Holiday Parks Management Magazine issue 27

Holiday Parks Management

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

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FUN June 2017 • Issue 27

Landscaping NEWS Park News

Product NEWS

WWW.HOLIDAYPARKSMANAGEMENT.COM ISSUE 27 l JUNE 2017 29

Holiday Parks

Management

Last month, Ortus Secured Finance estimated that the UK’s 100 largest caravan, camping and holiday parks saw turnover climb 9% to £2.67 billion in 2016, up from £2.46 billion five years ago and with staycations showing no sign of losing favour in the face of Brexit, this trend looks set to continue. This issue, Tony Clish from Park Holidays UK talks about why British holidaymakers are flocking to the country’s and indeed his own parks. It lies in offering great value and great entertainment in wonderful surroundings. Just take a glance at the headlines in recent weeks in the UK press - Bourne Leisure spending millions to improve Kiln Park on the Pembrokeshire Coast (which itself pumped £6m into the local economy last year) Shorefield Holidays expanding, Pure Leisure Group opening another park in Lancashire and of course the £3 million spent by Park Holidays on Seawick to upgrade facilities. The Holiday Park sector is more vibrant than ever and more important to the economy of the country. Long may it continue!

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What’s in this issue?

04 Industry news

30 Water Fun

18

35 Environmental news

21

landscaping news

Tony Clish from Park Holidays uk talks about the Staycation Trend

24 The World of Park and

36 Legal column:

recognising good service

37

Product news

Leisure Homes Show

39 Classifieds 27

Outdoor furniture round-up

NEXT ISSUE features include: ■ SPATEX

■ Glamping Show Preview

Steph EDITOR

Kathryn SALES

■ Park Improvements

Published by: Maggie Media Ltd t: 01432 263219. Registered Business: Unit 2, Wyevale Business Park, Wyevale Way, Hereford HR4 7BS Other Publications: Glamping Business - www.glampingbusiness.com Publisher: Maggie Media Ltd, Nina Blanchard e: nina.blanch@maggiemedia.co.uk Editor: Steph Curtis-Raleigh t: 07887 928819 e: stephcurtisraleigh@gmail.com Sales: Kathryn Kelly t: + 44 (0) 7575 408580 e: kathrynkelly@swanevents.co.uk Design: Dean Coulter, Design on Tap www.designontap.co.uk www.holididayparksmanagement.com Other Events: The Glamping Show - www.glampingshow.com © Maggie Media Ltd 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 Shorefield Holidays acquires seventh holiday park

New Lancashire Park Opens Pure Leisure Group has opened a new park in Carnforth, Lancashire, called Borwick Lakes. This forms part of the group’s award-winning luxury lodge development, South Lakeland Leisure Village, which is next door.

Pure Leisure Group has invested £750,000 developing the new holiday park creating five full and part time jobs. Fifteen pitches – many offering beautiful lakefront positions – will go on sale when the new park opens.

“The UK holiday home industry has gone through the roof in recent years and we’ve seen a huge rise in both holidaymakers visiting and holiday home sales across our UK parks,” said owner John Morphet. “I think uncertainty over Brexit and what it might mean for owning a property abroad, coupled with poor exchange rates and concerns about terrorism have all contributed to a recent increase in business and we’re taking this opportunity to invest both in new parks and in enhancing our existing offering. “ Holiday homes at Borwick Lakes will cost between £29,995 and £69,995, which is an attractive price point for the location. “I know from talking to our owners that they like the fact they can be sat with a glass of wine, with a pretty view, world-class facilities and the Lakes, Bay and Dales all a short drive away, in less time than it takes them to get through a security queue at the airport,” he adds.

The park, which has four fishing lakes and benefits from the pool, gym, restaurant and beauty spa facilities at the neighbouring South Lakeland Leisure Village, was formerly a gravel pit but was turned into a caravan park and fishery in the early 1980s. Local contractors have carried out the redevelopment works.

“It’s unrecognisable from how it looked a few months ago and once we’ve completed our landscaping and extensive planting programme, it’s going to be a real countryside retreat,” added Mr Morphet, who owns six holiday parks in Cumbria and Lancashire, five more across the UK and the exclusive Royal Westmoreland estate in Barbados.

Shorefield Holidays Ltd has acquired a new holiday park on the edge of the New Forest, in a strategic move for the business.

Shorefield Holidays already owns six parks across Hampshire and Dorset and this latest acquisition of Kelston Holiday Park is part of continuing growth plans for this successful holiday park company.

The new park is on the doorstep of the beach at Milford-on-Sea, with its iconic view over the sailing waters of the Solent to chalk ridges of The Needles and the Isle of Wight.

It’s also on the edge of the New Forest National Park with its ancient, wild landscape and roaming ponies, and adjacent to the firm’s long-established Shorefield Country Park.

As one of the leading family-run holiday park businesses in the UK, established in 1958, Shorefield Holidays is an expert in great British breaks.

Simon Pollock, Chairman and Managing Director of Shorefield Holiday states: “The acquisition of Kelston Holiday Park is part of our strategy for growth. The rising popularity of the staycation and families purchasing holiday homes as a long-term cost-cutting move, together with our desire to ‘make every weekend a holiday’, remains a key development area for the business moving forward.”

The park will now undergo a significant redevelopment to create a luxury boutique lodge park.

New service from Holiday Home Centre For customers looking for a caravan on a family run caravan park but not sure how to go about finding the right park for them – the Holiday Home Centre has an amazing new service.

The company has launched an exclusive in-house touch screen park finding service from Holiday Home Centre. So customers have the ability to search for parks that suit their requirements from the comfort of the company’s showroom in East Yorkshire.

They can make appointments to visit the parks and will be able to print off leaflets to take away with them. During their visit they can browse the holiday homes at their leisure and the Holiday Home Centre has expert advisors on hand to help customers with any queries they may have.

Buying a Static Caravan just got easier! www.theholidayhomecentre.com

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Park News continued

Hero Paul helps Devon holidaymakers aim high

Rooting for trees: Cumbria park's 10k challenge An ambitious scheme to plant 10,000 native trees – one for every family in nearby Kendal – has been completed at a South Lakes holiday park, Hollins Farm.

The last of the mixed saplings, a silver birch, was placed in the soil in April at the popular camping and caravanning park near Silverdale.

Now the owners, the Holgates Group, say they hope parents will use Hollins Farm as an "outdoor classroom" to help youngsters learn about the fascinating ecosystem of trees.

The park is also a working farm which raises traditional breeds of sheep, cows and chickens, and the tree-planting project is the latest among its many environmental projects.

Last year, TV botanist David Bellamy praised Hollins Farm for encouraging youngsters to make natural discoveries and learn more about the countryside.

He awarded the park his prestigious David Bellamy Conservation Award at its top gold level, and challenged business owner Michael Holgate to take even more eco-friendly initiatives.

Michael's response has been the massive treeplanting project which represents around one new sapling for every family living in Kendal with its 28,000 population.

"Trees are massively important components of our countryside, and have an impact on virtually every living thing, from insects and birds to mosses and wildlife," said Michael.

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Exeter Royal Marine and Invictus Games champion Paul Vice was the VIP guest last month at the opening of a new climbing wall at a popular Devon holiday park (31 March at 11.00am).

Paul, who was awarded the military cross for his bravery, took time out to officially open the latest guest attraction at Ladram Bay Holiday Park in Budleigh Salterton.

Covering 83 square metres and with 14 different routes available, it's likely to prove a great hit this year with both children and grown-ups on the multiaward winning park.

The wall was officially declared open by Corporal Paul Vice at a special ceremony attended by members of the park-owning Carter family and other guests.

Paul became known as "the commando who refused to die" after suffering 100 injuries in an Afghanistan explosion in 2011, and 'died' twice as he was airlifted back to Camp Bastion.

The husband and father-of-four, who was awarded the Military Cross for his bravery during two previous incidents, had more than 400 pieces of shrapnel and stones removed from his body.

After surgery he recovered, and his determined spirit has seen him compete in subsequent years at Invictus Games, the international Paralympics created by Prince Harry.

Paul once again returned victorious from last year's games in Orlando with a raft of medals.

Ladram Bay director Zoe House said that she and the other members of the Carter family felt incredibly honoured that Paul had agreed to open the park's new climbing wall.

It's a thumbs-up for the new climbing wall from Invictus champion Paul Vice (right) and instructor Connor Fitch She said that heroes like Paul had helped give inspiration for others to go out and take on new challenges, such as that provided by the new climbing wall.

General manager Claire Williams added that today more than at any other time in the park's 70-plus year history, families were keen to enjoy active leisure on their holidays.

In response, Ladram Bay has provided a host of opportunities including a recently opened new swimming pool complex with interactive splash zone, and an adventure golf course.

On the park's private beach, guests can also hire watersports equipment including boats and kayaks.

As well as holiday homes to buy, Ladram Bay has a choice of rented accommodation, including new superluxury holiday homes and glamping pods, plus touring pitches.

Ladram Bay boasts a top five-star accolade from VisitEngland, and a raft of other awards including a top gold rating from botanist David Bellamy for its environment care.

Meanwhile, its new climbing wall will be welcomed not just by Ladram Bay's guests, for it is also available to other holidaymakers visiting the area, and to local residents.

Qualified climbing instructors will be in attendance during climbing sessions, and all users will receive a full safety briefing from staff.

There is more information about Ladram Bay Holiday Park at www.ladrambay.co.uk

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Swiss Krono specified for prestigious leisure park development Drawing on its expertise in stockholding, project management and on-time-in-full delivery, decorative surfaces distribution specialist, International Decorative Surfaces (IDS), has supplied Swiss Krono panel products for new accommodation from timberframed modular home builders, Retreat Lodges.

