Fairy Tale Story

Posted on May 17, 2018

Fairy Tale Story - Wyldecrest Parks' Alfie

The story of Alfie Best’s rise from a humble childhood to multimillionaire businessman reads like a modern day fairy tale. Born into a Romany Gypsy family in 1970, Alfie started working at the tender age of eight, labouring and laying tarmac alongside his father. By 14, he was buying and selling vehicles and just a few years later, he already owned several mobile phone shops across London. By 2001, entrepreneur Alfie had made enough money to invest in his heritage, purchasing his first mobile home park in Romford – Lakeview Residential Park – for a significant £1.7million. Lakeview Park, with its 132 homes, is still one of the most popular parks in Alfie Best’s portfolio - the Wyldecrest Parks Group, now valued at over £230 million. As one of the most successful park operators in the UK, the award-winning Wyldecrest portfolio includes 52 residential parks for the over 50’s and six holiday parks offering homes for rent and sale. As the only ISO 9001 accredited operator within the parks sector, Wyldecrest Parks is also the only parks group to have nationwide coverage in 24 counties across England, Scotland and Wales.

PHENOMENAL GROWTH

Fairy Tale Story - Alfie Best The phenomenal growth of Wyldecrest Parks is undoubtedly a product of Chairman Alfie Best’s personal drive to succeed. Although numerous, his park investments are testament to quality over quantity with carefully chosen locations, safety and security provided by on site staff, and the highest operational standards. Saltmarshe Castle Park is a particular jewel in the Wyldecrest crown. Homes are set amongst the picturesque grounds of a former 19th century country house and estate close to the market town of Bromyard in Herefordshire. The original castle was demolished in the 1950s but parts of the outer walls and turrets remain, alongside several outbuildings and stables. All are being restored to their former glory to add to the park’s unique atmosphere. Saltmarshe Castle Park started life as a holiday park and was acquired by Wyldecrest Parks in 2015. It still has some 300+ holiday homes but the park is currently in the midst of a massive upgrade with 60+ residential plots being developed in the initial stage.

According to Alfie Best, Saltmarshe Castle Park’s many natural assets made it a natural choice for residential development. “The park’s premier location and its outstanding beauty are impossible to deny, Fairy Tale Story FOUR ” says Alfie. “It would have been a shame not to take full advantage of that. Now people can live in this astonishing site permanently, and enjoy its beauty full-time.” Out of the initial plots being developed in the Tower Court area of the park, more than half are ready to receive happy new owners, whilst further availability is limited, especially for those plots which offer exclusive and unrestricted country views.

Adding to their investment in the local region, last year Wyldecrest Parks also acquired the nearby Sapey Golf Club. Alfi e Best believes that the popular Club offers huge potential as a lifestyle venue. The rebranded Sapey Golf and Country Club is shortly going to be offering a select number of exclusive golf lodges. “Our main goal is to bring the golf club up to its former glory, at the same time we create more jobs, invest in the region and bring revenue to the local community,” explains Alfi e. Giving back to its communities is at the heart of Wyldecrest Parks’ ethos and to this end, the company recently launched the Wyldecrest Parks Charitable Trust. The aim of the Trust is to deliver family support, equipment and health care to those who are facing life-threatening health conditions in and around their park communities. The charity will also be supporting holiday breaks for families in need. Through the Trust, the Wyldecrest Parks Group hopes to inspire some of its 120 staff and many thousands of homeowners to organise their own fundraising activities and get involved in volunteering opportunities within their own communities. “As a company, we are really excited about this development. We feel it’s our duty as a successful, growing company, to make a positive contribution to worthy causes and this is our expression of that deeply held commitment”, says Alfie Best. If Wyldecrest Parks’ recent growth (30% expansion over two years) is anything to go by, the business is assured of a bright future. Over the years, Alfi e has also built up a number of other successful businesses within the hospitality and leisure, events, trading and finance industries including Vinyl Bar, Best Park Home Finance, Kyoto Clearance and Wylde Events.

Five-Star Family Break Winners

Posted on May 15, 2018

Five-Star Family Break Winners

Rob & Hilary Hedison with Holiday Sales Co-ordinator Rhiannon Morris, left.

Lucky couple Hilary and Rob Hedison are celebrating after winning a luxury break at Park Leisure’s fivestar holiday home park, Brynteg, a popular holiday park with exclusive owners-only communities, nestled in the foothills of Snowdonia and surrounded by spectacular scenery.

The couple, from North Killingholme, took part in the leading holiday home provider’s nationwide competition to ‘Win A Luxury Break’ at last year’s Motorhome and Caravan Show at Birmingham’s NEC.

