April 2019
Issue no 2
Mersea Island Holiday Park presents
Park Life
What’s happening at
MerseaIsland r
w NeDevelopments
Introducing...
Over the winter period The Muddy Duck has benefited from a much needed make-over. The brand new bright and calming ‘boathouse’ theme compliments its idyllic setting. All that’s left to do now is to sit back with a drink and enjoy the sea view.
Rosie-Ellis Brothwood General Manager
I take real pride ensuring that a high level of service and standards are achieved for every single owner and guest on park. In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my dogs Bell & Tito and the three of us simply can’t wait to explore the breathtaking beach! The first few ‘Great Weekends’ at Mersea were a triumph! I’m looking forward to being apart of the exciting events with our owners in the near future. I’m particularly keen to try the delicious delights of Foodstock Festival, which will take place on park this August.
From recent visits, I believe the feeling of community at Mersea is what makes it so special. There is a wonderful mix of new and old faces amongst the owners, creating a friendly and welcoming environment that will be fantastic to be apart of. Be sure to pop in for a coffee and say hello, I can’t wait to meet you all!
Follow us on social media
@MerseaIslandHolidays
@AwayResortsUK
@AwayResortsHolidays
On park
Colour Festival Weekend 19th – 21st July A lively colourful weekend inspired by India’s famous Holi Festival of Colours. Get your cameras ready to see the park flood with colour, you won’t want to miss this one! Find out more awayresorts.co.uk/events/ colour-festival
events
Foodstock Festival 10th August Bring the family down to sample some delicious local cuisine. Great food and a great mood – a match made in heaven! Find out more awayresorts.co.uk/merseaisland/foodstock-festival
Owners Events 2019
School Holidays: Six Weeks of Summer 21 July - 31 August Set the dial to maximum and let the kid’s run wild. It’s the school holidays & their time to play, swim, laugh, dance and spend some quality time with mum and dad. Outdoor Cinema Wednesdays & Sundays throughout peak school holidays Grab the popcorn, grab a blanket and cosy down for a cracking good film under the stars. Please see awayresorts.co.uk/outdoorcinema for film listing and dates
Cream Pie Fight 25th August Our annual Cream Pie Fight is returning. Not only is it one of our largest gatherings, but it’s also one of the messiest too. Bring the family, all armed with cream pie plates ready to dive head first into this crazy family event. See awayresorts. co.uk/events/cream-pie-fight for more info
Sunset & Cinema - 10th May Wall of Summer - 8th June Paint the ocean with Prosecco Instagram Pool Party - 13th July Owners End of Season Party - 23rd November
Download our app to or visit owners.awayresorts.co.uk to find out more!
es Ima&gSocial Media A gentle reminder that use of any Away Resorts images or text from the website, social media or any other marketing source is prohibited without permission. We kindly ask that no information
belonging to Away Resorts is used without written agreement. We also ask that inappropriate language is not used on social media, any inappropriate posts will be removed.
Drivers
10
To keep the park safe for everybody, please don’t forget that the speed on park is 10mph, and of course all the usual rules still apply!
ut ck oblog! Cheour Full of lifestyle, travel tips and holiday guides, our Good Times blog is the perfect place to plan your trip with us. There’s lots of events showcased, which means that there is something for the whole family to enjoy!
Get social
Want to keep up to date with our news, developments and promos? Our social pages are filled with info and imagery from the parks so you can see the lovely views all the time. @MerseaIslandHolidays
Maintenance Team No job too small…sounds like an advert, however it’s true! If you would like us to quote on any maintenance issues or one of those ‘I’ll do that job later’ scenarios, we’ll be only too pleased to help. Pop into Guest Services to find out more.
Health & Safety Any owner that requires contractors to visit them on park will been to be authorised by Mark Brightman. Please call Guest Services to obtain the necessary paperwork and to find out more.
Housekeeping Team Just so you are aware, we do offer a spring clean, external and or decking wash to all our owners… just pop into the office and book your spot with Guest Services.
Doggies For your dogs, yours and everyone else on parks safety, we do kindly ask you to keep your dogs on leads at all time apart from using the dog exercise area. If your dog poops, please pick it up and help keep the park tidy and clean!
