Holiday Parks Mag issue 14 Revised

Holiday Parks Management The Ultimate Suppliers Guide For Holiday Parks, Caravan Parks, and Campsites

May/June 2014 • Issue 14

FEATURES IN THIS ISSUE

PARK UP KEEP

CHOOSING THE RIGHT HOLIDAY HOME

MORE THAN JUST A PARK

www.HolidayParksManagement.com

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Holiday Parks Management When I am not working on Holiday Parks Management, my spare time is spent visiting parks and sites in my VW campervan. I think it is fair to say that I am an enthusiast!

It’s this fascination with everything that goes into setting up and running a camping, caravan or holiday park that made me realise what a complex operation it is and just how much there is to keep informed about.

That’s why I started HPM nearly 8 years ago and why I am still finding companies and sourcing material and information that will be helpful in all aspects of park operation. My aim is to be the ultimate suppliers directory and information source for park operators and that this will be of genuine help and support to the people that do this incredibly difficult job.

So welcome to the May/June issue of HPM, I hope you enjoy it and find it helpful.

WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE FEATURE Park Up Keep FEATURE Choosing the right Holiday Home for Your Park FEATURE How to be more than just a Park

Articles ‘How to prepare your drains for a trouble free summer’ submitted by Serious Waste Management ‘Playground Crisis’ – Submitted by API Association ‘Economic Impact Assessment of the Holiday Park Industry in Scotland’ submitted by the Scottish Caravan & Camping Forum

NEXT ISSUE AUG / SEPT FEATURES INCLUDE: IOG Saltex Feature Playfair Feature Pool & Spa Care & Maintenance Feature Lifesaving and Pool Safety article

Designed and Produced by Print Plus 01432 272025 www.printplushereford.co.uk Maggie Media Ltd 7378641 Vat Registration 128 6998 57 © Copyright 2014

Main front cover pic from Park Holiday UK

Park Home

pages

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Glamping

12–15

Landscaping

16-22

Play Equipment

23-24

Entertainment | Gaming

25-31

Park News

32-36

www.HolidayParksManagement.com

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Choosing the Right Holiday Home for Your Park Deciding on a particular make and model of holiday home can be a challenging task for any holiday park operator – particularly when there can be a number of potential reasons for purchase...

As there is a huge range of holiday home models available from a number of different manufacturers, it pays to take the time to do your research, consider all the options, and make an informed decision based on your own or your customers’ search criteria. Here’s a few suggestions aimed at helping you to make the right decision for your park: What will the holiday home be used for?

Will it be used for holiday rentals, to satisfy/encourage retail sales, or even for staff accommodation? If you’re aiming to differentiate your proposition by attracting retail customers to a holiday home retreat, you may opt to demonstrate a luxury model with all the latest features, whereas if you’re providing accommodation for your employees, then cost per unit may become the driving factor. In any circumstances bear in mind that the overall quality of the build is of the utmost importance, whatever the purpose – as in many cases, investing in good quality products will pay off in the long run.

Who will be using the holiday home?

Are you looking to attract a certain type of holiday-maker or clientele, such as young families or mature couples?

Holiday homes vary greatly in size and the number of people that they can accommodate comfortably. For customers where you offer sub-letting, families may opt for a three bedroom model to provide extra accommodation, whereas couples may prefer to enjoy the extra space afforded by a two bedroom model.

Are there any essential features that your chosen customer base will require e.g. en-suite bathrooms, free standing furniture, central heating etc? The interior design, external appearance and overall layout are also very important in attracting the right type of customer – the model you choose needs to be a space that people will want to spend time in.

When will the holiday home be used?

Holiday homes that are for temporary seasonal use on a holiday basis, and not for permanent residence, must be built to the European standard for holiday home manufacture (EN 1647).

Is your park open all year round? If so, you may wish to consider increasing the thermal properties of your holiday homes by improving insulation methods and double glazing specifications. If your licence permits, you can also consider models built to Residential Specification BS 3632 to provide additional peace of mind.

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Even if your park isn’t open for twelve months a year, it’s still worth considering investing in optimising the thermal efficiency of your chosen model – improved thermal performance means cooler temperatures in the summer as well as better warmth during any cold spells in the British weather!

What warranty is offered on the holiday home?

All reputable holiday home manufacturers offer warranties with their products. However, make sure you do your research on the length of these policies, and that you’re clear on exactly what’s covered and what’s not, as these details do differ greatly between the different manufacturers.

What safety features are included in the holiday home?

Health & Safety is critical to any park operator, and you should ensure that your chosen model incorporates at least the following safety features as standard: • Fire extinguisher • Smoke alarm • Carbon Monoxide detectors • Emergency escape window(s) • Flame and match retardant soft furnishings • Thermostatic shower and tap mixers • Low threshold doors How energy efficient is the holiday home?

As a park owner, operational costs will be amongst the top considerations when selecting any holiday home, as not only will this help you fulfil your environmental obligations, you’ll also be saving money in the long run.

Ask the manufacturer about the thermal properties of their products, including the insulation and glazing, and any other features they’ve incorporated to improve the overall energy efficiency of their products, such as water consumption measures, low energy lighting and condensing combi boilers.

To view the latest holiday home models from a range of manufacturers, either visit your local distributor or take a trip to one of the larger holiday home exhibitions. The Lawns Show in East Yorkshire or the Beaulieu Show in the New Forest are both held annually in September and are great places to do your research. Visit www.hercmatradeshows.com for more information.

HPM would like to thank Willerby Holiday Homes for contributing this article and the images (www.willerby.com).

www.HolidayParksManagement.com

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Spectacular Designs & Outstanding Quality

Housing standards as standard …

Willerby is the UK’s largest manufacturer of holiday homes and lodges, with over 65 years’ industry experience. With a wide range of products available in a variety of sizes and specifications, all backed up by industry leading warranty schemes, there’s a Willerby to suit all tastes and budgets, and all park types and locations.

EvoFrame Country Lodges are an alternative to Park Homes. They do not have a mobile steel chassis and are not of lightweight construction, but they are transportable.

from Willerby Holiday Homes

Best-practice techniques and the highest quality materials are employed to ensure that Willerby remains at the forefront of holiday home design and manufacture. Focus is on technical innovation, including galvanised chassis systems, high performance double glazing, increased insulation options and additional energy efficiency measures.

The newest addition to the Willerby Range is the stunning Vogue Lodge. Successive generations of the Vogue have continually raised the bar for holiday home design, and this latest generation of Willerby’s iconic design is set to surpass all expectations. Combining class-leading levels of luxury with unique design innovations, the all-new Vogue Lodge really stands out from the crowd.

The new 14ft width provides a real sense of space, and key design innovations ensure this iconic model continues to set new levels of luxury. Its clean, elegant lines and premium materials provide a feeling of comfort, quality and refinement that is truly beyond compare. Created without compromise, and firmly established as one of the most significant designs in holiday home history, the Vogue remains the definitive choice for those searching for the ultimate in holiday home accommodation.

For more information on the Vogue Lodge, or to view Willerby’s stunning range of holiday homes and lodges.

Tel: 01482 713816 Website: www.willerby.com 6

Designed and manufactured to comply with UK full building regulations, the EvoFrame Country Lodges are substantial permanent all-year-round residential homes, offering a home-from-home or second-home solution that far exceeds the ‘simplicity’ of a mobile home.

Solid and secure, stepping into an EvoFrame Country Lodge is like stepping into a masonry building and has the strength and stability to match. Floor, wall and roof thicknesses in excess of 300mm and windows and doors made for housing use, these lodges are properly built to live in.

