Are you aware of the risk of Legionella and other diseases?
As a holiday let owner or holiday park owner are you aware of the risk of Legionella and other potentially infectious waterborne diseases? Are you aware of your legal obligations to control and monitor these risks? Anyone can be susceptible to Legionnaires and other waterborne diseases such as pseudomonas, those most susceptible include; people aged over 45, smokers, people who drink heavily, anyone suffering from respiratory, lung or heart disease and anyone with an impaired immune system. Legionella compliance doesn’t have to be complicated, an important aspect of Legionella control in holiday lets is managing the risk during void periods. It’s important that during shut down periods water in the system is completely drained down when not in use. However, if your property is open but has been left vacant for a period longer than a few days the water could still be a risk and should be flushed thoroughly as stagnation encourages bacterial growth. Having a risk assessment in place to identify potential risks in your water system and appointing a competent person in charge of the system, who understands it’s workings and any associated equipment, is always recommended as it will help to identify any possible exposure to Legionella. Undertaking a regular programme to flush the system will also help, flushing of the system on a regular basis can reduce the risk but be wary, water that has been left sitting unused in a system may already contain potentially dangerous bacteria. Fully cleaning and opening outlets such as taps and showers and allowing them to run for several minutes on full will help to flush the system, we would always advise doing this and leaving the room to ensure any potentially dangerous air droplets are not inhaled. However, be aware showers and taps are not the only potential hazards, swimming pools, hot tubs and air conditioning units all carry their own risks as they have environmental conditions that can support the growth of legionella and other infectious diseases. Specific Health and Safety regulations apply to the upkeep of hot tubs as they present a higher risk due to their ideal breading grounds, regulations include temperature management, a well-maintained filtration system, correct chemical balance, record keeping, risk assessment and regular testing. In short, whether you own a caravan, barge, Air BnB or lodge, or you are a caravan or holiday park owner you are legally required under HSG282 and HSG274 to ensure you are fully undertaking the control of Health and Safety at your premises and this includes the control infectious waterborne diseases. Here at SAS Water, we are experts in water control, we are passionate about educating people on the risks involved and what your legal requirements are. So, whether you require training for your employees on the requirements, a risk assessment of your system, sampling of your water, or you would like to speak to us about your obligations then get in touch today at info@saswater.co.uk www.saswater.co.uk or call 01335347058. If you would like to regsiter your interest in our FREE upcoming webinars happening throughtout the year please click here.
Rosneath Castle extends season due to demand
Rosneath Castle Park will be opening its doors for the first time for Christmas and New Year breaks with unbelievable prices starting from just £9 per person per night. Due to popular demand Rosneath Castle Park are extending their season to incorporate december, including Christmas and New Year so guests can enjoy the festivities in one of the most beautiful areas of Scotland. Guarantee the best start to 2024 by waking up on Christmas morning or New Years Day to the glistening wintery waters of Gareloch, stretching out as far as the eye can see, and be mesmerised by the snow-capped hills that surround this idyllic park. Enjoy some spectacular walks in crisp, fresh, Scottish air with walking routes starting at the entrance to the park. Indulge in some delicious Scottish food and drink in the on-site Castle Isle Bar and Restaurant (Christmas/New Year opening hours apply). The park also has a large, secure, outdoor play area, perfect for the little ones to run off some of their excitement, indoor soft play area, on-site shop (Christmas/New Year opening hours apply), and a laundrette. The park is a few minutes’ drive from the village of Rosneath where you can find a supermarket and a hand full of takeaways and restaurants, with many delivering directly to your caravan. Breaks Stay on Friday 22nd December for 7-nights in a Loch View 3-bedroom caravan (sleeps 8) from £9 per person per night (price based on 8 people staying). Stay on Friday 29th December for 7-nights in a Loch View 3-bedroom caravan (sleeps 8) from £12 per person per night (price based on 8 people staying). Stay on Saturday 23rd December for 7-nights in a Gareloch 2-bedroom caravan (sleeps 6) from £12 per person per night (price based on 6 people staying). Stay on Saturday 30rd December for 7-nights in a Loch View 2-bedroom caravan (sleeps 6) from £12 per person per night (price based on 6 people staying). To book a great value festive break, visit www.rosneathcastle.co.uk Ends For press enquiries contact Tracy Roberts – 07856 33760
Divide and conquer! Why leisure sites should plant hedges
