Luxury Lodges

CARBON BUSTERS

Posted on February 16, 2022

CARBON BUSTERS

Leading holiday parks share their green credentials…

 

THE QUIET SITE is located near the shores of Ullswater in picture-perfect Lake District countryside

 

When it comes to combating climate change, the holiday park industry stands loud and proud above most other sectors when it comes to carbon neutral investment.
Before you undertake your carbon footprint assessment, there are some outstanding examples from our peers who are putting their green credentials into action.
You will be well advised to follow their example and add your eco-friendly performance to this year’s marketing themes as customers love nothing more than investing in a planted-friendly holiday.
For instance, The Quiet Site, a family’s holiday park on Ullswater, in the Lake District, has been celebrated at the recent COP26 climate change conference for its fight against global warming.
The park, in Pooley Bridge, was highly commended for its carbon neutral initiatives, and hailed as a Hero of Net Zero at the UN conference’s awards ceremony. The award is part of the Together For Our Planet campaign which recognises original and creative actions taken by small businesses to cut their own greenhouse gas emissions.
Park owner Daniel Holder and his family travelled to the COP26 awards ceremony to receive the judges’ commendation from Andrew Griffith MP.

 

 

CLIMATE HUB
More than 160 businesses entered the competition, making a commitment at the UK Business Climate Hub to achieve net zero by 2050, in line with the Government’s own climate commitment.
The Quiet Site was highly commended in the small business category for demonstrating a range of measures taken on their journey to net zero. These included prioritising nature by planting wildflower meadows and native trees, building accommodation that generates more energy than it uses, and opening a zero-waste shop.
“All businesses need to become Heroes of Net Zero if the world is going to have an impact on climate change,” said Daniel.
“Our journey has been fascinating, bringing technologies and techniques together in a unique energy mix to enable us to be carbon neutral.
“We started introducing sustainable practices twenty years ago, not because we wanted to save the world but because the initiatives we introduced were based on elegant engineering and made good business sense.
“Our focus is now to enable our customers to visit us without using private cars. Great holidays don’t have to cost the earth,” added Daniel.
The Quiet Site won over the competition judges by not only reducing its own energy consumption and environmental impact, but also encouraging customers to be more environmentally friendly.

 

DEVON-BASED COFTON HOLIDAYS has been recognised for its rewilding efforts.

 

QUEEN’S AWARD
The business provides quality holidays in the heart of the Lake District, offering pitches for tents, camping, motorhomes and a variety of glamping options. Earlier this year, the park became Britain’s first holiday park to win a Queen’s Award for sustainability which was presented by Her Majesty’s Lord- Lieutenant of Cumbria, Claire Hensmen.
Not to be outshone, multi award- winning South West holiday park Cofton Holidays has scooped the Environment and Sustainability award at the Western Morning News Business Awards 2021, recognising its sustained conservation efforts during the pandemic.
Set within 80 acres of glorious Devon countryside, Cofton Holidays has been a family-run holiday park for over 40 years. Guests return year after year to enjoy its beautiful and convenient location, extensive facilities and wide choice of accommodation types for all the family.
Visitors to Cofton can choose from a range of holiday homes, cottages and lodges in the heart of the main park, or cottages and apartments on the estuary-view Eastdon Estate. Cofton also offers a choice of pitches for touring caravan holidays including hard- standing and RV pitches.
Cofton Holidays offers a variety of accommodation to suit all guests including luxury lodges, dog-friendly cottages, Georgian-style apartments, modern holiday homes and camping and caravanning pitches. Facilities include an indoor pool heated by a biomass hub with a splash pad area and hydrotherapy loungers, a gym, restaurant, pub, steam room, sauna, fitness studio, soft play area, playground, sports wall, outdoor pools and much more.
Guests also have access to five coarse fishing lakes, miles of cycle paths and nature trails that take visitors through woodland to the golden sands of Dawlish Warren beach and nature reserve.
Sustainability and green initiatives have always been at the top of the agenda for Cofton Holidays, but its rewilding project really took of during the pandemic. With 20 years’ worth of David Bellamy Conservation Awards under their belts, the team saw lockdown as the perfect opportunity to give the park back to Mother Nature.

