Pitchup.com sees boom in UK bookings
In the wake of Spain’s flood warnings and thousands of passengers set to potentially be stranded abroad, global accommodation provider Pitchup.com has seen a surge in UK bookings this week, with figures showing a year-on-year increase of 77% over the last week* – rising to 129% yesterday. Pitchup.com founder Dan Yates comments: “Unsurprisingly, the biggest driver for our UK bookings tends to be weather – and we’ve got forecasts this weekend for sun and 26 degrees, compared to a rainy Spain. That said, these growth rates do seem high even compared to previous weather-related surges, which does make me wonder whether there is something else at play here.” The reality is the majority of UK papers today lead with reports about the potential demise of Thomas Cook – one of the biggest household names in travel. Perhaps this, combined not just with bad weather but flood warnings throughout Europe, and even hurricane warnings further afield, plus significant uncertainty around Brexit and what that could mean for international travel, may well just be a bit too much for even the generally stoic British traveller. It could mean that 2020 will be a very big year for UK travel. Speaking to our editor Victoria Galligan at an event in Wales, Pitchup representatives highlighted the fact that Wales had recently become the area with the most campsites available in the UK – there are now 313 Wlesh sites available to choose from on Pitchup.com, overtaking Devon and Cornwall which combined have 284 campsites and had previoulsy dominated the market for some time. Scotland has also seen a significant rise in the number of camping and glamping sites being set up, with landowners capitalising on the boom in UK staycationing. To register your site on Pitchup.com – which allows visitors to find camping and caravanning pitches, teepees, yurts, pods and lodges and caravans for hire – see pitchup.com/join
Elfin supplies kitchen solution to floating pod concept
In March 2017, Luke Robertson and his father set out on a new project that would tap into the emerging glamping market. The idea was to manufacturer a bespoke floating pod, that would offer a unique boutique hotel experience and provide guests with everything they required in a small space, including double bed, kitchen area, wet room, outside seating, speaker system and even Wi-Fi. In April 2018, the concept became a reality with the floating pod – dubbed the ‘Flotel Room’ – opening its doors for bookings in Hartlepool Marina. Providing a suitable kitchen area was a key factor in making the 4 x 6 metre space practical, so Luke turned to experts in small kitchen ideas, Elfin Kitchens. Luke opted for a 1000mm Premium model (M-100-Ms-RK) which is supplied with an integrated fridge freezer, 20 litre combination microwave oven and grill, hotplates, sink and tap, plus two handy soft close storage drawers. Explaining his decision to specify Elfin Kitchens, Luke said: “We started off looking at adapting regular kitchen carcasses, but they simply didn’t look right in the space and we weren’t convinced they would be durable enough. So, rather than trying to adapt products to fit our needs, we set out to find a kitchenette that was specifically designed for small spaces. “After a quick online search, we came across Elfin Kitchens, who appeared to offer the perfect solution. We arranged to meet up with them at the Glamping Show to see the products first hand. We were particularly impressed with the build quality, which was a key consideration for the pod design, as we needed to ensure the kitchen could withstand constant use. “After talking through the requirements with the Elfin team, we opted for the 1000mm Premium model, which fitted the space perfectly. We didn’t have to make any alterations to the compact kitchen; we simply plugged and plumbed it in, and it was ready to go. “Overall, we’re really impressed with the Elfin Kitchen; it’s the perfect product for small areas. The next pod we have in mind to make will have a double bed and the capacity to fit five people in – so we’re sure to use Elfin Kitchens again.” The Premium range of kitchens incorporates high-quality appliances, including a refrigerator, sink and tap, plus a choice of solo or combination microwave, oven and grill. In addition, Premium models are supplied with optional soft close drawers and/or ceramic hotplate. The ‘Flotel Room’ is designed for two people and has been constructed with a base of 10mm thick plastic injected with polystyrene to make it float. To add a splash of colour to a kitchen, Elfin’s premium models are also available in a range of colours, from gloss powder-coated White and Claret, to matt powder-coated Sand and Bronze. Elfin’s compact kitchens save space and offer great flexibility, with right or left-hand versions available. In addition, the kitchens can be quickly installed on site, arriving in a single pallet which offers a ‘plug and play’ solution. For information on the entire range of kitchens and accessories, visit: www.elfinkitchens.co.uk
Selling Holiday Homes or Park Homes in the UK?
