New Year’s Honours

Posted on February 16, 2017

The July issue of Holiday Park Scene included a special focus on dog-friendly parks. Pic: Thornley Leisure.

New Year's Honours

The industry enjoyed a record-breaking summer in 2016, with more holidaymakers than ever choosing to visit the UK. In fact figures from the Office of National Statistics showed that July was the highest month ever for inbound tourism with 3.8 million visits, up two per cent on the same period in 2015.

The weather we experienced during the summer was a mixed bag, starting of wet and cloudy through June but hotting up towards the end of August and into September. However, the changeable weather didn’t dampen the spirits of the UK’s holidaymakers who flocked to coastal resorts and parks regardless.

The Brexit vote further fuelled the staycation trend, leading to higher than average sales and bookings throughout the winter and into 2017.

The Holiday Park Scene team featured nearly 200 parks throughout 2016, with facts and information from more than 300 suppliers. Here we bring you just some of the headlines…

January 2016

The Holiday Park Scene team launched into 2016 with tips for holiday park owners looking to improve their water play areas in Splash Attack.

We also explored the importance of selecting the right insurance partner and how it can be the difference between success and failure in the event of a catastrophe. There was also high acclaim for the winning parks of the 2015 UK Pool & Spa Awards, which we announced in the January issue of Holiday Park Scene.

Silver Sands Holiday Park in Lossiemouth was the first stop on our whistle-stop tour of the UK’s holiday parks, while Alan House of Holiday Resort Unity in Somerset gave us his analysis of the 2015 season and predictions for 2016 in Holiday Snaps.

For the rest of 2016 headlines subscribe at www.holidayparkscene.com

Hub Of Activity

Posted on January 26, 2016

Hub Of Activity

With a name that derives from the sparkling stretch of beach that runs alongside the park, Silver Sands Holiday Park is a traditional seaside resort located in Moray on the Scottish coast.

Silver Sands Holiday Park is a traditional seaside resort located in Moray on the Scottish coast.

Welcoming more than 4,000 holidaymakers each year between March and October, the park is also a busy hub of activity during the winter with almost 300 holiday home owners who visit their properties most weeks.
“There’s a very relaxed, family friendly atmosphere on park and our clientele reflects this, with a mix of families, older couples and groups of friends, mostly drawn from Inverness in the north and Aberdeen to the south. We have a number of holiday home owners which means there’s a buzz about the park at all times,” comments general manager Rebecca Grant.
Silver Sands was the fourth holiday park to be bought by the Bridge Leisure Parks group in 2014. Since completing the acquisition, the new owners have already undertaken a Grant attributes Silver Sands’ success to the dedicated team that runs the park. programme of investment in infrastructure and new facilities, leading to a fourstar quality award from VisitScotland in November.
“As with any change of ownership, existing customers were wary of a new company taking control of their park,” explains Rebecca. “But we have shown over the past 12 months that we will deliver the improvements we promised and create a super destination for all our guests. I think we’ve won them over!”

Mixing It Up

Silver Sands’ accommodation offering includes a selection of static caravans and holiday lodges, plus pitches for up to 100 tourers, motorhomes and tents.
Leisure facilities on-site include a newly refurbished entertainment venue, a games room, an outdoor adventure play area and a Kids’ Club with a regular programme of activities. There’s also an indoor heated swimming pool, sauna and steam room, as well as a state-of-the-art gym.
“We’ve got such a great mix of facilities, many of which have been refurbished over the past couple of years,” says Rebecca.
“Our entertainment venue was recently used by Britain’s Got Talent to host auditions for the TV show, which was really exciting for the local area. We feature live bands and put on our own shows and cabaret through the season.”

To read the rest of this feature, subscribe here...

Bridge Leisure Expands Portfolio

Posted on March 25, 2015

Bridge Leisure Expands Portfolio

Holiday park specialist Bridge Leisure has recently completed a management buyout with support from private equity firm Phoenix Equity Partners.

The agreement means that the existing Bridge Leisure management team, led by CEO Andrew Howe, will continue to run the company. Phoenix will support the growth of Bridge Leisure through further developing its four existing parks and providing capital for new acquisitions.

Andrew Howe, CEO of Bridge Leisure, said: “Our plan is to buy new parks. We have the funding, team and know-how to grow in 2015 and beyond and we welcome contact from park owners interested in selling their business.

“We are very pleased that Phoenix will be supporting Bridge Leisure as we look to further expand the business.”

Headquartered in Milton Keynes, Bridge Leisure was founded in 2008 as a holiday park consultancy and management business initially focused on operating leisure parks for third parties. In 2010, the team expanded into the operation of owned parks with the acquisitions of Trevella Park in Cornwall and Sand Le Mere Holiday Village on the Yorkshire coast, followed by Turnberry, in Ayrshire, at the end of 2012. Strengthening its portfolio, Bridge Leisure is simultaneously acquiring Silver Sands Holiday Park, located close to Inverness on the east coast of Scotland.

Holiday Park Scene Magazine