Holiday parks Management December 2017

Holiday Parks Management

THE ULTIMATE SUPPLIERS GUIDE FOR HOLIDAY PARKS, CARAVAN PARKS AND CAMPSITES

december 2017 • Issue 30

Indoor play KEEPING GUESTS ENTERTAINED IN ALL WEATHER

Park News

Broadband and Wifi THE IMPORTANCE OF STAYING CONNECTED

WWW.HOLIDAYPARKSMANAGEMENT.COM ISSUE 27 l JUNE 2017 29

Holiday Parks

Management

Welcome to the December issue of Holiday Parks Management – it has been an eventful year for the magazine. We have increased our issues from 4 to 6 a year, gone to a glossy format, revamped our website and email newsletter and worked tirelessly on our mailing lists. Apart from that, we have attended more events this year than ever before, culminating in the recent Holiday Parks Show at the NEC, SALTEX before that and as this issue goes to press, being present at the BALPPA event at Drayton Manor.

Those eagle eyed readers will notice that my name is at the bottom of this column for the first time, this is because the magazine is now officially published by Upgrade Publishing – a company which I helped to establish back in March when I made the investment in this and the sister magazine International Glamping Business in order to carry out the changes that I mentioned above.

We would like to wish all our readers and advertisers a wonderful festive season and look forward to bringing you more news and views from the vibrant holiday park sector in 2018.

h p e t S

What’s in this issue?

05 Industry news

22 Indoor Play Special

18

29 Wifi and Broadband

19

21

SALTEX Review

Feature

Holiday Parks & Resort Innovation Review

36 New Products and services

Spatex Preview

NEXT ISSUE features include: ■ Ground Maintenance

Kathryn SALES

■ Washrooms

■ Pools and spas

Published by: Upgrade Publishing Ltd. t: 07887 928819. Registered Business: 47 Oliver Close, London, W4 3RL Other Publications: Glamping Business - www.glampingbusiness.com Publisher: Upgrade Publishing Ltd. Steph Curtis-Raleigh e: steph@upgradepublishing.com Editor: Steph Curtis-Raleigh t: 07887 928819 e: steph@upgradepublishing.com Sales: Kathryn Kelly t: + 44 (0) 7575 408580 e: kath@upgradepublishing.com Design: Dean Coulter, Design on Tap www.designontap.co.uk www.holididayparksmanagement.com Other Events: The Glamping Show - www.glampingshow.com © Upgrade Publishing 2017. No part of this publication may be reproduced nor stored in a retrieval system by any means without the prior permission of the publisher.

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Park News Park platform for new Cumbria Tourism chief

Gill Haigh (above) toured the 130-acre grounds of Skelwith Fold with park owner Henry Wild at the wheel

Lake District holiday park owners meeting in Ambleside last month received a pledge of support for their businesses from the newly appointed head of Cumbria Tourism.

Gill was welcomed to the meeting by branch director and business owner Henry Wild who, with his father Syd, first acquired Skelwith Fold twenty years ago.

Gill Haigh, who recently took up the position of managing director at the destination management organisation, said that holiday parks were a vital component of the county's visitor economy.

Addressing delegates in the park's Sustainable Development Centre, Gill said that she herself had many fond memories of family holidays spent in caravans.

Gill was the special guest at a meeting of the Cumbria branch of the British Holiday and Home Parks Association to which around 100 mainly family-owned parks belong.

Guests today, she said, had a right to expect the highest standards of quality and hospitality, and that's exactly what Cumbria's park industry has proved itself capable of delivering.

The event was held at Skelwith Fold caravan park just outside Ambleside which is the current holder of Cumbria Tourism's Holiday Park of the Year title.

This had even greater resonance, she said, now that Cumbria has been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status and could truly be described as a world-class destination.

Steven's aboard to help steer top Devon park A senior management post at Devon's Ladram Bay Holiday Park has been filled by a former Royal Marines commando who swapped the forces for a career in the leisure industry.

He will be helping to oversee Ladram Bay's five-star operation and ensuring the day-today smooth running of its extensive accommodation, leisure and entertainment facilities.

Steven Harper-Smith has been appointed general manager at the popular Budleigh Salterton park which employs around 175 people during the peak season.

Steven, aged 48, takes up his new role in an area of the country which holds happy memories of childhood holidays taken with his family when they lived in the New Forest in Hampshire.

Golf Business Innovation Show Examines Diversification products, services, and increasing footfall and revenue to their clubs.

1st of February 2018 will see the launch of a new conference & exhibition at The Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, to support golf clubs to become more sustainable and profitable through innovation and diversification.

Upgrade Publishing, owner of Holiday Parks Management and International Glamping Business will attend as a media partner.

In order for golf clubs to be sustainable many clubs are diversifying their business, and look at their business as a venue not just a golf club, and become more appealing to more markets. One thing all golf clubs have is land, and their clubhouses. But how can you best utilise that space to be a more attractive venue to more people?

Golf participation has been enduring some tough years with participation in decline, and golf clubs are having to be more innovative in the way they run their business. The Golf Business Innovation Show will examine and share ideas and experience from leading and innovative clubs across UK, on creating new

The Golf Business Innovation Show will showcase multiple case studies, and share experiences from clubs that have, or are in the process of, diversifying. There will be plenty of opportunity for Q&A and networking amongst peers, in an open environment to talk about non-golf income opportunities.

With over 50 speakers, and over 50 exhibitors, it is a great opportunity to meet and network with likeminded professionals, with a vested interest in becoming more sustainable.

The conference & exhibition will cover many areas and shares clubs experiences in, Glamping & Accommodation, Weddings, Planning Permission & Enabling Development, Financing, Restaurants & Hospitality, Adventure Golf, Gyms and Spas, Franchising, Running Festivals and Events, Hosting Business Functions, Technology, Engaging with the Local Community, Creating a Website that Promotes all your Services. Any income streams non-golf will be explored and ideas shared. www.golfinnovationshow.co.uk

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International SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY

l ping m G INTERNATIONAL

BUSINESS

Visit www.glampingbusiness.com to get a free listing

■ Put your business in front of 8,000 buyers worldwide ■ The Directory will be published in March 2018 ■ 200 companies have already submitted entries via our website - have you submitted yours?

■ The 2018 Suppliers’ Directory will be distributed at every industry trade show we attend next year

CONTACT KATH KELLY ON 07575 408580 or at kath@upgradepublishing.com

Park News continued

York park's super-lodges set to lure activity lovers An all-action holiday park near York has fired the starting pistol on a new development of luxury lodges, triggered by a surge in demand for escapes with a sports and adventure theme.

Thornton Lodge Country Retreats says its planned 20 bespoke lodges, to own and rent, are designed to satisfy the growing appetite for outdoor challenges among guests.

The park, based on a 220-acre farm owned by the same family for over 70 years, is winning a national reputation for the excellence of its country sport activities.

Its extensive fishing lakes and clay pigeon shooting facilities provide the opportunity for all ages to learn traditional sporting skills under expert tuition.

There are equestrian facilities on offer including stabling, cross country, show jumps and regular events, plus instant access to some of North Yorkshire's finest cycling and walking routes.

Matt Bessey, a member of the park-owning family who is helping spearhead the new lodge development, says the park occupies an extremely privileged position in the countryside.

It's based near the picture-postcard Georgian market town of Easingwold, some 13 miles north of York, amid scenery made famous by the books and TV series of vet James Herriot.

The new lodges will sport luxury features such as hot-tubs, high-end furnishings, glass-fronted decking, and spectacular views across the park's lakes and the surrounding Howardian Hills.

They will join the touring pitch facilities and farmhouse accommodation already in place and enjoying great popularity at Thornton Lodge Farm.

According to Matt, there has been a fasting-rising enthusiasm for activity holidays in recent times: "We are finding that an increasing number of people are keen to take up traditional outdoor sports which have been enjoyed by rural folk for many years," he said.

"Many live in towns and cities, and see such sports as a great way to quickly unwind from their busy lives, and to come closer to some of Britain's loveliest countryside.”

Outstanding is Prepared for the New Season The high season is barely finished and Outstanding is already in full preparation for the coming season. The leading luxury Safari Tent supplier has had a successful year and it seems that they are going to meet an even more spectacular 2018 season. A lot is about to happen!

“Glamping is becoming increasingly popular and to continue playing a leading role, the company finds it important to keep developing constantly. They go big, anticipate, listen, take risks, and dare to hit the throttle. That is how the best things happen” says UK Sales Manager, Gary Oldfield.

Therefore Outstanding decided to launch two new models this year. Two new tents that encompass everything you might expect from a leading Safari Tent supplier.

According to Gary the new models are strong, innovative, functional and of high-quality. “We are currently finishing the prototypes, so I highly recommend keeping an eye on us, because more information will follow soon!” says Gary.

Things are going well for Outstanding. Their Safari Tents and Lodges can already be found worldwide in nearly 40 countries.

During the Autumn period they travel to Europe’s largest Glamping fairs to meet their customers and to present their wide range of tents.

They kicked off the fair season at the Glamping Show last September. “The Glamping Show is one of our favorite fairs,” Gary admits. “It’s difficult to describe its unique atmosphere really. It’s a gathering place for enthusiasts with a passion for glamping.”

The company drew a lot of attention with their lovely XS Safari Tent, The AN4 Lodge and the eight berth AN5 Safari tent. There was a lot of interest in the new models as well, with show visitors getting to see the first glimpse of the future in tent design and innovation!

“We constantly try to listen to our clients to find out how to meet their needs best. But of course, it’s always exciting to present the final results of something you have worked on so intensively. The evening after we’ve received the first enthusiastic reactions during the show, we obviously had a toast. Those beers are the ones that taste best!”

