Interactive smartphone app and web-based advertising portal launched by NRM Group
NRM Group, whose Jigsaw brand has become the entertainment system of choice, has launched its new Interactive smartphone app and web-based advertising portal. NRM’s Sales Manager Freddie Shreeve, said: “Following Jigsaw’s launch in 2014, the team have undertaken a progressive and imaginative development of the entertainment brand which already comprises of an extensive music library, karaoke, interactive games, digital advertising, cash, prize and linked bingo and so much more” The creation of these exciting new features has been a fantastic addition to the ever-flexible Jigsaw content package. Jigsaw Interactive is a platform which brings together cutting-edge smartphone technology with traditional pub quiz formats to create the perfect interactive platform for any venue! Quizzing shouldn’t be complicated. Simplicity is at the heart of Jigsaw Interactive, creating a gameplay experience that allows anyone to easily host or play a game, regardless of their age or technical ability. Expertly designed and developed by our in-house development team and pub quiz enthusiasts, there are plenty of categories to choose from including general knowledge, sport and entertainment. Simplicity and customer engagement being two key ingredients for success. A simple and easy way to deliver Interactive Quiz and to compete against teams/players in other venues, Jigsaw’s software allows you to host and play quizzes using any smartphone device with your guests, whether that’s together in one venue, remotely on Zoom due to lockdown restrictions or competing against multiple teams across the world! Quizzes not your guest’s thing? Don’t worry, the Jigsaw Interactive smartphone app not only allows customers to participate in local and linked quizzes it also allows them to interact and engage with you and your venue in other ways too. Request a Track allows your guests to browse Jigsaw’s entire music, video and karaoke libraries and request their favourite tracks. (approval from staff required) Jukebox Mode – music tracks are sent directly to the playlist for a true Jukebox- fuelled music event Text and/or Picture Messages can be sent to the public screens which is great for party nights or family events (approval from staff required) iVote allows your customers to vote for anything: Easter Bonnet Parade, best act in your talent show, their favourite dish from the menu, or the next guest ale Game Face if customers submit a selfie or other image, these can be randomised on the screens (a bit like on Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway) to choose an individual to win a prize, or to play a Jigsaw game for a prize, or to just sing the next karaoke track. Remote Content Manager is the new and easy way to administer, organize, and distribute digital content to your Media Displays via the Jigsaw System, this web-based software enables you to develop a library of photos, videos, graphics and templates that are easy to search and ready to deploy. The software can be controlled from your own PC/ Tablet or phone using a simple login and password. Great entertainment is one of the most quoted reasons on Trip Advisor for a guest wanting to return, and as a company we are committed to helping our customers in any way that we can. Our ethos is to ensure that all entertainments staff are fully conversant with the Jigsaw product and its capabilities. We are the only company in the sector to provide such a service which maximises ROI in what is a key contributor to a holiday parks entertainment and guest proposition.” Whether Corporate or family owned, it’s clear that Jigsaw meets the wide-ranging requirements across the full spectrum of holiday park venues in the UK.” With Jigsaw now installed in holiday parks stretching from Inverness to Dover and the Lizard Peninsula to Prestatyn, NRM provides a comprehensive national technical support function with a dedicated team on hand seven days a week. Jigsaw technical support is accessible via remote PC access, a dedicated customer service phone number, as well as via Jigsaw WhatsApp User Groups that provide instant messaging and support. Freddie continues “2020 has unfortunately impacted a plethora of our customers businesses, at NRM we have been keen to ensure our on-going support whilst maintaining investment into the Jigsaw platform. Providing our customers with the very latest developments and content that is relevant to their operational and guests needs is very important to us. I think It’s fair to say that NRM through Jigsaw has delivered some real innovation, Jigsaw Interactive and the delivery of a truly flexible and easy to use remote content management system are testimony to this.” In concluding his thoughts for 2021, “It’s clear that 2021 will deliver us all some further challenges, at NRM we are ready to support and work with all our customers in meeting those challenges. Ensuring our customers invest wisely in a proven, reliable platform and content, have the flexibility to chose payment options that work for them whilst offering their own guests the very latest in Interactive features sits at the very heart of our approach”