Retired teacher Hilary (56), her tanker driver husband Rob (56), their daughter Katie and her partner Reece, enjoyed a two-night stay in a beautiful holiday home, which comprises of three bedrooms, a spacious open plan living area, modern kitchen with integrated appliances and large outdoor decking area with a hot tub as well as an array of on-site leisure and pleasure facilities.

In Running For Prestigious Award

Posted on May 15, 2018

In Running For Prestigious Award

Green Tourism, a sustainable accreditation programme that assists tourism and hospitality businesses, has been shortlisted for a Global Good Awards UK in the hotly-contested Environmental Behaviour Change category.

In its fourth year, the Global Good Awards celebrates organisations that are making strides towards a better world for people, the planet and the global economy.

Operating a three-level award programme based on Bronze, Silver and Gold, depending on the actions undertaken by a business, Green Tourism provide members with a comprehensive framework, practical actions, an assessor visit, marketing advantage and continued support from the experienced and passionate team.

Over the last 20 years, Green Tourism has presented over 5000 businesses with sustainable accreditation with a combined saving of 1 million tonnes of carbon, 5 million tonnes of water. In the last year over 40 million visitors visited a Green Tourism accreditation business. The winner will be announced later this month.

Conservation Award For Five Star Park

Posted on May 15, 2018

Conservation Award For Five Star Park

A five star caravan holiday park situated next to the Dyfi Osprey Project in Mid Wales has received a special distinction award from the David Bellamy Conservation Award Scheme. Morben Isaf Holiday Park at Derwenlas, near Machynlleth has been honoured for its partnership with Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust’s Cors Dyfi nature reserve, where the osprey project is located. The David Bellamy Conservation Award Scheme recognises holiday parks that protect and enhance Britain’s natural environment. The park has held a gold award since 2015 and is also “Honey Bee Friendly”. Sarah Lewis, who manages Morben Isaf Holiday Park with her husband, Ben, said they were delighted to win the accolade. The park, which is owned by Salop Leisure, has 92 pitches for holiday homes and 26 for tourers. Since the osprey project was established in 2009, the park has provided support in many ways - mains water supply, accommodation for volunteers who guard the nest, car parking and manpower. The park has also built bridges and pathways to make it easier for holiday home and tourer owners to visit the project. Many of the owners are project volunteers. Rufus Bellamy, who runs the award scheme for his famous botanist father, David, said the assessor had been very impressed by the way the park has collaborated with the wildlife trust to develop the successful osprey project.

Calling Time On Single-Use Plastics

Posted on May 15, 2018

Calling Time On Single-Use Plastics

Park Cliffe's cafe has brought in paper straws

A Windermere holiday park has become one of the first resorts in the industry to call time on plastic waste. Pre-empting even governmental moves, the forward-thinking Park Cliffe has announced a crackdown on plastic items which are designed for single use, including straws, bags, bottles, sauce sachets and coffee cups. From now on, holiday guests will be asked to join the park in helping to tackle the mountains of waste plastic accumulating in our oceans and rivers. Old fashioned paper drinking straws are being drafted in, and items once sold in plastic bags will be handed over in a biodegradable paper bags. Park Cliffe’s cafe has squeezed out sauce sachets in favour of condiments in glass bottles, and takeaway coffees and teas will now come in compostable cups. Or if customers bring their own reusable cups, a 25p discount will be offered.

BLUE PLANET

It is also pulling the plug on water sold in plastic bottles, and installing a filtered water dispenser so that guests can fill their own bottles free of charge. The park has taken delivery of a plastics recycling station so that the waste can be disposed of without causing pollution. Based on the shores of Windermere, Park Cliffe provides luxury holiday homes to rent and buy, glamping pod accommodation, and pitches for touring caravans, motorhomes and tents. “Thanks to programmes such as the BBC’s Blue Planet series, I think we’re all much more aware of the threats posed by plastic, and not least to wildlife,” said park co-owner Susan Dickson. “Footage of turtles and other marine animals trapped in plastic bags has made a big impact on many people, and we all know that a solution must be found. “Park Cliffe tends to attract those with a concern for the natural world, and they are very supportive of our steps to become more environmentally friendly,” added Susan. Waging war on plastics is not the park’s only move to protect the natural world, and Park Cliffe’s many awards include accolades for its care of the countryside. Earlier this year, the business also announced it was ditching diesel for many of the journeys made around the 25-acre park by parking up its Land Rover in favour of an electric vehicle.