The Concrete decor, from the Swiss Krono One World Collection, has been specified to create feature walls in the lounges and bathrooms of the eco holiday homes Retreat Lodges is supplying at Strawberry Field Park, a luxury development in Somerset.

Grey is the design colour of the moment and Swiss Krono’s advanced inline registered printing and perfectly matched surface texture embossing delivers the tactile look and feel of real concrete to reflect the trend.

All Retreat Lodges homes are traditionally built by craftsman and time served joiners, to BS3632 Residential Standard and National Caravan Council specifications. 17 have been manufactured to date for Strawberry Field Park and orders are continuing for the same lodges for alternative sites across the UK.

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The Swiss Krono One World Collection includes a creative choice of 253 décors, with a wide selection of designs and surface textures in metallics, abstracts, woodgrains and plain colours in addition to concrete. Each of the décors is available as a melamine or a laminate with matching ABS edging as standard. They can all be combined with a variety of different substrates, including chipboard, MDF of all types and compact density fibreboard, CDF. www.idsurfaces.co.uk

Park News continued

General election?

Give us a break, say families As Britain prepares to go to the polls in June, Park Holidays UK says it already knows the result – because general elections always trigger a rise in demand for holiday breaks.

The 23-strong parks group says it's seen the pattern repeated on every occasion for the past 25-plus years. First the announcement, then the rush to get away!

But this time, Park Holidays UK is rolling out plans already in place for when the starting gun fired – and has announced a landslide of special deals in the run-up to June 08.

"Election escape breaks" for up to six people will be available from just £69.00 for three or four nights at Park Holidays UK's highly acclaimed seaside parks in Southern England.

The deals will also run for three weeks after the country votes, enabling politicsweary families to get away and celebrate the result – or to swap their tears of sorrow for peals of laughter.

"We've noticed that general elections always seem to push our booking figures upwards from the moment they are announced," said Park Holidays UK director Tony Clish.

"We suspect that some people treat them as they would any other major national event, and the news sparks an atmosphere of anticipation, or even celebration.

"For others, the prospect of an election fills them with dread, and their instinct is to try and find somewhere to hide from all that non-stop campaigning.

"Either way, our holiday parks provide the perfect place to go and forget the fray – or to treat the run-up to the poll as a good excuse to let your hair down!" added Tony.

But whatever the motive, says Park Holidays UK, the current special offers now posted on its website are bound to win a vote of confidence from everyone.

They include not just accommodation but also use of the parks' leisure facilities such as swimming pools, all-day children's entertainment, and the company's renowned nightly cabaret shows.

And on election night itself, big-screen TVs in the clubhouses will enable guests to follow the fortunes of the parties in a party atmosphere.

Hoburne Refurbishes Paignton Site

Hoburne has completed its second phase of investment with half a million being spent on its Paignton site.

The group has seven holiday parks and has refurbished its leisure centre at Paignton ready for the 2017 season with a sauna, steam room and fitness suite, new family-friendly café area, a new-look decking and patio area offering stunning views across the bay and a new and improved communal area, providing welcoming and contemporary spaces to relax with the family.

Rod Tucker, Managing Director of Hoburne, said: "Last year saw a record year for us, with profitability up 20%. The investments we have made are testament to our commitment to reinvest in our parks, set new standards across the industry and to our goal of exceeding customers' expectations."

Hoburne, which was established in Dorset in 1912, has a policy of continual reinvestment and improvement.

The whole Hoburne team takes pride in its philosophy of providing traditional holidays for families and couples of all ages in beautiful surroundings that create memories to treasure.

“New visitors to our Parks are often amazed at the quality of our entertainment complexes and accommodation.” says Hoburne's Chairman, Rosie Kennar. “They tend to associate caravans with basic facilities, but this just is no longer true. Our holidays offer freedom to do your own thing in some of the most beautiful parts of the country, but with lots to do or join in with if you feel like it. And of course great value for money.”

In 2016, we invested over £6million to improve our entertainment complexes and installed free Wi-Fi across all 7 of our holiday parks. These investments have been welcomed by our loyal customers and we have received wonderful feedback about the continual improvements we make to our parks.

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…Family FUN In The SUN!

All Pollution Free For Use INSIDE-OUT! 10

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Park News continued Caravan park owners from Cumbria swapped their pitches for a peek behind the scenes of two top Lakeland tourist destinations in the runup to Easter.

The group of mainly family-owned businesses said they wanted to experience first-hand the type of attractions they so often recommend to their guests.

On their itinerary were Ullswater Steamers in Glenridding and Lowther Castle near Penrith, and at both the delegates were provided with a private tour of the enterprises.

Cumbria park bosses turn tourist at visitor hot-spots

It's the first of what is hoped will be a series of visits this year to visitor hot-spots by members of the Cumbria branch of the holiday parks' trade association BH&HPA.

"We know from the feedback we get that suggestions such as cruising on Ullswater and exploring the grounds of Lowther Castle are always well received.

The branch represents around 100 parks in the Lake District, and is chaired by David Jackson of Castlerigg Hall Caravan and Camping Park in Keswick:

"But this year we decided we wanted to add a personal slant to our recommendations, and are taking time out to see Cumbria as others see it.

"All of our parks welcome thousands of visitors each year, and we're often asked by families for tips on the best places to visit in Cumbria," said David.

"Our first tour left us in no doubt that the Lake District's attractions are absolutely unbeatable!" added David whose park has been owned by the Jackson family since 1938.

Why Kaye's on cloud nine after holiday home win Former British Airways employee Kaye Wotherspoon is flying high this spring after landing a brand new caravan holiday home in a national draw.

Kaye, from Brentford in Middlesex, beat thousands of other entries to win the keys to a fully equipped luxury leisure home at Seawick Holiday Park in St Osyth, near Clacton.

The draw was organised by park owners Park Holidays UK, and Kaye was able to choose from the group's 26 top-rated parks as the location for her prize.

She opted for Seawick because of the happy memories she treasures of a holiday on the park last year with her two grandchildren, Ruby (8) and George (8).

Key of the door: Picture shows David Nesbitt (Seawick's assistant general manager) George Wotherspoon, Kaye Wotherspoon, Ruby Wotherspoon, and James Tyler (Seawick's general manager) Similar caravan holiday homes to Kaye's prize, a three-bedroom Willerby Etchingham model with double-glazing and central heating, sell at the park for up to £36,995.

Like other holiday owners at Seawick, Kaye and her young guests will have use of the park's extensive leisure facilities in which more than £3m has recently been invested.

Kaye, who has two grown-up children of her own, was widowed more than 25 years ago – and says that since then, the opportunities for holidays have been few and far between.

They include a new swimming pool complex and entertainment centre staging nightly shows.

But she enjoyed her stay at Seawick so much last year that she took her grandchildren on a second break, to Park Holidays UK's New Beach Holiday Park in Dymchurch, Kent.

Kaye says she rarely enters competitions and has never won any type of prize before – so the news of her success, she said, almost knocked her sideways:

Now Kaye, who was once PA to the finance director at British Airways, can look forward to taking holidays through 50 weeks of the year at Seawick.

"I just kept reading the letter over and over again, and I simply couldn't believe it. I was so gobsmacked that this was happening to me!" she said.

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Devon park welcomes its MP to a great reception!

Mr Parish, who represents Tiverton and Honiton, cut the tape on the building where holidaymakers will now be welcomed to multi-award winning park.

The five-month project involved 20 local tradespeople and the use of many traditional craft skills and natural materials during the construction.

Staff and the family owners of a popular Devon holiday park have marked the opening of a new reception building with the help of their local Member of Parliament. Neil Parish MP was the VIP guest at Oakdown Holiday Park near Sidmouth where the £140,000 project was recently completed in time for the summer season.

One of the features of the eco-friendly project is a large oak desking area made from timber which was reclaimed from an ancient fallen tree on the park's farmland.

Stone tiles and natural floor-coverings are incorporated, together with low energy lighting and high levels of thermal insulation to further reduce the park's carbon footprint.

The 110 square metre building also includes a meetings room, seating areas, and washroom and toilet facilities for people with limited mobility. Owned by the Franks family for almost 45 years, Oakdown Holiday Park provides luxury caravan holiday homes to rent and to buy, plus glamping accommodation and touring pitches.

Its many accolades include both national and regional tourism awards, and the top gold David Bellamy Conservation Award for the park's raft of environmental initiatives.

Facilities include a highly rated coffee lodge specialising in locally sourced food and drink, and the 9-hole Oak Mead Golf Course with superb views over the surrounding countryside. www.innovativeleisure.co.uk

Cornwall family's park takes best in England title Trethem Mill Touring Park in Cornwall has been crowned as England's top holiday park in April's VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2017.

The couple, together with their son Jake and Ian's father Derek, are this year celebrating their 25th anniversary at Trethem Mill.

The family-run business in St Just-inRoseland beat around 3000 other parks to take the overall gold award in the holiday park category of the competition.

The family are all involved in the running of the park, together with recent new employee Theo Forman who has joined the team in a full-time grounds and maintenance role.

Based on the Roseland Peninsula in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the park has won a wide and loyal following from holidaymakers in search of peace and tranquillity.

Trethem Mill's "best in England" title follows on from its earlier success in achieving top gold plaudits in both the Cornwall and Southwest Tourism awards.

Stepping up to receive the VisitEngland accolade at April's glittering awards ceremony at the Hilton Waldorf in London were the park's owners Ian and Jane Akeroyd.

Set in 12 acres of landscaped grounds, it provides generously spaced pitches with views over the surrounding countryside for touring caravans, motorhomes and tents.

Ian and Jane's care for the park's natural environment has led to Trethem Mill receiving the prestigious David Bellamy Conservation Award at its top gold level.

