New Center Parcs Village Plans Underway

Posted on January 10, 2016

Center Parcs has submitted a planning application for a new holiday Village in Ireland.

New Center Parcs Village Plans Underway

Less than two years after the hugely successful opening of its fifth Village, Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire, Center Parcs has submitted a formal planning application for a new Village in Ireland. The company plans to develop a 395 acre site in Newcastle Wood, County Longford, into what will be their sixth Village and first venture outside of the UK. The development, named ‘Center Parcs Longford Forest’, will be ideally positioned in the heart of Ireland, with excellent transport links for families from both north and south of the border. The planning application outlines the transformative impact that the project could have on both County Longford and the national economy, including adding €1 billion to Ireland’s GDP over a 20 year period and creating approximately 750 jobs during construction and a further 1,000 permanent roles once operational. Subject to receiving satisfactory planning permission, Center Parcs Longford Forest could open to guests in 2019. The new site will incorporate 470 lodges and 30 apartments nestled into the natural surroundings, more than 100 indoor and outdoor family activities, an Aqua Sana Spa, a range of restaurants, shops and cafés and the iconic Subtropical Swimming Paradise.

Center Parcs Introduces Google 360° Technology

Posted on April 15, 2015

Center Parcs villages have been mapped using Google Business View technology, including the first fully operational sauna to be virtually toured.

Center Parcs Introduces Google 360° Technology

Center Parcs has become the first UK holiday resort to be comprehensively mapped using Google Business View technology.

The technology allows visitors to the Center Parcs website to virtually explore every square inch of the villages at the click of a button, whether viewing the subtropical swimming paradise or taking a look inside the range of accommodation options on offer.

It took 20 days, over 180 hours and in excess of 25,000 individual images to create the 140 different virtual tours. All buildings have been captured internally, including each of the different restaurants, leisure facilities and Aqua Sana spa.

In combination with Google Street View of all Center Parcs Villages, this is the most extensive use of this technology within the UK holiday sector. Four of the five Center Parcs Villages have been mapped, with the recently opened Woburn Forest set to follow later this year.

Aqua Sana Takes Top Spot

Posted on February 9, 2015

Aqua Sana Takes Top Spot

Opened in June last year, the spa at Center Parcs Woburn Forest has been named ‘Best Spa to be Social’ at the Good Spa Guide Awards.

Aqua Sana at Center Parcs Woburn Forest has been named ‘Best Spa to be Social’ at the prestigious Good Spa Guide Awards.

The Good Spa Guide Awards are decided by specially appointed Good Spa Spies who review over 100 spas every year and complete a detailed audit sheet, covering all aspects of the spa from service and facilities to cleanliness and maintenance.

Delighted with the win, Aqua Sana group manager Kerry Fenton-Kent said: “Aqua Sana Woburn Forest has only been open since June and to already be recognised as one of the best spas in the country is amazing. The award is testament to the dedication and hard work of the whole team and we’re all thrilled.”

Inspired by nature and combining different approaches from many of the leading European spas, Aqua Sana Woburn Forest encompasses six unique spas, each one with a variety of multi-sensory experience rooms, including two world-first experiences – the Mineral Room and the Sensory Experience.

The Good Spa Guide panel said: “Aqua Sana Woburn Forest is a beautiful, well laid out, well designed spa which is perfect for small social groups. Spa visitors can move around as they wish in whatever way they wish but with cosy areas all around the spa, it offers a private element too. It’s a high standard of spa-ing in a social environment.”

First Guests Arrive At Woburn Center Parcs

Posted on July 3, 2014

Center Parcs Woburn Forest Village is predicted to inject £20 million into the local economy.

First Guests Arrive At Woburn Center Parcs

The doors were officially opened at the fifth Center Parcs village at the beginning of June, with an estimated 350,000 guests expected to visit each year. It is hoped that the village will inject over £20 million into the regional economy annually.

Martin Dalby, CEO of Center Parcs, said: “After years of hard work, dedication and passion, we’re thrilled to be welcoming our first guests to Woburn Forest and strongly believe the new village has all the ingredients for a very special family break”.

The new village boasts Center Parcs’ largest subtropical swimming paradise, along with an Aqua Sana spa, 625 lodges, a 75 bedroom hotel, six spa suites and a host of restaurants, shops and leisure activities.

Woburn Forest is one of the largest development projects of its kind in Britain for many years and represents a £250 million investment. Center Parcs owners Blackstone invested £100 million in the project whilst the remaining £150 million was financed from four UK lending banks.

“Center Parcs Woburn Forest will provide a massive boost to the area,” says Martin. “In addition to the 1,200 people employed in the construction of Woburn Forest, we have recruited and trained 1,500 employees, most of which live within a 15 mile radius. These are local jobs for young local people.”

Last year Center Parcs welcomed 1.7 million guests to its four existing Villages, the opening of Woburn Forest will increase that figure to over 2 million.

First Guests Arrive At Center Parcs Woburn Forest

Posted on July 3, 2014

Center Parcs Woburn Forest Village is predicted to inject £20 million into the local economy.

First Guests Arrive At Center Parcs Woburn Forest

Center Parcs has welcomed its first guests to the new Woburn Forest village in Bedfordshire.

