Mature Planting – Call In The Experts For Instant Results
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. 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 years, the Yorkshire-grown stock is guaranteed to be hardy and free from imported pests and diseases. 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. For further information contact one of the experienced horticulturalists at enquiries@wykeham.co.uk tel 01723 862406 OR see www.wykehammatureplants.co.uk
Strongarm Tactics To Combat Online Fraud?
A new process for handling online card payments could soon stop customer purchases if traders don’t comply with the new rules. Adam Bernstein explains the change. Online fraud is huge and according to Finextra Research, between 2017 and 2018, £4.1bn was stolen as a result of this type of theft. And to illustrate how personal the problem is, the firm quotes a survey commissioned by comparethemarket.com of 2,000 UK adults which showed that 22% of those surveyed were defrauded in the last year this way. Europe has, for some time, been worried about the problem of card fraud and a new process known as Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) made under the Revised Directive on Payment Services (PSD2) will eventually be in place. Originally set for 14 September, in common with other EU states, the UK has postponed introduction for 18 months to give firms more time to prepare. SCA is going to affect how the trade sells online. SCA is to all intents and purposes an extra layer of security designed to prevent payment fraud. It ensures that online card transactions become more secure through “multi-factor authentication” – a second check to demonstrate that both the transaction and card holder are genuine. The aim of SCA is to be the ‘chip and pin’ of the online world; and rather like chip and pin, SCA will apply to transactions over a certain value – €30. But while SCA targets the online transaction, Mark Nelsen, Senior Vice President, Risk and Authentication Products at card processor Visa, says that banks and merchants may also need to regularly check that contactless payments are made by the correct cardholder too – by asking for a PIN. “This,” he says, “might occur after a contactless card has been tapped five times in succession, or when €150 has been spent using only contactless taps.” As to how it’ll work, SCA could mean any one of numerous authentication methods such as an online PIN or password, a device that only the cardholder can authenticate – say a smartphone, or a biometric trait such as a fingerprint or facial recognition that is clearly very personal. SCA is going to mean a marked change to how firms sell online and how an estimated 420m customers in Europe – including the UK – buy at a distance. And for some there are worries that this extra layer of protection will add unnecessary complexity which will irritate customers who subsequently abandon their ‘shopping carts’ part way through the buying process – leading to lost sales. Just as the GDPR revolutionised how data protection is managed and individuals access their information, so SCA is going to change how retail works. What is PSD2? As the name suggests, PSD2 is an update on the original Payment Services Directive (PSD) that was brought into force in 2007. Its stated goals were for a single market for payments with easier and more efficient cross border payments so that it mattered not if a payment was made to another within the same member state or to a party in a different member state. PSD2 expands on PSD by permitting third parties to access an individual’s account information via the ‘Open Banking’ protocol; enhancing consumer rights, especially in relation to currency charges; and enhancing card holder security via SCA. Why now? Change was clearly needed. According to a UK Finance report in 2018, UK Payment Markets , in 2017 there were 3.1bn credit card payments – an increase on the previous year of 13%. The same report reckons that by 2027 there will be 3.9bn credit card payments a year. In comparison, there were 13.2bn debit card payments in 2017 (up 14% on the previous year) and 2027 could see some 19.7bn debit card payments. And with rising levels of card use come increasing risks of fraud. The European Central Bank, in its Fifth report on card fraud, published September 2018, found that that cards issued within Europe saw fraudulent transactions to the tune of €1.8bn in 2016 and that 73% of that sum related to card not present transactions. That said, it’s worth noting that not everyone is in favour of SCA. In 2016, card processor Visa argued that the new process would risk disrupting online shopping while not necessarily increasing security . The point is well made from its perspective as its fortune naturally depends on transaction volume. Changes online businesses need to make Compliance with the new regime is mandatory. There will be no exceptions and if the online trader doesn’t comply then all transactions will be automatically declined by the cardholder’s bank when they attempt to make a purchase. Further, by not planning ahead and developing authentication processes that offer the least friction to consumers traders could see huge falls in sales as consumers switch off and march with their feet. Considering that, according to Ecommerce Europe in its European Ecommerce Report 2018 Edition, the European business to consumer online economy is worth around €602bn in 2018 (up from €307bn in 2013), if only 10% of consumers – let alone a potential 25% that could walk – abandon a transaction because of complexity or irritation then firms stand to lose huge sums. But with new rules comes opportunity – a chance for firms to market themselves to customers as both being secure and trustworthy as well as having the simplest way possible of complying with the new rules. Of course, consumers want protection, but in today’s modern world, they also want simplicity and they want it now. The rollout won’t be easy. While EU demands compliance, every member state will see different interpretations of PSD2. Whether that’s from the banks, card issuers or central bank, there will be differences. On top of this there is the €30 exemption to take into account. Clearly then, the first step for any online trader is to set their systems to recognise when transactions need to abide by SCA (because they are above the €30 threshold) or when
Hot tubs are great for business!