Gary is available for advice, consultation and support gary@outstandingtent.co.uk.

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Park News Tourism tax "backward step" parks tell BBC Wales The owner of a major holiday parks group in Wales has told ministers that they risk devastating the visitor economy if they push ahead with a tourism tax.

Speaking on BBC's Sunday Politics Wales programme, Thomas Scarrott said that such a move would undermine all the fantastic work done by the Welsh Government to encourage tourism.

Thomas's warning came during a filmed interview at Grondre Holiday Park near Narberth in Pembrokeshire, one of seven holiday parks owned by his family's Vale Holiday Parks.

A tourism tax is one of four potential new taxes being considered by ministers, and would result in visitors to Wales having to pay an extra per-night charge.

But Thomas told Sunday Politics Wales reporter Carl Roberts that a visitor levy would hit not just accommodation providers such as his parks.

It would also have a damaging knock-on effect on the many businesses which rely on the tourism industry such as pubs, shops, cafes and visitor attractions.

Many of these, said Thomas, are smaller family-owned businesses such as Vale Holidays which sustain thousands of jobs throughout Wales.

The programme reported industry figures which show that tourism is worth around £5bn to the Welsh economy with more than 10 million overnight stays being recorded annually.

Thomas believes that this is evidence of Wales's appeal as a holiday destination, and of the success of the Welsh Government in wooing visitors from elsewhere in the UK and overseas.

He highlighted this year's £5m Visit Wales' Year of Legends campaign which, he said, did a great job in promoting the many different experiences on offer to holiday visitors.

The only possible consequence of a tourism tax, Thomas told the programme, would be fewer visitors and an additional administration burden on tourism businesses.

Leisure Boss Mark Harper Joins Parkdean Resorts Mark Harper has joined Newcastleheadquartered Parkdean Resorts as Chief Operating Officer to help lead the company that owns 73 holiday parks in the UK. Mark has held a distinguished career in the leisure sector and was most recently Joint Managing Director of Haven, a member of the Bourne Leisure Group. He spent 16 years at Bourne Leisure, including previous roles as Operations Director and Head of Retail Operations.

Taking on the newly-formed role to support Parkdean Resorts Chief Executive John Waterworth and the leadership team, Mark is responsible for the operations team across the business, focusing on the entire customer experience and in particular the retail, food and bars functions.

Commenting on his appointment, Mark said: “I am delighted to join Parkdean Resorts at this exciting time, and am enjoying meeting the operations teams across the business. There is nothing better than a business which provides opportunities for owners and holidaymakers to enjoy a hassle-free holiday experience, and my role is to ensure we retain, recruit and lead fantastic people to deliver amazing holiday memories for our customers.”

Employing over 7,000 people, Parkdean Resorts is the largest holiday park operator in the UK with 73 parks stretching across the country. It was ranked 36th in the Sunday Times Grant Thornton Top Track 250 this year as one of Britain's top private mid-market growth companies.

Mystery Guest Was Undercover Award Inspector A mystery guest who booked into Devon's Ladram Bay holiday park this summer has helped propel it into the finals of the county's annual tourism awards.

Ladram Bay's "mystery shopper" was an undercover inspector carrying out one of the crucial stages of the judging process for the Devon Tourism Awards.

Now the Budleigh Salterton park is looking forward to a glistening gold, silver or bronze accolade when the judges announce their decision later in November.

Their verdicts on who takes the top spots will be delivered at a VIP awards ceremony at Plymouth's Guildhall as this issue went to press.

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environmental NEWS Holiday park invests in all-electric truck The couple purchased an Alke ATX 210E utility truck from ePower Trucks, one of the UK’s leading independent suppliers of EVs. The vehicle is deployed in a wide range of applications on the estate, from towing trailer-loads of 47 litre gas cylinders to grounds maintenance and site cleaning.

An award-winning Lake District holiday park is cutting noise and air pollution after investing in an all-electric truck.

Park Cliffe camping and caravan estate features a mixture of privately-owned lodges and caravans, along with touring and tent pitches for hire. Owners Susan and Derek Dickson had been using a Land Rover to get around the 25-acre site, but found it was uneconomical.

“We do a lot of short, stop-start journeys in the Land Rover and it was inefficient,” said Susan. “Our son suggested that we look into electric vehicles as an alternative.”

“We didn’t think an EV would be able to cope with the terrain, as it is very hilly,” said Susan. “But the Alke can do everything that the Land Rover was expected to do. Our employees really like it, especially the improved visibility from the cab.”

The ATX 210E is a road-legal electric truck that is equally comfortable working offroad. Park Cliffe’s vehicle has a hydraulic tipper body with a tarpaulin cover, providing a payload of 635kg. The powerful electric motor offers a maximum towing capacity of 2,000kg. Independent MacPherson front suspension struts and a De-Dion rear axle help to ensure

permanent wheel grip and reduce the risk of skidding.

Located near Windermere, Park Cliffe holds a gold standard David Bellamy Conservation Award. It is known for its rich variety of wildlife, including badgers, buzzards, and roe deer.

“The truck is much quieter than the Land Rover, so it minimises impact on the wildlife and also doesn’t disturb our guests,” said Susan. “However, it isn’t completely silent, so people can still hear it coming, which is an important safety element on a busy site like ours.”

The Alke range is available from ePower Trucks, a leading UK distributor of electric utility and industrial vehicles. Based in Oldham, Greater Manchester, ePower Trucks provides nationwide product support including new and used vehicles, finance, warranty, service, repair, and replacement parts.

Lakeland park acts to repel grey squirrel invasion Guests at Cumbria's Skelwith Fold caravan park are being recruited to help battle a grey army now marching towards its previously safe haven for red squirrels.

Families visiting the park are being asked to act as informants if they spot any grey invaders, many of which carry the squirrel pox virus which is deadly to reds.

This month, it was reported that greys have got into Grasmere, previously through to be a red squirrel sanctuary because of the surrounding mountains.

It means a risk of grey squirrel numbers sharply rising in Skelwith Fold's 130 acre grounds near Ambleside where a conservation programme has seen the return of the reds.

This year, said park director Henry Wild, there have been more sightings than ever of the park's red squirrel colonies, pointing to the success of its efforts.

Now the park is working closely with the Westmorland Red Squirrels charity to try and protect its hard-won population of Britain's best-loved iconic woodland creatures.

Members of Skelwith Fold's park team as well as holidaymakers are being asked to blow the whistle if they spot any greys in the park's extensive woodlands.

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Floral fanfares

for Cumbria park in bloom awards

Flower power has driven a South Lakeland holiday park to the winning line in two major categories in the 2017 Cumbria in Bloom awards.

Judges in the keenly-fought contest decided that Silverdale Holiday Park park had twice trumped all-comers thanks to its spectacular floral displays.

First it was announced that the park was the overall winner in Cumbria Tourism's self-catering and visitor attraction category, securing the tourist board's prestigious rose bowl.

Then they declared Silverdale to be the champion contender for the South Lakeland Trophy which celebrates tourism businesses in the region.

Stepping up to receive the awards was park warden Kim HodsonWalker who is a leading member of the staff team responsible for creating the displays.

The park's success was revealed in front of hundreds of guests at a recent high-profile awards ceremony in the presence of the Lord Lieutenant of Cumbria, Claire Hensman.

Now the business is in the running for being nominated for entry to next year's national Britain in Bloom finals, organised by the Royal Horticultural Society.

Lancaster park joins elite of tourism's green heroes Helping youngsters to make eye-opening wildlife discoveries has earned a very rare environmental award for a Lancaster family and its pioneering holiday park.

His citation celebrates Moss Wood as "an amazing outdoor classroom where local children and holiday guests can connect with the magic of the natural world".

Moss Wood in the village of Cockerham is now the holder of a Special Distinction accolade from television botanist David Bellamy, made in his annual conservation awards.

David Bellamy highlighted especially a hugely successful nature discovery day held this summer at the park, owned by the Wild family for over 40 years,

It means that the park has joined an elite of just 15 holiday parks, out of around 3,000 in Britain, to have gained Professor Bellamy's highest conservation honour.

The well-attended event was aimed at youngsters and grown-ups wanting to learn more about rural Lancashire's abundant flora and fauna.

On the menu of activities were expert-led pond-dipping sessions in the park's wildlife lake, and children taking part were delighted at what their nets yielded with every trawl.

Children also had the chance to help construct bird boxes, learn how to build a bug hotel, create their own toy bumble bees, and take part in fun competitions.

Guests were also able to explore a recently opened 1.5km nature discovery trail, and a 3000 square-foot wild flower wilderness attracting honey bees and butterflies.

Environmental initiatives such as these have resulted in Moss Wood winning the David Bellamy Conservation Award at its top gold level for twenty consecutive years.

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Park News Moor Lodge Goes Off-Grid Moor Lodge Caravan Park near Wetherby believes it could now be the only park business in the UK generating 100 percent of its own power.

All electrical items on the park, from kettles to refrigeration, run completely on green energy produced by woodchips from sustainable forest timber.

"We have always tried to ensure that our business has a minimal impact on the natural environment, and to do all we can to encourage the abundant animal and plant life," said James.

In fact, excess electricity produced from its super-efficient gasification boiler is even fed directly into the national grid, so reducing national dependence on fossil fuels.

"Now, thanks to our new boiler, the park leaves virtually no carbon footprint, and even produces enough extra clean energy to export to the UK's national electricity supplies.

The park has been under the same family's ownership for 60 years, and is currently under the stewardship of third-generation director James Brown.

"Moor Lodge has long attracted holiday home buyers and touring guests with a keen interest in the natural world, and they are as excited as we are with what's been achieved.

