Major acquisition for North Devon holiday park group
North Devon based holiday park group, John Fowler Holidays has announced its acquisition of Llanrhidian Holiday Park, one of Wales’ largest parks. The move will make John Fowler one of the principal privately-owned holiday park groups in the country. Llanrhidian Holiday Park, on the Gower Peninsula, an area of outstanding natural beauty, was previously owned by the Richards family for more than 27 years. John Fowler Holidays managing director Martyn Fowler said: “We are delighted to have been able to add Llanrhidian to our business, it forms an important part of our planned expansion. It has been a pleasure to work with a family with a similar ethos to ours during this process and we are looking forward to continuing their excellent work as we take the park forward.” Ollie Fowler head of development for the group, added “We intend to add further parks in exceptional locations in the future but it will be hard to beat the beauty of the Gower Peninsular.” John Fowler now operates 12 holiday parks throughout North Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Wales. The growing company was awarded three major tourism accolades in the last year including best holiday park in Somerset. John Fowler sales director Cathie Higgs said: “Over the past few years we have seen record growth in demand for UK holidays, particularly for luxury accommodation. Expanding into Wales was a natural progression for us in offering outstanding locations for holidays.”
Holidays just got greener as caravan park harnesses the power of the sun!
One of the North Wales coast’s ‘greenest’ caravan parks has just become even more eco-friendly after harnessing the area’s famous sunshine to help power its mobile homes – and save themselves money in the process. Energy experts Hafod Renewables have just installed an 86-panel solar array at the Ty Gwyn Caravan Park, at Towyn, Abergele, where the Owen family have been welcoming visitors since 1938. The third generation of the family, brother and sister Rhodri and Angharad, have been stepping up their ‘green’ credentials with renewable electricity tariffs and recycling policies and the new £23,000 system will save them over £4,000 a year and pay for itself within six years. Hafod Renewables Managing Director David Jones is at the UK’s largest holiday park show, the Holiday Park and Resort Innovation 2019, at the NEC in Birmingham this week to bang the drum for renewable energy in the tourism industry and to showcase the Ty Gwyn project. He said: “We want to try and educate the holiday park sector that there are cleaner, more sustainable and cheaper ways to provide electricity for their sites. “This makes sense for sites like Ty Gwyn because they’re busy from Easter through to Halloween which are also the sunniest and warmest months of the year. “Here at Ty Gwyn they also have a number of buildings with roofs suitable for solar panels and so the new system is spread over five different buildings and generates 34.4 kilowatts of electricity which is enough to run eight homes and easily tops up their mains supply.” It’s a perfect solution for Rhodri who had been faced with rising electricity costs, increasing demand and possible supply issues on the park which is just yards from the beach at Towyn. He said: “We are very proud of our green credentials and are delighted to have been able to work with Hafod Renewables. “As a high consumer of energy, part of our green drive is to move all our electric to cleaner energy sources and alongside the solar, we have also switched our mains electricity contract to a green tariff. “Our customers have an increasing awareness of green issues and are looking to exceed their expectations on this. “Our Swn Y Mor Restaurant and Bar uses local suppliers, recycles and avoids single use plastics and we hope to have an electric car charging station soon. “If the scheme performs as we expect it will, we plan in time to add more solar panels here.” David Jones set up Hafod Renewables with his father, Richard, in Denbigh in 2011 and the award-winning £1.5 million turnover firm now operates from new off-grid headquarters in Tremeirchion. He said: “There is no subsidy support provided any more for solar schemes but as the cost of solar panels have come down, their efficiency has risen so solar power is still very competitive and in the long-term it will be cheaper than fossil-fuel or even nuclear generated power. “It works very well for businesses which have plenty of roof space and we have fitted systems to dairy farms and even a bakery and although Ty Gwyn doesn’t have a single large roof it has plenty of buildings which are suitable. “This solution made sense for them economically because putting in a solar system reduces their reliance on the grid and means they don’t have to start up their backup diesel generator. “As people run more and more electrical appliances I think a lot of holiday parks will find themselves close to the limit like them so renewable solutions make sense. “This system will pay for itself within six years but it has a 25-year lifespan so that adds up to almost 20 years of free electricity. “It should even be possible to fit panels to the roofs of caravans which could potentially provide the site with all the power it needs at some stage in the future.” Hafod Renewables installed their first system in July 2010 and since then they have fitted over 10,000 solar panels, stacked end on end they would tower over 