Factory made, the EvoFrame Country Lodge is delivered and installed quickly and is ready and weathertight, for finishing. Real timber cladding or brick wall finishes married to slate, shingle or concrete roof tiles, EvoFrame Country Lodges can look ‘urban’ or ‘country’. There is nothing light-weight here.

Feel safe and secure in all weathers, the strong structurally engineered timber-frame core of an EvoFrame Country Lodge gives peace of mind to enjoy everything the country has to offer, or throw at you.

All rolled into one, we call it the ‘E’ Factor, Effortless, Eco-Friendly, Economical, Evolutionary and Energy Efficient – from factory to site: it really is as easy as that to have a traditional building you can comfortably live in.

Visit us at www.evoframe.com and see what we can offer as an alternative to mobile homes.

EvoFrames Ltd – Factory is in Staffordshire Tel 01785 430002 Email: sales@evoframe.net Website: www.evoframe.net

www.HolidayParksManagement.com

Arronbrook Leisure Homes is an award-winning award-winning caravan caravan manufacturer that that creates creates beautiful bespoke holiday holiday homes that that are enjoyed both in the UK and across Europe

With three ver ferent models to choose from, you will find veryy dif different wha or aatt Arronbrook. whatt you’re looking ffor ECLIPSE

TTop-of-the-range op-of-the-range model is a real home from home

CLIPPER

Luxur Luxuryy aatt an af affordable fordable price

TTOPAZ OPAZ

An ever popular family family favourite favourite

call 01482 call: 01482 210327 210327 email: iinfo@arronbrookcaravans.co.uk nfo@a fo@arrronb nbroookcara o ookcar vans.cco..ukk vans www .aarrroonbbroookcar okcaravans.c van coo.uk o uk www.arronbrookcaravans.co.uk

www.HolidayParksManagement.com

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Arronbrook Leisure Homes creates bespoke quality holiday homes

Arronbrook Leisure Homes is an award-winning manufacturer of bespoke holiday homes that are enjoyed by holiday-makers across the UK and Europe.

The family-run firm has been successfully trading for more than 25 years and puts its popularity down to the fact that each caravan is handmade and can be created bespoke to a customer’s taste.

Arronbrook has a range of caravans, and with the ability to cater to a client’s wishes, there is a caravan to suit a wide variety of tastes and budgets.

Owners are able to have their input on fabrics, furniture, or even the length and width of their caravan.

The Arronbrook range includes: The Eclipse is their outstanding top-of-the-range model, which is a holiday home to be proud of. Inside you will find a fully-vaulted ceiling with Velux window fitted in the kitchen area, giving a feeling of a contemporary and stylish space.

The successful Clipper continues to represent a level of luxury at an affordable price, with beautiful Stilo Walnut melamine lounge and kitchen furniture, and coordinating floor coverings. The Clipper is an ideal holiday home and the perfect retreat for family holidays.

The ever-popular Topaz continues to be a big family favourite. Improved for 2014 is the bay window design with three large shaped windows giving more natural daylight and a feeling of even more space in the lounge. To find out more about Arronbrook’s range, Tel 01482 210327 Email info@arronbrookcaravans.co.uk www.arronbrookcaravams.co.uk

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Offering Our External Insulation for park home owners across the UK delivering a smarter, warmer and more comfortable home as well as significant long term fuel savings The Benefits Include * Thermal insulation keeps solid walls warm, condensation-free and protect from wind, rain and frost * System is fitted to meet individual house requirements with a choice of finishes * No loss of internal living space * Work can be carried out alongside other trades such as window replacement and re-roofing * Minimal disruption to the inside of the building * Maintenance free, weatherproof, attractive exterior as part of the thermal cladding of the building

Tel: 01636 858467 Website www.calladineltd.com Free no obligation quotes available

www.HolidayParksManagement.com

Innovative Technology for campsites and vacation rentals organizations

Newyse ERP: Cloud-based, integrated Enterprise Resource Planning

Property management

Central Reservation & E-commerce Reporting E-commerce R eporting and marketing

Management of campsites, timeshares, holiday parks Interactive park maps

Interactive websites

Unlimited number of users and private settings

Integrated booking engine

Automated access barriers and turnstiles Multi-channel distribution in real time

Administration of owners: Finance, Contracts

Yield and revenue management, promos, benchmarking

Point of sales: restaurants, activities, etc.

Direct connection with booking.com, and main tour operators

Maintenance and housekeeping

Customer interface and loyalty programs

Automated payment, accounting and reconciliation integrated

Multi Currency and multilingual

Tired of your existing systems?

Contact our Birmingham office for a demo and proposal Telephone: 0121 222 5125 Email: europe@maxxton.com

w www.maxxton.co.uk EExperts in hospitality innovation 9

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Before

Investing in your park or campsite, is it worth it??

Looking abroad for inspiration on how you run your campsite or holiday park is not something that would come to mind for most business owners. Nevertheless there is always a lot to learn. The Dutch have been facing similar challenges to the British, confronted with increasing costs, rising competition from the low-cost foreign holiday market and, last but not least, a very unpredictable weather.

The successful organizations in this market have been the ones who invested on mainly two fronts.

Firstly, they invested in their campsite or park, presenting good facilities while offering and managing privately owned mobile homes (not just pitches) in the right way.

Secondly, they had the ability to maximize the occupancy offering online booking and making the most of good selling practices via real-time automated connections with their favourite distribution channels.

A good example of a small to medium sized holiday park helps us see issues from a different angle.

Holiday park De Krim, was limited by its management system in terms of booking engine and e-commerce experience. By placing guests’ satisfaction at the heart of the organisation, holiday park De Krim has increased their bookings through making online booking a personalized experience. Effectively managing the relationship with private owners has greatly improved property management and private owner communication.

Upgrade your Holiday Homes with our insulated thermal cladding system, a new roof, double glazing or a new skirt. As you can see by the photos the difference is considerable.

First we construct a light weight pitched roof with Decra or Metro light tile system.

Second we over-frame the existing walls with treated 25 x 50mm timber and 25mm Celatex double foil board.

Third we replaced all windows and doors with park home rebated frames.

Fourth we applied the Royal Europa vinyl cladding system to the main walls and also the skirt.

All these systems can be applied separately. We have been working in the Park and Holiday home industry since 1987 and have acquired a well-respected reputation within the industry.

We will send you a complete breakdown quote with the relevant brochure. We don’t need to visit to price your home, all we need is the size and model.

We will send you a complete breakdown quote with the relevant brochure. We don’t need to visit to price your park home, all we need is the size and model.

If you would like a quote for any of our systems for your holiday home call Carl on 07785 272933 or the office on 01269 824313 email carlbowlesphhs@gmail.com .

After

If you wish to receive a copy of De Krim case study, please email Europe@maxxton.com quoting KRIM or call 0121 222 5126 for more information

www.HolidayParksManagement.com

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All Teifi Valley Camping Huts are made to the highest standards, sourced from sustainable woodlands INCLUDED IN POD Double glazed doors Lockable Windows & doors 2 internal lights 1 external light Smoke detector

49% of holidays occur outside of the peak times, giving your park all year revenue.

Call 01239 652800 info@teifivalleycampingpods.co.uk www.teifivalleycampingpods.co.uk

Yurts for Life.......