@AwayResortsUK
@AwayResortsHolidays
Private Sublets
If you are subletting your unit you will need to make sure that your electric and gas certificates are up to date and that the office has an up to date copy so that your guests are able to purchases passes during their stay at the park. We will be unable to issue any passes to guests if the certificates are out of date. Gas certifcates are required every year and electric certificates every three years. If your guests are wishing to purchase Guest
Passes they will be asked for the accommodation address and our Holiday Heroes will check the size of the accommodation on our system and charge the correct price according to the number of bedrooms and duration of stay. To avoid disappointment and to make sure your guests have an enjoyable stay from start to finish we do advise that you inform your guests of the correct price before arrival and that they will need guest passes to access all our facilities.
How would you like to earn
th ousands
of pounds simply by letting out your holiday home?
Contact
Last year some of our owners earned up to £6,500 from their holiday homes – without having to do any hard work. We took care of it all for them, from marketing to handing over the keys and even the cleaning.
Details
Please pop into Guest Services next time you are on park with a recent utility bill to help us check your contact details and make sure they match up with what we have. It might be that you have moved address, changed your telephone number or e-mail address and we need to know. Sometimes we need to get messages or updates
out to you quickly either by a text message or e-mail, so it’s important that we’ve got the right details on file so you don’t miss out on relevant park information. If you haven’t done so already, please can you pop into Guest Services with your current council tax bill, a utility bill dated in the last three months and a copy of your current insurance certificate.
Gas Bottles
When you feel like your gas is running out, just pop over to Guest Services and one of the lovely team there will be able to help you purchase another one for your holiday home.
Documents
Please remember that we need up-to-date copies on file of your…
Caravan insurance Annual gas safety test Electrical test (3 years) If you are unsure if we have yours, please pop into the Holiday Home Sales Office at your earliest convenience.
We can do the same for you too. Just imagine what you could do with that money – help towards the annual running costs for your holiday home, treat yourself to something nice, maybe build up some savings for later on.
HOW OUR MANAGED LETTING SERVICE WORKS:
1. 2. 3.
You decide the dates you wish to let your holiday home out. Upon request we deposit your managed letting service money into your account 8 times per year You sit back, relax and let us do all the hard work!
See 2019 sublet pack for more info
A complete service from the people who know your holiday park Some holiday owners manage the lettings themselves, and that’s certainly an option. The down side is that you have the stress of being responsible for everything, from start to finish. We’ve deliberately designed our service so it takes care of everything. It means no worries for our owners and a perfect stay for your holiday guests.
Visit Guest Services to find out more and to help you decide if letting your holiday home with us is right for you
In 1989, Ray Oldenburg published a book about civil society, democracy and civil engagement. Oldenburg suggests that for a healthy existence, citizens must live in a balance of three realms: home life which is the first place, the workplace which is the second, and the inclusively sociable places which are the third. You’re probably wondering what has this got to do with Away Resorts? Well, we have an exciting new brand coming soon for all our lovely owners, The Third Place Social, showcasing never before seen owners events plus much more!
We believe that The Third Place are the anchors of the community and facilitate more creative interaction between each other. A neutral ground where you are free to come and go as you please, no importance of status in society, witty conversation and frivolous banter are not only common, but highly valued but also having the same feelings of warmth, possession and belonging as they would in their own homes. We want to make Away Resorts be the ‘third place’ in your life – A place to relax, a place with familiar faces & a place for new friends.
for more information, join the third place social at: facebook.com/pg/TheThirdPlaceSocial
Quiz
TIME
1. Garlicky chicken 2. Where the magic comes to life 3. Australian feeling down 4. Rhyming poem 5. This miller is a star 6. Plaster from here 7. Starred alongside Dougal and Brian 9. Home of cricket 10. Beware of running bulls 11. Home of the Luge 12. Ed Shereran's girl 13. Dried Ham 14. Used after shaving 15. Race here in 24hrs 16. Break into parts 17. Natural stopper 18. Everyone has that sinking feeling 19. May give you a quick tan 20. Two makes a sweet
Just for fun. All the clues below relate to places in Europe can you figure them out from the clues?