 

WINNING THE ENVIRONMENT and Sustainability Business Award has been a fabulous achievement for the Cofton team.

 

REWILDING PROJECT
Enhancing the park’s carefully considered planting, extensive woodland, wildlife-friendly hedges, wildflower zones and on-site bug and bee hotel, Cofton has planted additional hedges, shrubs and trees to strengthen wildlife corridors across the site, bringing nature to the doorstep of its visitors. Wild deer, buzzards, butterflies, hedgehogs and a range of fascinating migrating birds can all be spotted thanks to the biodiversity on site. As well as planting perennial flora to attract more insects and pollinators, new hedges provide enhanced nesting environments and food for a variety of birds and bats.
A further scheme that gave Cofton the edge over its competitors is its £60,000 investment in 16 electric car charging points. No other business in the South West has more electric vehicle charging points in one location.
Added to that, Cofton has invested in 144kw of solar power units for the park’s 12 luxury lodges, an electric vehicle for housekeeping, an outdoor lighting review, and the planting of 36 mature trees, making it one of the region’s leading sustainable holiday parks.
Helen Scott, Director at Cofton Holidays, is thrilled with Cofton’s success: “Winning the Environment and Sustainability Award at this year’s Western Morning News Business Awards is a fabulous achievement for us.
“It’s testament to the hard work the team have put into our sustainable initiatives this year, and strengthens our reputation as a holiday park that puts the environment at the forefront of all that we do.”

 

DEVON-BASED Cofton Holidays has been recognised for its rewilding efforts.

 

MOTHER NATURE
Helen continued: “Throughout lockdown, we concentrated all our efforts on making improvements to the park. It was the perfect opportunity to enhance the natural landscape whilst our guests were away, ready for them to marvel at Mother Nature’s handy work once they returned.
“Our sustainability efforts have been recognised by a number of award bodies now including iTravel, VisitEngland and VisitDevon, but this is by no means the end to our investment in green initiatives.
“We will continue to nurture our local environment, fulfilling our sustainability commitment with plans to review our outdoor lighting to reduce light pollution overspill, investing in more charging units for guests staying at the cottages and participating in the tree planting scheme which will celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.
“As the recent climate change summit, COP26, has highlighted, it’s more important now than ever before that businesses take responsibility for operating in a sustainable way that will protect the environment for future generations. We take this seriously at Cofton and will continue to do all that we can to protect our beautiful corner of South Devon.”

 

 

CARBON BUSTING
Skelwith Fold, an Ambleside holiday park, has cut the green ribbon on a new office complex which can generate all of its own energy – and still have some to spare.
The 3,000 square foot building adjoins the park’s existing offices and has been designed for total self- sufficiency, powering everything from air-conditioning to espresso machines.
Its secret is a bank of high-efficiency solar panels on the roof which will deliver up to 14 kWh per day, even under the gloomiest winter skies.
Skelwith Fold’s Henry Wild says the two-storey complex has taken the park a huge step closer to its goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2024:”We wanted to see if we could make the building entirely carbon neutral, and found this was possible by using the latest solar technology to generate electricity.

 

SUSTAINABILITY AND GREEN initiatives have always been at the top of the agenda for Cofton Holidays.

 

“Even in use seven days a week, the building will still produce surplus power to harness elsewhere on the park and further reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. With the help of other solar panels elsewhere on the park, we are nearing our goal of all our buildings being self-sufficient in energy.
“I also hope that within two years we will create a state of carbon neutrality, and guests will be able to enjoy totally green holidays, even after their journey by car to the park is taken into account.”
The new building’s sustainable credentials are further enhanced by the use in its construction of recycled timber from larch trees grown in the park’s 130-acre grounds.
Skelwith Fold was forced to fell more than 200 larches last year after the Forestry Commission found them to be suffering from a fungal plant disease called Phytophthoras. Many of the areas left by the trees are now subject to an ambitious rewilding scheme.