Yurts for Living

Camping with quality & style For one or more - ready for next season All sizes available - (from 10ft - 33ft diameter)

Contact us at www.yurtsforlife.com Or telephone: 01803 762370 12

www.HolidayParksManagement.com

d at our Po r e e s Fai and Come elsh Game 14 The W th June 20 15 14th -

The Future Of Accommodation

The mobile Log Pod is ideal for owners of campsites, holiday parks, small woods offices, fisheries, zoos, anywhere that offers accommodation

All of our pods come with their own chassis and electronics and can be moved on the road by a car trailer or around your property by tractor, car or a 4x4.

Fully mobile, Full 4” deep porch for cooking, playing and relaxing.

Double glazed door and window with security locks.

Full insulation including floor for all year round use.

Electric pack as standard • Fire-escape rear window Wheelchair accessible door • No foundation or crane required

So what is a LogPod Conceived as an all-year-round living space, a Log Pod is as welcoming in winter as in the heat of summer , and unlike any tent the Log Pod has been designed to have a lifespan of least 25 yrs, assuming a basic amount of routine maintenance.

Almost every component of the Log Pod is either bio-degradable or recycleable

Farm Diversification/New Parks Make the most of your land.

Landowners can open a 5cs site without the landowner obtaining planning permission and are allowed two of the Log Pods On site

See our clients at www.logpodholidays.co.uk The Log Pod is a mobile Farm structure

Telephone : 01269 850005 Email: trevor@thelogpod.co.uk

www.thelogpod.co.uk www.HolidayParksManagement.com

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A Brief History Of The Camping Pod Part 1

Since its first appearance in 2008 the Pod has become a well established and much enjoyed alternative to the tent and the holiday home that is now a widely available feature on sites throughout the UK and Ireland as well as many countries in Europe.

The design copyright and branding is owned by Ian Bone a former civil engineer who established Newfoundland Lodges Ltd. back in 2004. The company was originally formed to build residential specification lodges using ‘state of the art’ materials and incorporating as standard a wet under-floor heating system as well as many other innovations.

Please Read more http://www.holidayparksmanagement.com/thecamping-pod-history-by-newfoundland-lodges See Part two in the next issue Tel : 07776 203490 Email: admin@newfoundland-lodges.co.uk East of England and the Scottish Borders contact: campingpods@nytimber.co.uk

Style, Flexibility, Speed & Cost Wins Albion Canvas Co Contract For Yorkshire Wildlife Park’s New Food Court

Yorkshire Wildlife Park’s new Clubhouse, made by Albion Canvas Co in their Somerset factory, will provide a flexible space to be used as a food court during the peak season and host corporate and function business during the rest of year.

The main 12 metre x 24 metre structure, with an overall height of 5 metres, was made using a clearspan (no central pole) aluminium frame covered in canvas produced in Scotland. The sand and green colours, with clear plastic sides which can be opened, help the Clubhouse blend seamlessly into the landscape.

Because of the nature of the structure, Yorkshire Wildlife did not need planning permission. The Clubhouse is secured to a concrete base with 300 bolts and took a team from Albion Canvas Co four days to construct.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park, Commercial Director, Mike Bennett said,

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“We asked three companies to quote. Albion won because their structure provided the most flexibility and appropriate style, as well as offering the best operational solution. We had considered a traditional structure but in keeping with the Park’s development plan over the next 3 to 5 years a temporary/permanent building offered more flexibility and was a sounder financial decision.”

Albion Canvas Co developed the Tsavo Clubhouse in response to requests for a unique rustic design for festivals, weddings, cafes and bars, with a clear span structure, rather than traditional marquees with centre poles. It is available in 6m spans to any length in 3m bays. The design is an extension of their Safari Tent, from the range of Glamping accommodation which also includes Yurts, Geodesic Domes and Tipis. www.albioncanvasco.co.uk Tel +44 (0) 1823 665849

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Introducing THE NEW CHALET POD WITH BUILT-IN EN-SUITE 4.8m x 3.0m (15’8”ft x 9’8”ft)

Don't let guests book into another park down the road When you could have one of our stylish lodge boutique Rooms or our New Chalet Pod (with en-suite) Kitchenette (optional) • Built to last 15 year Guarantee • Comprising of the highest Structural Insulated panels (SIPS) • Sleeps a family of four comfortably • Rental incomes of £65.00 upwards per night • Unit comes fully built with en-suite and all Electrics • Kitchenette (optional) Oven.2 Ring Hob.Sink. Fridge/Freezer An eco-friendly investment opportunity for business with a great return potential.

OWNER BENEFITS • Relatively low investment with the potential for an excellent return.

• Planning Permissions are very favourable with Local Planning Authorities as they recognise that ecoPODs encourage sustainable tourism • Rental incomes of en-suite pods £65 upwards per night will return most of your investment in year one.

• Capitalise on all-year-round camping because of the high thermal values of our camping ecoPODs. • Generate income due to the latest high specification of our ecoPODs. SUSTAINABLE BY DESIGN

NEW BOUTIQUE HOTEL ROOMS

Green Eco Living specialises in eco friendly, energy efficient rooms and have designed a premium guest space.

• Bespoke lodge Rooms standard 4.8m (15' 8" ft) x 3.0m (9' 8" ft) with en-suite included.

• SIPS Panel design (Structural Insulated Panel) Low energy lighting and UPVC Double Glazed windows.

• Introduce a New Leisure Accommodation attached to your existing Park, Land, Hotel or Pub. • Rental Incomes of £65.00 pounds upwards • Individual sizes and lay-outs available to suit your needs • Delivered and installed by quality professionals, working to achieve maximum customer satisfaction.

The new en-suite boutique rooms create premium guest Space.

Why let guests book into another park down the road when you could have a stylish rental building on the grounds of your premises?

Eco Green Living installs across the UK and can help you plan and design your bespoke boutique lodge room or even a new-style, bigger camping pod that comes complete with kitchenette and en-suite facilities.

As a leading supplier of outdoor rooms Green Eco Living has developed the most thermally efficient process in the UK through its unique SIPS Panel design (Structural Insulated Panel), an injected foam insulated 70mm thick wall section - equivalent to two layers of standard fibreglass loft insulation.

Further insulation is fitted to the roof and floor space and under floor heating, low energy lighting and lockable double-glazed windows and doors create a warm and inviting outdoor space.

www.HolidayParksManagement.com

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Adrian Langmead, Tractor and Groundcare Business Development Manager at Kubota UK, discusses the importance of park upkeep.

The rise of people choosing to holiday at home in the UK rather than abroad is well documented, from campsite retreats to city breaks. While this is fantastic news for the holiday parks industry, the rise in competition has meant that it’s more important than ever to keep on top of your park maintenance.

The old cliché that you only get one chance to make a good first impression applies if you consider how much of your business comes from returning customers. Brits especially are creatures of habit and fans of the comfortable and familiar so if you get it right the first time, there’s a strong likelihood that they’ll be returning to their favourite holiday park, caravan site or campsite for years to come.

This means that it’s up to park managers to make sure yours is a holiday destination that customers will never forget. Holiday-goers tend to return for everything from a friendly atmosphere, great onsite entertainment or for the outstanding facilities. Ultimately, guests return because they’ve forged special memories at your destination, either as a family or group, so it’s key to ensure that their first experience with you is unforgettable.

While this is no easy task, as you’re looking at everything from the types of entertainment offered to the service provided by staff, something that’s easy to tick off the list is park upkeep. This might appear to be one of the simpler tasks but the scenery can also make the biggest impression.