29,028 foot Mount Everest. In the past 12 months they have provided solar systems for 68 customers, including businesses like Henllan Bakery in Denbigh, dairy farms and even the world’s oldest heritage railway, the Talyllyn, where although Welsh steam coal is still king, solar is now playing its part. They have also installed over 73 air-source systems and over 30 ground-source systems with a 16,000 hen egg producer and the North Wales Wildlife Trust among their customers. David added: “In just a few years almost everyone will be driving electric cars and by then most of our power will be produced by solar, wind, tidal and other renewables. “Renewable energy isn’t a Cinderella-style operation any more. It’s a real contender and one with a better, cheaper long-term future than fossil-fuel or even nuclear generated power.” For more on Hafod Renewables go to https://www.hafodrenewables.co.uk/
Wales park brings medical lifeline to local community
Staff and the family owners of a mid Wales park were joined this month by local village residents for a training session in vital life-saving skills. It followed the recent installation on Warren Parc in Powys of a defibrillator, bought by the family-owned business following a series of successful fundraising events. Led by volunteers from the Welsh Hearts charity, the session showed how the new equipment could be used to save the life of a person suffering cardiac arrest.Available to holiday guests and the local community, the fully automated unit provides simple audio instructions which allow its use even by those with no medical experience. Julia Warren-Kyle, co-owner of Warren Parc, said the defibrillator could make a crucial difference, especially in summer when busier roads could delay the arrival of an ambulance. The park was helped in raising the £1000 cost of the equipment by owners of the 100 holiday caravans and lodges who attended the fetes and other special events staged over the past year: “The equipment is, of course, something which we hope will never be needed – but we are mindful of its life-saving potential, especially in a remote rural area,” said Julia, a former nurse. “Sudden cardiac arrest is a major killer in Britain, and a close-at-hand defibrillator on the park could dramatically increase a person’s life chances. “It will be available round-the-clock on the park to anybody living in or visiting the area, and will help to give everyone peace of mind,” she added. Julia is helped in the running of the park by her husband Neil, and it first started welcoming guests over 45 years ago after being established by Julia’s parents Ivan and Elizabeth. Based in the picture-postcard Dovey Valley near the market town of Machynlleth, the ten-acre park is just a short drive from some of Wales’s finest sandy beaches. The family’s care of the natural world has been praised by botanist David Bellamy who once again this year presented the park with his prestigious Conservation Award at its top gold level. Professor Bellamy made special mention of the many wild flowers and other high pollen-rich blooms which provide vital foraging for honey bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Helping to make Warren Parc as welcoming to wildlife as it is to human guests is groundsman Trefor Davies who first joined the park 30 years ago straight from a local school. Trefor’s dedication and hard work were celebrated at the recent medical training session with the presentation to him by the family of an Exceptional Service Award. The award is the highest honour given to outstanding park personnel by the British Holiday & Home Parks Association, the park industry’s professional body. Trefor lives in the nearby village of Penegoes with his wife Shelly, and is an enthusiastic volunteer with the Corris Vintage Steam Railway, Wales’s oldest narrow gauge railway. There is more information about Warren Parc on its website at www.warrenparc.co.uk
WPL wins holiday park wastewater contract
Wastewater treatment specialist WPL has won a contract to provide onsite wastewater treatment at a holiday park in Cornwall. The underground installation at Juliots Well in North Cornwall will replace the existing septic tank and includes a WPL HiPAF (high performance aerated filter) modular treatment plant. Civil engineering specialist Aqua-Tech Consultancy made the initial contact with WPL and together the parties arranged a client visit to see a similar installation at Home Farm Holiday Centre in Somerset. The new 1,230 population equivalent system will process up to 181m3 wastewater per day without impeding on the site’s sweeping views of the Cornish landscape. WPL’s technical director, Andrew Baird, said, “WPL has a strong track record in providing wastewater treatment for sensitive locations where integration with the landscape and the expectations of visitors are top priorities. “We are very pleased with this contract win, which will meet the needs of this stunning site now and into the future as visitor numbers increase. We are already working in close collaboration with the client and consultant to understand the specific needs of Juliots Well and deliver the best value whole-life cost.” Design considerations include ensuring that the stringent Environment Agency effluent discharge permit for biological oxygen demand, suspended solids and ammonia is met. The system will also accommodate variations in load as visitor numbers rise in the peak season and fall in the winter months. Juliots Well Holiday