Camping Boost For Happy Kids

Posted on June 24, 2015

Camping Boost For Happy Kids

Camping has a positive impact on children’s lives according to new research by The Camping and Caravanning Club.

Children who camp in the great outdoors at least once a year do better at school and are healthier and happier. Those are the findings of a UK study carried out by the Institute of Education at Plymouth University and The Camping and Caravanning Club.

Parents and children around the UK were asked a series of questions which looked at the educational, psychological and social benefits of the camping experience to children of all ages.

More than four out of five parents thought camping had a positive effect on their children’s school education. 98 per cent of parents said camping makes their kids appreciate and connect with nature; while 93 per cent felt that it provided useful skills for later life.

Sue Waite, associate professor at the Plymouth Institute of Education said: “Interestingly, the parents surveyed believed camping supported the key curriculum subjects of geography, history and science and actually, that stacks up because the most common camping activities were natural – such as rock pooling and nature walks – where children were getting to understand ecosystems and identify lifeforms, respecting nature and the environment.”

Parks Urged To Become Living Wage Accredited

Posted on June 10, 2015

A Cornish park has become the first in the UK to be accredited as a Living Wage employer.

Parks Urged To Become Living Wage Accredited

Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park in Cornwall has become Britain’s first holiday park to be an accredited Living Wage employer and is urging other parks to follow suit.

Park director Patrick Langmaid believes that such a move is the perfect way for any business to demonstrate its social responsibility. “Our decision to pay the Living Wage, currently set at £7.85 per hour outside London, will add around £12,000 a year to our annual wage bill in the future,” says Patrick.

According to the industry’s trade body, the British Holiday & Home Parks Association, Mother Ivey’s is leading the way in becoming accredited by the Living Wage Foundation. Around 1,100 other businesses of all types in the UK have already signed up to the organisation.

“I strongly believe there is more to business than short-term profits and that long-term interests are most often best served by looking beyond the balance sheet,” said Patrick. “By putting the principles of social responsibility at the heart of our decisionmaking, we are resonating with the way many of our customers now feel about how companies should behave.

“We don’t regard wages as just another cost, but as a means of recognising and rewarding the hard work of our staff team, all of whom are incredibly loyal to our business, including many who have been with us for more than ten years.”

There is more information about the Living Wage Foundation accreditation at www.livingwage.org.uk

Bunn Leisure Announces Record Year

Posted on May 27, 2015

Bunn Leisure is celebrating its record-breaking 2014 results, which saw an increase in bookings, sales and turnover.

Bunn Leisure Announces Record Year

South coast holiday park Bunn Leisure has announced a record breaking year in 2014, with holiday bookings, turnover and caravan sales all reaching a new high.

The park in Selsey, West Sussex, benefited from last year’s sweltering summer and extended months of opening to post its best ever set of results. The park sold a record 420 caravans with sales up 12 per cent on the previous year. Turnover from bookings at Bunn Leisure and its sister campsite Warner Farm rose significantly, as did income from retail sales and site fees.

The company was also recognised by its industry peers with an award for 20 years of partnership from Hoseasons, a Hoseasons Diamond Award for customer service and a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence.

John Bunn, managing director of Bunn Leisure said: “Our mission is to provide our owners and guests with a fantastic, fun and safe place to enjoy the traditional British holiday and our aim is to always exceed our customers’ expectations.

“Our success in 2014 shows we are getting the formula right – and we are continuing to invest in Bunn Leisure to grow this successful park where people love to holiday and our staff love to work.”

Plans For Irish Center Parcs Village

Posted on May 13, 2015

Center Parcs has announced plans to open a new holiday village in Northern Ireland in 2019.

Plans For Irish Center Parcs Village

Center Parcs has announced plans to develop a holiday village at Newcastle Wood in County Longford, Northern Ireland.

The new development will feature up to 500 lodges, more than 100 indoor and outdoor activities, a spa, a range of restaurants and the iconic subtropical swimming paradise. The 375 acre site is currently owned by Coillte, the state forestry company and Center Parcs has signed an option agreement with the company.

The new Center Parcs, which is expected to open to guests in 2019, will create approximately 750 jobs during construction. Once open, the €200 million development will have capacity for up to 2,500 guests and will employ up to 1,000 people in permanent jobs. Center Parcs estimates that, when operational, the new holiday village will add approximately €32 million to Irish GDP per annum.

Martin Dalby, CEO of Center Parcs, said: “We are thrilled and excited about the prospect of bringing the Center Parcs concept to families in Ireland. “This new Center Parcs will have all of the ingredients that have made us so popular with families in the UK for the last 28 years and I am certain that Center Parcs will be a great success in Longford.