Awards ceremony host comedian Sue Perkins congratulates Ian and Jane Akeroyd

Professor Bellamy praised the park's extensive areas of high nectar-bearing flowers that provide vital foraging for honey bees, butterflies and other pollinators,

Innovative Leisure adds new ropes course to Denmark’s Universe park Innovative Leisure has built a double level Sky Trail Explorer high ropes course at Universe Science Park (Universe) in Nordborg, South Jutland.

Previously known as Danfoss Universe, Universe is an amusement park where learning is the main focus.

With the use of technology and science, the park has been designed to inspire adults and children with a wide range of activities and experiences – and with its new Sky Trail Explorer high ropes course, the park has combined creativity and technology into a fun and thrilling hands-on experience.

The Universe Sky Trail is the first course outside the UK to incorporate Innovative Leisure’s zip line element, Sky Rail. While navigating the course participants are able to seamlessly transfer their slider straight into Sky Rail’s zip cart without having to unhook. Following an exciting ‘zip,’ users continue their Sky Trail adventure by transferring straight back onto the course. Universe’s course is also the first to feature the Sky Rail on the second level, which at 11m in height certainly adds further exhilaration to the attraction.

The course also features two Walk the Plank elements with cameras attached so participants are able to have a keepsake of their experience.

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Fife holiday parks gain top training status Scottish holiday parks group Abbeyford Leisure has had its commitment to customer service highlighted by a major tourism training organisation.

The company has now gained WorldHost Recognised Business status from the body whose programmes have already been used to train over 10% of Scotland’s tourism workforce.

Abbeyford Leisure, which owns three award-winning holiday parks on the Fife coast, won the status after reaching the

target of providing WorldHost training for over half of its staff.

The company's recognition will count towards Fife’s campaign to become a WorldHost Recognised Destination, awarded to areas where 25% of businesses are WorldHost Recognised.

Supported by VisitScotland, the training programmes are benefitting Abbeyford Leisure's staff and customers across all of its businesses.

Goldshield Protects Parks and Park Home-Owners

Goldshield Care, Goldshield Care Plus and Goldshield Total Care have been introduced to help spread the cost of park home maintenance bills, whilst still ensuring that in the event of any claim, home owners can prove that they have fully complied with their obligations.

In addition, the GoldShield Ten Year Warranty is a warranty for park homeowners, provided and administered on behalf of the manufacturers and the NCC, the industry’s trade body.

GoldShield Trustees operate an independent financial reserve, funded

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

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The company, founded over 50 years ago, also owns three top-rated parks in North Wales.

Holiday Park Turnover Reaches £2.67bn and in addition to a purchaser’s rights under the law.

Goldshield has launched a range of schemes designed to help park homeowners to make absolutely sure that they take good care of their home and to keep up-to-date with all of their obligations.

They are Elie Holiday Park, just outside the seaside resort of Elie in Fife, St Andrews Holiday Park, and St Monans Holiday Park in the East Neuk of Fife.

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 is responsible for taking good care of the home, including regular maintenance of the external coated surfaces in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations.

David Brock, Managing Director of Goldshield Trustees said, “The schemes will provide for all necessary annual inspection and minor repair work as well as full repainting and can even take into account the high cost of the paint. All of this can be paid for monthly via Direct Debit and can save park home owners hundreds of pounds.”

Any Park Owner 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.

The UK’s top caravan, camping and holiday park companies grew their turnover to £2.67bn last year, thanks to the continued appeal of “staycations” and short UK breaks, says Ortus Secured Finance, the London-based commercial lender.

According to research by Ortus Secured Finance, the total turnover of the UK’s 100 biggest caravan and holiday park companies is up nine per cent from £2.46bn five years ago.

Ortus Secured Finance says that renewed interest from holiday-makers in relatively inexpensive stays at camping and caravan sites and holiday parks since the recession is likely to be a key driver.

Operators have been able to capitalise on increased demand for alternatives to more costly overseas holidays, to generate greater opportunities for repeat business and drive up guest spending as the economy has recovered.

Tenby’s Kiln Plans Redevelopment Pembrokeshire's largest holiday park; Tenby’s Kiln Park Holiday Centre has revealed plans for the redevelopment and relocation of 117 static caravan bases and the creation of 58 more.

Permission is also being sought to reduce the number of touring and tent pitches and the relocation of the park’s play area and entertainment complex. The park also plans to demolish its shop and staff caravans and make changes to its car park.

Because the boundary between Pembrokeshire County Council and the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority crosses the land, the application has to be made to both bodies.

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Park News continued

Cumbria park is UK's ethical business of year Skelwith Fold caravan park in Cumbria has been crowned as Britain's ethical business of the year in the Federation of Small Businesses and Worldpay UK Business Awards 2017.

Bankside Patterson expands fleet The UK’s leading manufacturer of caravan chassis for the holiday and park home industry, has expanded its delivery fleet with the addition of two new articulated trucks. The fully-liveried vehicles, recently unveiled by Bankside Patterson, were purchased as part of a strategic programme of ongoing investment at the company’s site in Driffield, East Yorkshire.

The family-run park in Ambleside was announced as the overall national winner in the "ethical business" category at the award finals in London in May. Stepping up to receive the congratulations of judges at the glittering ceremony at Shakespeare's Globe was park owner and former BH&HPA chairman Henry Wild and his wife Hannah.

In an address to guests and judges, Henry said the accolade was also a tribute to the

Bankside Patterson has been supplying the industry since 1959. It has worked hard to earn an enviable reputation for innovation, secure a large percentage share of the market and forge relationships with the majority of the large manufacturers in the holiday and park home sector – most of which also operate out of the East Yorkshire region.

One of the catalysts for success was the launch of its Fusion Chassis range in 2010, which changed the holiday home market and became market leader in under a year.

The success of Fusion has been further advanced in its latest iteration – ProTech.

Launched in 2015, ProTech has provided additional site and function advantages while also providing benefits to the manufactures from a build perspective.

“We now run a total of seven vehicles,” explains Senior Sales and Commercial Manager Shaun Gadsby, “three articulated and two rigid units, all with sloping rampoff trailers. Such a feature is essential for the delivery of all our chassis as it means unloading can be undertaken without the customer having to be present. We also have a further two standard trailers that are employed for the delivery of modular frames.”

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Henry and Hannah Wild (centre) with (left) awards host and entrepreneur Tim Campbell MBE who was hired by Lord Alan Sugar in the first series of The Apprentice, and James Frost, chief marketing officer of Worldpay UK. parks sector as a whole which for decades had put ethical management at the core of its business philosophy.

Skelwith Fold earlier this year triumphed in the North West heats of the awards, and was up against other competing firms from across the UK in a closely-fought contest.

The national title was awarded after judges made a close scrutiny of how the park was successfully integrating ethics into its business culture across a range of criteria.

Dorset parks take centre stage in Broadchurch boom so obviously the county lives up to expectations!" he said.

Fans of TV drama Broadchurch have set the scenes for a record year of visitors to West Dorset, according to a major holiday parks group in the region.

West Dorset Leisure Holidays says bookings are currently up 25% on last year's figures as families go in search of the picturesque vistas and seascapes seen on screen.

The final series of the award-winning drama finished in April, and the parks' general manager James Cox said that enquiries began to swell from the first episode.

"We experienced similar uplifts during the first two series of Broadchurch, and many of those guests became repeat visitors –

"Now with this latest wave of demand, we are expecting to see the busiest year yet for our business, and will be helping to point families to some of the locations seen on television.

"Our holidaymakers spend literally millions of pounds each year in the region, and support many local small businesses and the people they employ.

"So overall, Broadchurch has proved a massive boom for Dorset's visitor economy," added James.

Family-owned West Dorset Leisure Holidays owns five holiday parks in the region, including its flagship Highlands End Holiday Park in Bridport.

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Pinewoods Gets New Turf Warwick Taylor Landscapes has completed a major extension to Pinewoods Holiday Park in Wells Next The Sea on the Norfolk coast using 17,000 sqm of hardwearing turf from Harrowden Turf.

The specialist contractor was engaged by Walker Construction Services Ltd on behalf of the Holkham Estate to supply and install of

3,500sqm of Rite-Pave eco-grid in parking areas, supply 2,000 tonnes of soil and lay 17,000sqm of turf. In addition it had to deliver 20,000sqm of amenity wildflower seeding, 7000sqm of bark mulching, plant 600 trees and 2,500 native whips.

The improvements were made to which was looking for an eco-friendly and biodiverse 116 pitch extension to its facility, to enable it to keep its David Bellamy Conservation Gold Award.

Warwick Taylor Landscapes director Chris Taylor explained why Harrowden Turf was selected for landscaping around the holiday homes and for the amenity areas.

"RTF turf was originally specified for this project, however, when it came to placing orders, we were unable to find a supplier with sufficient stock. Having worked with Harrowden Turf in the past, I approached them for advice.

After discussions with Harrowden’s technical team and the landscape architect it was agreed to use their premium grade turf. The client has a strong philosophy of using local suppliers wherever possible and Harrowden have plenty of experience of supplying turf for large projects."

Warwick Taylor said challenges on the project included the winter weather and the proximity to the sea with excavations affected by tidal ingress of water.

Landscaping news New Disc-blade Sharpener from GreenMech the efficiency of the chipper, helping it to perform at its best.”

For those who wish to return their blades to the manufacturer, GreenMech will continue to offer their factory disc-blade sharpening service.

British woodchipper manufacturers GreenMech have introduced their own disc-blade sharpening unit for users to quickly sharpen their GreenMech blades and minimise machinery downtime. Being non product specific, the unit will be of particular interest to hire companies and contractors with multi-machines in their portfolios.