Park is a rural retreat set in 33 acres of countryside near Camelford and is owned by South West Holiday Parks, part of the Worldteam Limited group. Installation of the full treatment system is taking place at the end of the 2019 holiday season. WPL will supply three biological treatment tanks and two final settlement tanks along with a flow measurement chamber with monitoring equipment. A global system for mobile communications (GSM) will be incorporated into a special control panel covering blowers, sludge pumps and a high-level alarm. An extra-large kiosk will house the controls and will feature a flashing alarm beacon. World team Limited’s managing director Josh Donald said, “We are passionate about providing our visitors with a first-class experience, while ensuring that we minimise our impact on the landscape and the environment. “The opportunity to see a similar WPL treatment system in operation has been very helpful in visualising the project. I look forward to seeing the new system in place and serving our customers as we grow.” www.wplinternational.com
Away Resorts Unveils Plans For Outdoor Heated Pool
Get ready for a dip! Away Resorts unveils plans for stunning outdoor heated pool. The luxury pool will complete £7 million expansion and renovation plan at Tattersall Lakes Country Park holiday development Lincolnshire holidaymakers and owners will soon be able to enjoy some luxury fresh air swimming – after plans were unveiled for a stunning new outdoor heated pool at Tattershall Lakes Country Park. Work will begin soon on the £1.5+ million pool which will offer guests even more opportunities to relax and unwind from next year. The plans are the latest in a series of upgrades to take place at the popular holiday park. Earlier last month (September) parent company, Away Resorts, unveiled £5.5 million of new attractions and facilities, including an indoor Splashzone, private beach, lakeside sky bar, as well as additional spacious, contemporary Safari Tents and Camping Pods with private hot tubs. Boasting three bars, outdoor cinema sessions, mini golf, archery, a high ropes course, handy camp shop and seven lakes – including great spots for fishing and watersports – Tattershall Lakes Country Parkprides itself on being able to offer something for everyone. For younger children, supervised play sessions provide a wide range of arts, crafts and outdoor activities, while 8-12-year-olds will love trying their hand at more physical challenges with snorkelling, body zorbing and laser tag all available on the ‘My Active’ programme. Well-behaved dogs are welcome too. Just 40 minutes’ drive away from Skegness and 30 minutes’ from historic Lincoln, Tattershall Lakes is a great location for a romantic break, friends’ getaway or holiday with the family. Speaking about the multi-million pound investment, Away Resort Holiday’s Chief Executive, Carl Castledine, said it was an exciting time for the company and the region. He said: “Tattershall Lakes Country Park is one of our most popular resorts and our customers love holidaying in this wonderful part of the world. We are really proud to offer guests improved and exciting facilities. The new pool is going to be the icing on the cake and we can’t wait to be able to get it up and running. Get ready to enjoy floating entertainment and some cracking pool parties!’
Caravan Park Facilities Hit New and Improved Heights
Toilet and shower facilities on caravan parks have come a long way since the 60s and 70s. None more so than those at one of Lincolnshire’s most popular parks. Far from the draughty concrete blocks of the past, the architecturally designed shower complex at Lakeside Park, North Somercotes is more akin to a luxury spa resort or an ocean-going cruise liner. With ambient lighting, individual glass-fronted shower cubicles, back-lit mirrors, state-of-the-art fittings and climate control, the new complex must be the most advanced facility of its kind in the UK and perhaps Europe. There is also a wet room for visitors with disabilities as well as a specially designed toddler bath. The eco-friendly building was designed to blend with the landscape and is largely sustainable with ground source underfloor heating and harvested rainwater WCs. Samantha Heap, director of Don Amott Parks explained: “It’s all about giving our visitors a memorable experience and facilities that match, or even surpass, those at home. “Touring caravan and motorhomes owners do have their own basic and rather cramped facilities but at Lakeside they have the opportunity and space to pamper themselves in luxurious surrounding.” Besides the new shower complex, which cost over three quarters of a million pounds and took six-months to build, Lakeside Park prides itself on the rest of its facilities. There’s literally something for everyone, from tiny tots to grandma and granddad. It features an indoor swimming complex with sauna, solarium and steam room, a restaurant, bars, a cabaret room and a fitness suite. Outdoors there are all-weather sporting facilities including tennis, bowls, five-a-side football as well as a nine-hole golf course and a 7-acre fishing lake. The touring park at Lakeside was fully booked over the prime summer holiday months and bookings are already being taken for 2020. Lakeside Park is close to the village of North Somercotes, just 12 miles from Louth. For touring and motorhome booking or more information you can visit www.lakesidepark.co.uk
New Glamping Site in the Land of the ‘Yorkshire Vet’!