COMPANY CONTACTS

Cofton Holidays
www.coftonholidays.co.uk

Skelwith Fold
www.skelwith.com

The Quiet Site
www.thequietsite.co.uk

SIX-UP FOR CENTER PARCS IN UK

Posted on August 6, 2021

SIX-UP FOR CENTER PARCS IN UK

WEST SUSSEX has been identified as the sixth UK village site for Center Parcs with trademark accommodation like these waterside lodges at Elveden Forest.

Center Parcs has confirmed it has identified a site for its sixth UK village having secured an option agreement to acquire 553 acres of woodland off Balcombe Road in Worth, West Sussex. The forest at Oldhouse Warren, near Crawley, has been chosen because of its location (to the south of London) and its excellent transport links. The development is expected to cost between £350m and £400m and will create around 1,500 permanent local jobs once operational, as well as around 1,000 jobs during construction.

Center Parcs anticipate the development will add an additional £40m to the local economy each year. CEO Martin Dalby said: “It’s really exciting to have identified a potential site for another Center Parcs village in the UK. “The proposal we will be submitting will create a significant number of jobs and bring major benefits to the local and national economy.” Center Parcs has five villages across the UK and Ireland; Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, Elveden Forest in Suffolk, Longleat Forest inWiltshire, Whinfell Forest in Cumbria,Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire and Longford Forest in County Longford, Ireland.

Each village is nestled within 350- 400 acres of woodland with a variety of activities to choose from, restaurants and cafes. There is also a Subtropical Swimming Paradise and award-winning spa called Aqua Sana. As the leader in the UK short break holiday market, Center Parcs achieves average annual occupancy in excess of 97%. Center Parcs’ villages are sympathetically designed to blend into the existing landscape, with no visual impact on the surrounding area, and the company is committed to both protecting and enhancing the forests in which their holiday villages are located.

Sustainability is at the heart of the Center Parcs ethos and the new village will be constructed and operated in the most sustainable way possible. Hoping to submit a planning application in 2022, work is now underway on rigorous site surveys, detailed designs and pre-planning works to make sure the woodland meets the specific requirements for a Center Parcs village, as well as beginning a programme of community engagement with the local area. In line with the other Center Parcs villages, it is intended that the site at Oldhouse Warren will include lodges, a range of indoor and outdoor leisure facilities, a Subtropical Swimming Paradise, a variety of restaurants and shops and an Aqua Sana Spa.

PLANS TO DEVELOP DEVON LAKES

Posted on August 6, 2021

PLANS TO DEVELOP DEVON LAKES

CLAWFORD LAKES RESORT and Spa in Devon is scheduled to open this Autumn

Private equity-backed holiday operator Lakeshore Leisure Group has secured planning permission to develop Clawford Lakes, a stunning 80-acre property in Devon that is set to open this Autumn. Lakeshore Leisure Group is a UK leisure brand offering high quality holiday accommodation including self-catering rental cottages and lodges, hotel accommodation and privately owned lodges across three Devon locations; Otter Falls, Lakeview Manor and Clawford Lakes.

Acquired in 2019 with initial investment from Kings Park Capital, Clawford Lakes in Holsworthy, north west Devon is an holiday resort comprising of 17 man-made fishing and recreation lakes and 24 self- catering units, as well as a large bar and restaurant. With planning permission now approved, work is now underway on the major redevelopment which will include the build of 144 luxury lodges, 13 bespoke angling pods, seven unique luxury cocoons, nine floating lodges, and a Scandinavian- inspired spa with swimming pool and treatment rooms, set aside a stunning central lake. Lakeshore Leisure Group has also secured exclusive rights to the luxury cocoon units in the UK.

The new luxury holiday lodges will be available for both holiday rentals and for purchase as pre-furnished holiday homes, available to use year-round and with the option of subletting on a managed site. The refurbished Apple and Grape bar and restaurant will showcase dishes created using a variety of local produce and will also welcome local visitors. There will be a small provisions and fishing tackle shop on site, to support the high-quality fishing lakes, which have been invested in and restocked. In addition, leisure water sports will be added in 2022 including paddle boarding, kayaking, open water swimming and canoeing, and the new swimming pool and spa will open, all forming part of the visitor experience.