Having a hot tub as part of a holiday accommodation package is becoming more of a requirement, than an optional extra, as holidaymakers have become more aware of the joy of being in warm water, with the proven lifestyle and health benefits of exercise and hydrotherapy. The interest in hot tubs has proliferated, and they have become a very popular internet search term, so investing in them should assist you to increase your bookings and therefore your revenue! It is essential to plan the layout of the hot tubs and to get any relevant permissions from the applicable planning authority/ environment agency. Having the right equipment and the correct water hygiene management and maintenance regimes in place is also vital. Inferior quality products can wreak havoc with your business and will not only inconvenience your customers but could potentially be a court case waiting to happen! Equally important is to know your responsibilities for looking after the equipment and having copies of essential industry publications. Rather than having to look for the information from a variety of sources, the best place to access this type of information is through BISHTA. BISHTA provides their members with a dedicated online members’ resource, with access to documents such as the BISHTA Standards, Marketing Toolkits, Members Factsheets and Workforce Development opportunities. Through technological developments, many hot tubs now come with an immense amount of features, such as; hydromassage jets, therapeutic lounge seats for full body massage, directional jets, ambient mood lighting, glass touchscreen controls systems, waterfalls and some even come with wifi. Some hot tubs have a mobile phone app to control the hot tub from anywhere and make sure it is ready at the optimum temperature when your guests arrive. With so much choice available, it can get a little confusing when you are looking to purchase your first business hot tub, especially with the boundaries of HSG282 to take into account. Good news! BISHTA offers an invaluable source of information to find the right dealer or a particular brand. Purchasing from a BISHTA member is your assurance of buying with confidence. You will be able to buy from a hot tub dealer who is; knowledgeable of British and European standards. Trained in all aspects of hot tub safety and water hygiene and who are signed up to a published code of ethics, and sells safe and reputable products from respected sources (which comply with industry standards) and who back their products with comprehensive warranties, maintenance plans and high levels of customer service. To take a step closer to adding a great new feature to your business, visit www.bishta.co.uk BISHTA – British and Irish Spa and Hot Tub Association E: admin@bishta.co.uk T: +44 01264 356211 www.bishta.co.uk
Caravan show moves from Hull to Harrogate
The oldest event in the caravan exhibitions calendar is to move to a new location in September next year as the Caravan show moved from Hull to Harrogate. After 44 years in the grounds of the University of Hull at The Lawns in Cottingham, the trade and public exhibitions featuring the majority of the industry’s manufacturers will in future be held at the Yorkshire Event Centre, home of the enormous Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate. Next year’s public show – the Caravan, Motorhome and Holiday Home Expo 2020 – will be held over three days, rather than the traditional two, from Friday to Sunday 11th to 13th September, followed by the trade show on the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 14th-16th September. The exhibition is run by a group of Yorkshire-based caravan manufacturers, HERCMA – which, along with many other companies in the industry, uses the annual event to launch its new season’s models. A spokesman for the group said the move to the much larger site would enable many more exhibitors to be accommodated as well as increase the scope of the show with, in particular, plenty of room for motorhomes. “We see this change as a tremendous and exciting opportunity to make the event even bigger and better within the extensive and attractive grounds of the Yorkshire Event Centre,” he said. “We wanted the event to remain in Yorkshire and the move to a more central position in the country opens up a whole new catchment area, with over six million people living within an hour’s drive. “We are certain we’ll attract a substantial new audience to what will be a fantastic show in a spectacular and iconic location which is already well-known to vast numbers of people. The Great Yorkshire Show actually attracts more than 135,000 people over its three days.” More information is on www.holidayhomeexpo.com. Photo: Jane Davis
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.