Commenting on the introduction of the sharpening unit Sales Director Martin Lucas said, “This is a great add-on to have in the GreenMech range. Giving users the autonomy to sharpen their own blades as and when it’s required speeds up the sharpening process for the customer whilst also improving

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Introduced in 1995, GreenMech’s unique disc-blade system already offers significant cost-savings over conventional straight chipper blades. In operation, only 30% of the disc-blades circumference comes into contact with the woody material. This means that when these edges become worn or damaged by contaminates, the blades can be turned to the next sharp section, before the need to sharpen. This equates to 600% more blade life and up to 150 hours of chipping before requiring re-sharpening.

These pioneering round blades are now the preferred choice with many contractors and come fitted as standard on all GreenMech hydraulic chippers.

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Kubota Engines expands partnership with Mitchell Powersystems Kubota UK Engine Division is pleased to announce it has strengthened its strategic partnership with Mitchell Powersystems (MPS) after extending the distribution of Kubota’s full range of engine solutions into two new territories.

This latest announcement now means that MPS will distribute Kubota’s complete range of oil and water cooled diesel and dual fuel engines in the North West of England and Northern Wales from its Sutton-in-Ashfield depot, as well as supply the South and South East of England from its Romsey depot. Each branch will also deliver full support services and spare parts to dealers and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) across a range of industry sectors.

Daniel Grant, Business Development Manager for Kubota UK’s Engines Division, commented: “This is an exciting relationship that brings together two leading players in the industrial diesel engine market.”

Driving a Deere for dementia HMP Kirkham prison officer Andy Maxfield from Inskip in Lancashire is aiming to break a six-year-old Guinness World Record by driving from John O’Groats to Land’s End on a John Deere lawn tractor, while raising money for Alzheimer’s Society.

Andy and his daughter Kathryn, are planning to drive non-stop to break the record, which stands at four days and 23 hours. They will be using a standard 24hp X950R lawn tractor (less the rear collection system and mower deck) and support vehicles provided by John Deere. The X950R has cruise control and a top road speed of 10mph, and will also be equipped with a GPS tracker to qualify for the record.

There is a family history of Alzheimer’s, as it affects Andy’s 77 year old father James and James’ mother Theresa was also diagnosed with the condition. “I started thinking about fundraising ideas towards the end of last year, when my dad was going downhill quite quickly,” says Andy Maxfield. “It was my birthday in January, so I asked people to make donations to charity instead of giving me presents, and it’s gone on from there.

The ‘Driving the Distance for Dementia’ Challenge is due to set off from John O’Groats at 10am on Tuesday 25th July 2017; the traditional distance by road to Land’s End is 874 miles. The planned route goes past the family home in Inskip, where Andy Maxfield spends much of his spare time cutting the grass in public open spaces around the village.

“I asked John Deere, although I don’t have one of their mowers at home, as I know they make quality products and I wanted something to get me from A to B without breaking down!”

John Deere Limited turf division manager Chris Meacock adds: “Our UK and Ireland employees select a specific charity each year

to support with a variety of fundraising activities. By coincidence we had chosen Alzheimer’s Society when we were approached

by Andy Maxfield to help with the Guinness World Record attempt, so it was very good timing on his part!

“We are delighted to back this very worthy cause and are looking forward to the challenge. In addition to providing the X950R for ‘Driving the Distance for Dementia’, we have offered Andy a new X350R lawn tractor worth over £5000 as a special raffle prize for the family’s charity ball in December.”

The charity ball has a JustGiving website page for donations at www.justgiving.com/andrewmaxfield, text MAXF80 £3 to 70070 or visit www.facebook.com/ForgetMeNotPreston.

New Optidrive™ developed by Avant to improve engine performance Avant has developed a new, innovative solution for improving the performance of the drive circuit in Avant loaders.

The drive system in Avant loaders consists of a variable displacement hydraulic pump, four hydraulic drive motors and some valves which are connected together with hydraulic hoses and fittings. This system where the drive power is conveyed from engine (electric motor on Avant e-series) to the wheels using hydraulic oil is often referred to as drive circuit.

Instead of mechanical axles Avant uses a design where there are four separate hydraulic drive motors, one on each wheel of the loader.

Avant was the first manufacturer to design and utilize such a system in a compact loader. This system has proven to be very effective, offering lots of pushing power and yet enabling a very compact design to the loader while maintaining an extremely low center of gravity, which is an important part of the great stability of Avant loaders.

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Through research and development Avant has now improved this system with an innovative way of rethinking. When hydraulic oil flows at high flow rate in the drive circuit – in hydraulic hoses, fittings, motors and valves – the resistance in these components heats up the hydraulic oil. The more there are hoses and fittings, the quicker the oil heats up, which means that all that unnecessary heat generated in the system uses a part of the

engine output in vain. This also results in higher fuel consumption and less engine power is available for the actual job.

In the new system the amount of hydraulic hoses and fittings has been radically reduced and optimized, where the name Optidrive™ derives from as well. The new Optidrive™ is a standard feature first in Avant 700 series, later also in the 500 and 600 series.

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GreenMech Dealers Announced

GreenMech continued its dealer realignment programme last month by replacing T H White with new dealers New Forest Farm Machinery and GA Groundcare, while existing dealers Burden Brothers Agri Ltd will be extending their coverage area. All existing warranties relating to GreenMech chippers, sold by T H White, will be supported by these new dealers.

Based in Ringwood, New Forest Farm Machinery will be providing sales and support throughout the Hampshire and Dorset regions. With over 25 years of engineering experience, New Forest Farm Machinery will be adding the GreenMech brand to their range of professional groundcare equipment. aking over the areas of Wiltshire, Berkshire and Gloucestershire will be GA Groundcare. This Wiltshire based business specialises in professional and commercial Groundcare, as well as Arboricultural Equipment, and will be changing woodchipper suppliers to represent GreenMech.

Finally, Burden Brothers Agri Ltd will now be servicing new and existing customers in Surrey, adding to their established areas of Kent and Sussex.

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Anyone for Polaris?

Dallas Burston Polo Club, part of the IXL Events group, has taken delivery of four new Polaris Ranger Crew side-by-side vehicles. Situated right in the heart of England in Warwickshire, Dallas Burston is an award-winning events venue and encompasses 600 acres of indoor and outdoor event space with six polo grounds and unique facilities for conferences, weddings, fun days and team building events. It’s also a major centre for equestrian eventing and is developing as a dressage venue. Dallas Burston sourced their new Rangers from Polaris authorised dealer All-4 Ltd. of Nuneaton, who had previously supplied them with a Ranger 570. The club is the subject of a £122m investment programme and the new Rangers have a strong role to play in the smooth running of the events.

“We have had Polaris before and never had any problems,” says Major Richard Carney MBE, the group’s Director of Operations, “so the choice was straightforward. The Rangers are good, strong vehicles, easily accessible and perfectly suited to our site and events.”

DON'T DOUBT IT: As Britain's tourism year started to gather momentum over the country's mild spring, BBC Radio 5 Live decided to take the temperature of the staycation trend. In the interview seat was Park Holidays UK director Tony Clish, and the reporter began by pointing out that Britain's tourism industry looked set fair for another boom year. Was this Park Holiday UK's experience, she asked Tony – and if so, was it likely to continue?

Tony began by noting that spring holiday bookings at the group were already up by 20 percent on last year's figures, and that many of these were repeat bookings. In other words, he told listeners, there was every indication that families were going home entirely satisfied with his parks' product, and keen to come back. So yes, he said, the staycation is sustainable.

But the reasons for this, he continued, weren't one dimensional. Many newcomers to Park Holidays UK, he explained, were often tempted initially by the headline price of the stay. What brought them back, however, was not just the value, but the quality of the experience they enjoyed. In fact, said Tony, it was often found that repeat customers put their hands even more deeply

this staycation trend is fully sustainable It began just a few years ago – and shows no sign of abating. But can Brits be persuaded to keep coming back? Definitely, says Park Holidays UK… if five crucial boxes continue to be ticked into their pockets and opted for higher grade accommodation on their return.

His reason for confidence that the group's parks can continue meeting, and often exceeding, expectations is that they deliver on five critical levels. Value, he says, will always be fundamental – and the company would always remain highly competitive at all price points. Just as important, he believes, is the strength of a park's location, and that those in popular seaside areas in traditional holiday regions will always be at an advantage.

That, though, still leaves three boxes to be ticked, and of these he says, quality of service is regarded by many visitors as vital to the enjoyment of their stay. As evidence, Tony points out that on-line reviews left by customers of all types of holiday providers will often make mention of how the level of hospitality and the helpfulness of staff contributed to the family's levels of satisfaction.

Tony Clish, Park Holidays UK director

Good quality and well-maintained facilities and accommodation are vital too, he says.

And that leads on the fifth – and perhaps most telling – component of a stay to which the customer will want to return: the experience they were seeking.

Another question "It really wasn't that long ago when families would first ask themselves 'where do we want to go on holiday?' and make the destination their main concern," said Tony.

"That remains important, but now the question today is also likely to be 'what do we want to do on holiday?'

"In other words, decisions are often experience-led because holidays aren't just a matter of getting away from everyday

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the company's decision to invest in a superb new project which would bring a further boost to tourism in the Margate area.

The 100-acre park now has at its heart a brand new complex which includes a 150 square metres swimming pool, shop, caferestaurant, and arcade area with the latest video games. It will also be the venue for the park's nightly entertainment.

Sir Roger performed the opening ceremony in the building's sleek new reception area where staff will now welcome guests and holiday home owners. Their number is likely to increase still further this year as Birchington Vale recently gained consent to expand its volume of accommodation in response to demand.

Getting bigger surroundings. It's much more about making an escape from routine, and immersing yourself in enjoyable activities that can help you totally switch off. Sure, the location is still important – but so too is what you do when you get there.