Selling Holiday Homes or Park Homes in the UK? Here are 11 Reasons you should join Parklink now! Be where your customers are. List your Park on Parklink and you will be tapping into your target audience. We are purely focused on holiday home and park home sales which is your target market so why wouldn’t you want to be here! Another shop window for your product. With a listing on Parklink, you in effect get another shop window to promote your park and holiday homes for sale. Quick & easy to upload sales stock. Listing your sales stock on Parklink couldn’t be easier! It takes approx. 5 minutes to add a sales unit. Provide us with a sales stock feed from your own website and we can also automate this process making it effortless on your part. Generate sales interest & leads. With your park on Parklink you will potentially receive 3 kinds of sales leads Park specific– Enquiries from people who have viewed your park and would like further ownership information Regional – People who are open to options and looking at certain regions. Holiday Homes – Messages on certain holiday homes you have listed on Parklink Social media boost – We will include you within our social media cycle making sure you stay relevant online. We have a great following on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter! Focused on holiday home sales– Parklink is fully focused on holiday home sales and offering people a place they can request further from parks and holiday homes for sale. You won’t find a confusing website packed with distracting Google ads and promotions which can distract people from making their enquiry. Easy set up! – Joining Parklink is super easy. Simply send us a park description & images for us to create your custom page for you. Once created we’ll send you a login to start adding sales stock Expand your marketing mix! – By promoting your park in all the right places, you’re increasing your chances of customers coming to you ahead of competitors. People will notice your brand and park online which will put you ahead of the competition. Created by industry professionals – Parklink has been created with the park operator and holiday home buyers in mind by industry professionals. We fully understand the journey people take when deciding where and when to purchase a holiday home. Be part of our journey – Our website visitors are increasing week on week. Google, Bing & Yahoo are recognising Parklink as a valuable source of information for people looking into holiday home ownership in the UK. Join your competitors–Join over 100 parks already promoting and receiving leads from Parklink. We want to offer our customers the widest and best choice when looking to buy a holiday home in the UK.
5 gas safety tips for park home owners as part of Gas Safety Week
Jacqueline Gallazzi-Ritchie is Director of the gas safety and boiler replacement company All England Gas. Here, she shares what park home owners need to know and do to keep themselves safe. Gas Safety Week runs from 16–22 September, which means organisations from across the UK will be working to raise awareness of the dangers of poorly-maintained gas appliances. A lot of this advice tends to be aimed at those with traditional brick and mortar homes, but it’s an issue that also affects those who live in park homes. So, here, I’m going to share my top tips that will help to keep park home owners with gas boilers safe. Only use Gas Safe registered engineers It’s incredibly important that you only ever have your gas appliances installed or serviced by engineers who are on the official Gas Safe Register — you can check this by asking any boiler engineer who visits your home whether you can see their membership card. This should show a yellow Gas Safe Register triangle (not the orange CORGI registration badge that was replaced back in 2009). This card will also outline what kinds of jobs they’re qualified to work on. So, for example, someone might be able to fix your boiler, but might not have the necessary skills to install a gas fire. If they are unable to show you their membership card for whatever reason, you can check a company’s status on the Gas Safe Register website, or call 0800 408 5500 to get all of the information you need. Make sure your gas appliances are checked every year Although it isn’t a legal requirement unless you’re a landlord, I would highly recommend getting into the habit of having your park home’s boiler serviced once a year. Not only will this give you peace of mind and help to keep your family safe, but it could also help to save you money, as a Gas Safe engineer will be able to spot any issues or causes for concern. These can then be addressed quickly, before any more damage is caused. It’s also a good idea to have your boiler serviced if you’ve recently moved into a park home, as the previous owner mightn’t have put enough effort into maintaining it. It’s always better to be safe than sorry where gas and boilers are concerned! Install a carbon monoxide alarm One of the biggest dangers associated with gas boilers is carbon monoxide poisoning, which can occur if your boiler becomes faulty and begins to leak this potentially deadly gas. Fortunately, you can easily protect your family from this by installing a carbon monoxide alarm in your park home. This will alert you if it detects the levels rising in the air, so you know when to leave your park home and contact a boiler engineer. Carbon monoxide detectors can often be picked up from a DIY store for as little as £20 — just make sure your chosen one has a British or European Kitemark, so you know it’s reliable. Learn how to spot and treat carbon monoxide poisoning I would also recommend learning how to spot and treat carbon monoxide, just in case. Each year, there are around 60 deaths caused by accidental carbon monoxide poisoning in England and Wales (NHS), so you can never be too careful. The main symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning you need to look out for are: Tension-type headaches Dizziness Feeling and being sick Tiredness and confusion Stomach pain Shortness of breath If you suspect that you and your family are suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning, turn off all gas appliances, open your windows and doors, leave your park home, contact a gas engineer, and make sure you get checked out by a doctor. You can also call the Gas Emergency Helpline on 0800 111 999 if you think there might be a major gas leak in your park home or the site you live on. Address any boiler problems immediately Finally, if you spot any boiler issues between services, it’s vital that you contact an engineer as soon as possible. If problems are left to fester, they can become much worse and possibly even dangerous. If left for too long, it’s likely they’ll cost a lot more to repair, or you might even be forced to replace your park home’s boiler completely. So, it’s must better to address any problems you notice sooner rather than later. So, if you’ve noticed that your boiler is behaving strangely — perhaps it’s making strange noises or not doing its job properly — deal with it as soon as possible. Whether you live in a traditional house or a park home, it’s vital that you take good care of your boiler. This will help to prevent it from breaking down and should go a long way to keeping your family safe if something does go wrong. So, take these gas safety tips on board to give yourself some peace of mind. Photo: © Jeff Gogarty
Using two-way radios to increase your communications on site
by Fiona McInnes, operations manager at InTouch Ltd With the 2019 holiday season in full swing, the more organised amongst us have already turned to planning for spring 2020. Looking at improving efficiency across the whole park could mean taking out a flexible rental contract for two-way radios for the next season. Two-way radios are an ideal solution for any number of teams working across holiday parks. Using a two-way radio can also improve customer relations enormously. By enabling maintenance, security, retail and housekeeping employees to communicate with each other or with management this means they can solve issues very quickly. If there is an accident, or health and safety incident, reported by a holiday maker, the nearest employee can speak directly to management who can set about the correct chain of response and get it sorted instantaneously. InTouch Ltd supplies marketing-leading Motorola two-way radios specifically for holiday and caravan parks all across the UK. The leading technology business offers an exclusive deal for holiday and caravan parks where you only pay for the handset rental for the months that the park is open. Flexible rental agreements mean that parks can increase or reduce the amount of handsets they need very quickly. Units are updated every two years on request to ensure that customers always have a reliable system, and there is a 48-hour replacement service for faulty handsets and batteries. Using two-way radios on site predominantly requires a technically assigned licence to ensure usage is compliant with legislation. All business radio licences are regulated and issued by Ofcom. There are a number of different licences available so InTouch Ltd can advise properly on which is the relevant licence for your business needs and will apply for the licence on behalf of their customers. Bringing two-way radios into a large or small holiday park can revolutionise communications and really increase efficiency and very happy holiday makers. Find out more: https://www.intouch-ltd.com/radio-solutions/ T: 01524 833 588.
When space for a spa is an issue, we have the solution
Park Leisure Solutions Ltd officially launched their brand new 6 Person Hot Tub Model this month. After listening to Park owners and operators the new 202B-PKS Spa model has been specifically designed and built for those customers where space is a premium but still require a larger Hot Tub for their guests. The new model is the perfect fit, offering a smaller footprint, coupled with comfortable open seating to accommodate 6 adults. Park Leisure Solutions now have available a choice of seven premium built and fully compliant commercial Hot Tub models, ranging from the popular three person to the imposing MED-PKS eight person launched earlier this year. Managing Director, Stuart Mulchay, said “The introduction of the new 202B-PKS, 6 person model into our range now offers Park operators and owners an ideal solution when space is a problem. As the booking criteria including a Hot Tub becomes more and more popular with guests. The requests for a reduced footprint, six person, fully compliant Hot Tub have increased significantly, and resulted in the launch of this innovative new model to meet demand”. Finished in silver marble acrylic with a black cabinet plus cover and measuring only 79.5” x 79.5” x 36”. The new model seats 6 adults with ease and offers 1,108 litres capacity, fully adjustable hydrotherapy jets, park controls and inline dosing plus 5 year plumbing, 5 year surface and 2 year electrical component warranties as standard. Available to order today the 202B-PKS is specifically designed for commercial use for Holiday Parks and satisfies all the guidelines in the HSE 282 document. 202B Model in brief: Seats: 6 Person Silver marble acrylic finish Dimensions: 79.5” x 79.5” x 36” 26 fully adjustable Two-Tone stainless steel jets Water Capacity: 1,108 Litres Park Controls on/off and coded temperature control In-line Chlorine or Bromine dosing for easy maintenance Climacube water heating ready 10 year frame warranty 5 year plumbing warranty 5 year surface warranty 2 year electrical component warranty Nationwide supply and service
Need a hygienic solution that is quick to install, easy to clean and is cost effective?