“We look forward to liaising closely with the local community during the next few months to fully share our vision and to explain the huge economic and social benefits that a Center Parcs holiday village will bring to the area.”

Pathfinder Reaches Peak

Posted on May 5, 2015

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

Open Season Showcase

Posted on April 8, 2015

The resident clown on the Holiday Resort Unity stand was popular among the shows younger visitors at the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome show.

Open Season Showcase

The UK’s largest start of season holiday showcase, the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show descended on the NEC in February and once again proved itself to be an unmissable exhibition.

With over 350 exhibitors and a host of well-known personalities, provided a popular platform for companies to showcase their latest products and innovations. The star-studded line up featured guest appearances from Olympic gold medallist Sally Gunnell, TV presenter Helen Skelton and DJ and former Big Brother winner Kate Lawler.

Popular TV personalities Ben Fogle and Matt Baker officially opened the show and later took to the Expert’s Theatre for a Q&A session with visitors. Matt, a two times BAFTA winning presenter with a love of the countryside, proved a hit with visitors as he helped to promote the work of The Caravan Club on its stand. Addressing first-day visitors, he said he was encouraged to see so many young people at the show and enthused about the benefits of families getting out and about together.

His counterpart, broadcaster, traveller and adventurer Ben also drew in the crowds as he delighted the audience with accounts of his adventures rowing across the Atlantic Ocean, crossing Antarctica on foot and running across the Sahara.

A highlight of the show was the dog agility displays, which returned to the NEC following the success of last year’s sessions. Demonstrating both agility and obedience, there were performances by Hall Green Retired Greyhound Trust, Romanian Rescue Dogs and Lucy Heath of The Company of Animals to name but a few.

Organised by NCC Events, a wholly owned subsidiary of industry trade body the National Caravan Council and supported by The Caravan Club and The Camping and Caravanning Club, the show brought together all the leading manufacturers, including Bailey, Coachman, Elddis, Lunar, Swift, Trigano, ABI and Adria, not to mention some of the UK’s leading dealers with many special editions to see.

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Record Breaking Start To The Year

Posted on March 25, 2015

Woolacombe Bay Holiday Park in Devon is just one of a number of parks that saw a boost on bookings during January and February.

Record Breaking Start To The Year

The UK could be in for a bumper tourist season as 2015 got off to a flying start for holiday parks across the country, with many enjoying record-breaking booking figures in the first few weeks of the year.

It is estimated that around a third of all summer holidays are booked during January and February, with early birds looking to snap up the best deals and accommodation on offer.

One of Devon’s biggest independent holiday parks, Ladram Bay Holiday Park, saw a surge in bookings and figures were up by nearly 50 per cent on this time last year. The award winning park on the Jurassic coast saw bookings rise by 46 per cent in the first full week of January and then by 52 per cent the following week, compared with the same period in 2014. The holiday firm has now launched a recruitment drive to meet the anticipated high demand for the tourist season.

Director of Ladram Bay, Zoe House said: “It’s very busy and that’s great news for us and testament to the enduring appeal of the West Country and the work we are doing to continue to improve the Ladram Bay experience whether people are staying with us in holiday homes, apartments, lodges, motorhomes, caravans or camping.

“2014 was very good for us but this year people seem to be making their decisions earlier and not just for their main summer break.”

Mirroring the trend, another of Devon’s popular parks, Woolacombe Bay Holiday Park reported its biggest ever online booking day on January 31st, representing an increase of 35 per cent on the same day last year. The park has seen high demand Easter since the school holiday period has been condensed into two weeks as opposed to three in 2014 and also for Spring Bank Holiday as more families are now using it for a second holiday to complement a main summer getaway.

Hoseasons also enjoyed a 16 per cent increase in online bookings as demand for domestic holidays reached peak levels in January. Lodge holidays performed particularly well with bookings up 17 per cent, while boating holidays also started the year well up 12 per cent.

Coastal Retreat For Bereft Families

Posted on March 20, 2015

A holiday home at Haggerston Castle Holiday Park is the fourth in the UK opened by the charity which supports the families of those who have lost their lives while serving in the British Armed Forces.

Coastal Retreat For Bereft Families

A Northumberland holiday park has become a retreat for families that have lost a loved one in the British Armed Forces after a new holiday lodge was opened by a national children’s charity.

The holiday home at Haggerston Castle Holiday Park is the fourth in the UK opened by the charity, Scotty’s Little Soldiers, which supports the children and families of those who have lost their lives whilst serving in the British Armed Forces.

The lodge at the holiday park near Berwick is intended to offer more families the chance to take a much-needed break following the loss of a loved one.