"Over the past twenty five-plus years, we've focussed on building our portfolio of parks in favoured holiday areas on the coast. But the strength of the park model is that, unlike a hotel or holiday apartments for example, we're not stuck with an inflexible entity which is difficult to change or adapt. Parks can evolve and add constantly to their appeal, and that's precisely the route we've taken," added Tony.

One recent example is Seawick Holiday Park near Clacton where Park Holidays UK has this year spent close to £3 million on a prestigious upgrade project. It comprises a new swimming pool and entertainments complex, and has been welcomed locally as a valuable feather in the cap for the traditional holiday area on the Essex coast.

The 1,500 square metres building can seat 400 people and houses a host of high-tech equipment to allow West End standard shows to be mounted. Just the stage lighting alone, says the company, cost in excess of £30,000 and includes a huge computercontrolled LED display to provide a thrilling backdrop to performances.

But the complex isn't just about song and dance, for it also features Seawick's sleek new reception area. There's also a minisupermarket which includes locally-sourced produce, and a restaurant serving meals throughout the day and evening with views of the stage area.

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Video gaming Park Holidays UK has also spent £100,000 on equipping the complex's arcade area with the latest video games and other entertainment technologies from across the world. Outside, a newly built patio area provides barbecues, super-size TV screens, seating and tables.

According to Tony, the decision to invest substantially in Seawick is a reflection of the determination of the company to provide a first-class experiences to holidaymakers, whether they are holiday home owners or coming on a family break: "Seawick has long been one of the most popular of our twenty-six parks, and we are determined to ensure it continues at the top of the game. The park provides more than six hundred caravan holiday homes and lodges, some privately owned and others available to rent, so there's always a great holiday atmosphere which will now be focussed on this new complex.

"I am confident that our investment will help attract even more visitors to Clacton in the future, and this will also benefit the many other businesses in this part of Essex which rely on tourism. In addition, the complex offers a facility at the park which isn't weather dependent, so it's likely to draw visitors right throughout the eleven months of the year we are open," he said.

This spring saw the opening of a similar development at the company's Birchington Vale Holiday Park in the seaside village of Birchington-on-Sea in Kent. Cutting the tape on the new £2m pool and leisure complex was North Thanet MP Sir Roger Gale praised

An additional 97 leisure homes will be developed, adding to the current 280 holiday caravans and luxury lodges which are available to buy and to let at the park. There are also 100 pitches for campers and the owners of touring caravans and motorhomes.

Birchington Vale, set alongside four picturesque sandy bays, was acquired 18 months ago by Park Holidays UK which owns a further five holiday parks along the Kent coast. Many of these, as well as its other parks which extend westwards along to south coast to Devon, have also benefitted from investments over the past 12 months designed to provide memorable experiences for guests.

Increasingly, those experiences are being enjoyed all year round with the majority of the group's parks now extending their holiday calendar and closing for just a couple of weeks in winter. According to Tony Clish, longer seasons provide added value for customers, and reflect the realities of how modern holiday homes are now built: "Holiday home manufacturers have made huge strides forward over the past couple of decades in terms of equipping these properties for four-season use." said Tony.

"Features such as highly efficient central heating systems, double glazing and enhanced insulation ensure the homes always remain snug and minimise energy usage. Extending the season also mirrors the changing pattern of holiday-taking with families now enjoying more shorter breaks throughout the year," he added.

For owners who opt to rent out their holiday home for parts of the year, he said, the

additional weeks also represent an opportunity to increase their annual letting income. And local authorities, says Tony, are often quick to see the benefits of extending the holiday year: "High quality holiday parks such as ours bring massive economic benefits to rural regions, and are the life-blood of many small businesses, such as pubs, shops, restaurants and attractions. By allowing holiday home owners to visit for longer each year, district councils are helping to protect these enterprises and safeguard the jobs of the people they employ."

Special stay Guest experiences, says Tony, are fashioned not just by what is provided for them by the park in terms of entertainment and facilities.

The standard of the accommodation itself is an important aspect of making a stay special, whether as an owner or rental guest. And it's for this reason that luxury lodges and more highly specified caravan holiday homes are at the forefront of new holiday home ownership developments being rolled out by Park Holidays UK. The high standards of build in lodge properties, he points out, means that owners can take holidays throughout the year in assured comfort. In addition, the generous size of lodges and the extra space in 14-foot wide caravan holiday homes mean families enjoy a domestic environment more closely akin to their permanent home.

Tony says the company is also keen to open the door for guests to enjoy the best possible

experiences when they visit nearby attractions whilst on holiday. To this end, it has negotiated a package of discount deals with many of the most popular visitor attractions around its centres, including major theme parks, zoos, adventure activities and special attractions from prehistoric caves to petting farms, historic houses and gardens, and steam railways.

At the bottom line, says Tony, are savings which will enable guests to spend more on other aspects of the holiday – or to visit more attractions than they would normally. Once again, the move recognises the fact that families today are looking to build their holiday memories around what they did whilst they were away, and the experiences they enjoyed.

These experiences include, of course, the entertainment which holiday parks have traditionally offered. Once again, Park Holidays UK is continually upping its game here, and Tony believes that the millions of pounds it invests each year plays a big part in tempting holidaymakers to make return visits – and can even prompt a decision to buy a holiday home.

All-day children's activities, touring attractions, West End shows, well-known TV personalities and entertainers and a host of other professional entertainment are all provided:

Entertaining more "Paying for attractions and activities of this class outside the park would empty people's wallets in no time at all, but here they are all

completely free," says Tony. "We are determined to remain the brightest stars in entertainment in the parks industry, and to make each season even more amazing than the last," he added.

Bingo also remains are enduringly popular as ever, and Park Holidays UK was the first park group to link all of its sites for games, meaning more and bigger cash prizes running into thousands of pounds, and a greater level of excitement.

And "excitement" says Tony is what his group is determined to carry on delivering, no matter what destination the family chooses. It's a policy which demands continual investment – but one which returns a huge dividend in terms of customer experience. And the payback from that, he points out, is a high level of loyalty which continues to underpin the group's growth among staycation families.

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The World of Park and Leisure Homes Show - JUNE 8-11 2017

Stoneleigh Park (NAEC), Warwickshire The UK’s Leading Outdoor Show for Park Homes & Leisure Lodges returns once again to Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire to showcase the very latest in design and concepts from Most of the UK’s leading manufacturers Park owners, park operators and others in the trade are offered a unique opportunity to spend quality time with manufacturers, view new models and other homes on display and consider new concepts and designs. It’s a perfect environment to do business and also a great chance to simply catch up with friends and colleagues in the relaxed atmosphere and surroundings.

2017 will see the show’s biggest ever gathering of UK Manufacturers.

Showcasing over 55 lodges and park homes, including ABI; Cambrian, Homeseeker, Lodgikol, Manor, Oakgrove, Omar, Pathfinder, Pemberton, Prestige, Tingdene, Sovereign, Stately-Albion, Wessex, Willerby Holiday Homes and new from America Ritz Homes, plus of course a huge array of park sites, industry-specific products and services including insurance, financing, decking,

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coatings, refurbishments, part exchange, estate agents, investment companies to name a few.

With Daily Seminar speakers including John Clement of Turbervilles Solicitors, Brenda Feeney from Zebra Finance Andre Wiese from QuantaPX and Silvano Geranio of Prestige Park & Leisure Homes. All seminars include a Question & Answer session.

Park owners and operators include Hoseasons, Just Lodges, Allens Caravans, Tingdene Parks, Hollins Park, Frisby Lakes, Sovereign Park Home Developments, Berkeley Parks, Park Life, Wyldecrest, Kernow, McFarland Group, Killarney Homes, Pure Leisure, The Pines Holiday Lodges, Park Home Life, Ranksborough Hall, Peaklands Investments, Dodwell Park, Warfield Park, Avon Estates with a NEW development in Presthope Grange. Services suppliers

include Resitex Coatings, Park Home Assist, Zebra Finance, Rolec, Park Sure, Park Home Chassis, The Furniture Centre, Costco, Insulated Homes, Paul Baker Insurance, Caravan Electrical, NuVex Park Home Refurbishments, Towergate, UK Sundecks, SFP Contracts, Jefford Carpets, Superior Spas and UKGS Ground Screws!

In the Trade? Come along for a special Trade Preview Day on Thursday 8th June. A free copy of this issue of Holiday Parks Management will be handed out to all trade visitors on this day. What better place for land owners, park owners, and park operators to spend quality time with the manufacturers, viewing new models and other homes on display and considering new concepts and designs.

For more details contact www.parkhomeandleisure.co.uk

This annual event is firmly established as the ‘MUST VISIT SHOW’ Dates for your Diary are: 8th June (Trade Preview Day) & 10th – 11th June (General Public/Trade)

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UK Pool & Spa Expo Launches

New Events, the organisers of the UK Pool & Spa Expo at The NEC, have joined forces with ‘Leisure Industry Week’ – which is now under new management.

By joining these events together the organisers are confident of a winning formula, which will deliver new and existing contacts to the Pool & Spa sector in particular. The mix of visitors will create a buzz, which has been missing from UK events for many years now and gives companies the opportunity to widen their network of contacts and meet new distributors and users.

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This year from 12th & 13th September 2017 in Hall 1 of the NEC UK Pool & Spa Expo/Hot Tub Living will run alongside LIW to create the largest gathering of fitness and wellness.

The event brings together the commercial leisure markets with suppliers and manufacturers, meeting owners and operators of Hotels, Leisure Centres, Country Clubs, Local Authorities, Health Clubs and Spas, Rehabilitation Centres, Sports Clubs, Schools and Colleges and of course Holiday Parks.