The doors were officially opened at the fifth Center Parcs village on Friday June 6th, with an estimated 350,000 guests expected to visit each year. It is hoped that the village will inject over £20 million into the regional economy annually.

Martin Dalby, CEO of Center Parcs, said: “After years of hard work, dedication and passion, we’re thrilled to be welcoming our first guests to Woburn Forest and strongly believe the new village has all the ingredients for a very special family break”

The new village boasts Center Parcs’ largest Subtropical Swimming Paradise, along with an Aqua Sana spa, 625 lodges, a 75 bedroom hotel, six spa suites and a host of restaurants, shops and leisure activities.

Woburn Forest is one of the largest development projects of its kind in Britain for many years and represents a £250 million investment. Center Parcs owners Blackstone invested £100 million in the project whilst the remaining £150 million was financed from four UK lending banks.

“Center Parcs Woburn Forest will provide a massive boost to the area,” says Martin. “In addition to the 1,200 people employed in the construction of Woburn Forest, we have recruited and trained 1,500 employees, most of which live within a 15 mile radius. These are local jobs for young local people.”

Last year Center Parcs welcomed 1.7 million guests to its four existing Villages, the opening of Woburn Forest will increase that figure to over 2 million.

Red Letter Year For Center Parcs

Posted on February 11, 2014

Red Letter Year For Center Parcs

The Subtropical Swimming Paradise will be one of the highlights at the new Woburn Forest Center Parcs site.

2014 is set to be a red letter year for Center Parcs as it takes the wraps off its new 365 acre site at Woburn Forest, the fifth of its UK villages.
The £250 million Woburn Forest village will comprise of 625 forest lodges, a 75 bedroom hotel, a spa with associated spa suites and two leisure buildings including indoor sports facilities, restaurants and retail outlets. It will also include outdoor sports and leisure facilities and a 17,000m² lake.

A spokesperson for Center Parcs reveals: “Each of our villages have their own distinct characteristics and Woburn Forest is no different – it is an undulating area of forest and its own unique mixture of local wildlife.

“All of the leisure buildings and lodges are uniquely designed and built to nestle into the landscape to be close to nature. The subtropical swimming paradise is a completely new design, with a glazed front and curved shape to fit into the land behind it.”

An iconic part of all Center Parcs villages, the subtropical swimming paradises are one of the most popular elements of a Center Parcs break, with over 90% of guests visiting the swimming venue during their stay.

In spite of Woburn Forest being the smallest Center Parcs village, it will have the largest subtropical pool facility in the UK, featuring the Wild Water Rapids outside with views of the forest landscape. The Woburn water facilities will include a wave pool, toddler pool, family play area, lazy river and three new water rides that will be unique to Woburn Forest.

The completion date for the leisure buildings is January 2014.

Charles Neuman of Water Technology Inc. who designed the Woburn Forest pool said: “The designs of the new subtropical swimming paradise are the result of a culmination of 25 years of experience and lots of research into what modern families want. We have taken the best from the existing four villages and added new exciting elements to give guests at Woburn Forest a unique and special water experience.”

Construction of the village began in September 2012 and has remained on track, despite the challenging winter weather conditions. The buildings will all be water-tight by the end of the year with many of the final touches and preparations happening in early 2014.
Once completed in the spring, Woburn Forest is expected to welcome over 400,000 visitors per year and will employ 1,500 staff on a permanent basis, the majority of whom, from the local area.

Tasty Breaks

Posted on December 19, 2013

Butlins offers a total of 58 eating and drinking outlets and venues at their three seaside locations.

Tasty Breaks

WITH millions of British holidaymakers heading for holiday parks in the UK this year, one of the major attractions for most visitors was that the cooking would be done for them.

Catering is the vital ingredient of the holiday park business menu. From high-class restaurants to family-friendly pizza cafes, the choice on offer at many locations is vast.

Quality food and good surroundings are key to the restaurant enjoyment factor with staff service and excellent menus par for the course in these competitive times.

In May Jeremy Marks was appointed food and beverage retail manager for Center Parcs’ Woburn Forest, which will open in spring next year.

Jeremy has more than 25 years’ experience and will be responsible for the F&B and Retail offering available to short break guests at the Village.

Jeremy worked for Wagamama for more than eight years, then Giraffe for six years and was instrumental in creating the Giraffe burgers and cocktails brand which was launched in 2012, introducing funky burgers, music and cocktails across the UK.

With a wide range of restaurants, cafes and shops, Center Parcs’ Woburn Forest will offer a variety of cuisines ideal for families on a short break. Jeremy will be responsible for food and drink development, menus, food and drink products, restaurant and café staff, F&B operations - as well as health and safety.

Says Jeremy: “At Woburn Forest, like the other Center Parcs, the cafes will offer a relaxing, cosy space to enjoy a beverage and a light bite with family or friends.

“There will also be a wide variety of restaurants, with delicious food to try including Italian, American, British, Indian and Dutch (by this we mean our much-loved Pancake House) and a modern, fun, exciting environment.

“There will also be a brand new restaurant - The Shearing House. This restaurant will be a relaxed, contemporary restaurant serving classic British cuisine. This restaurant has a very local link as it gets its name from Woburn’s history as an area famous for sheep shearing.”