Example: Two gentlemen play here - Verona If you are stuck with any, pop into the Holiday Home Sales Office, they may be able to give you a further clue!
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.
Your answers
Events
Local
Mersea Island Festival 18th - 23rd August or 23rd - 26th August Starting in 1981 – Britain’s ‘Year of the Disabled’ – the Mersea Island Festival brings together children, young people and adults with or without a physical or learning disability. The Festival provides an opportunity to try out new activities, make new friends and have loads of fun! www.merseafestival.org.uk Food, drink & leisure festival 25th - 26th May Held at Essex Outdoors, the festival gives wine lovers and real ale fans a treat. They can enjoy loads of samples and find out how to match foods with different wines and beers for maximum flavour from both plate and glass. The festival is a celebration of the food and drink for which the area is rightly proud and has often become famous for producing. Free entry! www.mersea-fdl-festival.com Proud of Mersea Apr 20th, May 11th, May 26th, Jun 8th, Jun 30th, Jul 13th, Jul 28th We want to make Mersea the first litter free island in the UK. Join us for our third litter pick of 2019. We meet at the Victory at 10 am. Equipment provided and hot chocolate kindly provided by the Victory
Round the Island all terrain running race - 23rd June Are you an avid runner? The Round the Island All Terrain Running Race is for you! Approximately 13 miles of multi-terrain following the sea wall, beach and very short stretches on-road. The course runs completely round the Island in a clockwise direction. It is recommended that you wear a good strong pair of trainers, racing flats are definitely unsuitable. www.merseaislandraces. co.uk Mersea Island Fresh Catch Tues & Thurs - 2.45-4.30 (2.45-3.45 in Winter) Freshly caught fish from your local fishermen. We only sell fish caught locally by local fishermen in waters around Mersea. Often our fish is so fresh, we don’t know what we are going to have until a couple of hours before we open! merseaislandfreshcatch. co.uk/ West Mersea Town Regatta Saturday 17th August Volunteer run regatta which has been running since 1838. This is the main event, and you’ll be able to attend the Cobmarsh Marathon to lead you to the regatta two weeks later. Cobmarsh Marathon Saturday 3rd August Pair-oared rowing race with several classes for different types of boats.
Fancy £500, £750 or £1000 off your pitch fees? A great many of the Holiday Home Owners here at Mersea Island have joined us because they were recommended to the park by their friends or family members. You can’t keep a good thing secret for long!
Love is… a holiday home! If you find yourself falling in love with Mersea Island and always counting down the minutes until your next visit, then you may also find yourself telling your nearest and dearest about it too. Whether you want to enjoy holidays with family or friends or you just want them to have as much fun as you do, don’t hide your light under a bushel. For a start, the bushel might spontaneously combust from your excitement. Secondly, it’s nice to share.
person you refer will earn you £750 and the third is worth a whopping £1,000. Bring your friends and help save on your pitch fees. For referrals to escalate, all sales must be complete within a 12- month period.
How about £1,000 in Pitch Fee Credits? Do we have a deal for you? You bet! If you recommend a friend who becomes a holiday home owner here at Mersea Island then you get some additional benefits. Not only can you enjoy holidays together, we will give you an account credit of £500 once they have taken over their holiday home. The second
No hard sell promise Yuck, don’t you hate a hard sell? We do too. It’s not our way. We think we have a great offering which doesn’t need a hard-ball pitch because you don’t need a sledgehammer to crack a walnut. We promise that we will treat your referrals with absolute respect and courtesy and that includes giving them the option to say ‘no thanks’. No pressure.
y a d i l o h a y c Fan at one of our other beautiful locations?
How it works All you have to do is complete an owner referral form and send it in to us and let us do the rest. Alternatively, you can bring them along or even call to make an appointment for them. Simple!
Manchester Lincoln
Barmouth Bay
As an Away Resorts owner you’ll receive a 10% discount at any of our six locations. There are just a few rules; all discounts are subject to availability, holidays need to be booked by calling 01442 50 88 50 and selecting your park.