Elite Dynamics partners with SIGA Solutions to take products global
Elite Dynamics, a leading provider of software solutions to the Holiday Park industry, has partnered with renowned business software consultancy, SIGA Solutions, to help facilitate the expansion of its award-winning solutions to a worldwide audience. SIGA Solutions will be working with Elite Dynamics to accredit and approve their market leading EliteParks solution for use on the Microsoft AppSource – the global app store for Microsoft business products. This will mean anyone in the Holiday Park industry; from the New Forest to New Zealand, will be able to download and use the business solution – the only complete park management solution on the marketplace with a fully integrated finance solution – at the click of a button. Elite Dynamics is able to take the next step to market its products on the Microsoft AppSource as a result of moving to a SaaS (Software as a Service) model in 2021. By having the EliteParks solution available via the SaaS model, holiday park industry customers have full access to software on demand via a cloud-based system without having to worry about any extra burden of infrastructure or hardware costs. It also means those Elite Dynamics customers on the SaaS model benefit from instant access to the very latest Microsoft updates and subscriptions available and will always be at the forefront of technical advancements and one step ahead of competitors. Jamaine Campbell, Managing Director at Elite Dynamics, said: “This year really has the potential to be a game-changer for us. Having our software solutions available on the Microsoft AppSource is a massive global shop window but it’s not easy to achieve, which is why we need the support of SIGA Solutions to help us get there and get it right. “Customers will be able to download a free trial of our software and, with the support of our new online blended training platform – EliteAcademy – work through our solutions training programme in 45 languages and dialects. There’s no restrictions on size of holiday parks – you can be a single park operator or a multi-park operator – everyone can benefit from the power and technological expertise of plugging into the Microsoft eco-system.” SIGA Solutions have also been working with the entire 19-strong Elite Dynamics team to create training programmes that will further develop and enhance their technical skills to support customers, and the development of future solutions. Wendy Glanfield, Founder of SIGA Solutions, added: “Making the transition from an on-premises to a SaaS-based business model introduces both challenges and opportunities. As a trusted advisor, SIGA Solutions will help Elite Dynamics with transforming their flagship products into a fully-fledged SaaS offering as well as reshaping their underlying business model to enable continued growth.” Jamaine continued: “This is the biggest investment we’ve ever made as a company. Its organisational-wide investment to get both us and our customers to the cloud where we can leverage everything that’s available to us. We’ll be the first to give our customers access to the latest technology, improve functionality, customise both the user experience and customer journey, and guarantee seamless, efficient integration with the rest of the Microsoft solutions. Ultimately, it’s going to be just as simple and easy as when you download an app on your smartphone. Why wouldn’t you?” Elite Dynamics is the only park management applications provider to have its solution officially accredited by Microsoft Dynamics and is a top tier Microsoft Gold partner. For more information on Elite Dynamics or to arrange a demo of the market leading Microsoft powered software solutions, visit https://www.elitedynamics.co.uk. Elite Dynamics SaaS solutions will be available from late spring 2021.
Will Wind Work for you?
