ware and taps is another popular trend in washrooms at the moment. As well as being environmentally friendly, substantial cost savings can be made by limiting the water that is used from the taps, toilets and urinals and by preventing taps from being left running. Paul comments: “As for a trend that is still hanging on in there – we believe it is the co-ordinated washroom. Although not a trend in all countries, many European countries and holiday parks prefer their washroom dispensers to match, although the traditional white is perhaps now on par with new offerings like chrome and black.” For those that are considering upgrading their washroom facilities, it’s worth seeking expert advice from a reputable company that can advise on all aspects of construction, design and building regulations that should be adhered to.

INVEST WISELY

3D drawings by Commercial Washrooms allow the customer to see exactly how the washroom will look during the planning stage.

“When considering a new build washroom block or refurbishing an existing facility there are many building related health and safety issues to consider,” explains Andy Seddon of Commercial Washrooms. “Depending on the scale of the development the project is likely to be affected by the CDM regulations as well as local authority building control. Our advice is to appoint and work with a reputable building firm, ideally one who specialises in commercial washroom and toilet refurbishment projects.” Commercial Washrooms is an off-shoot of Lan Services and specialises in a supply only service, supporting companies who wish to self-project-manage their washroom refurbishment or repair project. Andy advises that a full refurbishment of the washroom facilities should be undertaken approximately every 10 years. If the project is properly planned from the outset and the materials, sanitary ware, fixtures and fittings selected carefully for the intended environment and frequency of use then the washrooms should last this long with no trouble what-so-ever. It goes without saying that for the washroom to withstand the extreme use it will no doubt encounter over a decade, it should receive periodic inspection and the replacement of broken or failing parts and regular cleaning maintenance will also prolong the life span of any commercial washroom. Andy also recommends investing wisely in high quality equipment that is durable and hard wearing: “Exploring the different types and qualities of materials on offer is essential.

Editorial Contributors Include:

Bushboard Washroom Systems Tel. 01536 533620 www.bushboard-washrooms.co.uk

Dunhams Washroom Systems Tel. 01603 424855 www.dunhamswashrooms.com

Commercial Washrooms Tel. 01202 650900 www.commercialwashroomsltd.co.uk

Spectrum Cubicles Tel. 01244 333 488 www.spectrumcubicles.com

Vectair Systems Tel. 01256 319500 www.vectairsystems.com

Loo of the Year Aw ards Tel. 01403 258779 www.loo.co.uk

Triple Success For West Midlands Park

Posted on November 24, 2014

Graham and Tracy Leggat are celebrating a trio of awards at the Borders Hideaway Holiday Home Park.

Triple Success For West Midlands Park

Borders Hideaway Holiday Home Park in Herefordshire is celebrating two national gold awards this autumn – plus a gong for its first-class loos.

Run by husband and wife team Graham and Tracy Leggat, the park is among just ten out of more than 2,000 caravan and camping parks in the UK to be awarded the prestigious Five Star Gold award given out by VisitEngland to its highest rated parks. Its second glittering prize was a David Bellamy Conservation Award, presented to Borders Hideaway by the world-famous conservationist at its top gold level. The accolade recognises exceptional achievements by tourism businesses to protect and enhance the natural environment, and to encourage indigenous flora and fauna.

According to Professor Bellamy, park managers Tracy and Graham Leggat have created a “wildlife wonderland” with a range of inspired initiatives. Completing the hat trick of honours for Borders Hideaway this year has been its gaining of a 2014 Loo of the Year award for the high quality standards of its washrooms.

Tracy Leggat said that everyone at the park was thrilled at news of the awards, including its conservation accolade: “Although many of our guests do come here to enjoy a traditional family holiday, we can also offer a wonderful environment to explore and make wildlife discoveries,” said Tracy.

“It’s a real privilege to live and work in this beautiful part of Herefordshire, and it’s great to be able to help preserve its very special character with the support of someone like David Bellamy. “I also hope that the national spotlight thrown on Borders Hideaway will benefit other tourism businesses by showing what a wonderful place this region is for a holiday,” added Tracy.

Holiday Park Scene Magazine

loo of the year

DORSET PARK DECLARED BEST IN BRITAIN