Woolacombe Bay

SURF’S UP! WAVESURFER IN THE UK

Posted on November 11, 2025

WaveSurfer create the best artificial surf machines worldwide, offering unparalleled water experiences that sets them apart. The range includes indoor and outdoor artificial surf machines, with customisable wave simulators.

Perfect for all skill levels, the custom-made surf rides deliver excitement for beginners and seasoned surfers. Ustigate Waterplay and WaveSurfer are excited to bring the thrill of surfing to everyone, no matter where they are!

As seen and enjoyed by many at multi-award-winning Woolacombe Bay’s Twitchen House Holiday Park in the UK this year! “Since the start up we have not had a single day of downtime with the WaveSurfer. That is super important to us because it is an additional source of income.” - Zoe McGregor, Assistant Park Manager, Golden Coast Wavesurfer is Woolacombe Bay’s surfing simulator at Twitchen House Holiday Park.

It gives you the chance to body board minus the ocean but with all the wipeouts! They kit you up with wet suits and boards, give you a demo and teach you a few cool trips so whether it’s your first time surfing or you’re a real pro, it is totally radical.

The amazing feat of engineering shoots 60,000 litres of water over it’s curved, padded surface every minute. It means you can have a go at surfing even if the surf at sea isn’t quite right - even Britain’s best beach has it’s bad days. And because it’s got a sliding roof and heated to 28-degrees like the Caribbean Sea it really is all-weather action guaranteed.

Wavesurfer from Ustigate Waterplay
01322 424445
www.ustigatewaterplay.co.uk

Christmas Present Hopes For Debra

Posted on September 1, 2017

DebraChristmas Present Hopes For Debra

In the summer of 2014, Debra Drew was enjoying a holiday at Woolacombe Bay, Devon, with her family when disaster struck.

After spotting a nine-year-old boy struggling in the choppy waters she plunged into the sea in an attempt to save the youngster. The boy survived – but Debra suffered catastrophic brain injuries when sand was swept into her mouth by the seawater, stopping her breathing. The 48-year-old from Stourbridge, Worcestershire, was in a coma for six months and doctors believed she would be unlikely ever to move again without assistance.

Although still paralysed, Debra is putting up a brave fight – and is determined to be back home in time for Christmas this year. Park Holidays UK are now helping to raise funds to deliver Debra’s dream of returning home for Christmas. For this to happen, however, her friends and family need to raise £25,000 to buy a range of different medical equipment, including a specially built wheelchair.

Tony Clish, director of Park Holidays UK, said that Debra’s story is truly inspirational: “Debra has undergone many operations since the horrific incident and defied doctors’ expectations that there would be little chance of her surviving. She has shown remarkable spirit and now it’s time for us to do our bit by helping her return home full time to be among her treasured friends and family.”

Park Holidays UK operates 24 holiday parks in Southern England, including five in seaside Devon – and have offered Debra and her family a free stay whenever she feels able to take up the offer.

A New Lease Of Life For Woolacombe

Posted on May 4, 2016

A New Lease Of Life For Woolacombe

Woolacombe Bay climing wall and view (big)

The entertainment facilities at Woolacombe Bay Holiday Park in Devon have undergone a £4 million upgrade.

Easter saw the opening of the massive £4 million development at Woolacombe Bay Holiday Village in Devon.

New facilities include a redeveloped family entertainment centre housing an all-day cafe with a sea view terrace and an entertainment lounge and bar. Other new highlights include a cinema, a children’s soft play area, a fitness gym, a pottery painting studio and an indoor pool with fun features. There are also new accommodation options including a raft of caravan holiday homes, such as the luxurious Platinum with central heating and double glazing.

Sales and marketing director, Kevin Darvill said: “Generations of families have enjoyed holidays at our park, but it was time for an update with new facilities, more space and a true style injection.

“We have taken the existing building, scooped out the insides, extended it and given it a whole new layout, one that really makes the most of the amazing sea views.”

 

High Demand for Last Minute Breaks

Posted on September 2, 2015
Woolacombe

Last minute online enquiries for peak season were up by 15 per cent at Woolacombe Bay, compared to the same time last year.

High Demand for Last Minute Breaks

Woolacombe Bay Holiday Parks in Devon reported a bumper start to the 2015 summer season, with last minute online bookings up by 15 per cent on the same period last year.

Although 93 per cent of the park’s accommodation for the first three weeks of the school summer holidays was booked up well in advance, demand was high for the remaining spaces available for last minute bookings.

Kevin Darvill, sales and marketing director at Woolacombe Bay said: “Clearly the travel disruption at the ports in Dover and Calais, coupled with the economic situation in destinations such as Greece, have all been deciding factors to remain at home.

“Last-minute on-line enquiries for peak season - compared to the same time last year - are up by 15 per cent, on-line sales have risen by 28 per cent and conversion rates have increased by 11 per cent.”

 

Holiday Parks See Significant Drop In Term-Time Holidays

Posted on November 28, 2014
term-time

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.”

Riding The Waves

Posted on May 4, 2014
waves

A highlight at Golden Coast is the Wavesurfer simulator, allowing guests to brush up on their surfing and body boarding skills.

Riding The Waves

Capitalising on a prime seaside location, Woolacombe Bay Holiday Parks own and operate four 4-star holiday parks around the village of Woolacombe in North Devon.

Frequently voted the best beach in Britain, the location is a unique mix of sandy beaches, rolling fields and the rugged beauty of Exmoor National Park, all within a stone’s throw of the Woolacombe Bay sites.

Kevin Darvill, sales and marketing director at Woolacombe Bay comments: “The most crucial aspect to the success of our parks has to be the beach. Woolacombe’s beach is quite simply gorgeous and offers everything from a traditional bucket and spade holiday to surfing. Of course the beach alone isn’t enough to encourage customers to stay with us and for that we try to ensure we offer lots for every age to do and great places to stay.”

The family run business was established over 50 years ago, and the four parks now welcome international and UK guests from February to November each year. The parks are hire fleet only, meaning that there are no caravan sales activities, but the company does offer caravans, lodges, villas, apartments and traditional farmhouses along with high quality camping and touring facilities at all four parks.

“We’ve seen big changes in where customers want to stay,” explains Kevin. “A few years ago smaller, older caravans were in demand as budget options, but over the past couple of years there really has been a trend for extended families with several generations or two families sharing higher quality caravans. In response to this, we recently replaced a fifth of all our caravans, meaning our average caravan age is now just 3 years old.” He adds: “Then there’s the rise in popularity of the short break. A week’s holiday in July and August is still the mainstay at those times, but in term time we’ve had to adapt to more short breaks and change the offering to suit the demographic.”

Golden Coast is the company’s biggest park, offering 342 rental units and 93 touring pitches, plus the widest range of leisure facilities, including a ten lane bowling alley, a 17th Century pub and a high ropes course. Making the most of the park’s Atlantic facing location, a surf school and unique surfing simulator enables guests to try surfing no matter what their ability.

“Customers are always looking for something new and different, wanting the best experience they can get for their hard earned holiday time. There’s a continuous demand for new activities, particularly those that can be used whatever the weather. In the run up to and after the Olympics we saw a big demand for more sports activities to, so we’ve introduced sports complexes at all our parks,” says Kevin.

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Woolacombe Bay Holiday Parks
Tel. 0843 2080 377
www.woolacombe.co.uk