ROLLER COASTER YEAR

Posted on December 16, 2020

ROLLER COASTER YEAR

The ups and downs of 2020,as the Holiday Park Scene team reports...

It was emotional to witness the end-of-week show at a leading UK holiday resort just before the start of England’s second Lockdown. Not knowing if they were going to get the opportunity to perform in December, the outstanding entertainment team burst into festive song for their encore, just in case they never get the opportunity to stage their Christmas show. The disappointment and uncertainty was tangible. A roller coaster year of famine, feast then famine again, Covid-19 has taken its toll on morale across the UK holiday sector through 2020. A short reprieve from Lockdown this summer meant many holiday parks were able to fire up and get back to some form of business as usual, albeit with restricted booking numbers to comply with new safety measures and a great deal of logistical thought going into communal areas and social distancing.

SECOND WAVE

As the next wave of this pandemic continues to batter Britain, a second enforced national Lockdown has forced holiday parks to cancel bookings and close once again, with staff left fearing an uncertain future. All is not lost. With overseas travel restricted and families desperate to fit in a winter break, December and January are shaping up as the new peak season months. Helen Scott is the Director of Cofton Holidays in South Devon. A family-run business established over 40 years and usually booked year-round with guests enjoying the luxury cottages, lodges, bubbling hot-tubs and static caravans; the bustle of busy restaurants serving Devonshire cream teas. As she spoke to Holiday Park Scene magazine, the resort lay still, silent, empty - with almost 95% of its workforce on furlough.

Our staff are like our family,” says Helen, “We are all so close and work together well as a team, so we are feeling sad. “Nobody knows how this will play out or what the future holds,” Helen continues. “The uncertainty of not knowing if there will be further Lockdowns in the future is something that worries us all and, as we’re usually open 365 days a year, this second national Lockdown has hit us hard.” After months of hard work to make sure guests could visit safely, this Lockdown has been such a blow to places like Cofton. Helen says: “Our team worked tirelessly after the first Lockdown to secure bookings for November, so to see them cancelled is a real shame. It seems so strange for us to have to send our customers away once again.”

SOUTH DEVON’S family-run Cofton Holidays is usually booked year-round with guests.

December could be one of the busiest months of the year at Park Holidays UK after hundreds of families learned that their hopes for a November break had been dashed. The latest Lockdown means that the company has had to cancel all November holidays, but director Tony Clish says that many guests have opted simply to delay their stay. “Under our coronavirus guarantee, customers can book with confidence because we promise a full no-quibble refund if they are forced to change their plans.

TIME-SHIFTS

“In fact, we’re finding a large number of couples and families are asking if they can time-shift their break until December – and we’re happy to make the changes without cost. “Added to the high volume of existing bookings we already have, I think it’s likely that December will be as busy as high season across our parks. “It’s great news for everyone, including Britain’s tourism economy, but it means people will need to be fast on their feet if they want to enjoy an escape next month. “Some of our parks are already approaching capacity, so we must work on the basis of first come, first served,” said Tony. Instead of closing after the October half-term, a total of 13 of the group’s 30-plus parks are this year continuing to welcome guests until the week before Christmas. Despite the heavy demand, says Tony, off-season prices will apply.

During December, and guests will stay in luxury lodges and premium grade holiday caravans. The holidays are all being offered on an “accommodation only” basis with many of the parks’ usual facilities remaining closed or operating on reduced hours. “There’s going to be a very relaxed atmosphere across our parks, and I think that’s exactly what people will be wanting after another month of Lockdown,” said Tony. “Roads, towns and visitor attractions will all be less busy, and you can enjoy beautiful coast and countryside walks with the feeling that you’ve got it all to yourself. “It will be a great chance to chill – but also to stay snug as all our holiday homes have super-efficient central heating and high levels of insulation.”

The owner of a Cornwall holiday park has spoken of his ‘gut-wrenching dismay’ at having to cancel more than 130 free holidays for Lockdown heroes in November. Patrick Langmaid of Mother Ivey’s Bay in Padstow had pledged to give key workers the holidays as a massive ‘thank you’ for their bravery and commitment during the continuing Covid crisis. But with the second Lockdown, the no-cost stays are having to be put on ice. “I am so desperately disappointed that we are having to cancel the free holidays that we had planned and were so looking forward to providing,” said Patrick.” We had hoped to be welcoming staff from the NHS, police, fire service, local foodbanks and care workers for their richly deserved breaks. “Now, instead of preparing for their arrival, we are contacting them to let them know they can no longer come with their families and spend time with us,” he said. Throughout November, 137 key workers from across the UK were to be welcomed at Mother Ivey’s, and a further 21 in December at its sister-park, Martha’s Orchard in Constantine Bay.

“I have great respect and admiration for those who have kept Britain going during these challenging times, and it’s so sad that they are not going to be able to have the benefit of these holidays. “Key workers need respite too, and their personal wellbeing seems to have been forgotten during the recent announcements.” Patrick is calling upon the Government to make special provision for key workers and their wellbeing during this new Lockdown, including giving them the important downtime to relax. “Everyone needs a break, and especially those who have been tirelessly working on the frontline for the past six months,” says Patrick. It is not easy for the on-site owners who, Cofton’s Helen Scott says, have been very understanding, or the customers, many of whom have had rearranged trips cancelled yet again: “Our customers are very sad to see us closed but understand this is what needs to be done,” Helen says. “Cofton Holidays is their haven; their get away from it all. Helen says they’re using the time as best they can and trying to look ahead positively: “We are making the most of being closed and progressing with work that we would have found difficult to achieve with customers staying on site.