Inspired by her own experience of being an army widow, Nikki Scott set up Scotty’s Little Soldiers five years ago in honour of her husband Corporal Lee Scott who was killed in Afghanistan in 2009. Currently Scotty’s Little Soldiers supports over 100 children with money raised through events, fundraising, donations, merchandise and corporate sponsorship.

Each lodge is filled with home comforts and the charity ensures that the families have everything they could need, from bedding to high chairs and toys and games. Scotty’s also cover travel fees and provide each family with £100 every time they stay to help towards both food and activities.

Holiday Rental Market Worth £4.5 Billion

Posted on January 15, 2015

The holiday rental market is also responsible for creating 95,000 jobs nationwide. Pic: VisitBritain/Martin Brent

Holiday Rental Market Worth £4.5 Billion

The total spend by holiday rental clients in the UK is a staggering £4.53 billion per year, according to a new study into the economic impact of the sector. The rental market is also responsible for creating over 95,000 jobs nationwide.

Additionally, expenditure by tourists staying in selfcatering accommodation grew faster than expenditure by tourists booking any other accommodation. The first of its kind, the study was carried out by HomeAway, a worldwide marketplace for family accommodation, in conjunction with the London School of Economics (LSE).

Commenting on the findings, Kath Scanlon, research fellow at LSE said: “This report suggests that the holiday rental industry contributes to the UK economy by increasing tourism income and creating jobs. These effects are felt in regions across the country.

“Holiday rental visitors stay longer at their destinations and therefore spend more - in fact, many visit rural or seaside areas specifically to stay in attractive holiday rental properties. This has helped areas like Cornwall where tourism has pumped new pounds into previously struggling locales.”

Unique to the report is its analysis of key domestic destinations across the UK, specifically North Yorkshire, Cornwall and London. In terms of employment support, over three quarters of rental property owners employ staff to assist with maintenance. Nationally, owners spend an average of £1,600 per year per property on hiring employees. In Cornwall and North Yorkshire – two locations with underemployment issues – the figures are even higher. In these areas owners spend on average £2,500 and £3,000 on employment respectively per property.

Erica Chang, UK regional director of HomeAway adds: “This report is the first step in showing the significant value that the holiday rental market brings to the economy as a whole, as well as to individual communities which depend on tourism.

“While we have known how important holiday rentals are to the tourism industry, we are excited to be able to demonstrate this through figures that contribute to employment.”

Coastal Retreat

Posted on January 6, 2015

Coastal Retreat

Seafield currently boasts 380 privately owned caravan pitches, with a further 30 due to be added for the start of the 2015 season.

Located adjacent to the picture-postcard village of Seahouses on the Northumberland coast, Seafield Caravan Park offers its guests the ultimate peaceful getaway.

The park boasts a string of accolades, including a gold David Bellamy Conservation award and a gold Enjoy England award. Most recently, Seafield was named as VisitEngland’s Holiday Village of the Year 2014 and also took gold in the North East Tourism Awards for the seventh consecutive year.

“The peace and tranquility of the park is one of its greatest attractions, which is why we have resisted any temptation to build bars or evening entertainment centres on site,” explains Alison Thompson, park manager.

“By far the most critical aspect to the success of the business is the team of people that work on the park, who constantly deliver exceptional customer service which in turn encourages our customers to return year after year.”

Alison Thompson, second from right, and the Seafield Caravan Park team took gold at VisitEngland Awards for Excellence last year.

Seafield is managed by Alison’s father, Ken Britton, along with several other members of the family who are involved in managing the daily running of the business. Part owned by the Britton family, and partly by the Earl of Moray, the park was established in 1960 as a small caravan site. By 1979, it had expanded to include 200 pitches, plus utilities and touring pitches. In 2001, 200 further pitches were added, followed by the construction of a £2.5 million private leisure club, The Ocean Club, consisting of a 20m indoor swimming pool, a separate children’s pool, gymnasium and spa area.

“Our mission statement of going far beyond expectations is achieved by giving a five star service in every aspect of our business. Attention to detail is of the utmost importance leaving no stone unturned however trivial it might be,” says Alison.

“Perhaps one of our biggest challenges is to always be one step ahead and thinking of ways to continually improve the facilities and service we offer to our guests.”

The majority of caravans on the site are privately owned, but the park also hires lodges, apartments and touring pitches. During the peak season, Seafield operates at an average occupancy rate of 92 per cent across its caravans and chalet lettings, of which 62 per cent are repeat bookings.

Alison comments: “Our typical customer base includes families with young children, activity groups such as golfers and walkers, plus over 50’s looking to rest and relax. We liaise with tourism partners to identify our target market and work closely with them as well as other tourism businesses in the community to conduct marketing and promotional campaigns to attract new and existing customers to stay with us.”

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Camping Boost For Happy Kids