Producing off grid energy from the wind can be an ideal source in a rural location for caravan camping, glamping or at an outdoor event as a power supply. To produce a decent amount of power you need a good wind site. The best starting point is to access a wind speed database such as https://www.rensmart.com/Maps Enter the postcode of the location you wish to site a wind turbine. The wind data base will advise you the average wind speed in metres/second (m/s) at various heights. Ideally anything above 5.5m/s at 10 metres, otherwise a wind turbine may not be a viable option for you. Variations can occur depending on the elevation of the land. At 5.5 m/s with a clean air site the FuturEnergy Airforce1 wind turbine could produce an estimated 1100kw per year, so if the average wind speed is more than 5.5m/s this is all the better. A good wind site location for a horizontal wind turbine needs to be in a rural location in clean air area away from trees, hedges, walls, and buildings which may cause turbulence. Therefore, do you have the correct conditions to produce the power you require? By comparing how much power you potentially need (to run appliances) to the wind speed in your area and how much power you can potentially produce is a good indicator to see if this energy source will work for you. Example: Average Wind Speed 5.5m/s = estimated 1100kwh = 1100kwh of electricity over 12 months or more if the wind speed is higher. At 6.5m/s this would increase to an estimated 1800kwh and at 7.5m/s an estimated 2,500kwh increasing exponentially. Wind is best shared with solar as a hybrid system gaining the best of both worlds taking advantage of the sun in the summer and the wind in the winter. Storing the power created by both sources in a lithium battery enables the use of the energy created when required. The battery energy may be used off-grid or on grid with the correct equipment. Not just any wind will do. For a wind turbine to operate efficiently it needs air that moves uniformly in the same direction and is strong enough to provide sufficient energy to turn the turbine. In general, the higher the turbine is above the local environment, the stronger and more stable the wind will be. Go fly a kite An inexpensive and visually productive way to find out at what height turbulent air ends, and smooth, laminar airflow begins, is to fly a kite at the proposed wind turbine location on a windy day, preferably when the wind is coming from the prevailing direction. To visualize airflow, use tape-streamers tied to the kite’s string every 5metres or so. Wildly fluttering tape indicates turbulence, smoothly extended tape means smooth air. Be sure to take the angle of the kite’s string into account when calculating height. The energy in the wind increases with the cube of the wind speed (P x V³), and wind speed increases with height. An increase of just 26% in wind speed means twice as much power is available in the wind, and the wind turbine will produce almost twice as much. Double the wind speed and there is almost eight times as much power available. A small additional investment in tower height may therefore be well worth the cost due to the increased energy production. Multiple wind turbines can also be utilised thereby increasing the power produced but these need to be spaced so not to cause turbulence from each unit. The bottom of a hill, valley, or ravine makes for a poor place to site a wind turbine. The wind tends to drop in speed at the bottom of a smooth hill, then speed up as it goes up the hill, reaching around twice the wind speed at the top of the hill. For obstructions that are not smooth, such as a cliff (i.e., a sudden rise in the landscape), it gets much more difficult. Sharp edges create turbulence. The airflow at the top of the cliff can be stronger than the average wind speed in the area, but close to the cliff’s edge it will also be very turbulent, making it a poor site for a turbine. It may be possible to use a higher tower or set it far enough back from the cliff edge to get above the inevitably turbulent air. The lee side, (downwind of the prevailing winds), of a prominent object makes for a very poor wind turbine site. The object will create large turbulence on its downwind side, and the average wind speed will drop off dramatically. This leaves no energy for the wind turbine to harvest. The effect of airflow over any obstruction, including trees and shrubs, tends to create a “bubble” of turbulent air around twice the height of the obstacle that extends 20 times the height of the obstacle downwind from it. FuturEnergy has been manufacturing the Made in Britain, Airforce1 1kw micro wind turbine for over 15 years now at their premises just outside Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire. The vision was to manufacture a robust small wind turbine that would generate enough power to make a difference. This has culminated recently with the Airforce Controller that is supplied with a 24v or 48v wind turbine systems ready to be mounted on a standard sized scaffold pole. The Airforce Control automatically protects the turbine in strong wind conditions, providing battery charging control, whilst monitoring wind speeds and power generation. Customers are now able to connect to their wind turbine from anywhere in the world using the free iPhone/Android app and check on the turbines power output, even allowing them to start and stop the turbine. The kit includes: The FuturEnergy wind turbine body AC (incorporating their 1kw permanent magnet generator), tail assembly, 3 bladed rotor set, manual AC stop switch, Airforce1 Controller and anemometer complete with 12m of anemometer cable. Price: £2,250.00 (inc.VAT) www.futurenergy.co.uk