SUPER PITCHES

“We want our customers to really see the difference when they return. During the last Lockdown, we improved our roadways and footpaths, developed our beautiful wildlife corridors, introduced new super pitches and increased security with the installation of ANPR barriers. We know that next year will be a bumper season for staycations. We’re already seeing a significant increase in our bookings for 2021.” Helen remains pragmatic about the government handling of the crisis. “I just keep thinking, who would want to be in their shoes? Would any of us do a better job? “The furlough scheme has been a godsend and has helped us protect the jobs of our Cofton team, which is extremely important to us. “Looking back to earlier this year, I wonder if the first national Lockdown was too harsh, especially on Devon and Cornwall which was not as affected by the Coronavirus compared to other regions.”

“LOOKING BACK TO EARLIER THIS YEAR, I WONDER IF THE FIRST NATIONAL LOCKDOWN WAS TOO HARSH, ESPECIALLY ON DEVON AND CORNWALL WHICH WAS NOT AS AFFECTED BY THE CORONAVIRUS COMPARED TO OTHER REGIONS.” - Helen Scott, Cofton

The Gift Of Holidays To Families In Need

Posted on February 9, 2017

Mike, Kerry and their two young children, Ellie and Luke enjoyed a holiday at Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park thanks to the One for All initiative.

The Gift Of Holidays To Families In Need

Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park in Padstow provided free holidays for 80 people in 2016 through its One for All initiative. Launched in 2013, the scheme dedicates 1% of the park’s hire fleet occupancy to those who need a break, but cannot afford.

One family to benefit was Mike, Kerry and their two young children, Ellie and Luke. Mike, a builder, has suffered from diabetes since childhood. His condition has worsened recently, affecting the nerves in his legs. This has meant missing work, which has hit the family finances hard. Ellie’s school teacher, Mrs Parker, contacted the Family Holiday Association, to see if they could organise a much-needed break for the family. The result was a week’s holiday in September at Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park. Park owner Patrick Langmaid, would like One for All to become a business model that every holiday park owner in the country can use.

He said: “If, as holiday park owners, we can all do something positive for our communities without disrupting our own business model it has to be worthwhile. “Everyone wants their children to grow up with happy memories and this scheme has the potential to provide countless positive life-changing experiences for families in need.” He adds: “One for All also helps fill parks during the shoulder months. When I’m at half capacity in April or October I’d much rather give holidays away, even outside school holidays, because sometimes a holiday with your family is more important and beneficial than being in the classroom.”

Double Charity Boost

Posted on April 15, 2016

Double Charity Boost

Photograph by Emily Whitfield-Wicks.

Two Cornish charities each received a four-figure boost to their fundraising efforts, thanks to an enterprising Padstow holiday park’s visitor giving scheme.

Cornwall Wildlife Trust and Wadebridge Foodbank have both been handed cheques for £1,700 from Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park at Trevose Head. The much-needed sums were raised by guests who donated £1.00 on top of their holiday costs when booking a stay at the multi-award winning park.

The total amount was then doubled by Mother Ivey’s Bay owner Patrick Langmaid to create the £3,400 windfall which was shared by the charities.

“Many holiday businesses in Cornwall give very generously of their time and resources to help local charities, and we are very proud to stand alongside them,” said Patrick. “Our charity work receives immense support from our holiday guests who make donations when booking their stays with virtually nobody opting out of the scheme.

“We’re also greatly indebted to our staff who also make a superb contribution through their efforts to our fundraising activities,” added Patrick. He said that the present level of 2016 bookings for the park, which reopens in March, suggests that this year’s total could well be exceeded by the end of the season.

Holiday Parks See Significant Drop In Term-Time Holidays

Posted on November 28, 2014

Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park in Padstow say some 200 fewer children in the 5-12 age group took term-time holidays in 2014, compared with 2013.

Holiday Parks See Significant Drop In Term-Time Holidays

The Local Government Association (LGA), which represents councils across the country, is calling for the removal of a blanket ban that prevents mums and dads taking children out of school for holidays during term-time.

Under the current rules, hard-pressed parents looking to take family breaks during school holidays can find they are hit with costs that are sometimes more than double that of travelling during term-time. Such block bans can also be particularly hard on workers in key professions such as those working in the NHS, police force and the military as they are often unable to request leave during busy school holiday periods.

The LGA is therefore calling for it to be at the discretion of headteachers, not central government, to make decisions on a case-by-case basis.

Cllr David Simmonds, chairman of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board, said: “Ensuring every child has a good school attendance is of paramount concern.

“However, common-sense must prevail in cases when mums and dads ask to take their child out of school during term-time if there is a legitimate reason,” he continues. “An outright ban is too simplistic, and doesn’t recognise that family life and circumstances aren’t always so black and white. There needs to be flexibility within the system.”

As a result of the crackdown on school absences, Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park in Padstow has seen a notable decline in the number of families visiting the park during term-time. Booking figures show that around 200 fewer children in the 5-12 age group took term-time holidays in 2014, compared with 2013.

Park director Patrick Langmaid says the figures clearly indicate that the threat of fines and even imprisonment was scaring parents into not chancing a term-time holiday: “This devastating drop suggests that many thousands of youngsters throughout Britain are being denied important quality time with their parents.”

Holiday Park Scene Magazine