His family, says James, has always been mindful of the need to protect the unspoiled character of the beautiful part of countryside in which Moor Lodge is located.

Moor Lodge is self-sustaining not only with electricity, but also with heat demand because the boiler has the additional function of supplying heat for hot water and central heating.

The park provides just over 70 privately owned holiday homes as well as touring pitches, all situated within 30 acres of grounds which include areas of ancient woodland.

The system has required an investment by the park of £400,000 – but James says that, over time, the cost is likely to be offset with renewable heat incentive payments from the government.

Shamba Holidays, which is located near Ringwood in the New Forest, has won a raft of awards for its high quality standards and care of the natural environment.

But in recent years, says Andrew, the hundreds of glowing reviews received from customers were often sullied by one criticism: the state of the park's drive.

Potholes and huge cracks meant that visitors had to negotiate a very careful path for the final mile if they wanted their vehicles – and passengers – to arrive in one piece:

Toast to tarmac as Dorset park purges its potholes!

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After a 12-year delay, it's finally the end of the road for bumpy rides to one of Dorset's most highly acclaimed caravan and camping parks.

But gaining the go-ahead to lay the tarmac has been a long and winding road for park owner Andrew Gray with more than a decade of lengthy negotiations.

Shamba Holidays can now promise guests a much smoother journey along its mile-long private drive after a major resurfacing project which cost £50,000.

Now, however, the park's many regular guests are joining Andrew in a celebration that cars, touring caravan and motorhomes will no longer have to endure a bone-shaking arrival.

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"We have had every sympathy with people's moans, but our hands were completely tied while we jumped through a succession of hoops," said Andrew.

"Then, this autumn, we finally received the news we had been waiting for – that Shamba had been given the green light to go ahead with the resurfacing.

"Within days we'd organised a local contractor to carry out the work, and now I think we can claim to provide one of the smoothest starts to holidays anywhere in Dorset!" he said.

Park News Holiday park scoops prestigious award West Sussex-based holiday park, Bunn Leisure, has fought off stiff competition to win another top tourism award.

put the Portsmouth area on the map as a great place to live and visit.

The 300-acre holiday park was awarded the regional Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism award at The News Business Excellence Awards in 2017, and was then automatically shortlisted for the JP South Business Awards.

Bunn Leisure is made up of four "villages" on the Sussex coast at Selsey. It provides a significant contribution to the local economy of West Sussex and south-east Hampshire, both through tourism and the provision of employment.

The award recognises those businesses that

Managing Director John Bunn said: “We feel

honoured that our hard work and huge reinvestment programme have been recognised with such a prestigious award.

“Bunn Leisure can accommodate in excess of 12,500 customers over a peak-season weekend, employing approximately 300 fulltime staff and up to 300 additional staff during peak season.The entire operation contributes in excess of £60m to the local economy annually.”

Free Sustainability Pre-Assessment For UK Businesses Cofton Holidays Shortlisted in Two Categories at Devon Tourism Awards Multi award-winning Cofton Holidays is among Devon’s leading tourism businesses to have been chosen for the finals of the Devon Tourism Awards, which will be presented at a prestigious ceremony as this issue went to press.

This year saw a record of 205 entries and an increase to 25 categories in the competition which is now in its 8th year following its launch in 2010. 76 finalists were selected all of whom will be in suspense until 23rd November when they will learn whether they have won Gold, Silver, Bronze or special awards.

Cofton Holidays, which has previously won Gold at the Devon Tourism Awards and went on to receive highly recommended in the Visit England holiday park of the year category, has made it through to the finals of the Devon Tourism Awards in two categories. Earlier this year Cofton also succeeded in being awarded an AA 5 Pennant Gold accreditation at the AA’s Caravan and Camping Awards, one of the highest accolades in the world of camping and caravanning.

Helen Scott, Director of Cofton Holidays, said: “Cofton’s success in being shortlisted for two major awards at the Devon Tourism Awards is a huge achievement. We’re delighted that both our Sustainable Tourism and Holiday Park of the year submissions caught the eyes of the judges.”

Green Tourism, the world's largest sustainable accreditation programme of its kind, has launched its new ‘Green Check' offer for tourism businesses looking to gain one of their highly-respected sustainability awards within two weeks.

Launching on November 13th and running until the end of January 2018, Green Tourism will offer businesses a pre-assessment review with one of their qualified assessors. The ‘Green Check' will include a series of questions taken from the full Green Tourism rating system and give businesses a benchmark to understand where they are on their green journey. At the end of the review, businesses will be given guidance and advice on how they can achieve an award.

The Award, according to Green Tourism's Managing Director, Andrea Nicholas, will provide organisations with a significant marketing and commercial opportunity to kick start the new year.

Andrea explains: "There is much evidence that consumers, particularly Generation Y, are motivated by ethical consumption. We can certainly back that up by the experiences of those who currently hold a Green Tourism award.

"Not only are award holders able to communicate clear and compelling differentiation, they are also benefiting from real cost savings by taking on board the advice of our assessors."

Green Tourism, which is currently marking its 20th year, has launched the initiative as part of an overall strategy to build on the sustainable movement of over 2000 tourism businesses.

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Park News

Dorset park awaits its 80-strong caravan cavalcade Staff at a top Dorset holiday park are preparing for a massive siting operation as 80 new luxury holiday caravans are lined-up for delivery this winter.

Lynn Shearing Joins Parkdean Parkdean Resorts has appointed Chartered accountant Lynn Shearing as Mergers & Acquisitions Director.

Following 18 years with professional services giant PwC, Lynn has taken up the newly-created role based at the holiday park company’s Newcastle office.

On graduating from Leeds University with a First Class degree in Accounting and Finance BA (Hons) in 1999, Lynn sat her ICAEW exams with PwC, winning both regional and national prizes in the process. Once qualified Lynn moved straight into the deals business, based specifically within the corporate finance team in Newcastle for almost 15 years.

In 2016, Parkdean Resorts was acquired by Canadian private equity fund Onex Corporation in a £1.35bn deal, which saw Lynn relocate to the Gosforth office on secondment to manage the project internally – and her permanent move came this autumn.

Alongside Parkdean Resorts CEO John Waterworth, CFO Ian Bull and Onex, Lynn will oversee all future mergers and acquisitions.

Originally from Sunderland, Lynn said: “I’m looking forward to working closely with John, Ian and the team from Onex to put our ambitious plans into action. Growth is high on our agenda so this is an incredibly exciting time to be joining the team. We would therefore be delighted to hear from anyone who thinks they have an acquisition opportunity which might be of interest to us.”

Employing over 7,000 people, Parkdean Resorts is the largest holiday park operator in the UK with over 70 parks stretching across the country. It was ranked 36th in the Sunday Times Grant Thornton Top Track 250 this year as one of Britain's top private mid-market growth companies.

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Shorefield Holidays says the major investment in its letting fleet at Oakdene Forest Park near Bournemouth follows a record number of staycation visits in 2017.

Now, says the group, holiday guests will have the choice of some of Southern England's most highly specified caravan holiday homes and lodges in which to stay.

Family-run Shorefield Holidays, which is preparing to celebrate its 60th anniversary next year, owns seven multiaward winning holiday parks in Dorset and Hampshire.

Oakdene, set in 55 acres of tranquil countryside near the Hurn and Avin Forest, is especially popular with families and has easy access to sandy beaches.

On-park facilities include a wide choice of activities for all ages, a bar-restaurant, and a popular showbar which hosts professional acts and singers in its nightly shows.

The 80 new holiday homes scheduled for arrival include top-end models from UK manufacturers, some with four bedrooms and others with private hottubs.

Simon Pollock, chairman and MD of Shorefield Holidays, said: "This investment underlines the continued success of all our parks, both for holidays and holiday home ownership.”

Family's loch-side park is Scotland's glamp champ Lomond Woods Holiday Park has been crowned as Scotland's premier destination for glamping breaks in a major tourism awards scheme.

Members of the family-owned business stepped forward to receive the honour at this autumn's finals of the 2017 Scottish Outdoor and Leisure Awards.

Based just a short stroll from the banks of Loch Lomond with stunning mountain and countryside views, the five-star park attracts visitors from across the UK and overseas.

It provides a range of glamping accommodation which, judges decided, marked it out as the ideal venue for couples and families visiting the popular region.

There are also luxury lodges, some with private hot tubs, as well as pitches for touring guests.

Lomond Woods is one of five top-rated parks in northern and central Scotland owned by the Wood family who first started out in business 35 years ago Paula Smith, Park Manager at Lomond Woods Holiday Park said that everyone at the park was over the moon at its new accolade: "Everyone has worked extremely hard over the last year to grow our glamping offering, and to ensure we provide customers with a variety of glamping options to suit every style.

"Our category had some very strong competition from other excellent parks in Scotland, so we are even more thrilled to have taken the overall accolade.

"We would like to thank our loyal customers who nominated us and to the award organisers for an absolutely fantastic evening," said Paula.

Dangers Of Misuse Of Holiday Caravans The NCC (National Caravan Council), the trade association for the UK leisure vehicle industry, has issued a stark warning to potential buyers of caravan holiday homes. Purchasers must understand that a caravan or lodge they buy on a holiday park is for leisure use only and that, potentially, they could face eviction from their chosen park if they live there.

The NCC’s Frank Finch explains: “Due to the popularity of ‘staycations’ and the holiday home lifestyle, there is continuing growth in holiday home sales but new buyers need to be aware that a holiday home is for holidays. Holiday parks are licensed by the Local Authority for holiday and recreational use. To live permanently in a holiday caravan/lodge could have serious consequences, including the risk of being required to leave the park. Holiday park operators also risk enforcement action and penalties from local authorities.