SAT NAVS SET FOR NORTHWALES

Posted on August 5, 2021

SAT NAVS SET FOR NORTHWALES

THE RWST holiday lodge park in North Wales opened to guests this summer.

The picturesque North Wales market town of Llanrwst is welcoming the launch of ‘Rwst’, a luxurious new holiday lodge park. The £1.8m development opened its doors to its first guests in July, just as North Wales topped the charts as the UK’s most popular staycation destination, overtaking the coastal and rural charms of Devon and Cornwall for the first time, according to a survey by Sykes Holiday Cottages. Rwst occupies a prime location on the edge of the historic town, with scenic views across the River Conwy to the Gwydir Forest and Snowdonia mountains beyond. The park, which is a high-end redevelopment of the much-loved Trem Gwydir holiday village, includes 22, five-star holiday lodges, with one, two, and three-bedroom single-storey lodges available for holiday rentals

PUSHING £20M STAYCATION BUTTON

Posted on April 26, 2021

PUSHING £20M STAYCATION BUTTON

PARK HOLIDAYS UK is investing £20m on new facilities as staycations continue to boom

Park Holidays UK is investing more than £20 million in its 30-plus parks this year as families seek top-end experiences in the UK as an alternative to going abroad. The company’s shopping list includes an order for 350 luxury-grade caravan holiday homes which has been placed with British manufacturers, hard-hit by the pandemic. New leisure centres, swimming pools, landscaping projects and children’s activities are also being developed as advance bookings recently reached a new record peak: “We’re braced for the busiest season in our 30-year history, and we’re determined to give guests and holiday home owners the best possible time,” said director Tony Clish. “Bookings across our parks tell us that we’ll not be waiting until summer before the holiday year starts in earnest – spring is already looking like peak season. “News of parks re-opening on 12 April, the ban on overseas travel, and the success of the vaccine roll-out has given an extra shot in the arm to the UK’s tourism industry. “That’s why our board of directors has authorised a spend of more than £20 million on hundreds of top-grade accommodation units, and new guest facilities.

RAISING THE BAR
“Our aim is always to constantly raise the bar on both the quantity and the quality of what our parks provide to people on both short breaks and longer stays. “This is especially important to us now because many bookings are coming from families who took a staycation with us in 2020, perhaps for the first time in years. “They clearly enjoyed the experience, so we want to welcome them and everyone back with facilities and attractions which will prove that UK holidays really are unbeatable,” said Mr Clish. Work is almost complete, he said, on a new £2 million pool at Dovercourt Holiday Park in Harwich, and a £1 million entertainments venue at West Mersea Holiday Park on Essex’s Mersea Island. Mr Clish added that sales of holiday homes are also rocketing, and that more than 200 new luxury lodges, villas and holiday caravans have just been released on new park developments.

STRATOSPHERIC SEASON AHEAD

Posted on December 16, 2020

STRATOSPHERIC SEASON AHEAD

Park Holidays UK is plunging £2 million into the building of a new luxury pool at Dovercourt Holiday Park in Harwich – and says its bracing itself for a staycation year ‘like no other’ in 2021. The group reports that it has given the green light to new investments across its 30-plus holiday parks as bookings for next year hit ‘stratospheric’ levels. “Make no mistake, Britain will be the place to be on holiday in 2021 and we are going to be ready for it,” says Park Holidays UK director Tony Clish. “Families will be seeking-out top quality experiences in this country as a substitute for going abroad, and that’s just what we intend to deliver,” he continued. “The group will be investing heavily this winter both in its leisure facilities, and in top quality accommodation such as luxury lodges, so nobody will feel they are getting second best.”