JNC offers a wide range of amusement machines to suit all budgets
Celebrating their fortieth year, JNC Sales go into the season with a new-look website that continues to highlight their wide range of new and used amusement machines to suit all sites and budgets. The JNC warehouse, and now their new online catalogue, hosts thousands of machines that come site-ready following comprehensive workshop testing, supported by a dedicated aftersales team and parts warranty. 2021 sees the introduction of some exciting new lines, which have been specifically selected by JNC to align with customer feedback and a market that needs an injection of bold, vibrant pieces without breaking the bank. Rocket Launch is a spectacular rocket-themed prize redemption piece that is the perfect size and design for children looking to win smaller prizes and sweets. With the option for three players to play at the same time, Rocket Launch is a game of timing and skill, where players must pick the right moment to help move the prizes off the rotating bed and into the payout tray, whilst the game also functions as a striking centre-piece without the need for a big space on the arcade floor. JNC have also added to their strong range of cranes, supplementing the popular Crazy Toy and Telephone Box ranges with Dream Castle, a bold five player pink crane, and Mini House, a miniature two player crane that comes available in different cabinet colours. Dream Castle is a unique five player crane that features a range of different cabinet sizes and claw options to offer operators the chance to engage with the whole family, whilst also featuring an attractive topflash and a video monitor for heightened interaction. Mini House is a top-performing mini crane that stands at just 61cm wide x 41cm deep, so is a must-have item to squeeze into those smaller spaces. The crane can offer prizes up to 8cm and comes with a range of game modes, claw power and motor speeds to allow for straight-forward set-up and configuration. Recognising their customers need for low-outgoings but high-income equipment, JNC are pleased to re-launch Martian Madness, a stunning five-player round pusher that has proven its worth as a top-performing ticket or cash-only pusher. With new cabinet artwork, improved LED lighting, and more accessible glass panels to complement its unique spinning UFO-style topflash, Martian Madness boats a small footprint at just 1.5m wide without compromising on its visual appeal and customer engagement. Dino Land and Raiders are the latest models in JNC’s successful range of min ball-shooters, a collection that has allowed operators to offer children high-value shooting-style redemption games (ticket/capsule payout) at less than £1,995 for the two player models and just £1,195 for the one player games. Giant Prize Pod Pro continues to be the top-performing redemption game available, with its success over the last 18 months built on its highly-visible giant prize in the colourful cabinet and simple gameplay. Players simply have to time the cutting of the string to release the giant prize and they win it! The latest models come with updated lighting and a desirable mercy ticket option that will keep players happy even if the big prize illudes them! In addition to their new lines, the JNC warehouse continues to house tried and trusted amusement machines, from used video games and coin pushers to sports games and kiddie rides. JNC are able to send images of all products in stock, and furthermore can send videos of the machines once they have been through the workshop process, ensuring every item is site-ready and supported with a dedicated aftersales team and individual parts warranty. To book a visit to the JNC warehouse and to see their workshop in action, or to see their full range of machines, call 0117 938 2552 or visit www.jnc-sales.co.uk
Holiday Resort Daycations Will Overtake Staycations In 2021
World of Rides, the longest established U.K. family-owned manufacturer and distributor of Children’s Rides celebrated its 50th Anniversary during 2019, and in addition to their world-beating seventy-two model range of 12v and 24v battery rides, they are also the official UK distributors for many other award-winning themed ranges of 240v static children’s rides too! They are also UK’s leading source of ready-made themed battery ride attractions for the holiday resorts industry, such as Bumper Boat and Bumper Aqua-Ball pools, Bumper Car tracks and Bumper-Ball pitches, Go-Kart tracks and Jurassic-Adventure trails, as well as Driving Schools and many others! Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, many of the UK’s leading holiday park and holiday resort owners and operators have already been placing their orders for 2021 ever since November 2020, for pollution free battery ride attractions, knowing that however short the season turns out to be for 2021, their attractions will almost certainly still achieve pay-back plus a profit, based upon their past-experience of World of Rides attractions! The Government has already stated that it is their intention that the current lockdown will begin to be eased as quickly as possible, and the Bank of England have predicted that the public have saved around £250 billion during lockdown to spend on their leisure pursuits… which if they enjoy them, will result in them returning for even more UK daycations and holidays in future years too! With all UK holiday hotels and holiday parks announcing being almost fully booked already, and with many millions of holidaymakers still being hesitant about taking holiday accommodation this early after the pandemic, then millions of holiday visitors with millions of pounds to spend between them are going to descend on all UK holiday resorts this year, hoping to find new attractions to entertain and amuse them… more especially since the weather is also forecast to be wonderfully hot and sunny! All World of Rides attractions are brimming with CE, TUV, and UK HSE-BACTA-ADIPS safety features as well as all the latest digital sound effects, LED lighting and rugged GRP bodywork attract features… and they constantly remain high on the wish-lists of some of the leisure industries leading buyers and operators! You can view a small sample range of their rides at their website, which is also currently being updated: www.worldofrides.com Thank You! Please contact David Robinson on david@worldofrides.com
LPG CYLINDER MONITORING with Clesse CompacTi
A complete remote LPG cylinder monitoring system. CompacTi uses intelligent algorithms within its patented design to optimise LPG cylinder contents usage, saving money and time via the Android or iOS Smart application, GSM and IoT. Caravan owners, have you ever had the frustration of running out of gas when you least expect it while in your holiday home? Fleet hire managers, fed up of time-consuming checks spending hours on park physically shaking cylinders to see if there is any gas left? Caravan owners, and park operators now have the option to monitor their own LPG cylinders from the comfort of the holiday home, and drive/walk by mass collection in minutes respectively with the new Clesse CompacTi device and mobile app. How does CompacTi work? With unique gas optimisation built into every device, the app will alert when the usable contents of LPG cylinders have been exhausted, to be sure you are getting more gas than ever from your cylinders. By just looking at the red flag in the window of the changeover, doesn’t always mean the cylinder is entirely empty, whereby, using the CompacTi app helps confirm the optimum point to get it replaced. Upgrade standard changeover regulators with the addition of the new CompacTi electronic device, and download the Clesse application, users will benefit from a hybrid electronic system that offers Bluetooth cylinder monitoring and CIesse Integrated Intelligence (CII). CII is an inbuilt gas optimisation feature as standard, further enhancing capability to assist in using all the possible remaining gas in the cylinders, with a further option to increase optimisation by reprogramming default settings with kW load, cylinder quantity and size. Using the icons seen in the app, will tell the user in the view screen what status the device is based on the unique algorithms which calculate the optimum time to display when the cylinder is empty. Not only can fleet customers holidaying in letting homes be confident their gas will not run out during their stay, but a complete free service using “See ACO status” can show how many cylinders around the site on private owner’s holiday homes have run out of gas too, and allow site managers planning cylinder purchases from the supplier for when they arrive to order their gas Check out this link to the Clesse website where CII is explained in more detail: https://www.clesse.co.uk/compacti/cii-2/ Are there more benefits to using CompacTi? Other than the money saving gas optimisation, here are more features and benefits of using the system Fleet hire managers No more shaking cylinders and emergency customer cylinder requests Reduce the time spent out on park exchanging cylinders Install more than one CompacTi device on a single account, and monitor all fleet hire stock Use in app “View” to see devices installed on the account Free “Site Scan”, go and find the cylinders to exchange. Walk or drive by, at a safe distance and improve efficiency Filter the results of collected readings on the app and sort to help you manage collecting many devices in one go Minimise customer contact with park site staff …and for a small upgrade fee per device, increased features can be unlocked: Allow Multiple users using a single park account to multi ”Site Scan” at the same time to harvest Cylinder status of fleet stock “Site Scan” data from multiple users can be downloaded from server for site cylinder manager to press a button to send to e-mail Trace unread items to capture full portfolio of devices if there have been any missed during data harvesting. Receive Gas orders directly from the App on Owners mobile devices directly to e-mail inbox Improve back-office efficiency to plan cylinder exchanges programme combining harvested fleet data and owners Order Gas mails Ask your distributor for details of how to Purchase CompacTi Caravan Owners Put yourself in control of your cylinder supply, using technology and convenience Personalise, with the property name, plot number, address