Maintenance teams know that you’re only as good as your equipment so it’s important to have the right machine for the right job. By making the right choice of groundcare equipment from day one, a park maintenance professional’s day can run a lot smoother and tasks can be carried out quickly and more efficiently, which means more time can be devoted to other duties.

When choosing the right lawn mower, picking one that will make light work of grass cuttings by selecting a model dependent on the area to be mowed and the type of ground it will be tackling is essential. Ride on mowers with enhanced cutting and discharge performance will help park managers achieve a more efficient,

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accurate cut and cleaner appearance for large areas of land.

If one of the problems with your park upkeep is tackling grass with lots of obstacles or trees, models featuring a zero-turn operation are ideal for reaching a 360 degree radius.

Independent steering levers mean that these mowers can literally turn on a sixpence, making cutting around trees, posts and other obstacles an easy one-pass operation.

How you collect and dispose of your grass cuttings is another key way for park maintenance teams to save time, such as with a direct collection system to avoid the hassle of collecting the cuttings yourself. Alternatively, considering mowers with a mulching option is another way to give your area a clean finished look and will also help your grass in the long term by returning valuable nutrients to the soil.

Maintenance teams also need to be able to get around whatever the weather, whether it’s to complete their every day duties or as a way of quickly assisting with repairs or resolving any issues that might arrive. Choosing a robust utility vehicle (UTV) that is versatile and can cope with a range of tasks is crucial to ensure jobs can be carried out quickly and safely. UTVs with hydrostatic transmissions and an automatic brake function ensure that users are not at risk of losing control of the machine in wet or challenging conditions. When travelling through difficult terrain, vehicles can stop and resume climbing without braking. The maintenance of holiday parks requires a wide range of duties, so whichever UTV you buy needs to have enough load capacity to transport a host of materials around site, be it bins, sports equipment or camping essentials. Depending on the size of your team it might be worth considering a utility vehicle with more than just two person capacities. Some models are now available with four seats for easy transportation.

It’s also worth considering how compact tractors can play a part in keeping your landscape looking pristine. With numerous attachments available for use on compact and sub compact tractors, from trailers to fertiliser spreaders, choosing the right model will play a key part in the landscaping and maintenance of your site.

With these considerations in mind, your park maintenance team should have the tools and technology that they need to make sure that the park upkeep is a weight off your mind.

HPM would like to thank Kubota for contributing this article. Images contributed by Kubota, John Deere, Log Splitters.

www.HolidayParksManagement.com

Great Value Great Versatility

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Tel: 01844 268 000 www.kubota.co.uk

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Spruce A Sports Surface In Time For The Summer

In the run up to the summer, holiday parks often strive to improve facilities in time for the high season to ensure visitors have as pleasant a stay as possible. A key area for improvement can be sports facilities, which often prove to be an important offering for families looking to enjoy their time outdoors.

Tennis facilities can often be the most widely used of a holiday park’s leisure offering, and surfaces need to be available that are suitable for all players and abilities – for young children through to experienced veterans.

When looking to fit a surface that all players can enjoy, TigerTurf’s Advantage Pro tennis surface is a medium pile polyethylene texturized monofilament surface that retains the sand in-fill, producing a surface that isn’t sandy in appearance and is very durable.

Holiday Park Managers can be rest assured that Advantage Pro will be playable immediately after heavy rainfall. There is also significant business potential in replacing older pitches as revenue can be increased by extending opening hours.

TigerTurf serves up new tennis surfaces for Newlands Thanks to leading artificial turf manufacturer, TigerTurf UK, one of Scotland’s top tennis clubs, Newlands Lawn Tennis Club (LTC) in Glasgow, has successfully completed a comprehensive upgrade of its tennis courts to allow the club’s players to benefit from a premium quality playing surface.

After an extensive and competitive tender process, TigerTurf’s Advantage Pro surface, which offers a 29 percent longer life span compared to other artificial surfaces, was installed by specialist sports surfacing contractor, Ecosse Sports.

Covering a total area of 4200m2, which spans seven full-sized courts, the Advantage Pro installation provides a highquality, all-weather surface designed to

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benefit players and coaches alike.

Designed with shock-absorbing characteristics that reduce the risk of injury and stress to the body, the surface has been designed so that it doesn’t shine when wet or under floodlights, and has also been tested to International Tennis Federation (ITF) standards. This culminates in a premium, all-round surface that players of all ages and experience levels can enjoy.

Being able to offer the best possible playing surface is especially important to Newlands LTC, as a club that hosts a busy schedule of tennis and squash fixtures throughout the year. Boasting some of Scotland’s best racquet sports facilities, the club is home to five ladies’ and gents’ tennis teams, eight junior teams, and also hosts seven men's and two ladies' squash teams in the West of Scotland Leagues.

Michael Welsh, Head Coach at Newlands LTC said: “This surface has proved to be popular with all areas of our membership and provides a good surface for both coaching and playing. I must say that the 2 tone red outer/green inner colour choice has made the club look all the more professional during our Aegon West of Scotland league matches.”Paul Langford, Managing Director at TigerTurf UK, added: “We are delighted that the reception to our Advantage Pro surface has been so positive. This product proves how the technology in synthetic turf is continually advancing to support players of all levels of skill.

We always have faith in all of our products and we are especially happy that we are now bringing even more industry-leading sports surfaces to a variety of clubs around the UK”.

For more information on TigerTurf (UK) Ltd and its industry leading portfolio of artificial grass, visit www.tigerturf.com.

www.HolidayParksManagement.com

Holiday Parks and HFN

Three into one will go

Imagine the benefits from HFN’s broad repertoire of skills inclusive of minor civils, soft and hard works schemes and play area installation to establish the perfect creation of your holiday park development or refurbishment.

The Wessex ProLine STC is living proof you can have three machines in one working all-year round for you. One minute it’s a sweeper collector that picks up litter and leaves in parkland and amenity areas. A short while later, using the optional change kit, it becomes a flail collector, cutting and collecting on the golf course rough, or a professional scarifier collector in use on the sports pitch.

Which means your investment goes a long way in dealing with a whole range of tasks for which you would usually need to buy and house several machines. In sweeping mode the brush rotor, comprising four banks of hardwearing polypropylene bristles, lifts leaves, grass clippings and litter with ease into the hydraulically operated hopper. The bristles are secured firmly into a pre-drilled hardwood strip and are of a generous length to give a good ‘flick’ action to ensure the material is thrown to the back of the hopper.

Creating parks from brownfield sites, complete with hard standings, refuse compound, mains water with all aspects of drainage, access roads, footpaths, security barriers and service points. HFN can provide the whole concept to your detail and can enhance designs during the planning process, adding new methodology and value from park construction knowledge gained through experience.

Commercial Landscaping for over thirty years, HFN have developed our services to meet the individual requirements of Holiday Park clients with adaptability and resourcefulness.

HFN stand out in the landscaping market by always having employed their own skilled staff, owned and maintained their own vehicle fleet including plant and machinery. Promoting a core philosophy of quality work has implemented growth and controlled budgets.

HFN have constructed over 100 holiday parks, creating tranquil environments with full amenities or bustling activity areas, we can ensure the holiday park you get is what you want.

HFN’s core philosophy of More Care - More Commitment - More Control is valid today and provides an ongoing development of top quality schemes.

HFN Landscapes, Allens Hill, Pinvin, Pershore, Worcs. WR10 2DU. Tel: 01386 555354. www.hfnlandscapes.co.uk www.hfnnaturalplay.co.uk.