“The problem of holiday caravans being used as a main home is not new and the current high property prices and shortage of affordable housing can be factors that drive misuse,” Frank continues. “No-one wants to face the challenges of finding somewhere new to live, so the best way to avoid that terrible situation is to make sure it does not happen to begin with.”

“When owners are found living on a holiday park, local authorities may take enforcement action against the park if there are persistent

breaches of planning, or if the conditions they imposed in the park’s site are routinely ignored. The park will also take action to remedy the situation (e.g. by termination of the holiday home owner’s licence agreement) because it risks losing its site licence if it doesn’t comply with site licence conditions. So, if you are thinking of buying a holiday caravan, make sure you are clear how and when you can use it.”

The NCC has developed new Licence Agreements which its holiday park members use, making this and other restrictions very clear.

There is also a free leaflet for holiday home owners, ‘Making the best use of your caravan holiday home/holiday lodge’ available on www.thencc.org.uk which explains this in detail.

Frank Finch concludes: “Holiday homes offer superb leisure break opportunities but misuse can limit availability. As more people embrace the staycation trend and discover the benefits of holidays and short breaks in the UK, we want to make sure that everyone has the opportunity of enjoying caravan holiday homes and get the most out of their leisure time.”

Pudsey rides into Cumbria - and a £500 pedal-booster!

Cartwright who had joined other staff and holiday guests for the early morning meet-up.

The park had tracked the progress of the team's journey on a live BBC Children in Need web page, and correctly estimated that they would be arriving at around 7.15am.

When park owner Michael Holgate heard of the staff's plans to cheer the team over the border, he decided they should be greeted with more than just a banner.

Pudsey crosses the border into Cumbria When BBC One Show's Children in Need Rickshaw Challenge crossed the border into Cumbria in November, it received more than just a warm reception from well-wishers.

That's because the welcoming party from Silverdale holiday park, just over the Lancashire border, also had a £500 cheque ready to support the TV fundraising epic.

The donation produced a big thumbs up from the One Show's presenter Matt Baker who was cycling alongside the team of six rickshaw riders on the 500-mile marathon.

It was handed over to Matt by Silverdale marketing executive Ellen

Silverdale's donation, he said, would be supporting a raft of extremely worthwhile causes which are funded by cash raised through the Children in Need appeal.

Since 2011, The Rickshaw Challenge has raised over £16 million, and every penny that's donated goes towards helping children and young people across the UK. The team set off on Thursday 9th November from New Broadcasting House in London, and their every move was followed from the One Show studio by Matt's co-presenter Alex Jones.

Team Rickshaw worked their way across the UK and crossed the finish line in Glasgow on Friday 17th November, during BBC Children in Need's 2017 Appeal Show.

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Park News

three times in one night at the annual conference of major holiday bookings agency Hoseasons.

Ladram Bay's first honour came when judges declared it to be the winner of the top Diamond Award for Family Fun in the Devon, Somerset and Dorset region.

It is the seventh year in succession that the park, owned by the same family for over 70 years, has come home from the event with the premier family fun trophy.

Next came a national prize for Ladram Bay as it was named as the overall UK winner of the Customer Choice Food Award for the quality and value of its catering facilities.

Winning smiles at the awards finals (from left): Scott Drew from Hoseasons congratulates Ladram Bay's holiday sales manager Lisa Spickett, director Zoe House, and general manager Steven Harper-Smith

Ladram Bay Triumphs at tourism awards Ladram Bay Holiday Park in Budleigh Salterton scooped a hat-trick of accolades this autumn at one of the tourism industry's most prestigious award events.

The family-run business was put under the spotlight no fewer than

Both accolades are based on the number of customer satisfaction ratings received by Hoseasons from families who have stayed on the hundreds of parks with which they deal.

Family brings medical lifeline to its rural parks Seven rural holiday parks in the Midlands and Wales are now also home to lifesaving medical equipment, thanks to a new initiative by the business's family owners.

Hillandale Caravan Parks says its ÂŁ5,000 plus investment in stateof-the-art defibrillator units could greatly increase the chances of survival for someone suffering cardiac arrest.

With the parks' hideaway locations deep in the countryside, says Hillandale's Charles Lloyd Jones, the defibrillators can save vital minutes in delivering treatment to a victim.

With more than 1,000 holiday home and touring pitches throughout the seven parks, Charles points out, the number of guests at any one time can equate to the size of a village.

Many holiday-home owners, he adds, are also in the higher at-risk age bracket which is statistically more likely to require the use of a defibrillator.

The equipment delivers an electric pulse through the victim's chest to restore normal heart rhythms, and is much more likely to be effective if used immediately after an attack.

Charles says the advanced and fully automatic models chosen for the parks provide simple audio instructions which allow their use even by those with no medical experience.

The defibrillators are supplied by leading medical equipment specialists Physio-Control which has provided training to park teams on when they should be deployed.

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New John Deere Gator debuts at BTME 2018 John Deere’s new HPX 815E Gator utility vehicle will be making its public show debut at BTME 2018 in Harrogate next January. This latest diesel powered Gator shares its new styling with the XUV 855M model, which replaces the 855D. The HPX 815E is ruggedly designed for a range of transporting and general materials handling duties in any outdoor environment. Powered by an 18hp 854cc engine working through a two-speed highlow continuously variable transmission, this two-seater vehicle is available with true on-demand four wheel drive and is capable of travelling at speeds of up to 25mph.

A simple dash-mounted electronic rocker switch controls an auto-locking front differential for extra traction when needed in challenging conditions, or to maintain two-wheel drive for lighter turf operations,

for example.

Additional standard features include a 12V DC outlet, allwheel suspension and steering, front and rear hydraulic disc brakes, a rear diff lock and an integrated four post ROPS canopy with door nets.

Based on a heavy duty hydroformed steel frame for increased durability, the HPX 815E provides an increased payload of 635kg and a towing capacity of 590kg, while the updated cargo box has a load capacity of 454kg. Both the sides and the tailgate, which has a pick-up style onehanded latch, can be easily removed to provide a flatbed-style load bay if required.

The durable composite construction of this industry leading cargo box makes it dent, rattle and rust-resistant.

Additional changes to this model for 2018 include a new digital dashboard, powerful LED headlights and a restyled front bumper, to improve handling and operation particularly in challenging terrain. Optional attachments for the new HPX 815E Gator utility vehicle include a road homologation kit, rear hitch, front and rear blades, a winch and a heavy-duty front suspension kit.

Landscaping news Luscombe Double GreenMech Fleet Luscombe Plant Hire, based in Ulverston, Cumbria, stock a wide range of site machinery and tools available for daily, weekly, or longterm hire. After noticing that their GreenMech Arborist 130 woodchipper was hardly ever in the yard, owner Simon Luscombe decided to add a second one to his hire fleet to meet the consistent demand.

Simon and wife Beverly, along with their son Dan, started Luscombe Plant Hire in 2001 and this year they were proudly awarded the “Outstanding Single Depot Hire Company” at the EHN Passionate Hirer Awards. “We have a full range of tools and machinery from a wallpaper stripper right up to 8-tonne excavators as well as an onsite shop selling fittings, workwear and smaller tools” explains Simon. “The arborist side of things is quite a large part of our business, so being able to offer good quality, reliable chippers that work

well is very important for us.”

“Since we’ve switched over to the GreenMech chippers, we’ve not had one bad report on them – our customers seem much more satisfied. They go out on hire for anywhere between one day to one month and everyone who hires them, say they’re really good machines to use. There has been no downtime due to breakdowns which, when you’ve got a packed hire schedule, is crucial.”

The Arborist 130 is a simple-to-use, cost effective, compact road tow chipper, featuring a generous 970mm x 790mm in-feed hopper,

which aids bushy brash reduction, coupled with a 150cm x 230cm letterbox-style throat.

The 23hp Honda petrol engine is protected with a steel bonnet, helping to reduce the noise level. It comes with a hand brake, overrun braking system and GreenMech’s patented Disc-Blade technology as standard.

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SALTEX The Best Yet

A year’s worth of meticulous and strategic planning from show organisers culminated in what is being hailed by many as the best ever SALTEX. The two-day exhibition has quickly grown to become the premier annual grounds care event in Europe and on 1 and 2 November, the halls of the NEC, Birmingham were a hub of innovation, inspiration and opportunity.

Ahead of the 9am opening, a huge queue of visitors stretched beyond the three mighty halls of 6,7 and 8 and it wasn’t long before the show floor was packed with grounds care enthusiasts from all over the globe.

More than 300 exhibitors showcased their products and services; Learning LIVE, SALTEX’s all-encompassing education programme, featured over 100 high-profile speakers who tackled a number of key issues, and other show features – including Pathology and Soil Science Live, Ask The Expert and the Job Clinic offered invaluable free advice and career progression opportunities. The Outdoor Demonstrations area enabled visitors to see some of the latest equipment in action and attendees also had the chance to see every entry in SALTEX’s new Innovation of the Year Award.

Exhibitors reported constant engagement with a high calibre of attendees across the two-day event as visitors immersed themselves in the vibrant atmosphere and unparalleled interaction. The SALTEX buzz was captured by all and social media channels became a frenzy of show photos, selfies, videos and positive comments – so much so that at 11am on 1 November, #SALTEX17 registered as the third most trending topic in the UK. Furthermore, not a moment was missed through the all new SALTEX TV. Learning LIVE discussions, panel debates and presentations, as well key interviews with visitors, experts and exhibitors were all broadcasted live on four large screens throughout the show floor.