Many of next year’s bookings are from families who took a staycation this year and were amazed by how much more enjoyable it was than an overseas holiday. “Less hassle, less cost, beautiful countryside and coasts, and so much more for kids to enjoy - the time is now right for Britain to play up to its greatest strengths” said Tony. Work on Dovercourt’s new swimming pool began this month, and it’s planned that park guests will be dipping their toes in the water from next March with the complex’s interior decked out in a nostalgic seaside theme, plus pool-side relaxation areas and cascading slides.. Next year is likely to be the park’s busiest on record, according to Park Holidays UK. ”We do normally start to receive a flow of bookings around autumn across the group for the following year’s holidays, but this time it’s turned into a deluge,” said Tony. “We are responding by channelling major investments into our parks this winter and making sure that guests will have all of their expectations exceeded.”

Park Holidays
Tel. 0191 256 0795
www.ParkHolidays.com

Labour Of Welsh Love

Posted on February 28, 2019

Labour Of Welsh LoveLabour Of Welsh Love

The much-anticipated Maes Mynan development in Afonwen, near Caerwys, is to open this September after receiving planning permission from Flintshire County Council. Acorn Leisure – which also owns holiday parks in nearby Lloc and Cilcain – has approval for 47 luxury lodges and more than 130 static and touring caravans on the old quarry site, which has lain empty for more than 20 years. Recently named one of the top 10 ‘biggest property stories in Wales’, the Denbigh Road scheme is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and will inject new life into the region, blending into the stunning Flintshire scenery with added landscaping and protection for nature and biodiversity. Owners Peter and Louise Barlow have also earmarked a section for boutique glamping, and one of three beautiful lakes – already home to swans and cygnets - will be used for conservation and ecology research.

 

Moving On Up

Posted on May 3, 2017

Moving On Up

At Coast View there is a mixture of accommodation on offer to suit all tastes and budgets, including spacious luxury lodges, modern wooden chalets and static caravans

At Coast View there is a mixture of accommodation on offer to suit all tastes and budgets, including spacious luxury lodges, modern wooden chalets and static caravans.

With a host of extensive improvements completed in 2016 and further plans on the table for the future, Coast View Holiday Park in Devon is going from strength to strength. The park is the flagship site for South West Holiday Parks and is nestled in the hills overlooking the pretty seaside village of Shaldon. Bought by the company in 2012, Josh Donald, and his team, has turned the tired, dated park into a modern site with first class facilities, excellent customer service and strong links with the local community.

“We see an average of 7,000 guests a year and that figure is growing year on year” reveals Josh Donald, Managing Director of South West Holiday Parks. “Moving forwards we hope to see that number rise, especially with the improved infrastructure and facilities in place as well as our new luxury lodges with their boutique hotel feel.” Last year saw the opening of Coast View’s new heated indoor swimming pool, complete with a toddler pool and boasting sea views. The park also launched a new restaurant in 2016 - ODE&CO at Coast View - with celebrated local chef and restaurateur, Tim Bouget. The bright, contemporary Italian restaurant is at the heart of the park and is proving to be a popular addition with guests.

BRIGHT FUTURE : “We have already carried out extensive changes at the park over the last few years, but we aren’t stopping yet. We have plans for more luxury lodges to be created and have already had great interest from potential owners about these,” explains Josh. “To compliment the swimming pool, we plan to add a luxurious spa and beauty rooms as well as a state-of-the-art fitness suite and envisage this being in place by 2018. Our much-awaited Portland Drive development is now open and we are currently working the new phase of lodges.” At Coast View there is a mixture of accommodation on offer to suit all tastes and budgets, including spacious luxury lodges, modern wooden chalets and static caravans. The park is open 365 days a year for holiday home owners and holidaymakers can visit between April 1st and November 1st. This year is shaping up to a busy year for the park, with bookings already up on last year. “We have a range of clientele at the park and everyone is welcome. Our choice of accommodation means there is something for everyone and every budget,” says Josh.

The ODE&CO restaurant offers breakfasts, fresh-baked breads, artisan coffees, lunch and dinner menus that feature fresh pasta, salads, grills, seafood and wood-fired oven pizzas

The ODE&CO restaurant offers breakfasts, fresh-baked breads, artisan coffees, lunch and dinner menus that feature fresh pasta, salads, grills, seafood and wood-fired oven pizzas

Last year saw the opening of Coast View’s new heated indoor swimming pool, complete with a toddler pool.