Tattershall Lakes
Birmingham
Mersea Island Cardiff
You, our lovely owner, must be present on holiday. Your owners account number must be given at time of booking and ownership photo ID passes must be shown at check in.
Bristol London
Sandy Balls Mill Rythe
Visit awayresorts.co.uk and see what takes your fancy! Plymouth
Whitecliff Bay
Download our app today!
lling all Caphotographers
View your bills | Make payments | Sublet your holiday home
Photographers of all ages, backgrounds and experience. You are invited to enter our photography competition for your chance to win a £50 LOVE2SHOP voucher. This months subject is ‘enjoying your free time’ at Mersea Island. Send your picture (at least 1MB), along with a brief description, your name, address, telephone number, the date and location of the photo to holidayhomes@awayresorts.co.uk. Competition closes Friday 14th June, and winners will be announced in our next newsletter.
Good luck!
Our perfect companion whilst on park with us. Sign in with your Away Resorts booking or owner reference number to explore and discover Your World Away. Mersea Island is jam-packed with fantastic activities and great entertainment to keep every member of the family grinning from ear to ear. Think of this app as your ‘park buddy’ helping you make the most of your stay.
By sending us your pictures, you agree for Away Resorts to use them on social media and for marketing purposes.
ties Act&iviEntertainment Don’t forget to pick up the weekly entertainments guide from Guest Services – available every Monday or download from our website at: awayresorts.co.uk/mersea-island/entertainment/
ot tub Hhousekeeping If you have a hot tub, we want you and your family and friends to use and enjoy it safely. It is important to be aware of the potential risks that can arise. Hot tubs are a recognised source of diseases and there have been a number of recorded outbreaks of Legionnaires which have included fatalities linked to poorly designed and/or managed hot tubs. Legionnaires is usually caught
Join us for a swim every weekday from 8am – 9am in our adult swim sessions.
by breathing in small droplets of contaminated water. This means that other park guests may be exposed to it even if they are not using your hot tub. We expect you to maintain your hot tubs to ensure the safety for all. The Health & Safety Executive guidance document is available to be downloaded for free from hse.gov.uk/legionnaires/ spa-pools We also advise you to follow any other
recommendations from the hot tub manufacturer and/ or the supplier. Please note that if you are subletting your holiday home, you will be deemed to be undertaking a commercial operation and your legal responsibilities with regards to the management of hot tubs will be more stringent. For more information on your responsibilities or if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Our Investments Every year we’ve invested in our parks to give you the ultimate in holiday bliss!
Winter 2015 £0.5 Million
Winter 2016 £0.7 Million
Winter 2017 £0.2 Million
Holiday homes for sale
Fantastic finance packages available^
Winter 2018 £0.1 Million
Total Invested £1.5 Million
part e
on 0120
6 38325 2 and ask for you r part ex change quote to day!
You could even have a new location on the park when you upgrade.
Atlas Chorus
£19,995
Atlas Chorus 2010 35ft x 12ft - 3 Bedroom
ABI Bramshaw
£49,995
A.B.I Bramshaw 2018 38ft x 12ft 2 Bedroom
B.K Bluebird Sheraton
£29,995
Carnaby Finesse
B.K. Bluebird Sheraton 2006 38ft x 12ft - 2 Bedroom
Carnaby Finesse 2014 39ft x 12ft - 2 Bedroom
Helmsley Lodge
Willerby Waverley
£54,995
Carnaby Helmsley Lodge 2017 39ft x 13ft - 2 Bedroom
£44,995
£79,995
Willerby Waverley 2019 40ft x 14ft - 2 Bedroom
Open 7 days a week
Fantastic part exchange offer
Part exchange your holiday home before 19th May and receive your 2019 annual rates and a year’s insurance for free* *Holiday home upgrade purchases made between 12th April and 19th May 2019 and must be complete by 30th May to take advantage of this offer. 1 Years FREE Insurance with Leisuredays. ^Finance subject to status written details available on request. Away Resorts Ltd is a licensed credit broker authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Want to see more?
Open 7 days a week!
visit holidayhomes.awayresorts.co.uk or pop in and see us and ask for the keys