Despite a turbulent year of economic uncertainty, SALTEX successfully united every corner of the grounds care industry. As the only independently-audited show of its kind in the UK, the IOG has never shied away from being transparent with visitor numbers and the official figure will be released as soon as the audit has been completed.

"This year the show has moved from its long-standing venue in Windsor to the more centrally located National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. I think all who attended will agree being indoors gives the show a different feel and the weather certainly can't put people off. The businesses we spoke to said they were impressed with the footfall and they'll be back next year!" said a spokesperson from GC Landscape Management Ltd.

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This year, the show expanded to include the launch of the Family Attraction Expo running directly alongside, designed as a one-stopmarketplace for an owner or manager of a visitor attraction or tourism enterprise.

As every park owner knows, building the perfect holiday park isn’t just about choosing the right accommodation - playgrounds, food offerings, furnishings, washrooms, electrical systems and lighting are all key factors that need to be considered.

This year's show attracted some of the top speakers from the Hospitality & Tourism industry, who shared their knowledge and insight on how to develop the perfect holiday business from the ground up.

Director of Earth Wrights Ltd, Mike Jones, spoke about designing the perfect playground, whilst Nick Stickland from ZST Architects and Lee Fisher Jones from 3D Media Solutions talked about keeping design at the heart of every project can enhance its outcome.

Frank Finch from the National Caravan Council provided an insight into the holiday park sector with all the latest tourism statistics, whilst Gillian Scotford and Jane Carver from Accessible Derbyshire spoke about how to win your share of the £12.1 billion accessible tourism market. Digital expert Richie Jones looked at how to make your brand stand out and Andrew Baker from Haven’s Hafan y Mor Holiday Park discussed the latest developments going on in the park.

Speakers covered everything from marketing and business advice to payment systems, safety and waste management.

Holiday Parks and Resort Innovation Show 2017

NEC Birmingham Running once again alongside the Farm Business Innovation and Country House Business Innovation shows and Holiday Parks and Resort Innovation took place last month on the 8th and 9th of November at Birmingham’s NEC. Holiday Parks Management magazine joined a range of cutting-edge exhibitors supplying a wide range of spectacular products and services designed for any holiday business looking to grow and develop. From the allessential fixtures and furniture to the oftimes guest-favourite hot tubs and saunas, this

year's show truly featured everything needed to set up or expand any holiday destination.

The event has grown considerably since 2016 and featured 150 seminars and 350 leading suppliers.

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Situated on the English Riviera, the swimming pool at Hoburne Devon Bay Holiday Park in Paignton was in need of a refurbishment.

Torbay-based pool dealer, RS Pools Ltd recommended on site lining

by SPATEX exhibitor, Certikin International.

Aside from heat pumps and dehumidifiers, there are other ways to reduce energy consumption such as heat retention covers, enclosures, water circulating pumps, chemical dosing systems – all of which have seen huge energy saving advances in the last few years.

Extend your knowledge

SPATEX knocks wet leisure out of the park!

Get ahead of the competition and attend SPATEX 2018 (Tuesday January 30th to Thursday February 1st) at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena. As the UK’s only dedicated pool, spa and sauna exhibition, it’s a must-attend event for any holiday park which is planning on adding or currently has wet leisure facilities.

If there is one recreational facility that a customer consistently looks for in a holiday park it is a swimming pool. Invariably, it is the central focus for activities and the fun and sense of well-being they offer is what holidays are made of. As competition amongst holiday parks increases it is essential to stay ahead of the game and keep abreast of developments in the water leisure world. Which is why the SPATEX Expo has established itself as a hot attraction for the holiday park owner and operator.

Unique showcase Entering its 22nd year and with well over a hundred exhibitors, SPATEX plays host to the UK’s gathering of wet leisure experts and equipment. If it’s not at SPATEX, it’s not worth seeing!

Hundreds of new products will be on display in a showcase that includes everything under the wet leisure umbrella, from saunas, steam rooms, enclosures, swimming pools to children’s play features, spas and hot tubs.

Reduce costs Although the dividends are rich, the maintenance of a water leisure facility can be a major expense. A visit to SPATEX will show you all the latest innovations in sustainable energy and good housekeeping.

The pool industry is currently working hard on green issues and great strides are being made in renewable technology. Heat pumps have been an accepted technology for well over 20 years and new generation heat pumps, saving even more energy, are being developed all the time.

Focusing on the needs of the commercial sector, the show will once again play host to a double seminar and Institute of Swimming Pool Engineers (ISPE) workshop programme throughout the three days of the Exhibition.

The topics are diverse, ranging from a talk (organised by Golden Coast) by marketeer, Aren Grimshaw offering advice on how to raise the profile of your company to the prevention of cryptosporidium by the world’s leading expert, Professor Rachel Chalmers.

There will also be sessions on new Standards and Guidance that affect all in the pool and spa business. The Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group (PWTAG) and Swimming Teachers’ Association (STA) will both be holding keynote seminars during the Exhibition.

ALL seminars are FREE and certificates of attendance are available to all attendees. For the full programme of workshops and seminars please go to www.spatex.co.uk SPATEX 2018 The Ricoh Arena, Ericsson Exhibition Hall, Coventry Tuesday January 30th to Thursday February 1st 2018. Register FREE at www.spatex.co.uk and sign up for news. on The Ricoh Arena offers 2,000 free car parking spaces and is conveniently situated just off Junction 3 of the M6 motorway which makes it less than a twohour drive for 75 per cent of the population.

For further information call Michele or Helen on +44 (0) 1264 358558 or email michele@spatex.co.uk; helen@spatex.co.uk

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Instance Automatics Unlocking The Potential Of Amusement Machines In an increasingly competitive market, many holiday park operators have introduced amusement machines as a source of ancillary revenues.

Large park operations may well include arcades and sophisticated prize vending, employing specialist personnel to optimise and protect their revenue from machines.

For smaller parks the situation is somewhat different. Whilst any opportunity for new income is welcomed, amusements machines are sometimes viewed with suspicion, particularly if previous attempts to introduce them have failed.

Holiday Parks Management spent some time with Ian Eason, Founder and Managing Director of Lincolnshire based Instance Automatics. Ian has been supplying machines to holiday parks for more than 25 years and provides a fascinating insight into our sector.

Ian’s amusement industry experience started with a machine repair business, and he has also owned a seaside arcade and an operating business supplying machines to individual locations in the region.

Instance Automatics has leveraged this experience and now focuses on the design, development and supply of a wide range of high-earning amusement and prize vending machines.

In 1998, the company started to manufacture crane grabbers under the Maxx Grab brand. Maxx Grab cranes are now a market leading product, with a reputation for performance and reliability. One leading operator, DH Leisure, has purchased more than 1,000 units.

Today’s Instance Automatics offers a wide variety of games and products but from

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speaking with Ian it becomes apparent that he sees his role as much more than that of an equipment provider. Ian explains: “The biggest fear of most site owners is that the siting of machines will disrupt their core business or damage their brand. We spend time visiting the location to gain a comprehensive understanding of footfall, visitor demographics, and where the business is heading. Only then are we in a position to make recommendations,” advises Ian. Ian’s enthusiasm is such that he delights in seeking out less conventional locations: “We recently advised a garden centre that had a couple of ageing machines. As a result we’ve introduced popular kiddie rides, some capsule vendors dispensing high-end licensed collectables, and our highly successful Chupa Chups Stairway to Heaven lollipop vendor; so far the earnings have been excellent. We also supply locations such as adventure golf courses and visitor attractions.

“When amusements and prize vending are correctly sited, we usually find that site owners are genuinely surprised at the income that can be achieved. We talk about incremental revenues and additional income but these terms belie the fact that the sums involved can be transformational,” reveals Ian. So what principles should be followed when equipping a small to medium-sized holiday park? “We would look at a variety of locations such as near to eating areas and coffee shops, maybe close to a convenience store, and of course in more conventional

Ind oor Play As a company shaped by the experience and expertise of its team, Instance Automatics has built an impressive product portfolio, In addition to the Maxx Grab cranes, products include the Discapa Station capsule vendor and the Chupa Chups Stairway to Heaven lollipop vendor.

This compact machine brings real theatre to vending and with over 4.5 million lollipops vended in the last year, it’s popular with teenagers and adults as well as younger children.

locations such as games rooms, explains Ian. “The type of product is very important as it must make a positive contribution to the atmosphere of the park. After all, people are there to be entertained and have fun; they expect value for money. We recommend prize every time products as they are perceived as giving value for money, especially when they sell products featuring licensed entertainment brands. The prices must compare favourably with the retail sector.” Ian continues “For the smaller location, we would recommend installing relatively simple machines that don’t require a great deal of attention. Staff training plays an important part in optimising revenues; they need to understand the games and vending machines on offer, as well as the importance of supplying change.”

With an open-minded approach to business and an extraordinary level of enthusiasm, Ian is keen to engage with park owners and has extended an offer to readers of Holiday Parks Management, “We’re happy to speak with site owners and to share our expertise with them; we honestly believe we can give the best advice available. If a location doesn’t wish to purchase its own machines, we can also advise them on the choice of an operating partner.

“There are new products constantly coming onto the market and we travel the world to find the latest and most exciting products. In fact we’re just off to Orlando to attend the world’s largest amusement expo,” reveals Ian Ian may be contacted directly at Instance Automatics and the company will also be showcasing it products at EAG International & the Visitor Attraction Expo, taking place at Excel London on 16-18th January 2018.

Instance Automatics’ sharp-end experience has earned it a development partnership and distribution agreement with UNIS (Universal Space), one of the world’s largest amusement machine manufacturers.