Last year saw the opening of Coast View’s new heated indoor swimming pool, complete with a toddler pool.

EYE ON THE BALL :  “We also run a number of promotions during the season that are very well received and are perfect for catching that much needed, last minute break.” He adds: “There is no denying that we are facing challenging times as a country and Brexit means many businesses are being cautious. While we are seeing a steady rise in visitors across all of our parks as more people are holidaying on home soil, we are aware we have to keep our eye on the ball at all times.” In terms of local attractions, Coast View is situated next to a golf course and owners receive free membership at Teignmouth Golf Club, which is a short drive from the site.

The city and the moors are all on the doorstep so guests can be as active as they wish. The reception team is on hand with information and suggestions of places to visit and free Wi-Fi throughout the park means guests can easily look up local attractions. Says Josh: “For us, the park can only be a success if our guests are happy. We are a family business and pride ourselves on offering value for money holidays and a first class experience. From the moment they drive into Coast View, to the moment they wave goodbye, we want guests have had a great time and we would love to see them return for another holiday. “We believe our attention to detail, excellent customer service and flexible approach are all deal breakers, but it’s the stunning views across the Jurassic coastline that really put this park on the map.”

Coast View Holiday Park Tel. 01626 818 350 www.southwestholidayparks.co.uk

North Yorkshire Lodges Park Expansion

Posted on February 3, 2016

North Yorkshire Lodges Park Expansion

If the green light is given, the lodges will be sighted on the edge of Bentham Golf Course close to Riverside Caravan Park.

If the green light is given, the lodges will be sighted on the edge of Bentham Golf Course close to Riverside Caravan Park.

The family owners of a North Yorkshire holiday park have announced expansion plans to help them meet an unprecedented demand for holidays in the Dales.
Riverside Caravan Park in the village of High Bentham hopes to get the go-ahead for an additional 20 luxury lodges on top of the 240 caravan holiday homes it currently provides.
People staying in the new holiday lodges, says the family, could boost visitor spending in the area by more than half a million pounds annually.
Thomas Marshall, whose father Bateman first started welcoming camping guests on his farm in 1969, said rural North Yorkshire has fast been growing in popularity over recent years.
“This part of North Yorkshire has a strong appeal to those seeking away-from-it-all holidays, and we have always been concerned to help preserve and protect its natural beauty,” said Thomas.
“Our new timber-built lodges will also draw couples and families who enjoy playing golf in a magnificent setting, and increase the overall number of visitors to the High Bentham area. “As well as helping to sustain the 30-plus jobs we have created at the golf course and the park, visitor spending will also benefit other local businesses and the employment they provide.

Pathfinder Reaches Peak

Posted on May 5, 2015
Pathfinder Homes launched The Summit lodge at the Ideal Home Show in April.

Pathfinder Homes launched The Summit lodge at the Ideal
Home Show in April.

Pathfinder Reaches Peak

The Ideal Home Show at London’s Olympia proved to be the ideal platform for Pathfinder Homes to launch its new and highly innovative lodge – The Summit.

Visitors to the 18-day show were the first to see the new five star luxury lodge which is inspired by Alpine landscapes and the spirit of Tibet and the Himalayas. Pathfinder Homes attended the Ideal Home Show in partnership with The Dream Lodge Group and welcomed a number of television personalities to the stand to view The Summit, including Channel 4’s George Clarke and BBC’s Melissa Porter.

Oscar Absalom of Pathfinder Homes comments: “The inspiration behind the lodge came from the managing director’s trip to the Alps. Each and every last detail of the interior and exterior of the lodge was considered and scrutinised - there could be no substitute for perfection with the design.

“The response we received at the Ideal Home Show was extremely positive and we look forward to presenting the lodge at other shows during the summer.”

Pathfinder Homes
Tel. 01626 833799
W. www.pathfinderhomes.co.uk