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

True Value of UK Holiday Park Sector

Posted on March 23, 2018

True Value Of UK Holiday Park Sector

A similar survey in Scotland put the gross holiday park visitor expenditure at £700 million

The leading players in the holiday park sector are banking on the support of holiday park operators with a major study into the value of the holiday-park sector to the UK economy. This is the first time that such a survey has been undertaken and it follows the study done in Scotland in 2014, which revealed just how important the sector is; the gross visitor expenditure was £700 million and the gross FTE (full-time equivalent) jobs were 13,000. The report was invaluable to parkowners in Scotland because it enabled them to support planning and funding applications with hard facts and, in general terms, the report was used to lobby the Scottish Government, local authorities and VisitScotland. The BH&HPA, the Caravan and Motorhome Club, the Camping and Caravanning Club, and the National Caravan Council have formed a working group, the Economic Impact Research Group (EIRG) and engaged Frontline Consultants to undertake the research in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland during 2018, with the aim of publishing the report at the end of the year.

• Park-Owners and Operators, will be surveyed online between March and April to ascertain their expenditure on wages, maintenance, capital investment, etc, via an online questionnaire. A small, but representative, number of park-owners will be invited to undertake a more detailed survey by telephone. Parkowners will be contacted by email or telephone by Frontline Consultants .

• Visitors, who will be asked to complete an online survey between Easter and the end of September, in order to ascertain their spend, both on the park and in the local area, length of stay, kind of accommodation used, etc. The EIRG will seek your help to publicise the survey via your website and newsletters and at reception.

Without the participation of parkowners it will be difficult for the EIRG to get robust data and the funding organisations would be grateful if you could give your active support. On behalf of the EIRG, Nick Lomas, Director General, Caravan and Motorhome Club, said: “Committing to this major survey not only demonstrates our enthusiasm in working together for the benefit of the sector, but, importantly, the survey will generate some powerful, robust evidence which will help parks and organisations across the country.”

The report will establish the value of the holiday-park sector to the UK economy, enable comparisons to be made across the four countries, and provide statistics covering various categories, e.g. by area and by type of accommodation. The resulting report will be immensely important to the sector, especially as such a survey has not been done before and it will therefore establish a benchmark as well as identify the overall economic value. In Scotland, the overall profile of the sector was raised in both the public and private sectors, with key organisations and decision-makers being sent a copy of the report and publicity in the national media. The EIRG will ensure that the report is put into the hands of relevant key organisations across the UK. And, of course, you will be able to access the full report for your own information and use.

Fool’s Gold

Posted on March 20, 2018

FOOL'S GOLD

Giving Visitors value for money pays off, reports Damien Corbet

With the holiday park market as robust as it is, the biggest mistake operators can make is to cut corners. “Customers are increasingly aspirational and are looking for a ‘better than home’ experience” says Jon Moxon, Hoseasons’ Business Development Manager. “People are happy to pay for their UK short break or summer holiday but want to know they’re getting value for money. “So, to ensure the longevity of your cabin or lodge – and to sustain the price – I’d advise any owner to buy on quality, not price and furnish the unit to the highest standard they can.” This sentiment is echoed across the industry. The popularity of the UK ‘staycation’ has been on an upward trend for many years and shows no sign of slowing down. Less travelling time, no language issues, no currency exchange – and safety – are all factors encouraging increasing numbers of Brits to holiday at home. “All these factors have increased demand, with a trend emerging for shorter but more frequent breaks. With all this, guests are also expecting a lot more from their accommodation,” adds Pathfinder Homes’ Kelly Martyr.

In 2018, the winners will be those owners who meet the value for money proposition. Jon Moxon again: “Typically, I would expect these units to be open plan, light and airy with a great sense of space – and packed with features. The accommodation should be fitted out with branded equipment, large TV in the lounge and TVs in the bedrooms, and ideally a hot tub on the deck! Other features customers are looking for are wine coolers, wood burners and of course free wi-fi.

The striking exterior of North Lakes Lodges in Cumbria, part of Hoseasons' Evermore range.