UNIS has been responsible for many iconic games such as Panning For Gold and Crazy Clock. UNIS has recently launched Lane Master, an alley-style video bowling game, combining the physical fun of a traditional bowling alley with the flexibility of a video game, a potential winner in the park sector.

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Ind oor Play SOFT PLAY SOLUTIONS FROM HUCK NETS Huck Nets based in Bridport, Dorset manufacture and supply a range of innovative rope and net play equipment for both outdoor and indoor play areas. The diverse range includes climbing towers, bridges, tunnels, hammocks, trampolines and swings designed in all shapes and sizes to give extremely varied adventure landscapes. Hang their cargo climb nets anywhere to make an ordinary play area into a fun zone.

Huck’s soft play netting is designed for both fun and safety. The netting is suitable for no-climb areas, safety partitions, net bridges, rope ladders and climbing nets, and is available in most colours to suit your theme or interactive design. All the netting can be custom made to suit your individual requirements.

Huck Nets offers a full installation and maintenance service for new and existing outdoor and indoor play areas. Their team will carry out simple repairs to netting, replace worn-out netting and/or equipment, or can work with you to completely refurbish the play area.

For more information or to discuss a specific requirement call 01308 425100 or email play@hucknetting.co.uk

Bumper Cars Are The New Safer Dodgem Cars Following the huge success of their Junior Driving School’s this year, World of Rides, a leading UK manufacturer and distributor of children’s amusement rides for nearly five decades, has relaunched its new range of ‘Parent & Child’ 24v battery operated Bumper Cars to holiday parks.

The rides provide an exciting, colourful, popular, and very profitable new attraction for all their visitors to enjoy. The twin-seat side-by-side ‘Parent & Child’ cars have fullyoperational joystick controls that allow the cars to travel forwards or backwards or spin in either direction.

“We never forget that all our cars are powered by play!” said World of Rides spokesperson Andrew Robinson, “Initial site testing with leading operators across both the UK and Europe, has resulted in such high incomes, that some operators have opened

as many as six tracks this year, all in the same resort to cope with the demand.”

The larger sized Bumper Car bodies allow two persons to ride side-byside much more comfortably, and the highquality soft-impact inflatable ring means no more jarring or jerking on impact, which resulted in many more repeat rides by family members.

All the Bumper Cars can either be run on free-play or coin-operated but are all supervisor-operated by remote control, for safety.

In addition, a brand-new ‘Laser Battle’ version has also been introduced, which allows riders to hit targets on other cars, which then ‘stops & spins’ before allowing them to re-join the battle. The number of hits for each car can be logged on a digital display on the dashboard and the scores can also be relayed onto large external display screens to allow the public to be able to follow the progress of the ‘The Battle’.

Several large orders are already in progress for this version, ready for installation on themed tracks for next season. www.worldofrides.com

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A World of Play from Electrocoin Electrocoin will arrive at EAG 2018 with a host of exciting products and new developments of existing successful lines for the Single Site, AGC’s and FEC Sectors.

Stern Pinball will as ever have a presence at EAG, displaying the new Star Wars Pinball machine. ‘This game has an enormous appeal,” says Electrocoin’s John Stergidesm “We expect it to be one of the most popular pinball machines for some time’. Making its

UK debut at EAG, Stern will also present the new Guardians of the Galaxy Pinball machine which is also expected to have huge appeal across all sectors.

EAG will also see the launch of another exciting product, Konami’s Dance Dance Revolution A (DDRA). The latest in line of this legendary product will be presented in a new stylish white cabinet with a bigger 42” screen. Some of the new popular songs will have actual video footage including the likes of Pharrell (Happy), Ariadne Grande (Break Free), Selena Gomez (I want you to know), One Direction. There will also be a backlog of music from previous selected DDR versions available on the new DDRA Once again, CAT C will feature strongly for Electrocoin with both arcade and single site sectors seeing new products on offer. Monte Carlo will be on display in the brand new Elektra Cabinet. The multi game digital concept includes a variety games targeted at both single site and arcades, with both hi tec and lo tec games proving to be popular across both sectors. The stunning new all-steel Elektra cabinet, has been specially developed to have appeal across all sectors of the market.

Making its EAG debut will be the new Bar X 7even, an old time classic with cutting edge technology. With its original game play, £25 Jackpot and available in a Casino cabinet, its already proving to be a crowd pleaser; “The game has all the characteristics of the original, however as we are all about progression, it will have some new features like being ticket in ticket out ready (TITO),” says John. In addition, Electrocoin will show the latest Bar X Tablet Cat C System for arcades in its new compact format.

Redemption and prize pay-out machines will also feature, with the hugely popular GoGo Chicken making an appearance at EAG with its new bonus settings, along with Digital Centre’s Panther Revolution Photobooth which has already proven itself on site, resulting in repeat orders according to John A. Stergides.

With redemption becoming increasingly important for FECs, Electrocoin have established themselves as the 'one stop shop' for ticket management, with the Galileo Tickets Eaters and the new Elmac WINMT SQL system for single and multiple sites. The FEC Sector is also increasingly looking at going cashless and to this end, Electrocoin provides support in the UK in the shape of the Intercard system, which is proving popular especially with its flexible approach, FECs can either go completely cashless with e-tickets or combine it with coin-play and redemption tickets. Both of these systems will be demonstrated at EAG, giving the operator an insight to effective stock control and income management.

Electrocoin’s John A. Stergides indicated his eagerness to get to the year off to a flying start, stating, “Whilst Electrocoin attends a number of shows, EAG is the one that sets the tone for the coming season.

We believe that we have some great new products for 2018, so make sure to visit Electrocoin on stand 516.”

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However, quizzes are notoriously timeconsuming to organize – can require staff to manage and deliver and then can leave a bad impression on players if certain people use their smart phones to ask their friend Google for a helping hand!

Connected Entertainment has been working hard on this issue for the last two years and has come up with a low-cost, no-cheat solution for holiday park quizzes. It simply requires players to download a free app that allows everyone participating to join into the same quiz within the same venue – whether there are 10 people playing or 1000.

The quiz content is updated regularly, so no matter how often you run a quiz, you are unlikely to see repeat questions. However, the really clever difference in the Jigsaw Mobile Phone quiz is that while the app is running, and with the Active Fastest Response Feature, the player cannot access their Google browser in order to find out the answer the easy way! Unbelievably, the cost of this innovative Interactive Quiz system is only £250 a year for the holiday park – meaning that park owners can host popular quizzes for under £5 a week!

Question: How do you create a cheat-free quiz?

Answer: Use a Jigsaw System!

Everyone loves a general knowledge quiz – they increase dwell time in your bars, they attract greater footfall and that means more wet sales and happy customers.

“We know how much holiday park guests enjoy a good quiz with a drink in the afternoons and evenings so we have worked really hard over the last two years to take the headaches out of providing them. Setting the questions, ensuring everyone can read the questions clearly and making it difficult for anybody to take a shortcut to the answer have always been the main barriers to providing quizzes. With our Interactive Quiz feature on our Jigsaw™ Entertainment system – we have overcome these issues and we anticipate a massive take-

up among parks,” says Tony Eyre, Commercial Director of Connected Entertainment.

Jigsaw™ is a uniquely developed PC based software product, hosting best in class content: Music, Karaoke, Bingo, Linked Bingo, Games and In-venue Advertising. Jigsaw™ is specifically focused to enhance the guest experience in any hospitality driven environment, including: Holiday Parks, Hotels, Pubs & Bars, Clubs, Bingo Clubs and Cruise Ships.

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Contact Bankside Patterson, the leading holiday home chassis manufacturer, for competitive prices on chassis spares and siting equipment.

GET IN TOUCH FOR 5% DISCOUNT OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER. Contact us on 01964 54 54 34 or at aftersales@bankside-

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Get WiFi that’s dependable,

not demanding With over 25 years combined experience in IT, engineering and WiFi, Camping Connect are educating customers on the connectivity options available as part of their exceptional end-to-end service to help holiday parks provide dependable WiFi. “The process of getting WiFi begins with broadband,” says Co-Director Rhodri John.

“We understand that this can be an issue for parks, but it doesn’t have to be! We’ve teamed up with some of Europe’s leading broadband suppliers to get our customers connectivity.

Now they’re providing great guest WiFi and enjoying all the benefits that come with it.”

Camping Connect’s experienced technical team conduct aerial and on-site surveys to determine the specific needs of every park, allowing them to develop a solution that will give uncompromising coverage to even the most remote locations. This service is backed up by their attentive customer support, helping guests get connected and stay connected, taking a weight off the park’s shoulders.

Co-Director Ben Griffiths comments, “WiFi isn’t a one size fits all solution. Every park has its own unique requirements and we work hard to make sure these are fulfilled. By meeting these requirements, we strive to build great working relationships with all our customers that will last for years to come”.

your current speeds fairly between all your guests and broadband lines can be bonded to increase speeds if necessary.

With Camping Connect, you can take advantage of how guests connect to expand your marketing capabilities to work for your business, whether it’s gathering guest information to send targeted emails, or boosting your social media presence with guest check-ins. Promote communal areas with a WiFi hotspot, offering free, time limited access to encourage visitors to stay for longer.

“I chose Camping Connect to install the WiFi not only because the price was right, but because of their professionalism and knowledge within their field. I trusted they would provide an efficient and hassle free service,” says Natalie Saunders from Eastview Caravan Park.

Alternative connectivity methods are now becoming more accessible and cost-effective for holiday parks in rural areas with poor broadband speeds.

Camping Connect implement speed limitations to distribute

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The importance of connectivity Firstly, guests expect to be able to access the internet from the moment they arrive at the park. The problem is that many holiday parks do not have the bandwidth to take the multiple devices that the average family carries around as a matter of course.