To find out more please speak to either Claire, Niki or Tom at NEW Events Ltd. on 01428 609382 or email info@neweventsltd.com

outdoor FURNITURE As the weather gets warmer, the demand for comfortable, hard-wearing outdoor furniture increases.

Perhaps it is time to invest in something a little different to make the most of your outdoor spaces?

A FULL RANGE OF FURNITURE The LeisureBench range of outdoor furniture is extensive, and some is also suitable for indoor use. Firstly, the stunning range made from Grade ‘A’ premier teak, includes an extensive range of benches. For an even more comfortable relaxed experience, holiday parks might consider the Oasis Rattan collection which is modern, durable, very strong and virtually maintenance -ree. This range is suitable for outdoor or indoor use.

For those requiring furniture that is easy to move, there is the aluminium range. It is both lightweight and weatherproof. The hardwood range is carefully selected from trusted and certified sources. There is also an extensive range of heavy-duty picnic tables that are available in round and ‘A’ frame designs. Hard and soft ground fixings are also supplied.

to suit all Holiday Parks Rattan and light fibrestone planters The new Rattan planters are designed to complement Rattan garden furniture and are suitable for outdoor or indoor use. They are available in various colours and sizes, some of which include self-watering technology. The fibrestone range, made from fibreglass, stone powder and polyurethane is aesthetically pleasing, modern looking and available in many shapes and sizes.

Madrid Set Made from quality water-resistant resin in a continental style found extensively across Europe, this table and chairs set is suitable for outdoor or indoor use and benefits from the aesthetic appearance of Rattan, but with more durablity.

Neptune chairs Mix and match designer chairs are currently on-trend. The new Neptune range comes in a variety of colours and is suitable for use outdoors or indoors. It combines the look of a designer chair but is built to last due to its sturdy robust polypropylene construction.

LeisureBench also stocks a wide range of accessories, including parasols, cushions and jumbrellas.

LeisureBench can deliver nationwide and guarantees delivery from stock mostly the next day, but always within five working days. www.leisurebench.co.uk

The LeisureBench range of furniture made entirely from recycled plastic is tough, long-lasting and good for the environment.

Here is a sample of some of the exciting new products LeisureBench has introduced this year.

Fibre cement furniture 2016 saw a significant increase in the demand for rustic industrial-style furniture.

The new Fibre Cement range is the next generation along this theme. Suitable for outdoor or indoor use, it comprises a table and bench set made from a composite material renowned for its strength and durability, with natural acacia wood legs.

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outdoor FURNITURE

The Best of Both Worlds Repaint and Renew for Happy Guests Never underestimate the importance of clean and tidy outdoor furniture. A dirty or weathered table is not going to improve the look of food put on it. A seat that leaves marks on guests clothes is, at best, not a good thing and at worst could lead to a request for compensation or bad reviews.

Replacing old furniture is costly and often unnecessary when there are products available to repaint and renew existing outdoor furniture.

In most cases the preparation is a jet wash and a light sand but then choosing the right product for the job is often confusing. Is the furniture hardwood or softwood? What is the difference between paint for wood and metal? What is the best way to apply it and is it available in the colour or finish I want?

SML Paints and Coatings have been answering these questions for years and they say that, while it is a very clever marketing strategy, choosing a product just because it says it ‘does exactly what is says on the tin’ is not always the best way to get the best results. How often these days do you get a supplier that will talk through your project and suggest the most suitable product based on your particular circumstances? At SML they will ask not only what you are painting but how much time you have, when you need to have it finished and what your experience is. With this information they can then suggest a product that will give you the best results.

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Unique Tables provides outdoor furniture with a twist! From concrete resin tables to high quality rattan sets they have a wide range to choose from.

All unique tables come with a option to have a gas fire fitting in the middle of the table!

This has a hotplate grill that attaches over the top making these tables one of a kind.

Some have two compartments and can house two fires , or one fire and one ice drinks chiller. However, a table with only one compartment is still interchangeable and can accept both a fire or a chiller unit, making it very flexible – for all times of year. www.uniquetables.eu

Buy Direct for Savings The Garden Furniture Centre on Yew Tree Farm in The Midlands was established in 2000 as a small, family run business supplying indoor and outdoor furniture in the high quality bracket to local customers in the Midlands.

Now, over ten years later, the business has a 10,000 square foot showroom on Yew Tree Farm, a massive online catalogue with well over 2000 products and a dedicated Sales Team that serves the UK and beyond.

SML Paints and Coatings only supply paints from one manufacturer, which means they know their products inside out. You may not have heard the names before but their decorative products are used to protect Scandinavian homes from extremes of weather and are well known is Scotland where only the best products provide suitable protection. Their products to protect metal are used on the Eiffel Tower and the Burj Kalifa (the tallest building in the world) and the marine paints are used on 30% of the world’s merchant fleet.

Jon Haimes, Founder of The Garden Furniture Centre says, “Ninety-five per cent of our furniture is bought direct from the manufacturers. This removes all costs incurred by using wholesalers and agents, and provides us with the opportunity to sell at very competitive prices. It also allows us to give you, the customer, exactly what you want, when you want it - by producing our own designs and having the volume of stock to fulfil the orders.”

www.smldecorativepaints.co.uk

www.gardenfurniturecentre.co.uk

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There are special prices on many items in their catalogue and orders over £50 aredelivered free to the UK mainland.

outdoor FURNITURE

Grand Designs

for outdooR inspiration Grand Designs Live returned to London’s ExCeL from the 29th April – 7th May 2017. Running for 9 days, the show offers visitors a unique opportunity to see all the latest trends for the home as well as many products never seen before. Based on the Channel 4 TV series, and presented by design guru Kevin McCloud, the event is packed with over 500 exhibitors, across seven different sections.

Holiday Parks Management visited to see the latest trends in outdoor garden buildings and furnishings. The show is split into six sections; Grand Build, Grand Interiors and The Design Arcade, Grand Bathrooms, Kitchens, Technology and Grand Gardens.

The most eye-catching part of the Grand Gardens section was The Garden Shed Project, where designers were tasked with creating a unique room within the confines of a garden shed.

For those wanting a bigger room within their gardens, there were suppliers such as Garden Hideouts, Garden Spaces UK and Crown Pavilions showing contemporary spaces, which could be used for a variety of purposes. Crown Pavilions brought along their latest innovation – an all-in-one” garden room, complete with 4k cinema screen, breakfast bar, kitchenette facilities, shower room and bedroom – all in a 7 x 7m space.

Among the garden furniture and accessories suppliers, notable were Unique Tables with their fire and ice offer, Bramblecrest, The Garden Furniture Centre with their eclectic range, Riverco Trading and Oaktree.

For accessories, there were ovens and stoves from Kadai Firebowls, Aquaforno and Alphapro.

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waterFun Your pools, spas and even your lakes and ponds are all great attractions for your guests. Holiday Parks Management looks at some of the best products and services to keep them looking good, to keep them safe and to maximise the fun as well as showcasing some of the best recent water lesiure developments in UK parks Hippo transformed the toddler pool at Waterside Holiday Park into an interactive water play area for children of all ages and abilities, making use of the existing water supply. A unique combination of colourful low level play features have been designed to increase water confidence and learning through play in toddlers and young children, via exploration and discovery within a watery environment.

What a Waterside Transformation!

A bright and vibrant water factory themed waterball is connected to the poolside water supply via an arch and features a variety of fill and spill buckets, interactive hand wheels and water jets. Children can turn the wheels to control the flow of water to the jets and can tip the buckets once full to spill water back into the pool. There are also two interactive water channels each featuring 2 paddles that allow children to manipulate the flow of water through them and back into the pool. The channels are fed by water jets on the waterball. An aquatic themed toddler slide provides great fun as toddlers slide down and splash into the pool. The bright and colourful slide has a tactile surface with moving fish that the children can spin around, and porthole mirrors perfect for peering through and watching their reflection.

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Reduce the risks

WITH BRIO

BRIO Group offer specialised services to facilities with swimming or spa pools.

BRIO can ensure that your pool is being operated to the highest standards, not just technically but also in regards to Health & Safety and risk factors associated with operating pools on every aspect.

When working with holiday parks, BRIO can train your staff on pool plant operations to a high standard, and make sure they can operate the pool to the Industry standards required, from the basics of understanding how to water test correctly and the importance of good water quality, on how to dose correctly for any issues which may arise during pool use & preventing dangerous bacteria.

The company offers risk assessments on all elements of operating pools, including lifeguards required, policies in place for safeguarding users, as well as updating operating procedures to latest standards, Legionella Risk Assessments, COSHH training, entrapment testing, and helping minimise Health & Safety Risks. BRIO also offers an online introductory course for pool plant operations to give a beginner’s insight to pool operations.

Finally three interactive wall panels on the poolside feature underwater themed fun - Treasure Island, Sea Serpent and Whirlpool. The panels all have moving parts and mirrors which provide tactile, visual and auditory simulation.

As H&S fines are on the increase in the leisure industry and new recent standards in spa pool regulations are being released, it is more important than ever to make sure you have covered all aspects of health and safety to reduce risk of injuries and accidents which are very often preventable.

www.hippoleisure.com

www.briogroup.co.uk

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waterFun Sir Roger performed the opening ceremony in the building's sleek new reception area where staff will now welcome guests and holiday home owners.

Their number is likely to increase still further this year as Birchington Vale recently gained consent to expand its volume of accommodation in response to demand.

Kent park's £2m pool splash wins MP's backing North Thanet MP Sir Roger Gale has cut the tape on a Kent holiday's park's new £2m pool and leisure complex which will bring a further boost to tourism in the Margate area.