A large diameter steel drum with flails and paddles converts the Wessex STC to a flail collector. It features four rows of closely spaced flails, and two rows of draft paddles to create the suction for collecting the grass.

Because the STC has no narrow throat, as do many collectors, long or short grass will be collected efficiently without blocking, even in wet conditions, which makes it ideal for long grass applications.

As a scarifier, the flail blades are replaced with verticutting knives for a professional operation on the sports field or lawns. Semi-mounted to the tractor, the STC runs on its own four wheels, totally independent of the tractor, allowing it to follow contours, while the front wheels are fully castoring and repositioned by a simple pin mechanism to adjust the working height. As the whole machine is not lifted on the linkage, the STC can be operated behind a small tractor with limited lifting capacity. Power is transmitted from the tractor through a heavy cast gearbox and belt drive to the rotor. The rear wheels have flotation tyres to keep turf compaction to a minimum. Available in 1.2m and 1.8m working widths this is a true three-in-one machine for the maintenance of amenity turf, golf courses, parkland and large gardens.

www.HolidayParksManagement.com

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How to prepare your drains for a trouble-free summer

Caravan site owners will be cutting the grass, stocking up their on-site shops and sorting out their bookings ready for the season, but underground, lurk problems that could erupt just in time for the busiest time of year.

Drains become vulnerable with a sudden influx of visitors and a camping and caravan site with blocked drains can be a practical as well as a PR disaster.

Serious Waste Management deals with caravan and campsites all over the country and they have successfully prevented headaches for owners by helping them to plan ahead and make sure ‘off mains’ sewage systems are ready for the sudden change in demand.

To help site owners, they have developed a list of dos and don’ts to make sure the season is trouble free.

• Ensure you have a pre-season service and de-sludge to ensure your system is ready for the summer season.

• Use signage and encourage good practice to prevent people flushing nappies, sanitary towels, tampons or general rubbish down sinks and toilets • If you have an onsite shop, don’t sell luxury quilted toilet paper or strong bleach based products – encourage the sale of septic tank friendly products such as Ecover • Encourage your visitors to avoid pouring neat disinfectant, Milton products or bleach down sinks or outside gullies to protect the environment.

• Have a compost site for peelings and food waste to prevent Drains being used as a bin.

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• Likewise, have somewhere for people to dispose of used fat.

• If you are thinking of extending your site to allow for more people, is your plant sized correctly to cope with the extra waste being produced?

• Make sure you have a reliable service contract with a reputable company to be on hand for any emergencies David Bould, Operations Manager at Serious said: “ A bit of forethought can prevent real problems later on. No caravan site owner wants to have blocked drains at the height of summer. It’s the sort of comment that finds its way onto Trip Advisor in a very short period of time and can damage your reputation in an instant.

“Additionally, we’re finding more sites and their cafes, restaurants , takeaways and bars are having big issues with grease clogging up drains and pipes and throwing some hot water down the sinks isn’t going to help. We sell a range of grease management equipment to suit all sizes of site, preventing your profits being wasted on unblocking nasty, smelly sinks and drains. ” Serious Waste Management deals with sites all over the country and can help make sure sites’ system is ready for the summer season. Serious install, maintain, and de-sludge septic tanks, pumping stations, cesspools, sewage treatment plants and grease management systems.

www.HolidayParksManagement.com

John Deere lawn tractors get a facelift

A new design for the John Deere X300 Select Series range of lawn tractors has been introduced to coincide with this year’s launch of the new X310 model. The bonnets across the range now match the John Deere family style of the company’s agricultural tractors and present the same fresh and modern appearance.

Suitable for areas of grass up to 8000m2, the lawn tractors in this range are extremely straightforward to operate.

Performance and reliability are guaranteed with a powerful, fuelefficient engine and easily adjustable cutting height, which can be changed without having to leave your seat.

Excellent manoeuvrability in the tightest spaces ensures a perfect cut, even in the most intricately landscaped gardens.

Standard features include automatic transmission, Twin Touch foot pedals, cruise control and an ultra-comfortable seat.

The five lawn tractors that make up the X300 Series offer a choice of mower decks with cutting widths from 97cm (38in) on the X300 model to 122cm (48in) on the X320, plus options to collect, side discharge or mulch grass clippings. For year round versatility, these lawn tractors can be fitted with a front-mounted brush, snow blade or snow blower.

UK list prices for the X300 Series start at £2825 plus VAT; the starting price for this year’s new model, the X310, is £3600 plus VAT.

www.HolidayParksManagement.com

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GROUNDSMAN TURF CUTTERS, money well spent!

If you are involved in Hire, Landscaping or Sports Turf Renovation then you will most likely at some stage have a requirement for a good Turf Cutter. If you get an opportunity to use a Groundsman machine, it will only take a few minutes to realise that this Turf Cutter is definitely a few generations ahead of any other.

Groundsman Industries are a N. Ireland based company established in 1990 to manufacture the Groundsman range of patented Elliptical Plunge Action pedestrian and tractor mounting Turf Aerator machines.

Over the past twenty years these machines became known and respected, particularly by sports clubs and turf maintenance contractors having earned the reputation for performance and durability.

In 2002 Groundsman embarked on a research and development project to produce a range of Turf Cutters to complement their Turf Aerator range. Over the past ten years this product has evolved into the Turf Multi Cutter (TMC) range that Groundsman produce today.

These machines have effortless cutting ability offering the highest traction and lowest operator hand-arm vibration (HAV) levels on the market and the good news is, the TMC24 model has been developed particularly for the Landscaping and Hire markets. Hire shops who have invested in a Groundsman comment that the machine works three times better, lasts three times longer and customers will drive three times further to get it, money well spent!

For more information including short videos of the machines working visit www.groundsmanindustries.com Videos can also be viewed on YouTube by clicking on the YouTube emblem on the site.

The Groundsman TMC range have unique patented technologies that enable them not only to work with less effort to cut turf down to 7cm (3”) thick and from 30cm (12”) widths up to 60cm (24”) widths but also to perform a variety of functions as well as regular sod cutting. A range of blades are available which include a Sub-soil De-compactor and a Mole-drain working to a depths down to 13cm (5”) The latest innovation is a simple attachment to insert cable down to 7cm (3”) below the surface for low voltage lighting or subsurface signal cable for robotic grass mowing. The TMC range include the 6.5HP two wheel drive compact portable machine ideal for landscapers and contractors, four wheel drive machines which are more suitable for Sports Clubs or Turf Farms. A Guillotine attachment can be fitted to measure and chop the Turf Sod into lengths for rolling and relaying. A 13HP unit has been developed specifically to insert sub-soil dripper-line irrigation pipe down to 13cm 5” below the surface.

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www.HolidayParksManagement.com

Playground Orders Falling Despite Calls To Address Inactivity Crisis

First quarter UK orders for playgrounds and play equipment fell to an eight year low in 2014, according to the Association of Play Industries (API).

API member companies reported £42 million of orders in the first quarter of 2014, the lowest level since the same quarter in 2006. This is the fourth consecutive annual fall in Q1 figures and represents a 33 per cent drop since the first quarter of 2010.

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The value of API member company orders reached a high of £198 million in 2010 following the launch of the previous government’s national Play Strategy and £235 million investment in play provision. The Playbuilder Play pathfinder initiative was scrapped by the Coalition government and by 2013, play industry order values fell by 18 per cent to £162 million.

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The association, which represents UK manufacturers, installers, designers and distributors of outdoor and indoor play equipment and safety surfacing, cites a combination of local authority spending cuts, delayed procurement decisions and discounting as the cause of declining order books.

