New Luxury Holiday Cottages Offering From Park Leisure
Park Leisure’s popular Malvern View Country and Leisure Park has boosted its luxury holiday offering with the addition of five beautifully refurbished, stone-built cottages. In a courtyard setting, surrounded by rolling countryside and access to five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the cottages are perfect for couples and families, or can be booked together for larger groups. Positioned opposite the park’s newly-refurbished lounge and coffee bar, hot meals and drinks are available seven days a week, ideal for breakfast or a light lunch. The luxury park is one of the most popular in Park Leisure’s 12-strong portfolio and offers a range of amenities including on-site eateries, a children’s play park, three freshwater fishing lakes, a walking trail and a deer park. Nestled in the grounds of a historic 450-year-old Elizabethan Manor House and outbuildings, the park rests in over 100 acres of magnificent farmland with walking trails that lead to incredible views of the surrounding countryside. Neil Davies, Holidays Director at Park Leisure said: “Malvern View is a truly idyllic location and these new cottages are an incredible addition to our offering at this stunning park. Less than an hour and a half away from Birmingham, these beautifully-appointed homes are an ideal base from which to explore the surrounding areas such as Queenswood Country Park, the ancient market town of Bromyard, Bringsty Common and number of National Trust Woodlands. We’re really looking forward to welcoming our first guests in the cottages and showcasing the luxury service Park Leisure are renowned for.” Would-be guests interested in experiencing life on the picturesque border between Worcestershire and Herefordshire can book your getaway in one of these beautifully-designed cottages by visiting www.cottages.com and searching ‘Malvern View Country and Leisure Park’.
New beach-fronted cabins now open at Pentewan Sands
A brand new set of luxury beach-fronted cabins are now open at Cornwall’s five-star Pentewan Sands Holiday Park – just in time for the summer holiday season. New for 2019, the Beach House pods occupy a prime position at the park, just a stone’s throw away from the sea, and offer uninterrupted views of the glorious half-mile, privately-owned beach at Pentewan Sands in Mevagissey Bay. Each Beach House can sleep up to six people, with accommodation including a flexible bedroom, twin mezzanine and sofa bed. The cabins are purpose-designed for families with an innovative, raised bunk area that is an especially fun sleeping area for children and a cleverly compact living space. Nicole Murray, Marketing and Sales Manager at Pentewan Sands Holiday Park, said:“Our new pods look really smart and are in an absolutely fantastic location, overlooking our beautiful beach here at Pentewan Sands. “The pods offer something for Cornish holidaymakers that’s just a little bit different, particularly for young families, and have already proven to be very popular with our guests. We have had some great feedback and we are thrilled with how they have been received.” The new Beach House pods are just one way to experience Pentewan Sands Holiday Park. Also available at the park are a wide range of holiday homes, and a large number of pitches for touring caravans, motorhomes or tents. As well as its own private beach and watersports on site, Pentewan Sands is home to top-notch leisure, eating and entertainment facilities, including leisure venue The Seahorse, which includes two swimming pools, a large soft play zone, a restaurant and an amusement arcade.