Sir Roger was at Birchington Vale Holiday Park in the seaside village of Birchington-on-Sea where owners Park Holidays UK have just completed a major investment project.

The 100-acre park now has at its heart a brand new complex which includes a 150

square metres swimming pool, shop, caferestaurant, and arcade area with the latest video games.

It will also be the venue for the park's nightly entertainment, and the staging features a host of high-tech equipment to allow West End standard shows to be mounted.

Outside, a newly built patio area provides barbecues, super-size TV screens, seating and tables.

An additional 97 leisure homes will be developed, adding to the current 280 holiday caravans and luxury lodges which are available to buy and to let at the park.

There are also 100 pitches for campers and the owners of touring caravans and motorhomes.

Birchington Vale, set alongside four picturesque sandy bays, was acquired 18 months ago by Park Holidays UK which owns a further five holiday parks along the Kent coast.

It now provides employment for around 50 staff in high season, including a growing number of full-time positions with training opportunities.

Heat Hot Tubs faster and more economically The spectacular growth of the UK’s hot tub market has been a major success story, both in the domestic/residential and commercial/leisure industry sectors.

However, the slow heat-up times and relatively high energy costs associated with many hot tubs can detract from the enjoyment of using the product and increasingly, owners are seeking a faster, more energy efficient solution.

Traditionally, most hot tubs are supplied with an electric heater of around 3kW output. With this type of heat source, it can take up to 24 hours to heat a tub from cold (depending on pool capacity, outside air temperature and heater type).

Additionally, domestic hot tub users can expect their annual electricity costs to increase, often by around £500.00 or even more, which with rising energy costs, could potentially affect future development for the industry. For commercial multi-tub operators, this sharp increase to energy costs can have a serious impact on the businesses financial performance.

However, there is an alternative solution. By switching from electric heating to high efficiency gas or biomass boiler heating, in conjunction with a Bowman heat exchanger, both heat up times and energy costs can be significantly reduced.

Bowman, already the UK’s leading manufacturer of swimming pool heat exchangers, has now turned its attention to the hot tub market with the recent introduction of its EC80 heat exchanger.

This super compact unit – just 368mm overall length – offers up to 25kW heat transfer, getting hot tubs up to the required temperature in a fraction of the time taken by most electric heaters. In fact one of Bowman’s commercial customers, operating 24 hot tubs, reported that their tubs can be heated in just 2 – 3 hours from cold and in addition, is saving around £500 per hot tub annually in energy costs!

Installation is straight forward – the operation being the same as heating a conventional swimming pool, where the heat exchanger acts as an interface between the heated water from the boiler and the hot tubs own water circuit.

This solution is suitable for both single tub and multi-tub installations. For domestic users, the hot tub can often be heated from their properties central heating boiler. For commercial operators, such as leisure parks, where individual accommodation units have their own hot tub, these can be heated from a centralised boiler, by linking in parallel the required number of heat exchangers for the number of hot tubs to be heated.

Whilst this principle is still relatively new to the industry, an increasing number of installers are realising the benefits of switching to a boiler based heating system in conjunction with a Bowman heat exchanger and once installed, the benefits of faster heat up and lower energy costs ensure that users can enjoy their hot tubs to the full! www.ejbowman.co.uk

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waterFun

The Wonderful World of Water For nearly five decades World of Rides have been manufacturing and selling the UK’s leading ranges of land-based battery powered family rides,but one of their best-kept-secrets must surely be that for over four of those decades they have also been manufacturing and selling one of the UK’s leading ranges of waterbased battery powered and manually-powered family boats as well.

The coin-operated range of pollution-free, commercial build-quality, 12v and 24v battery powered hire bumper boats are hugely popular with children and families, especially since the 24v boats have a twin seat, strong enough to carry either two children (recommended to be eight years old or older if unaccompanied), two adults, or a parent and child.

UK's biggest aqua park opens at Tattershall The UK's biggest inflatable Aquaglide aqua park has opened at Tattershall Lakes Country Park in Lincolnshire, which is owned by pioneering UK holiday village operator Away Resorts.

They can be safely used either indoors or outdoors in either a swimming pool or an above ground pool, or in any enclosed freshwater lake, and six to eight boats will require a weed-free area of around 6m x 12m, and vertical sides around the whole operating area, to accommodate the propeller unit, with a minimum water depth required of around 50 cm.

The Aquaglide aqua park includes a floating assault course, a trampoline, a human catapult, a cyclone, Kaos, which is a big pillow that blasts people into the air, and the UK's only volley ball court on water.

The mini range of 12v single seat Bumper Boats, for three to eight-year olds, continue to remain very popular, often being the first chance that smaller children ever have, to ‘captain’ their very own boats! This range normally float in smaller sized specially constructed shallow pools, starting at around 6m x 6m, for safety!

Popular with kids of all ages, the Aquaglide park is a welcome addition to the other water sports available at Tattershall Lakes, which include cable wakeboarding, kayaking, paddleboarding, waterskiing and jetskiing.

Rowing hire boats are the company’s second most popular range of water craft, the most popular hire models range from only eight feet long, to suit two adults and two small children, up to eleven foot six inches to suit four adults and two small children.

On dry land at Tattershall Lakes, there is a whole programme of activities, including: hoverboarding; landzorbing; target archery; raft building; cheerleading; laser tag; Balanceability bikes; body zorbing; waterwalkerz; and cycling.

Rowing is something that all the family can enjoy, and keeps them all active and helps to fight obesity, through family fitness and fun!

For serious wow factor, World of Rides has introduced a range of Water-Bikes.

They are rarely seen on UK waterways, but they are becoming increasingly more popular due to their ease of riding and unsinkable pontoons! They are also very popular on fishing lakes, as they cannot be punctured by a stray fishing hook, and can maneuver to the most popular fishing areas on any river or lake very quietly.

Although they are all single-seat, baby seats can be fitted to the crossbars for the safe transportation of the under three-year olds.

Finally, the company’s 24v battery-powered, three-seat motor launches have remained popular with families in theme parks and holiday parks for very many decades, and are the modern pollution-free equivalents of the old petrol driven ‘Scooterboats’ that were hugely popular on every Seaside Resort, Holiday Park and Municipal Park boating lake during the 1950’s and 1960’s! www.worldofrides.com

For more sedate activities for younger members of the family, there's Pirate Play, where children learn all about pirates and design pirate swords, hats and treasure maps, as well as walk the plank.

In the Superhero Academy, kids can turn themselves into their very own superhero, with superhero training, games and races.

Among the many other activities are making your own lava lamps and mad scientist workshop.

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waterFun Hotel delighted at Delta addition

Caldera: A luxury that

became an essential!

Looking to inject the X factor into their holiday cottage business, Ruth and Gordon Christopher installed two beautiful Caldera hot tubs and it proved to be one of the soundest business decisions they ever made.

Holt Farm is an independent, family owned business set in the stunning Herefordshire countryside, offering luxury accommodation in four holiday cottages.

Eighteen months ago, owners Ruth and Gordon took the decision to install two Caldera Vantos hot tubs. “They were installed in January in a cold winter,” says Ruth. “We had the best swim ever a couple days later because it was snowing which gave it such a magical feel. Some guests, who have not used a hot tub before, think you have to have fine weather to use one so I love telling them about how the best times are the dark, the snow and the rain!

“We chose two seven-seater hot tubs between our four cottages and it works well for us as they are situated on outdoor patios. They are strategically placed as most of our customers book at least two cottages so we have great flexibility to give them at least one cottage with a hot tub. Then in quiet times we can offer a hot tub to customers whose cottage might not have an adjacent one - they are usually delighted by the added value to their booking.”

“The hot tubs have proved a real boon to business,” says Ruth.

“Potential customers are always looking for an added value fun facility when they make their booking and the hot tubs fit the bill perfectly and have broad appeal. Hen and stag parties love them as well as the big birthday gatherings, reunion groups and walkers. We find our customers use them all times of the day and night. Small families and couples enjoy them too for relaxing - more in the evenings rather than in the day. The great beauty of a Caldera hot tub is that it is not seasonal. The majority of our guests stay for weekend breaks but families who book longer stays in the school holidays use the hot tubs all week long. And of course, mid week walking groups love relaxing in one after a long day in the hills.

“Maintenance takes just a few minutes per day; refilling is more lengthy but having two tubs is good in that they can fill simultaneously! For us, getting the Caldera hot tubs has been a great investment and we’ve not looked back.” www.calderaspas.co.uk

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A Calorex Delta is delighting guests at a popular London hotel eager to enjoy the onsite leisure facilities. The Holiday Inn in Shepperton had been in-need for a new dehumidification system for several months, and a Calorex Delta was specified for their smart indoor pool and spa facility.

And the performance of the Delta is already having an instant impact on staff and their guests as Timothy Biss, of Kew Green Hotel Group explains.

“The Delta is already doing a fantastic job,” he said. “We are delighted with the improvements it has made and the results are so noticeable, even before you step into the building.

“When you arrive to the hotel, you can view the main windows to the leisure club from the car park. I remember visiting the hotel to start work on installing the new Delta and you couldn’t even see anything inside from the steam and condensation on the window.

“Now when you pull up outside the hotel, you’re greeted to a more welcoming view and some of the great swimming pool and facilities inside.

“It was a pretty urgent job that needed to be undertaken and the Delta that Calorex have installed is a welcome addition to our facility.

The Calorex Delta is a popular choice when is it comes to leisure centres, clubs or domestic pools and with its new touch screen technology and a remote internet connection, the upgraded system allows you to control your pool room directly from your smartphone.

All Calorex Delta models come with a 5.7” touch screen display providing a more flexible approach to system management. The unit can be controlled and adjusted on-site to match fan speeds precisely to ductwork resistance and automatically vary exhaust speeds to match building load requirements.