API Chair Michael Hoenigmann says: “The UK is suffering a physical inactivity epidemic which threatens the lives of our children and generations to come unless it is addressed urgently. Reports that call for a national cross-party, department and sector strategy to tackle the crisis are welcome but now it is time for action. It is important that the vital role of active play from children’s earliest years is recognised at a policy level. Inactive children become inactive adults which increase the burden on the NHS every year. There is a strong economic case for investment in the provision of high-quality, accessible places, spaces and equipment for children’s play – particularly in disadvantaged communities.”

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The API is the lead trade body within the UK play sector, representing approximately 85 per cent of UK play industry companies. It campaigns at the highest levels for policy recognition of the value of play.

For further information about the API, contact: Deborah Holt, tel: 024 7641 4999 ext. 208, email api@api-play.org www.api-play.org

www.HolidayParksManagement.com

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www.proludic.co.uk 24

Created over a decade ago by Japanese entrepreneur and playground innovator Yasushi Ochi, the Yu Kids soft play system has taken the international play industry by storm. Yu Kids is based on the principles of using visual appeal and movement to craft a play experience that is enriching, engaging and educational whilst also providing peace of mind for parents that their child is in an environment that is completely safe.

With over 250 Yu Kids sites in Japan alone and a further 66 in shopping centres and FEC’s around the world, this peace of mind is also being given to owners and operators of venues that they are providing an attractive and dynamic offering for their visitors which is head and shoulders above the average play system.

“There have been few innovations in soft play systems in over a decade. Yu Kids is fresh, animating, inviting, completely innovative and is the perfect way for an FEC to add value to their venue, drive footfall and increase revenue,” says Jonathan Beevers, Managing Director- Licensing at Paragon Entertainment.

Yu Kids – The worldwide soft play success story makes its way to the UK

Paragon Entertainment, the UK based attractions company which has recently launched its latest division to license IP and distribute products into the leisure attractions market, has obtained the rights to distribute Yu Kids in multiple countries in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The first UK based Yu Kids has already made its debut at Quest, Paragon’s own family entertainment centre at Westfield’s Merry Hill shopping centre in Dudley.

“In the UK and Europe we are seeing many enquiries from current Soft Play owners looking for new, attractive and differentiating offers. Yu Kids is a great cost effective innovation and a new era in Soft Play, mix this with Paragon's world class design and fit out services and incredible spaces can be realised.”

An owner/operator can select from over 30 different Yu Kids attractions, all made with high quality materials and boasting visually stunning pastel colours. This allows a fully customisable children’s adventure playground to be designed and fitted into either an existing space or a stand-alone venue.

“The versatility of Yu Kids is key, which means that a solution can be provided that perfectly suits an owner/operator’s individual needs.” Jonathan added.

Paragon Entertainment also operates one of Europe’s largest in house theming facilities which- when applied- can provide a unique spin on a play system and space for endless individualism between operators and venues.

For more information about Yu Kids or Paragon Entertainment’s other branded attraction concepts please visit www.paragonlicensing.co.uk.

Jonathan Beevers Managing Director Licensing Paragon Entertainment E. j.beevers@paragonent.com M: +44 (0) 7794 543941 T. +44 (0) 1904 608020 F: +44 (0) 1904 608011 www.paragonent.com

www.HolidayParksManagement.com

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DRINKS INTERNATIONAL

www.absolutedrinks.net For More Information Call: 0800 038 3558 *Wholesale Ingredients Prices For New Or Existing Machiness* *Free Installation* *Onsite Training* *Free 1,000 Drinks* *On All Machines* Bean to Cup Fresh or Granulated Milk Coffee Machine

Jura Giga X7 Bean to Cup Fresh Milk Coffee Machine

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2 Group Traditional Coffee Machine

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How To Be More Than Just a Holiday Park…

A holiday park is no longer just a destination for caravans and country cottages, with the rise of the ‘Stay-Cation’ families are now looking for a memorable experience that shows real value for money. Plus it must keep the whole family engaged and motivated throughout the duration of their stay.

Parents now demand new and exciting holiday adventures that both mum and dad will enjoy, as well as keeping the children interested through engaging, playful and active leisure attractions - that won’t break the bank.

Paragon Entertainment, a Yorkshire based attractions company is looking at various innovative ways that will not only benefit your holiday park’s bottom line through an increase in bookings, but it will also showcase the park’s commitment to providing the most up to date, safe and active leisure solutions in the UK right now.

A recent report by The British Toy and Hobby Association (BTHA) found that even though active play is more well known and acknowledged as a concept in current society, there are actually fewer opportunities for active play than in the past. There are less urban parks, less school time devoted to play and fewer public facilities for families to enjoy, which all contributes towards a sedentary lifestyle. This is when problems like infant obesity occur.

Jonathan Beevers, managing director of licensing at Paragon Entertainment, explains: “More and more people now decide to stay at home instead of flying out for their summer break. Holiday parks need to come to the realisation that to survive they need to up their game when it comes to their leisure facility offering.”

So what are the actual benefits of active play? The concept not only has immediate benefits on the physical body and fitness but also it has long-term benefits including, a healthier lifestyle and better physical and intellectual social skills.

“People demand a unique holiday experience that the whole family will enjoy. So what is going to make your park stand out from all the others? Gone are the days when families will be happy with a picnic bench and a football, parents of course still want their children to enjoy themselves, but what is now key is that activities available need to be educated and develop the child as an individual.“

By spending time each day dedicated to active play, it has been proven to help develop the brain, improve motor skills and physical strength. It is also the most effective teaching strategy both in school and out when it comes to developing social skills. The BTHA report also noted that active play develops self-confidence and builds self-esteem, having a positive impact on children to early adulthood (12 to 22 year olds).

“The idea of investing in active play is not just for a PE lesson or the school playground, this is now what is required for all leisure facilities, including any family holiday destinations that hope to stay successful.”

So why is this important to a holiday park? Jonathan explains: “It goes back to the whole idea of experience and keeping the kids from getting bored. A holiday park that offers its guests a leisure solution that not only keeps the kids entertained, but also retains their engagement for the duration of their stay ticks all the boxes for a unique experience and real value for money.”

Active play is not a new concept but in the past decade it has become a leading topic in the media, several government bodies and promoted through health initiatives. But what actually is active play? According to ActivePlay.co.uk, it’s any form of regular physical activity that includes moderate to vigorous bursts of high energy that raises their heart rate above normal level.

For a baby, active play may include reaching out to touch something, rolling over or balancing in a sitting position. For a child it can be as simple as running or jumping. Active play can occur indoors and outdoors, alone or with family and friends.

“It is in this area that Paragon Entertainment is making a push on. Working on attraction concepts that are not only focused on being active physically, but also stimulating and enriching for children taking part in these activities.

The idea being to keep children active, parents satisfied and holiday parks full of both new and repeat visitors.” adds Jonathan.

HPM would like to thank Paragon Entertainment for contributing this article. www.paragonent.com

www.HolidayParksManagement.com

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FORMULA FUN-e RACING...

Lighting, Sound and Vision Specialists

Getting prepped for PEAK!

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Are all your entertainment systems working as they should be?

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Will your guest experience be affected if you can’t deliver your full entertainment package?

We offer a range of technical support packages to suit all needs and budgets.

Our nationwide network of technicians enables us to provide support throughout the UK.

...FAMILY FUN FOR EVERYONE!