Famous pup experiences pet friendly stay at new holiday park in Norfolk
Insta-famous Cockerpoo Marley, who has more than 45,000 followers, has been the first four legged visitor to Darwin Escapes’ new holiday park in Pentney, Kings Lynn. The multi million pound Norfolk Woods Resort and Spa officially opened on January 11th 2019 and is home to 80 letting lodges and 38 owners’ lodges. Owner Katie and her Cockerpoo, called Marley, from Liverpool were one of the first visitors to stay at the park and experience everything Norfolk Woods has to offer in terms of facilities for both owners and their furry friends. The pair were able to get an exclusive first view of the pet friendly lodges available at the East Anglican resort and were able to explore the local area and find the best dog walks in and around the stylish and modern park. Cockerpoo Marley’s owner Katie said: “I loved how bright and fresh Norfolk Woods felt. It was incredibly spacious and so well equipped. It literally had everything you could possibly need for your stay and totally exceeded my expectations. “I loved the area, there was a large retail park around 10 mins drive from the resort but other than that you’re really out in the country, it’s so important to embrace it. I’ve never seen Cockerpoo Marley look so happy. There were so many smells for her to explore and so many squirrels to hunt down!” Norfolk isn’t Darwin Escapes’ first pet friendly park – a number of their UK holiday and ownership parks offer pet friendly accommodation. They also have a range of exclusive pet friendly facilities including a dog washing area at their Lake District holiday park, Keswick Reach Lodge Retreat which won Best in Britain at the Hoseasons Awards for the second year running in October 2018. Darwin Escapes’ pet friendly facilities can include: A welcome pack on arrival. At check-in, pets are presented with their very own mini suitcase containing dog treats, a dog bowl, poop bags and even a tennis ball. Brilliant dog-walking routes. Like most of Darwin Escapes’ 22 resorts around the country, Norfolk Woods Resort & Spa is set in gorgeous countryside. There is a woodland walk around the perimeter of the park and it is minutes from the beach and also close to the Sandringham Estate – perfect dog walking territory. Dog walkways – Hawkchurch Resort and Spa has its own woodland dog walk on park. Dog washing facilities – available at Keswick Reach Lodge Retreat only. Pet friendly lodges. If you are planning on bringing your pet on holiday with you, ask us about our dog friendly lodges when you book. Each lodge is deep cleaned on departure. Dine out with your pet. Darwin Escapes has a number of restaurants with pet friendly areas so your furry friend can eat out with you. Lindsey Esse, Managing Director of Darwin Escapes, which is headquartered in Talacre, North Wales, said: “When you’re heading on holiday, one of the most stressful things can be leaving your beloved pet behind. At Darwin Escapes, this hasn’t got to be the case. “At Darwin Escapes, we are delighted to offer luxury pet friendly holiday resorts that have been designed with both owners and pets in mind.” Lodges at Norfolk Woods Resort & Spa feature stylish kitchen facilities and dining areas, spacious bedrooms and bathrooms, large flat screen televisions and private decking areas. There are also private hot tubs, free Wi-Fi and the resort can cater for group accommodation (up to 10 people). On the site there is a luxurious spa, a tropically heated indoor swimming pool, a state-of-the-art gym and a restaurant and café as well as a refurbished on-site local convenience store. Prices to buy range from £80,000 to £190,000. Special offers are available for the first season including discounted site fees (single unit £4,996, twin unit £5,495). For more information on how you can own a pet friendly lodge on the brand new Norfolk Woods Resort and Spa please call 01760 751370. www.darwinescapes.co.uk https://www.darwinescapes.co.uk/parks/norfolk-woods-resort-spa/
Bridge Leisure comes to the rescue after Thomas Cook collapse
Twenty families, who had their holidays cancelled due to the collapse of Thomas Cook, have been given a free holiday by UK holiday park owner and operator Bridge Leisure Parks. The Milton Keynes based company posted a message on all of their parks Facebook pages this morning asking for people to tag and share the offer with any friends or families that were due to fly out with Thomas Cook this week so they could get in touch. They were able to offer a few free breaks at each of their nine UK holiday parks located across the country in Scotland, Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Devon and Cornwall. Many of the families who contacted the company were in tears when they found out they were still able to enjoy a holiday with their families. CEO for Bridge Leisure, Andrew Howe said: “We understand just how much family holidays mean to people. They can take months or even years to plan and save up for, so to find out at the last minute that your dream holiday isn’t happening is devastating. We wanted to try and do something for as many of those families as we