For example, these days a family of four will probably carry at least 3 mobile phones, a couple of tablets and a laptop and expect to connect them all up to access social media and streaming sites. To be honest, the television is now less important than ever when it comes to personal entertainment – although a connected television, which would allow the family to access Netflix or YouTube is of course greatly appreciated.

But possibly even more importantly for parks is the fact that utilities, management systems, communication networks and even tills and payment systems also increasingly work on a wifi system. Smart metering for gas electricity and water rely on it and offer massive savings as well as the opportunity to identify leaks and deal with them quickly and safely.

Cashless loyalty card systems need wifi in order to allow guests to swipe their way around the park, paying for everything from games in the arcade through to drinks at the bar. If the wifi is down – chaos ensues.

At this year’s Holiday Parks show at the NEC, we noticed more than ever how important the provision of wifi and high speed internet is for parks now and in the future.

These days it is not necessary to have ugly satellite dishes or costly pipes to provide high speed internet access to even the most remote parks. There are a number of solutions on the market that can be installed without spoiling the look of the park but still provide a secure and strong signal at all times.

It is possible to monetize the provision of wifi to your guests if that is the route you wish to take. People do not mind paying a fair fee for internet access if that means that the kids are happy when they need some downtime – as long as the internet access is fast and reliable.

If the lack of high-speed internet access is a problem in your park, it is a problem that will not go away of its own accord. It will only become more evident as our world becomes increasingly connected.

Case study: Hundreds of households in south Cumbria are now able to swap their snail-speed broadband for a hyper-fast connection, thanks to a local holiday parks group.

Silverdale park near Arnside was this month switched on to ultra-speedy fibre broadband after digging over five miles of trenches across its land to access the service.

In doing so, it has enabled the communityled broadband provider B4RN to place scores of junction chambers along the route, ready for connection to surrounding properties.

It means that instead of struggling with speeds of sometimes less than one megabit, local homes can now to on-line with connections of up to a staggering 1000 megabits.

This, says B4RN, is hundreds of times faster than they could achieve on even the most efficient BT telephone line - but will actually cost families substantially less to use.

The non-profit organisation says it will also provide free connections to local primary schools and churches within reach of its junction chambers.

The Holgates group, owners of Silverdale park, recently completed a similar project at

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and use social media to send pictures and even videos of their holiday.

"Digging the ducts for the fibre cables was a mammoth and costly task for us, but we're thrilled that it could now prove a digital lifeline for many locally-living families," said Michael.

Formed just over five years ago and based in Melling near Carnforth, B4RN – Broadband for the Rural North – is entirely funded by public subscription and relies on a network of volunteers.

its nearby Silver Ridge park, putting many other householders within reach of supersonic broadband.

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communicate with customers, and keep our website up to date," he said.

Parks owner Michael Holgate said the much greater speed will make a vast improvement to the efficiency of his business – and will be welcomed by holiday guests:

"Before, our online computers often managed little better than a glacial crawl – but now we're really in the fast lane, and get better connectivity than many people in major towns and cities.

"Like many rural businesses in Cumbria, we rely on the internet to generate sales,

"Customers are also delighted, and now they can access amazing download speeds,

www. holidayparksmanagement.com WWW. holidayparksMANAGEMENT.COM

B4RN also depends on the goodwill of businesses such as Holgates parks to give wayleaves and access for the fibre optic cabling to be installed under the ground.

"I believe that B4RN is a wonderful example of a community-led organisation which brings about many social benefits without chasing profits," commented Michael.

"At the same time, it's helping businesses such as ours to compete more successfully, and to sustain jobs and create more employment in local areas," he said.

Traditional WiFi systems consist of external Access Points dotted around the park, which provide a great signal outdoors, but this signal cannot adequately pass into Caravans and Lodges. Customers within the repeater range can typically expect a 30dB drop in signal due to the construction materials, foil insulation thermal bronzed glass resulting in difficulty connecting, slow speeds and frequent drop offs.

The above scenario is found across pretty much every Holiday Park in the UK. Wide area coverage was suitable circa 4 years ago, but clients’ expectations have changed significantly, as has technology. TV is now Netflix, Amazon Prime and BBC iPlayer.

Listening to music is now streaming Spotify, books are Kindles and even the telephone has been replaced with Skype and Facetime.

There is a solution that will allow you to meet these demands allowing you to provide fast internet, low latency and strong signal inside the Caravan. As a bonus, it provides a secure network using WPA2 rather than the insecure open networks found today. Staff networks and CCTV can also run across this network allowing for a long life-cycle, value for money solution that grows with you.

Holiday Park owners: Have you rolled out WiFi across your Holiday Park?

Does it consist of Access Points placed in strategic areas around the park? Have you been shown heat-map and coverage maps showing how great the signal is? And yet you still deal with complaints regarding how slow the internet is, why the signal is weak and a refund should be given.

Using a Fibre to the Cabinet-style deployment consists of a fibre ring installed around the park which is broken out to Ethernet to feed to each dwelling that subscribes to the internet. An internal router is installed that transmits both a secure SSID for the occupants to use, a Guest WiFi signal for those that opt for a PAYG service and even

a staff network to allow housekeeping and maintenance staff access to management systems whilst working around site.

To find out more about Fibre to the Cabinet and the standard Holiday Park WiFi visit www.affinitywifi.com

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PARK IMPROVEMENTS

Holiday Parks Could Save Millions Nationally On Their Water Bills A great many holiday and leisure park operators are simply unaware of the savings that can be achieved on their water bills and waste water bills.

Water audit experts H20 Building Services have worked alongside some of the biggest names in the holiday park industry, experts in reducing the water and waste water bills, some of the numbers in terms of reductions in annual costs have been quite staggering.

Improve Swimming Pool Water Quality with AFM

Have any of your customers ever complained of poor water quality after using your swimming pool? Now is the time to act to be ready for next season. Water Technics Limited can help you improve your water quality using a number of simple steps: 1. Survey Pool Hydraulic System 2. Install Activated Filter Media instead of sand in Filters 3. Service or Install Automatic Dosing System 4. Improve/implement correct testing procedures Advances in filtration media such as Activated Filter Media (AFM®), improvements in automatic dosing and other areas mean there’s no excuse for murky water.

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Take for example Heatherview Leisure Park in Bishop Auckland, Co Durham. H20 Building Services provided an initial water audit report and analysed the water flow data and reported that £65,000 worth of water was being lost in underground water leaks, a staggering 6 million gallons.

Water leak detection experts were dispatched to the site and carried out a water leak detection survey using equipment such as aqua phones, highly sensitive electronic equipment that can detect water leak noise in the underground water pipes.

The water leak detection engineers have years of expertise in locating water leaks underground which will add thousands of pounds to water bills, and a huge drain on financial resources.

See how much you could save for a copy of the water leak detection report contact H20 Building Services on 01924 387 873 or email info@h2obuildingservices.co.uk

JCB PAINT® Launches a Supertough™, Supersafe™, Superversatile™ paint JCB PAINT® has created a paint which has been formulated to make it easy to use on almost any exterior surface and engineered to provide protection against the toughest conditions, like no other paint in the market.

Invented in the UK, it has flame retardant and environmental resistant properties, which along with the re-usable and recycle packaging offers testament to the company’s ethos to making the world a safer place.

“We believe that the consumer and professional decorator has had to endure the arduous task of choosing different types of paint for their exterior requirements such as walls, sheds, stables, barns etc for too long. I am absolutely thrilled to be able to offer them a one-paint solution which will cover these applications and so much more,” says said Chris Honer CEO.

Activated Filter Media, or AFM® is a direct replacement for sand, doubling the performance of sand filters without the need of additional investments in infrastructure. AFM® resists biofouling, biocoagulation and transient wormhole channelling of unfiltered water and never needs to be recharged or replaced.

“We have created an innovative, high performing, strong product which demonstrates the same quality, safety and durability benefits synonymous with all JCB products,” he adds.

AFM® is a highly engineered product manufactured from a specific glass type, processed to obtain the optimum particle size and shape.

It is then exposed to a 3-step activation process to increase its surface area by up to 300 times for superior mechanical and electro-static filtration performance.

JCB PAINT® has a water-based formula with high opacity and is mould, water and stain resistant. Its versatility means you can use it on wood, masonry, terracotta, ceramic, plastic and metal.

There are 12 distinct shades which can be applied using a brush, roller or spray.

Replacing your old sand with AFM will improve water quality dramatically. Did you know commercial pools should change the filter media every two years? When was your last sand change?

“Extra coats of the paint will add extra fire retardancy, which may be of particular interest to those decorating glamping accommodation,” concludes Chris.

www.watertechnics.co.uk

www.jcbpaint.com

www. holidayparksmanagement.com WWW. holidayparksMANAGEMENT.COM

PARK IMPROVEMENTS

Car Charging Solutions from Caravan Park Electrical Services The latest edition to the CPE product range is the e-Charge electric vehicle charging point. This is a stand-alone charging facility using industry-standard mechanical fittings and electrical accessories particular to the EV charging market.

Single phase charge by a 7kw Type 2 Mode 3 charging socket giving up to 30 miles of range per hour of charge. The status of the charge point is identified by coloured LED illumination. Control is managed via a two-position keyswitch. www.cpes.co.uk

Frontier Pitts Work With Caravan Parks To Increase Security Over the years, Frontier Pitts have installed perimeter security equipment on many caravan park sites nationally, to ensure the holiday park sites fulfil their security requirements with cost-effective traffic management.

Frontier Pitts manufacture many marketleading solutions that are ideally suited for controlling constant access to and from site.