Call us today on 01206 709694

www.illuminatedesign.co.uk Members of PLASA and ALD promoting industry excellence

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www.HolidayParksManagement.com

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Call in the Entertainment System Specialists

If you own or operate a Holiday Park or leisure business and are looking to upgrade your AV and entertainment systems, or just want to be sure they’re working OK, then the best company to contact is Illuminate Design.

The company specialises in designing, installing and maintaining technical systems for leisure venues, holiday parks and visitor attractions. Its experienced team has successfully completed many projects, from minor system upgrades for small operators to the design of multi-venue systems for major players such as Bourne Leisure and Pontins.

No matter what your needs, Illuminate Design can help: perhaps you just need a ‘health check’ of your system or to hire a few microphones to supplement your existing kit.

Maybe you’re thinking of going one step further and upgrading your system to deliver great results for your guests. Maybe a new stage, a new audio system or video screens to add extra impact to your shows or to be used for promotional messages.

Using their wide knowledge of audio, lighting and AV products, Illuminate Design’s team of technical experts and designers will ensure you have a high quality system that operates reliably and safely over a long period, but most importantly delivers maximum value for your budget.

They’ll also manage the whole process - often working to short install times so you're up and running quickly.

Once the design has been signed off, you’ll be provided with everything you need, from project documentation to full training. You can also take advantage of competitively-priced technical support and maintenance packages which keep your systems operating seamlessly.

If you haven’t reviewed your entertainment systems in a while, this is a good time to do so before the season gets fully underway.

If you’re interested in learning more, please call.

Illuminate Design 01223 969694 info@illuminatedesign.co.uk www.illuminatedesign.co.uk

www.HolidayParksManagement.com

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An Economic Impact Assessment of the Holiday Park Industry in Scotland The Scottish Caravan & Camping Forum (SCCF) has commissioned Frontline Consultancy, a wellknown research company based in Scotland, to carry out an economic impact assessment of the holiday park sector in Scotland. The research will gather information on the economic impact of the holiday parks sector from two fronts - park owners/operators and consumers who use the parks – with the objective of establishing an accurate picture of the economic value of the holiday park industry in Scotland.

The survey will be completed by the end of the year, when the findings will be published. They will go to key people in the Scottish and UK Governments, in local authorities and in Visit Scotland and will also be made available to parks for their own use in lobbying, planning applications, funding applications etc. Where possible, the economicimpact value will be identified by region.

Park-owner/operators Frontline and the Forum have established a database of almost 300 parks and Frontline will contact a representative number of park owners/operators for face-to-face or telephone interviews contact the rest of the parks to invite them to complete an online survey.

Areas covered in the park-owner/operator research are:

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Background Type of park (in terms of accommodation provided - Owned static CHHs Owned static other units, Rented static CHHs, Rented static other units, Touring pitches) Scale of operation (in terms of number of units by accommodation type) Other activities and resources onsite (toilets, showers, retail, f&d) History of development (age, key investments over time) Expenditure Expenditure on park assets (including accommodation stock both new and second hand and other park assets) and location of expenditure (local / non-local / national) Expenditure on wages and salaries, including location of staff Number of staff (seasonal, full time, part time presented as FTEs) Visitor Profile Origin of visitors Details of their season length / seasonality variations Duration of their peak, high , mid and low seasons Estimates of the percentage of each accommodation type that were occupied in each season Social / Environmental Benefits Examples how parks integrate with local community Examples of how parks support environmental objectives

www.HolidayParksManagement.com

Holiday-makers Consumers will be invited to complete a questionnaire, either online or a hard copy.

All who do so will be entered in a prize draw to win one of two week-long holidays and four short breaks (provided by Parkdean Holidays)

- Thistle Holiday Parks - and VisitScotland (the national tourist board) The Forum represents the industry in Scotland and meets twice a year.

The Forum’s remit (as contained in the Terms of Reference June 2013) is:

Areas covered in holidaymaker research are; Accommodation Number of holidays/short breaks taken in past 12 months Reason for visiting a particular area.

Expenditure estimated amount spent and areas of expenditure (e.g. accommodation, travel, Entertainment and food and drink) The research will take place from March to September and the information gathered will be treated in confidence Parks are being asked to encourage their customers to complete the survey either online or in hard copy form.

There will also be publicity in caravan magazines and on various websites, including those of the SCCF members. SCCF members will also include information in newsletters to their databases.

Cost: this is an industry initiative and the costs are being met by members of the Forum.

Website: the SCCF has a website which acts as a portal for consumers to find information on parks in Scotland. http://www.scottishcaravanholidayparks.co.uk/

The Forum’s members are: - the British Holiday & Home Parks Association (BH&HPA) - the Caravan Club - the Camping and Caravanning Club - the National Caravan Council (NCC)

The Caravan & Camping Forum for Scotland: provides a forum to debate all issues of interest to or affecting the parks industry in Scotland encompasses all interests within the parks industry, including caravan holiday homes (for sale and hire), chalets/lodges, touring caravans, motorhomes, tents and park homes considers the interests of park business of all sizes (from micro-business to large enterprises) considers the interests of the parks industry in all regions of Scotland. operates as a forum for the exchange of views, and not as a separately constituted entity. provides a mechanism to appoint a parks industry representative to outside bodies where relevant.

For further information please contact Bob Hill, The Camping & Caravanning Club Tel: 02476 475306 E-mail: Bob.Hill@campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk

WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR PARK TO BE SEEN ON THESE PAGES If you have undergone recent improvements, won awards or you have something new in your park to the industry let us know about it here email to press@holidayparksmanagement.com sending pictures separately

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Cumbria park's bid to see kids swap tweets for cheeps Things are looking up for young guests at a top Lakeland caravan park, thanks to a new initiative to stop them constantly looking down at their smart phones on holiday.

But if Skelwith Fold's plan works, youngsters will soon be discovering the rich array of birdlife on the park, from finches and buntings to siskins, redstarts, woodpeckers and nuthatches.

Skelwith Fold Caravan Park in Ambleside, celebrated for its successful reintroduction of red squirrels, is challenging youngsters to find six toy squirrels hidden in the grounds.

"We hope that mums and dads will also tag along, and point out some of the many bird species we have at Skelwith with the help of an identification chart we'll supply," said Henry.

The furry family will be concealed in trees around the 130-acre park, meaning children must look skywards rather than down at their screens.

"With just a little encouragement, youngsters can quickly develop a deep fascination for wildlife, and the Lake District is one of the best places in Britain to start," he added.

Six stuffed squirrel sightings, confirmed by a snaps on their smartphones or tablets, will earn sharpeyed children their own fluffy friend to take home.

Encouraging holidaymakers to become involved with the natural world helped Skelwith Fold to gain the David Bellamy Conservation Award once again this year at its top gold level.

However, park director Henry Wild admits that the secret squirrel quest has a hidden agenda – for he hopes it will re-focus young attention from Tweets to real-life twitters.

The park has also won much praise for its other initiatives, including a note of congratulations from the Prince of Wales for its successful efforts to reintroduce red squirrels.

Skelwith Fold, says Henry, abounds with vibrant bird-life which is easily missed if much of a youngster's time outdoors is spent scanning their devices for messages.

The difficulty of persuading children to swap their little screens for the wider world is one which a number of parents on holiday have mentioned, said Henry.

They fear that a fixation with social media means that kids are likely to be ignoring the natural environment in favour of links sent by friends to skateboarding cats.