could.” “We appreciate a UK holiday may not have been the holiday they were hoping for but at least it will give them time away together to make some special memories as planned. We wish we could do it for everyone but hopefully other operators in the industry will pull together and help where they can.” A number of the families who got in contact had been due to fly out this morning and had to try and explain to upset children why they were no longer able to go on holiday. One family had been due to fly to Florida today on their daughter’s 11th birthday and have been planning the trip for two years. They are now going to stay at Hedley Wood in Devon for a much-needed break. Bridge Leisure invests over £3 million in UK parks Bridge Leisure Parks has announced a £3.2 million investment programme across its nine UK holiday parks, including the introduction of new luxury caravans and pet friendly accommodation. The biggest portion of that spend is focussed on Sand le Mere Holiday Village on the North Yorkshire Coast, where over £900,000 has been earmarked for the park’s development. The investment is being used to develop new pitches and purchase new self-catering caravans of various grades and improve the infrastructure. Trevella Park in Cornwall will benefit from over £330,000 of investment which is being spent on new superior lake view caravans, new safari tents and a substantial refurbishment of the touring shower and toilet block. In addition, Trevella, along with Silver Sands in Moray Firth, Scotland, will be the first parks to get new luxury pet friendly caravans, which include wood effect flooring, stable doors, dog guards and outdoor taps. Further to its new pet friendly accommodation, Silver Sands will be upgrading all its electric and water hook up points for touring guests as well as developing further locations for holiday home ownership situated next to the famous Lossimouth Links golf course and the beautiful Moray Firth. Ashbourne Heights in the beautiful Peak district will receive a new and expanded children’s play park as well as a new café facility for the park. Bridge’s Devon holiday park Hedley Wood is developing new pitches for holiday home ownership at the park and increasing the number of luxury ensuite touring pitches available following the popularity with customers of these as part of its development. In North Yorkshire, Bridge Leisure’s newest addition, Bowland Fell will upgrade and improve the holiday accommodation including the provision of accessible holiday unit. General upgrades around the park will see a car charging point and improvements to lighting and landscaping. CEO Andrew Howe said: “We are investing an additional £3.2 million which reflects the success and growth of the business overall. Staycations continue to increase in popularity, and we are expecting an even busier year due to continuing uncertainty around BREXIT and people making the smart choice to holiday in the UK. “It’s important to keep the parks facilities and accommodation fresh but it is also important to offer a choice of different accommodation, from value to luxury to suit all budgets. Customers have increasingly high expectations and we need to ensure that we continue to update and improve all of our parks to stay ahead of our competitors. We believe this increased investment will help us do that.” Find out more
Serenity Sets Out Growth Plans In Park Homes Market
Park homes operator, Serenity Parks has announced ambitious plans for expansion following the success of its first two ventures in the North West. A newcomer to the parks homes market, Serenity Parks was established just over twelve months ago after founder’s and Director’s Gary Burns & Andrew Wilson seized an opportunity to acquire the two prime sites in the Cheadle Hulme and Frodsham. Following major investment, both parks have achieved strong sales with a GDV of £4 million and just a handful of plots remaining. Burns, who also owns long established and successful £14 million turnover civil engineering business NMC Group with Wilson, said, “Through our many civil engineering contracts we have long been involved with infrastructure and development works for many residential park home estates throughout the country. Given the steady increase in this market and changing perceptions of park home living, we identified a strong opportunity to diversify our business interests and this has proved successful.” Chesters Croft in Cheadle Hulme near Stockport was acquired by Serenity Parks in November 2016 and has since seen major investment in surfacing, drainage, curbing, landscaping and further plot allocations. Serenity bought back a number of plots to upgrade the new homes for sale. The location is arguably one of the most desirable in the North West and as such only five plots out of 47 remain available for sale. Alvanley Park, also in Cheshire, has undergone major upgrade with new homes leaving just 4 remaining for sale out of 40. It sits in a prestige location in the Cheshire countryside and next to National Trust woodland but with easy access to amenities in Frodsham. Now Serenity Parks is seeking new site opportunities with the