With stunning views of one of Yorkshire’s most iconic natural landmarks, Wigwam® Holidays Water Hall Farm will welcome its first guests from Monday 9th September 2019. The newest glamping site in Yorkshire includes six en-suite Running Water Deluxe Wigwam® Cabins in the village of Sutton near the market town of Thirsk. Three of the cabins have private hot tubs and one cabin is fully accessible. The site has the most incredible views of the majestic Sutton Bank and the North York Moors National Park. A family-run affair, the glamping location is set within a working farm with friendly alpacas, cheerful chickens and a cattle herd as neighbours. Co-manager James McDonald said: “We saw the Wigwam® Holidays brand at a holiday exhibition and were immediately impressed by the quality of the cabins. “We have five holiday cottages on our site and the Running Water Deluxe Cabins are an excellent addition to our accommodation portfolio in this lovely part of North Yorkshire. “We have a pub which is just a short stroll away, the Cleveland Way National Trail and Cycle Network routes close by and we have some of the most stunning landscapes in the country.” Wigwam® Holidays Water Hall Farm is open all year round and is perfect for families, couples and a group stay. James continued: “Guests will be able to see us working on our farm and tending livestock during their stay, as well as visit local attractions, of which there are plenty in the area.” Nearby attractions include the renowned Yorkshire Gliding Club, the World of James Herriot and the Sutton Bank National Park Centre, which is a short stroll from what was voted the Best View in Yorkshire by the Dalesman Magazine (2015).
BBC award winning garden moves to Lincolnshire Parks
The focal feature of an award-winning entry at the prestigious BBC Gardeners World Live show has moved to two Lincolnshire holiday home parks. The life-size wooden horse sculptures which were hand-carved by an artist in Asia are now on permanent display at Lakeside Park in North Somercotes and Whispering Waters, Mablethorpe. The ambitious show garden created by Horticulture and Construction students at Derby College Group’s Broomfield Hall won a silver merit medal at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre in June. The College teamed up with the Multiple Sclerosis Society and a range of sponsors headed by Don Amott Parks which has five Lincolnshire holiday parks. Key features of the garden, including the spectacular wooden horses, have now been rebuilt at Lakeside Park. Chairman, Don Amott said: “Having lost a cousin to Multiple Sclerosis, I was particularly keen to work alongside the MS Society on this project. It is a charity that is close to my heart. “I also wanted to demonstrate how highly we value horticulture skills at all of our five parks and the continued importance of attention-to-detail and creativity in today’s leisure industry.” Derby College Horticulture lecturer Mike Baldwin has 25 years’ experience of creating competition show gardens with students at Broomfield Hall. He said: “We were obviously delighted to have won such a prestigious medal for our most ambitious garden yet. “Around 70 students in the Horticulture and Construction academies have been involved in the design and build and we have had great feedback from both the judges and visitors. “We were delighted to have worked alongside the Derby branch of the MS Society and Don Amott Parks who have so generously supported us and who will ensure that ‘The Revelation Garden’ continues to be enjoyed for many years to come. Lakeside Park is close to the village of North Somercotes, just 12 miles from Louth. For more information you can visit www.donamottparks.com
New modern amenities block opens at award-winning Cornish holiday park
A top-quality new amenities block featuring modern underfloor heating has just opened for campers at Cornwall’s award-winning Pentewan Sands Holiday Park. The block has been specially designed for the resort in Mevagissey Bay by Cornwall-based architects, The Bazeley Partnership, and its design reflects the high standards of the five-star holiday park. Pentewan Sands offers 131 holiday homes in addition to well-maintained grass pitches for camping, caravans and motor homes. Most homes enjoy stunning sea views. Already in use by campers at the park, the new facilities replace an outdated toilet and shower block and are fitted with solar panels to boost the park’s eco-friendly credentials. Natural ventilation and daylight is provided by high-level glazing around the building. Nicole Murray, Marketing and Sales Manager for Pentewan Sands Holiday Park, said: “Our new amenities block is bang up to date with modern facilities as well as being eco-friendly. The underfloor heating will be more comfortable for guests, particularly during the colder months, and the PV solar panels will not only generate renewable energy to help power the toilet block, but will also help to power the park itself. “We hope that our fantastic new amenities space will be welcomed and used by families for years to come.” The changing and amenities facility includes four private family rooms and two accessible family rooms, which are each equipped with a toilet, basin and a walk-in shower, as well as male and female changing areas, each with three large showers, toilet facilities, changing benches and mirrors. There are also two external showers and a washing up area to the rear. The new toilet block joins a number of other high quality amenities blocks situated around the park. Pentewan Sands is also home to top-notch leisure, eating and entertainment facilities, including leisure venue The Seahorse, which includes two swimming pools, soft play zone, a restaurant and an amusement arcade.