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But although the timid reds can be difficult to spot, Henry hopes that the mascot family in the grounds will turn youngsters' attention from Twitter to the trees: "If we can get our young guests to swap tweets for chirps even for a short while, then we may see them returning home with a wonderful new interest taking flight," said Henry.

www.HolidayParksManagement.com

Top spot in TripAdvisor awards for Devon's Ladram Bay

Park popularity up as more take flight from overseas holidays

Ladram Bay Holiday Park near Budleigh Salterton, East Devon, has been voted one of the United Kingdom's top 25 family accommodation providers. (Link at end of story)

Park popularity up as more take flight from overseas holidays

The park, itself family-owned, beat thousands of other parks and hotels to gain a place in the prestigious "Travellers' Choice Awards 2014" run by TripAdvisor.

It says the fall of 3% in bookings reported by Europe's biggest tour operator* is being countered by an 11% rise in demand for park holidays in England.

The review website bases its list of winners each year on the verdicts of millions of people who rate their experiences at different places to stay and visit.

Park Holidays UK director Tony Clish thinks that the increasing number of families deciding to stay in the UK this year is being influenced by three main factors.

In the "family accommodation" category of the awards, Ladram Bay Holiday Park was voted in at number 11, thanks to the volume of positive feedback from previous guests.

Last year's scorching summer, and the good omens from weather experts for this year, mean fewer people are feeling the need to fly abroad in search of sunshine.

The vast majority gave the park an "excellent" or "very good" rating with many making enthusiastic comments about the quality of their stay and the friendliness of staff.

Secondly, says Tony, many families are becoming exasperated with the hassle of flying and lengthy transfers which make such holidays far from a relaxing experience.

Ladram Bay, which has been a favourite of Devon holidaymakers since the 1940s, has been owned and run by the Carter family since it first began welcoming camping guests.

The third and equally persuasive reason, he believes is the perceived poor value which overseas holidays offer, compared with inclusive UK stays.

Today it provides a host of family-friendly attractions and entertainment, plus private beach access, from its breathtaking cliff-top position overlooking the bay.

The report of a fall in overseas bookings, he points out, also said that the average selling price of a continental holiday was 5% higher this year, compared with last.

Guests can rent a luxury caravan holiday home or apartment, or buy a holiday home to visit whenever they choose. Campers and touring caravan and motorhome owners are also still welcome.

By contrast, said Tony, prices at Park Holidays UK are broadly similar to last summer's – and in many instances, could be sourced for even less on its website.

Also recently opened at the park is Portland View, a luxury lodge development with panoramic views of the iconic Jurassic Coast; lodges can be bought or rented as a holiday let.

Currently, he points out, it's possible to book a three or four day break from just £69.00 for the entire family – a sum which would be unlikely to cover just airport parking for that time.

General Manager at Ladram Bay, Claire Williams, said everyone was absolutely thrilled to have achieved a place of honour in TripAdvisor's Travellers' Choice listings:

Other substantial savings are achieved by being able to enjoy all of the park's facilities within the price, from swimming pools and kids' activities to professional evening entertainment.

"In recent years we have invested a great deal of time, effort and money to create one of the most fantastic environments where families can come to enjoy a Devon seaside holiday," said Claire.

Park Holidays UK owns 23 parks in Devon and Southern England, and says the vast majority of its bookings each year are repeat visits or made as a result of a recommendation.

"But we also make a huge commitment to customer service, and this is delivered by our staff teams who make very special efforts to ensure that guests get the most from their stays.

It says it expects, however, to see a larger increase than normal this year in the number of people choosing a park holiday in place of an overseas stay:

"This is reflected in many of the comments made on TripAdvisor, and unquestionably contributed to our finding ourselves in the top twenty-five UK family accommodation providers.

"We know that when such families do come to a park, perhaps for the first time in many years, the majority are always keen to repeat the experience," said Tony.

"So a large share of the credit for this award must go to our staff who help ensure that the majority of our business each year comes from repeat bookings and recommendations," added Claire.

"The superb quality of the facilities and accommodation can come as a real eye-opener, and many are left simply wondering why they hadn't done this sooner!" he added.

One of Britain's largest holiday park groups, Park Holidays UK, says it can suggest a reason why overseas bookings are taking a nosedive this year.

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Darwin Leisure Property Fund acquires Yew Tree Park in Kent

Darwin Leisure Property Fund acquires Yew Tree Park in Kent

3.5 acre park set in the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty becomes the 16th park in the Fund’s portfolio The Darwin Leisure Property Fund, the only fund in the UK investing in the lucrative £6 billion holiday park industry, has added Yew Tree Park near Canterbury in Kent to its portfolio of holiday parks. The park was purchased for an undisclosed sum from its private owners.

Yew Tree Park is set in the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, just south of the historic Cathedral city of Canterbury, and offers 55 touring caravan and tenting pitches as well as 13 static caravan pitches, 4 holiday apartments and a timber lodge. The park also features an outdoor heated swimming pool, toilet and shower blocks and laundry.

Anthony Esse, Chief Executive of Darwin Property Investment Management Limited, which is the investment adviser to the Fund, said of the acquisition: “We are delighted to have added Yew Tree Park to our

portfolio of UK holiday parks. This is a charming park set in a stunning location and I have no doubt that our experienced management team will ensure that visitors to the park have an even better experience going forward.”

The Darwin Leisure Property Fund increased in size by over £120m during 2013, and has a strategy to deploy these assets by investing in existing parks within the portfolio, as has been the case with the flagship Cheddar Woods Resort & Spa in Somerset and Mullion Cove Coastal Retreat in Cornwall, and by acquiring new parks into the portfolio. The purchase of Yew Tree Park is expected to be the first of several which the Fund makes in 2014 and the team at Darwin continue to look for new opportunities to acquire parks. Roger Vail, Property Adviser to the Fund, commented: “This is an exciting time as we seek new acquisitions to join the portfolio. The Fund’s size means that candidates for acquisition are likely to be of a similar size or larger than Yew Tree, but geographically we are considering all parts of the UK. Anyone with a park which they think may be suitable is welcome to contact me”.

Darwin is hoping to have added six to eight parks to the portfolio by the end of 2014.

BH&HPA East Anglian Branch visit the Omar Group

Omar Group were delighted to host 46 members of the East Anglia Branch of the BH&HPA on Thursday 3rd of April.

Joan Clarke MBE, Deputy Director General, started the morning with a presentation on the associations’ viewpoint for the new site licencing conditions that come into effect on the 1st of April. The East Anglian, BH&HPA members were also addressed by Branch Director, Paul Searle and Omar Group Chief Executive, Dean Westmoreland.

BH&HPA members enjoyed lunch in the boardroom before splitting into groups for a tour of Omar Group’s impressive 13½ acre headquarters and factory site.

This was the first time many of the members had an opportunity to see the Omar production facilities, along with many of the exciting new products that both Omar and Wessex have to offer. The tour also gave the group the chance to see first hand, the quality of build and attention to detail that is synonymous with all Omar Group products.

Dean’s presentation covered the unprecedented growth within the Omar Group, which has led to the recruitment of over 90 new staff in the past 12 months.

Dean also talked about other exciting new developments, including the services and turnkey solutions offered by Omar’s new division, Omar Park Development Services (OPDS) www.omarpds.co.uk and the rebranding of Wessex Unique Lodges & Park Homes and their stunning new range of luxury lodges and park homes.

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Holiday Parks Management The Ultimate Suppliers Guide For Holiday Parks, Caravan Parks, and Campsites

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