With so many demands on time and budgets, why should leisure sites plant hedges? Aside from the obvious functional and ecological benefits there are also sound commercial reasons. As all successful operators know, a holiday park business cannot rely solely on their location or the surrounding countryside and must provide attractive, functional spaces to make their site a destination in itself. Failing to understand the business need for well-maintained outdoor spaces, especially in failing to see them through the eyes of your customers, will lead to poor budgetary decisions and missed opportunities – and failing to understand the conditions on site prior to planting may lead to costly mistakes. Around the British countryside, solid screening and shelter has traditionally been provided by hedgerows. These provide a haven for wildlife and absorb CO2 from the air (helping to combat climate change). From a more practical stand-point, hedging makes sense as it doesn’t require planning permission, is far less likely to blow down than a fence and provides better security as it is harder to climb over. It absorbs sound, often cutting down noise far better than a solid screen such as a fence or wall, and rather than having to be replaced every few years, such as is invariably the case with fencing, a hedge can outlive its owner! If varieties are carefully chosen, maintaining a hedge does not need to be hard work or require as frequent pruning as some may think. You can choose plants to provide different functions in different parts of your site, including those that will make the hedges a real feature of your site. Traditionally, when planting a hedge you’d use small bare root plants of no more than about 12-18 inches tall and wait 5 – 10 years for them to grow enough to produce a decent hedge. This is of course still the obvious option for areas where there is little urgency and where budgets are limited but for important site improvements, to quickly add privacy and security, or simply just to add a “wow” factor to key areas you’re rarely going to want to have to wait that long, so planting more instant solutions need to be an available option. One of the main reasons that Leylandii conifers became so popular is because it makes a good, dense hedge very quickly. However, in terms of its wildlife value, it’s pretty sterile (some might even say damaging), not to mention the problems of when people don’t maintain them. Many people plant Leylandii because they want a 6ft or more hedge quickly but don’t realise that there are other options to achieve quick and effective results. For instance, for a solid evergreen hedge, Laurel is a good choice where the conditions are appropriate as it grows 2-3ft per year but only needs clipping once a year. Heavy Laurel blocks, properly trimmed on the nursery, can instantly provide a solid 6ft hedge for screening and security but, if for whatever reason it’s allowed to get too big, it can be cut hard back and it will regrow from stumps if necessary. There are numerous other plants that could be used for “instant” hedging, such as Portuguese Laurel, Yew, Eleagnus, Privet, Photinia and other evergreens, Hawthorn or holly for a more traditional country hedge, or for an “everbrown” hedge you can get big plants of Beech or Hornbeam (Hornbeam is particularly useful on heavy clay soil prone to being soggy in winter where no evergreen hedging options would thrive). You could even use plants more often used as individual ornamental specimens, like Forsythia, Weigela and so on to make a really attractive informal flowering hedge. The only limit to hedging really is your imagination but remember to use the basic principals of plant selection in choosing the right plant for the conditions as well as for the function and appearance. A conversation with staff at Wykeham to discuss your requirements will help you to select the ideal hedging options for your needs and for the conditions on site. Call in the experts for instant results: With decades of experience in supplying the holiday park industry, as well as expert horticultural knowledge and advice, Wykeham Mature Plants are experts in supplying instant transformations tailored to the site conditions and to the requirements of your business. Supplying the trade with high quality large trees, specimen shrubs, instant hedging and screening plants for over forty five years, Wykeham Mature Plants spans 150 acres of nursery, located in a frost pocket ten miles from Scarborough; the Yorkshire-grown stock is guaranteed to be hardy and free from imported pests and diseases. Wykeham Mature Plants is also certified under the Planty Healthy nursery scheme so customers can rest assured that the highest levels of biosecurity are maintained. Nationwide delivery is available, and for sites located within a hundred miles or so from the nursery, site visits are available to provide consultations on your site and, if required, a professional and guaranteed expert planting service to help give your scheme the best possible start. With Wykeham Mature Plants you can buy time, the most valuable commodity. Mature planting provides instant impact and maturity to key areas, shelter to exposed areas and, perhaps most useful of all, privacy and security to give both you and your customers peace of mind. Utilising the expert advisory services will ensure that your planting scheme will be carefully selected and of guaranteed quality and, with all of the information supplied regarding ongoing care and maintenance, you can be sure that your investment will grow and thrive. Wykeham Mature Plants can be found within the Estate walled gardens adjacent to the main house of Wykeham Abbey, signposted from the A170 approximately ten miles west of Scarborough (open Mon – Fri 9.30am to 4.00pm). For further information, call 01723 862406 or visit www.wykehammatureplants.co.uk. Alternatively, to discuss site visits and planting services (for sites located within a hundred miles or so from the nursery) email m.howe@wykeham.co.uk .