cash already in place for the right opportunities. Gary Burns continues, “There has been a seismic change in perceptions of park home living, especially among the over 50s who are placing more importance on leisure and the freedom that park home living can give them. The changes to housing policy last July also means that residential park homes are now accepted as a dedicated form of housing giving us more confidence in planning policy for more plots. “According to research by Sanderson Weatherall, over 60% of park home sales have been in the South East and South West with just 30% in the rest of the UK. I see this as a fantastic opportunity to pursue the roll out of more luxurious, high end park homes in the North but our interest remains national. “We are ready and able to invest in redevelopment opportunities where we can transform tired sites to offer prestige park home communities in desirable areas. We have set out ambitions to double the size of our portfolio year on year over the next three years and promote the Serenity Parks brand nationally. Serenity Parks is an independent park home operator and developer which focuses on making luxury living affordable. It is accredited by the British Holiday & Homes Park Association (BH&HPA) as a fully compliant park operator. www.serenityparks.co.uk
Maxview Launches Remora 40 Suction Mount Satellite TV Kit
Is the reception in touring caravans driving your guests to distraction? If interference is their nemesis, then this clever piece of kit could be the answer to this caravan conundrum. Maxview have just launched the Remora 40 – the ideal portable solution for receiving satellite TV in motorhomes, caravans, HGVs, van conversions and many other mobile vehicles and applications. The Remora 40 is a portable suction mount satellite kit designed to receive satellite TV for people on the move or who want to receive satellite TV when away from home. The manual satellite system uses a unique dual suction mount to offer complete flexibility within a compact 40cm dish package. And for those concerned about the set-up, Maxview have ensured the Remora 40 is easy to install. Designed and manufactured in the UK, the Remora 40 combines a range of innovative features to simplify the assembly and alignment process for effortless set-up and take down. The Remora 40 is the ideal satellite for easy, temporary attachment to any flat, vertical surface. The Remora 40 kit is a three-part design which requires no tools for assembly. Maxview’s unique flexible F to F cable is also included in the kit and makes the connection of the dish to your satellite receiver easier and neater. The Remora 40 even comes with a protective storage bag for safe transportation and storage when not in use. The only thing guests will need is a satellite receiver and TV, or a TV with integrated satellite receiver. The Remora 40 Satellite TV Kit retails at £114.99 and is available direct from Maxview or from a Maxview stockist. For more information on the Remora 40 product or if you are interested in distributing products please visit maxview.co.uk. Review opportunity: please contact Caravan Industry & Park Operator magazine on editorial@euromediaal.com if you would like to review the Remora 40 satellite TV kit and give your feedback! NB: This would be a loan of a review model Remora 40 which would be returnable after the review.
Why Willerby’s Simply Pawsome Pack is a treat for dog owners too
By showcasing their pet-friendly holiday home add-on the Simply Pawsome pack at the Manchester Caravan & Motorhome show recently, Willerby proved that bringing a pet on holiday can be made less stressful for both dog owners and their furry friends. David Campbell, co-founder of The Animal Behavior Centre, tells our editor Victoria Galligan why parks are trying to be even more dog friendly than ever before… Why did Willerby decide to create the Simply Pawsome pack? Is there a big market for dog owners in the holiday home trade? With approximately 8.5million dogs in the country, many owners prefer to have a family holiday in the UK and their pets play a big role in their family life. Dog owners make purchases with their animals in mind, they may choose a specific type of car for their pets to ensure that they travel safely or even buy houses with their dogs in mind. Holidaying is no different, ask most dog owners and they will say, “If my dog isn’t welcome then I don’t want to go.” What does the Simply Pawsome Pack offer to make like easier for dog owners? The Pawsome Pack contains some practical features that makes holidaying with your dog easier: for example there are times when you may wish to restrict your dog’s movement to a specific area of your home such as meal times, when they are muddy or when visitors arrive. One feature of the pack is a child and dog-friendly gate system that allows for this. A second feature is a stable door that can be fitted instead of a solid door – this allows your dog or young puppy to remain safely within your living space without wandering outside while you relax or carry on with your chores, whilst at the same time enjoying fresh air by having the top door open. The