Need a hygienic solution that is quick to install, easy to clean and is cost effective? From small maintenance jobs to large out of season refurbishments, Be-plas have it covered. Whether it be for your communal areas, bathrooms or catering facilities, Be-plas offer a comprehensive range of wall and ceiling products perfect for the caravan and leisure industry. For complete peace of mind, our products meet all current hygiene, building and fire regulations. Be-Plas, the hygienic wall and ceiling specialist, creating hygienic environments for over 35 years. For a free consultation to meet your exact requirements, contact the sales team today on 0800 413 758 For more information about our products visit the Education and Leisure page on our website
The perfect addition to your holiday home business
Add a touch of class and luxury with Black Diamond Spas holiday let hot tub, whilst ensuring your holiday home business stays within the parameters of the HSG282 guidelines. A hot tub is the perfect addition to the following business types: Holiday Cottages/Villas, Holiday Parks, B&B’s, Leisure Parks, Luxury Retreats and Glamping Parks. Proven to increase occupancy and revenue by up to 60%, adding a hot tub to your business is a no-brainer. Our range of holiday hot tubs are specifically designed for heavy usage. Their robust but minimalistic design perfectly compliments and garden, decking or outdoor area. Compliment your purchase of a Holiday Let Hot Tub and add our fantastic WiFi module to the spa so you can monitor the status and access the settings of your hot tub from anywhere in the world!
Tips for preparing your caravan to be towed
As a great British pastime, every year thousands of holidaymakers pack up their caravans and head down to the coast for a mini-break, enjoying everything that some of our beautiful seaside towns have to offer. The greatest things about caravaning are the flexibility and home comforts, but how should you prepare your trailer before towing it? Read on for some top tips on making your trailer safe and towable for your journey. Check your licence Before you start planning your trip, you’ll need to make sure that you are actually able to tow a caravan. It may sound silly, but if your caravan usually sits on a caravan site you may not have had to tow it before. In summary: If you passed your test before 1 January 1997:Combined weight of car and caravan outfit up to 8,250kg. If you passed your test after 1 January 1997:Combined weight of car and caravan outfit up to 3,500kg. Over 70 years of age (provided licence obtained before 1 January 1997):Only vehicles that can be safely towed by a 3,500kg towing vehicle. Additionally, if you want to tow anything heavier, you’ll need to take a B+E test or a C1+E test depending on the requirements. Pack it correctly Your vehicle’s maximum towing capacity should be listed in your car’s handbook so always make sure you find this out before you start packing, weighing any items such as bikes, portable TVs and barbeques that you plan on taking. Overloading your caravan or packing it incorrectly can cause real problems while you’re driving such as accelerating and climbing hills, plus the heavier it is the more unstable it becomes. The heaviest items should be placed as low as possible over the caravan’s wheels, as storing anything too close to the front of the caravan will cause unnecessary pressure on your car’s rear suspension. Following this, medium weighing items should be placed within the middle of the caravan and the lightest items at the top in overhead storage. Extra tips ● Never carry passengers in the caravan when it’s being towed. ● To prevent the caravan from becoming unstable, make sure you have a well-matched car and caravan. ● Water can be extremely heavy, so try and pack enough for the journey and fill your supply back up once you’ve reached your destination or campsite. ● You must have towing mirrors attached to your wing mirrors so you have full visibility. SG Haulage is one of the UK’s leading haulage companies based in Lincoln. From caravan transportation to crane hire and international road haulage, we can move a whole host of machinery at your convenience.