BOUTIQUE SITES

“We know space is at a premium on a park, but privacy is a rare commodity and the more space that can be provided between neighbours the better. There are several parks that are comfortably achieving this across the country, from the smaller quirky boutique sites such as Mallory Meadows in Leicestershire and Blossom Plantation in Northumberland, to sites offering activities such as shooting and fishing. Westlands Country Park in Scotland is a great example of a new site mixing traditional outdoor pursuits and contemporary comfort. Overall, it’s a combination of factors that make any unit and park stand out from the crowd. It’s about having a sense of identity and providing a quality lodge experience that is as good, if not better, than home,” added Jon. Another trend Pathfinder Homes is seeing is a strong rise in ‘romantic style’ designs. “We have recently created a bespoke Tuscany design specifically for the romantic rental market,” says Kelly. “This cabin measures at 40 x 22 and is a luxurious onebedroom home with an open plan layout featuring a freestanding bath sharing the same room as the huge super king size bed.” Operators should always be thinking about new ways to market their parks. If your park is situated in the right kind settings, you should certainly consider adapting a proportion of your site to meet this growing romantic break market.

Pathfinder's new 'Retreat' has a carefully planned layout and stunning internal design, utilising a combination of unfurnished style wood and red brick.

SMART SWITCH

The growing demand for better value for money, with guests expecting more from their accommodation, are just some of the factors that should encourage operators to consider switching from caravans to lodges. According to Robert Sheridan, Managing Director of Finlog, their log cabins are always more popular than other types of accommodation: “They get more repeat bookings, always book out first and demand higher rents. “From an ecological point of view, you also can’t beat a log cabin. They last for generations, so you won’t need to waste money, time, energy and down-time replacing them every five years or so. As they never go out of fashion, revenues stay strong; they are also far more-energy efficient than a standard holiday mobile home.” Robert also stressed that log cabins don’t really have a ‘season’ and are not influenced by current trends, so their ‘shelf life’ is far longer than a factory-made cabin or lodge. When it comes to payback for your investment, it’s not always a straightforward calculation and there are many factors to take into consideration. The purchase price of lodges varies tremendously depending on model and finish, and the addition of key features for the rental market such as hot tubs. “For the rental market we would typically target a four-year ROI, possibly less given the continued buoyancy in the market,” added Jon Moxon.

Finlog’s log cabins are available in a choice of contemporary or traditional interiors.

ROBUST RENTALS

“With the rental market being as robust as it has been, the main pitfall is not to cut corners,” explains Jon. “As already mentioned, customers are increasingly aspirational and looking for a ‘better than home’ experience. So, for the longevity of the product and sustaining the price, I’d certainly advise any owner to buy on quality, not price, and furnish the unit to the highest standard they can. “It’s also important that the accommodation has a sense of place and fits its location. A white-washed, beach-style lodge in the Yorkshire Dales, flor example would feel out of place! Similarly, if your park has great views, take advantage of them – have a gable window or a central living layout so the bedrooms have an equally good view as the lounge. “Remember the accommodation is a rental unit, so fit it to the highest standard possible and use branded products, but also make sure it can take the hard work of two changeovers a week for 32+ weeks a year.” The message coming from the industry is loud and clear: Don’t cut corners, give visitors value for money and provide the best quality you can afford. The payback will be handsome.

Kent Seaside Park Reveals £4m Revamp

Posted on March 20, 2018

Kent Seaside Park Reveals £4m Revamp

Holiday home owners and staff at a popular Kent holiday park are celebrating after the curtains went up on a £4 million makeover which took place over winter.
It means that New Beach Holiday Park near Dymchurch is now ready for the 2018 season with facilities described as ‘wholly unrivalled’ in South East England. Park Holidays UK, which owns New Beach, said the on-time completion of such a major project was a fantastic team effort for which everyone deserved credit. In just a few months, the park’s former clubhouse has been demolished and replaced with a modern new complex, fully equipped with the latest showbiz technology. The high-tech lighting and sound systems will allow New Beach to stage West End standard live shows as part of the free entertainment provided to guests. Park Holidays UK has also equipped the complex’s arcade area with world-class video and electronic gaming systems suitable for all ages and levels of skill. There’s also a complex bar with supersize TV screens, a restaurant serving meals throughout the day and evening, a mini-supermarket, and a sales administration centre. Also just opened is a new development of leisure homes to buy, ranging from starter caravan holiday homes at around £15,995.00 to fully specified extra-wide luxury lodges. According to Park Holidays UK director Tony Clish, the decision to invest substantially in New Beach is a reflection of the confidence the company has in the park’s future: “New Beach has long been one of the most popular of our 28 parks, and we are determined to ensure it continues offering guests the best possible experience,” he said. “The park is open for 50 weeks of the year for leisure homeowners, so there’s always a great holiday atmosphere and plenty of indoor activities such as a swimming pool. “Park Holidays UK is especially well known for the quality of our free entertainment, and we spend literally millions each year securing first-class acts.

“I am confident that our investment will help attract even more visitors in the future, and this will also benefit the many other businesses in this part of Kent which rely on tourism.”

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