third feature, whilst simplicity itself, is a real bonus to those of us that enjoy walking our dogs on the beach or when it is muddy and would prefer that our pets left the sand and mud outside before coming indoors – and that is the option of an outdoor tap to wash your dogs off before they come inside. I said it was simple but the best ideas are, I only wish someone would invent an outdoor tap for my car! How do dogs respond to the Pack? Whether you choose some or all of the features offered by Willerby, your dog will benefit from those additions. Dogs gain much of their knowledge by things remaining consistent and so regular use of an outdoor tap after exercise, or times of restriction such as meal times will allow your dog to relax and gain confidence in his new surroundings. Of course it is not always possible to have your dog in sight but the addition of a stable door will give both you and your dog a feeling of greater safety and well being. What other tips do you have for park owners when it come to accommodating dogs? As an animal behaviorist and trainer, my role not only includes working with animals but also educating owners and other professionals who work within the the pet industry. This may be with regards to issues they are experiencing or simply offering tips, such as reminding dog owners that whilst on holiday they should ensure their dog’s identity tag is relevant to their current location so their pet can easily be returned should they go missing. Park operators and owners understand the importance of preparing for the season to come and pre-empting how busy they are going to be at key areas of the season such as Bank Holidays and weekends. Unfortunately whilst their clients are having a well-earned break, so are many other professionals including local vets and so it is well worth contacting the vets in their area to see if they operate a 24 hour service should the need arise. Of course not everyone loves pets and whilst I have found that very few people actually dislike them, many can consider them to be a nuisance and so it is important that a balance is kept – for example if you provide a dog-free children’s play area, why not also provide a dog area that is open to adults and supervised children only? And, of course, provision of a dog waste bin or two will make life easier for all concerned. See willerby.com/pawsomedogs for more information about the Simply Pawsome Pack, and dog owners should check out theanimalbehaviourcentre.co.uk for information about dog training in the North West.
Is now the time to buy or sell a caravan park?
Thinking of buying or selling a caravan park? Richard Prestwich from Savills property services’ leisure and trade team gives his view on the holiday and home park market… Last year was a particularly strong year for the holiday and home park market, which encompasses touring parks, holiday static parks and residential parks, driven predominantly by domestic investment as the popularity of staycations continued to increase. According to research from Ortus Secured Finance, turnover at the 100 largest holiday parks was up 9% from £2.46billion in 2012 to £2.7billion last year. Savills sold over 30 parks in 2017 and we estimate that a total number of independently owned park transactions to be in the region of 90 to 120 as a result there has been positive signs of continued growth in terms of value. The average ‘per pitch’ value has steadily risen across the board since 2014, particularly for noticeable in the residential park value which has risen from £23,000 to £31,000. With values rising and the popularity of the market, what does 2018 hold for the sector? Now is the time to put your caravan park on the open market as demand outstrips supply It is difficult to predict the future of the market as the uncertainty of the outcome of the EU referendum and the ensuing economic reaction looms in the background. With lenders keen to lend, there are still plenty of tempting rates to attract borrowers, thus ensuring a continued demand for assets. However, there may be an imbalance between supply and demand in 2018, with a lack of parks on the open market. This lack of supply was initially felt in 2017 as the balance tipped towards a seller’s market and a resulting increase in off market transactions and a number of buyers competing for the same property. We predict that sites with redevelopment potential will become increasingly popular in 2018 as luxury parks across the UK have experienced increased demand from tourists. Consequently, caravan park owners are improving the quality of their units, thus fuelling the demand for sites with redevelopment potential. UK holiday caravan manufacturers are also reporting significant increases in the number of units being made to satisfy demand. With the strong market experienced in 2017 and no foreseeable slowing down of demand from both investors and visitors to sites we are confident that 2018 will be another good year for the sector. Richard is an associate director in the leisure and trade related property team at Savills Chester. For more information on buying or selling a caravan park, see savills.co.uk