From the traffic control Automatic Barrier model FBX, to the parking height Rising Kerb, to the Anti-Ram Terra 180° Swing Barrier, Frontier Pitts install many solutions for Caravan Parks The FBX Automatic Barrier is manufactured in boom lengths up to six metres, up to five metres for booms with skirts, and each boom can be fitted with warning lights and signs to the customer’s specification.

The FBX is designed for reliability and durability, featuring sealed-for-life, nomaintenance bearings on the drive shaft; while both barriers and control cabinet are supplied with a 20-year protective alkyd paint finish as standard. The FBX accessories options include a variety of warning signs, lower folding skirts, boom lights, articulated boom, over-ride key switch, magnetic locks for the end-rest, with a choice of ‘pogo stick’ or fixed end-rests.

Protect your assets With winter to endure - like it or not, this is the time to be checking all the woodwork and metalwork on your site and making sure it is protected and looking it’s best.

The paint experts at SML Paints and

Coatings have been advising park owners and maintenance staff on how to protect and tidy up their play areas, pods and decking. Eddy Fulford, one of the sales staff at SML says “It can be a bit bewildering choosing paints, especially if painting over an existing coating, but we have dealt with thousands of projects and can recommend a paint system that will give the best results depending on what you want to paint, the time you have and the equipment you want to use”.

Roadblockers and Rising Kerbs are impactresistant barriers which control vehicle access and are well suited to ‘High Security’ sites.

Such installations range from car parks through to anti-terrorist protection of defence installations. There are a few models of road blockers available, including the Parking Height Rising Kerbs and the Security height Roadblockers.

Frontier-Pitts, based in Crawley, Sussex, is an acknowledged leader in perimeter security equipment. Services include design, manufacture, civil and electrical services, site surveys, installation, spare part and a full Maintenance Contracts package to give you complete peace of mind. The product range includes security gates, automatic barriers, road blockers and rising kerbs, bollards, and pedestrian control gates and turnstiles www.frontierpitts.com

SML are one of the UK’s largest suppliers of Jotun paints and coatings – a company from Norway that are well known in Scandinavia and the Middle East for protecting everything from oil rigs and offshore windfarms to wooden houses and lodges. In England and Wales they are less well known but in Scotland companies and individuals have been using Jotun products for years, realising that most of the products sold in UK DIY stores and trade counters just don’t have the same protection.

SML have three websites dedicated to Marine Paints, Protective Coatings and Decorative Paints and Eddy or Malcolm would be happy to talk through your project. Call SML Paints on 01285 862 132. www.smlmarinepaints.co.uk www.smlprotectivecoatings.co.uk www.smldecorativepaints.co.uk

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PARK IMPROVEMENTS

GoldShield For Maintenance Peace of Mind The GoldShield Ten Year Warranty is a warranty for park home owners, provided and administered on behalf of the manufacturers and the NCC, the industry’s trade body.

GoldShield operates an independent financial reserve, financed by Park Home manufacturer members, which ensures that homes registered under the warranty benefit from full structural cover for a ten-year period. These benefits are provided alongside and in addition to a purchaser’s rights under the law.

The warranty does not cover remedial work in the event of a failure in the structure of the home that is caused by a defect or failure in the base upon which the home is sited or any defect or damage to the base itself. These

elements are covered by a warranty provided by the Park Owners.

The Home Owner’s responsibility is to ensure that good care is taken of the home, including maintaining regularly the external coated surfaces in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Goldshield have launched a range of Goldshield Schemes, all designed to help park home owners ensure that they take good care of their home and keep up-to-date with all of their obligations. Goldshield Care, Care Plus and Total Care schemes have been introduced to spread the cost of the park home owners maintenance bills so that in the event of any claim, they can prove that they have complied with their maintenance obligations.

David Brock, MD of Goldshield said, “The schemes will consist of an annual inspection and minor repair work and can even take into account the cost of the paint for repainting. All of this can be paid for monthly via Direct Debit and can save park home owners hundreds of pounds.”

Any Park Owners that is not already a member of the Goldshield Warranty scheme can find out more and apply online at www.goldshieldwarranty.co.uk or by calling 0191 258 8124.

Park Home owners wishing to find out more about the Goldshield Care scheme please contact Goldshield on 0191 258 8170 or to buy online, visit www.goldshieldwarranty.co.uk/goldshield -care.html

Introducing HD Deck Dual - the perfect decking solution for happy campers Wood plastic specialists, Composite Prime, has launched HD Deck Dual, a brand-new, slip resistant, dual-sided decking board set to take the glamping and caravan sector by storm.

With a remarkable likeness to timber that competitor products struggle to emulate, the board combines FSC® 100% certified hardwood timber and recycled plastic. The result is a composite that offers a responsibly sourced and durable alternative to hardwood, which is keeping with the idyllic surroundings of glamping sites and caravan parks.

The decking also features a natural grain and is reversible, offering two colour options in one along with the opportunity to lay a deck with contrasting colours, to create a bespoke finish individual to a particular campsite.

Featuring a unique protective cap around the board’s outer layer, the material has been innovatively designed to protect the inner core from the elements. In addition, the fully capped design creates a protective layer that offers resistance against stains, fading and weathering – perfect for sites that welcomes thousands of visitors every season.

Charles Taylor, sales director at Composite Prime, said: “Launching HD Deck Dual to the market has allowed us to introduce a truly innovative product to the composite decking arena. Campsites see thousands of visitors every season, and operators are looking for a decking solution that not only looks beautiful and reflects the natural surroundings, but is slip resistant and wears well underfoot.

“This is exactly what HD Deck Dual offers, along with peace of mind to site owners that our solution will look fantastic all year round and remain safe for their guests.”

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www. holidayparksmanagement.com WWW. holidayparksMANAGEMENT.COM

HD Deck Dual offers increased durability and guarantees a 25-year life expectancy for residential use. It is available in six colours and utilises true grain colour mixing technology to mirror the subtle natural depth of colour seen in natural timber.

Composite Prime produces a range of products, which provide the traditional look and feel of timber but with the array of attractive benefits the inclusion of plastic has to offer, such as resistance to rot and UV damage, alongside the advantage of being made from a sustainable, easy-to-maintain and long-lasting material.

The specialist’s full range includes decking, fencing and garden products, which can be purchased from a number of distributors across the UK. www.composite-prime.com

PARK IMPROVEMENTS

Tork EasyCube triumphs at Family Attraction Expo Tork EasyCube has beaten off stiff competition to win this year’s prestigious Family Attraction Expo Innovation Award.

be of paramount importance in any visitor attraction.”

And this achievement highlights the crucial role played by cleaning in holiday parks and other visitor attractions.

Cleaning staff have their work cut out to keep a close check on washroom cleaning needs in large attractions spread out over a wide geographical area. As a result it is all too common for dispensers to run out between maintenance checks. Empty dispensers and out-of-service cubicles can result in long queues and guest dissatisfaction.

Tork EasyCube is a facility management software that uses connected devices to provide real-time information on cleaning and washroom refill needs. The data can be accessed from anywhere by janitorial staff via a smartphone or tablet.

The system allows attractions to improve their cleaning efficiency and achieve significant customer satisfaction improvements while also helping to motivate their staff.

“We are delighted to have won this award,” said European Marketing Manager Manager Anna Königson Koopmans. “The fact that we were up against manufacturers of state-of-the-art virtual reality solutions – and still won - goes to show that cleanliness and hygiene are considered to

“Tork EasyCube eliminates the need for staff to physically visit each washroom to check on cleaning needs and supplies of toilet paper, soap and hand towels,” said Anna. “Theme parks all over Europe are reporting improved efficiency, more motivated staff and higher levels of customer satisfaction after installing the system.”

The Family Attraction Innovation Award celebrates the industry's most outstanding

example of innovation through equipment, products or services. The winner was announced at Family Attraction Expo which took place on November 7-8 at the NEC Birmingham.

Other Innovation Award finalists included manufacturers of ski machines, virtual reality booths and augmented reality attractions.

“The competition was fierce but we are gratified that the organisers realised that no attraction can run successfully if its washrooms are unhygienic or understocked,” said Anna. www.tork.co.uk/easycube

Systopia: Cashless System Success at Center Parcs Systopia, a market-leading payment innovation company, has been working with Center Parcs to introduce cashless technology to its short break forest locations. Guests can now book and pay for activities using a simple, secure and flexible wristband system.

The technology is easy to set up and manage for guests and staff. On arrival, guests register a credit or debit card to their wristband so that their purchases can be credited to their account during their stay.

Account balance and transaction can be viewed at special kiosks throughout the park, and payments can be settled on the day of the departure.

Systopia’s system enables payments to be tracked and processed in real time, which captures user experience data for the business to monitor the popularity of certain activities and items, and adjust the offering on each break to suit. The software has been developed on Microsoft’s secure .NET platform, using technology that has the highest level of compliance available in the UK. Proven to reduce transaction times and queue lengths, Systopia’s solution is already enhancing the Center Parc’s guest experience.

Julia Lambert, IT Project Manager at Center Parcs, commented, “The initial feedback from guests has been excellent. The wristbands allow guests to open doors to their lodges, open lockers in the changing rooms, as well as being used for payment in certain parts of the village.”

A UK Center Parcs guest notes: “It was brilliant, much easier than having to carry cash – especially in the pool.”

Chris Lyons, Managing Director of Systopia said, “This is a significant milestone for Systopia and Center Parcs UK. We have worked closely with the team to provide a state of the art, integrated system that will allow guests to pay for goods on site easily and quickly at the touch of a wristband. Removing the need to carry cash not only makes payment much easier for visitors, it also creates a safer environment for all.’ www.systopia.co.uk

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