and installation characteristics, such as how many cylinders each side, how many kilowatts is the holiday home demanding etc…. Monitor via Bluetooth in your own holiday home on the mobile app, and stop run outs and emergency deliveries. No worries about if your cylinder is empty/full/part full. Take the guess work away See the latest device status live on the app Let the app give you the optimum time to change the cylinder, potential savings and convenience all in one Send your gas order to the site office through the app, minimising site contact The app will even alert you by e-mail after 5 days if you haven’t logged in and checked your cylinders. …and for an upgrade fee per device, increased features can be unlocked Take the GSM or IoT versions and monitor your device from anywhere in the world with mobile data or wifi connection to the server Great for the subletters, and those with thermostats who just want to keep the place cosy for arrival. Your site manager can still use their free “See ACO status” service and check for you in case they need to order a cylinder for when you get there Ask your park site manager for details of how to purchase these devices Setup couldn’t be easier! Full instruction booklet and warranty card are provided with every device, and within 5 minutes the CompacTi will be up and running and ready to monitor devices. The instructions can be viewed on the website, along with our handy how to videos section worthy of a watch too, to see how the system can work for you. Instructions link “How to” videos link Where to buy CompacTi? You can check first if you already have a compatible CompacTR800 OPSO changeover, which have been on sale since June 2020. You will need one of these for the installation to work. Our FAQ section can answer your question on the CompacTi website. www.clesse.co.uk/compacti If in doubt, get in touch with us at the office and we can point you in the right direction. Tel:
Woodberry – Outdoor Furniture, Gazebos and Decking
Woodberry is a family-run company based in Leamington Spa specialising in manufacturing and supplying Outdoor Furniture, Gazebos and Decking to Hospitality and Education venues. We have over 15 years’ experience of supplying the hospitality industry with good quality, hard wearing, value for money outdoor furniture. We listen to our customers and work with them to design and develop outdoor solutions that are good for business and their customers’ experience. During 2020, we extended our range to now offer Outdoor Gazebos and Decking which enables venues to extend their outdoor hospitality season by providing weatherproof solutions. Our top recommendations for Holiday Parks Outdoor Furniture Our best selling furniture for Holiday Parks includes; Picnic Tables Ideal for communal hospitality areas, choose from circular, rectangular and square picnic tables seating from 2 to 8 people. Made from FSC® Certified wood or Recycled Plastic. Table & Chairs Sets Ideal for individual decks or café areas, we recommend easy to clean Plastic & Aluminium Atlantique Range Tables & Chairs or Harbury Range Value Hardwood Tables & Chairs Table & Bench Sets For sites that need secure, really hard wearing furniture. Gabion rock filled Tables & Benches look great and are heavy for windswept locations or Castle Range Wooden Tables & Benches can be ground fixed for additional security Outdoor Sofas For decks or communal lounge and bar areas, synthetic commercial-grade rattan or hard wearing FSC® Certified wood Outdoor Sofas, Armchairs and Coffee Tables are recommended Benches For simply sitting and enjoying the view, Teak, Pine and Recycled Plastic Benches are available in a variety of lengths. Plaques or engraving is available for memorial benches Litter Bins For tidy communal areas we offer a range of Litter Bin designs made from FSC® Certified wood or Recycled Plastic Parasols and Accessories Provide shade with our commercial-grade Parasols available in 3 sizes and 6 colours. Parasol printing available. Parasol Bases, Outdoor Heaters and Planters finish your outdoor areas Gazebos Weather proof your outdoor communal areas to extend your outdoor hospitality. Our range of FSC® Certified wood and metal gazebos are available in a range of sizes to fit your space from 3m to 7m. Talk to us about what would work best for you, we can offer bespoke solutions. We also offer 6-seater dining cabins to provide a weather proof, private dining experience for guests. Fit with wall mounted outdoor heaters for extra guest comfort. Decking We now offer Millboard®. Decking boards, Fascias and Edging for a complete deck solution. Millboard® is made from poly resin, hand moulded from beautiful wooden planks. It offers all the beauty and detail of wood grain but with none of the pitfalls. Millboard® is weatherproof, rot, algae, warp and split resistant. It comes with high anti-slip ratings. For commercial use it comes with a 5-year structural guarantee (if installed to Millboard® guidelines). We offer Millboard® in 4 colours of Enhanced Grain board; Golden Oak, Smoked Oak, Coppered Oak and Brushed Basalt. Talk to our team about your requirements and for installation guidance. We would be delighted to talk to you about your requirements and our expert team can advise what might work best for your business and guest. Call us on 01926 889922 or visit our website. www.woodberry.co.uk/holidayparks