The Delta’s installation at the London hotel also went off without a hitch and the professionalism of Calorex approved service agent, Central Heat Pumps also didn’t go unnoticed.

Biss continued: “The installation was a very simple procedure - we set aside a week for the unit to be installed, but in actual fact the old dehumidification unit was removed on Tuesday and we had the new system up and running by Thursday.” www.calorex.com

environmental NEWS Bird-friendly New Forest park soars in green awards

Red alert at Cumbria park

as squirrels spring back Multiple sightings of red squirrels at Cumbria's Skelwith Fold caravan park this spring are causing excitement among holidaymakers – and especially youngsters.

The wildlife-friendly Ambleside park says the red revival is evidence of the success of its 12year conservation programme to encourage the animals' return.

Now guests at Skelwith Fold are reporting regular appearances of the red squirrel colonies which are beginning to thrive in the 130 acre grounds of the park.

But tempting the elusive reds back has required a concerted effort by the park and its staff over a period of more than a decade.

A family's New Forest holiday park is flying high after birds, honey bees and butterflies helped wing it to a top environmental accolade from David Bellamy.

It required a reduction in the number of grey squirrels through humane culling, and a woodland management scheme to ensure that the natural environment remained redfriendly.

The world-famous botanist has presented Red Shoot Camping Park near Ringwood with his prestigious David Bellamy Conservation Award at its top gold level.

Cumbria parks in harmony

Professor Bellamy praised the park's planting of hundreds of native hedging plants which provide valuable habitats and food resources for many animal and bird species.

Honey bee numbers are set to blossom on a group of Cumbria holiday parks this year, thanks to an ambitious plan to introduce thousands of their favourite flowers.

He commended too the park's sowings of wild flowers with high nectar-bearing blooms on which honey bees, butterflies and other pollinators can forage.

Hoping to create the buzz is Silverdale Holiday Park and its five sister-parks, all of which have won the backing of botanist David Bellamy for the project.

Jaqui and Nick have also installed bird and bat boxes around the grounds, and created two insect houses which help supplement the diet of feathered guests.

It will see over one million wildflower seeds sown, and the planting of hundreds of beefriendly shrubs, in order to provide a lifeline for the beleaguered insects.

Low level lighting helps holidaymakers enjoy the night sky, and the park's shop minimises the food miles of its stock by favouring local producers and suppliers.

The plants have all been chosen for their high nectar-bearing blooms on which honey bees forage.

to give bees a chance

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by David Ward of Blacks Solicitors LLP

Organised chaos It is essential that all parks have a staff induction and training process. This ensures that an employee begins their employment correctly, knowing what the business is about and their role within it. Where staff are a vital part of the customer experience, it is also essential to ensure the workforce are aware of their duties and capable of conducting them.

Not only that, but if an employer has a clear record of having spent time training its employees, in the event that their performance dwindles or a claim is issued, employers will have the ability to demonstrate having acted reasonably in providing all of the information required for them to carry out their role to an acceptable standard.

In addition, all staff need to be provided with an employment contract, including a staff handbook with appropriate policies within it.

There is no excuse in the eyes of an employment tribunal for failing to provide this, yet doing so makes sure you are both legally compliant and that you appear well organised to your staff.

How to motivate and reward staff Being well organised, legally compliant and incentivising staff at your holiday park will lead to a productive and loyal work force. management arguing. Mutual respect throughout the workplace is key to running a happy ship.

Using appropriate communication should also be adhered to. Emails can often read bluntly, letters ought to be kept to formal correspondence and texts/Whatsapp messages ought not to be used as a means to communicate disciplinary action or dismissal.

It is important that employers realise that what is said by email about staff can be accessed relatively easily via a Data Subject Access Request, should a dispute arise.

Therefore damning/embarrassing emails should never be sent about staff, whatever the circumstances. Keeping communication with staff and management appropriate and respectful is much more likely to provide motivation than family fall outs.

Likewise, it is excellent strategy to keep personnel files for each of your employees, recording absence levels, holidays, training records and disciplinary/performance issues.

Absence can occur for a multitude of reasons but failure to keep a record can lead to serious illness or disability being missed by an employer. Not only do some staff take advantage of holiday entitlement but others fail to take it. This can result in illness and fatigue and so ensuring that employees take regular breaks is likely to increase wellbeing and the feeling that you as an employer are keen for them to receive their employment benefits in full.

Appraisals can play an integral role in staff development. Employers ought to meet with their employees every 6-12 months to agree targets, talk about successes and failures and where the business is heading.

Employers who operate a transparent forum for employees to give feedback and share ideas are often those who find and retain loyal, well motivated employees rather than those who practice an “us and them” type mentality.

Happy families

Minimum wage, minimum effort

It’s no secret that the majority of holiday parks are family run. A large proportion have evolved from agricultural businesses, looking to diversify. Even the best of families have disputes. They can fall out, argue and even part ways. No employee will be motivated to work hard after spending the day hearing

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Recognising good service

www. holidayparksmanagement.com WWW. holidayparksMANAGEMENT.COM

This brings us to the subject of wages. Firstly, pitch fees don’t count towards minimum wage. Informal arrangements with park wardens who work occasionally in return for a pitch fee can sometimes turn sour and at the end of the day, failure to pay minimum wage can be a criminal offence.

It is fair to say that unskilled labour is not going to warrant an incredibly generous wage, however employment benefits and recognition of hard work is not all about wages.

Employees should be rewarded for loyalty and going above and beyond their remit.

Remember that small gestures go a long way when it comes to staff. The following are possible benefits that could be used to incentivise and motivate your staff: ■ A team bonus, encouraging everyone to work together; ■ Flexibility of working hours; ■ A mention on a staff bulletin or park social media account; ■ An end of season awards presentation and meal out; ■ Vouchers; ■ Free tea and coffee at breaks; and ■ A staff run tuck shop for charity.

Hopefully, you will already have some or all of the above procedures in place and enjoy a happy and dynamic workforce.

Blacks Solicitors LLP is the leading law firm in the North of England for the holiday parks sector. Our Holiday Parks Team is made up of specialists who have combined their technical legal knowledge with an understanding of the holiday parks industry to offer a wide range of services including transactional services on the sale and disposal of parks, regulatory and management services in relation to a wide range of matters on parks (including disputes and managing employees) and succession planning. www.lawblacks.com

PRODUCT NEWS

Use ground screws to install your home or lodge At last there is a new way of siting your Park home or holiday lodge.

UKGS Solutions Ltd are authorised installers of the industry leading ‘Krinner’ ground screw.

Based in the Midlands UKGS are ideally located to offer a professional and cost effective installation service nationwide.

Not to be confused with screw piles, ground screws use no concrete on installation and are an environmentally friendly alternative to concrete pad foundations, perfect for park/mobile homes and lodges.

Made from a minimum of 75% recycled steel ground screws are especially appealing to planners for areas of an environmentally

sensitive nature, ground screws have little effect on the landscape, they do interfere on natural watercourses and have a minimal effect on wildlife habitats.

As a fast and non- invasive, vibration free installation by either had held machinery or small tracked machines ground screws are also a cost effective method for ‘siting’ lodges and homes.

Installation is not weather dependent so can be installed all year round, from the frosty ground of winter to the dry summer conditions. Its fast too, foundations for up to 3 buildings can be completed in one day, ready for immediate use. Building can also be securely anchored to the ground screw and therefore anchored to the ground as well.

With a range of over 50 ground screws, some up to 3 metres long, up to 17 tons of axial pressure can be loaded on a single ground screw without deflection.

For further information contact UKGS Solutions Ltd: www.ground-screws.co.uk

Holiday Parks Management

IN THE

august issue

● Sustainables ● Park Improvements

● SPATEX ● Glamping Show preview

Ground screw installation for Park Homes and Lodges ■ No digging, no concrete and no spoils to remove ■ Guaranteed installation with structural tests ■ Safe and uncomplicated ■ Long lifetime ■ Cost effective ■ Fast and easy installation.

■ Easy to lay services ■ No waiting times, immediately load bearable ■ No large machinery on site ■ Installation not weather dependant.

■ High installation capacity ■ Flexible … can be removed and relocated if required ■ High loading capabilities

Come and see us at the Park and Leisure Homes show at Stoneleigh Warwickshire 8th-11th June.

www.ground-screws.co.uk info@ground-screws.co.uk Tel: 02476 100200

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PRODUCT NEWS

Evolution Skateparks add innovative Teen Shelter to their product range

Driving School Road-Safety Edutainment World of Rides, the leading manufacturers and distributors of children’s amusement rides for nearly five decades are relaunching their new ‘Parent & Child’ 24v battery-operated Driving School cars to UK holiday operators, to influence the world of children’s road-safety education, as well as providing a colourful, popular, and very profitable new attraction for all their visitors to enjoy.

The large right-hand-drive side-by-side twin seat cars are fitted with a realistic dashboard with an ignition key, and have fullyoperational seat belts, horn, head lights, direction indicators, along with accelerator and brake pedals that are both exclusively colour coded, and working brake lights. In addition, they have a reverse gear, and can be driven on a street patterned track, where, depending upon the operator’s imagination and budget, children can experience all the thrills of driving on the open road.

“Although our main purpose is to edutain children, we never forget that all our cars are powered by play!” says Sales Manager Andrew Robinson, “Our site testing with leading operators across both the UK and Europe, was boosted by many additional regular all-year-round bookings by Road Safety Groups, Youth Clubs, Police Forces, Schools and Education Authorities… resulting in much higher levels of income.”

Operators can also organise supervised and higher priced predriving classroom based learning sessions, a hands-on driving lesson, and then the children can be presented with their very own special driving license and a copy of the Highway Code!

All their cars can either be run on free-play, coin-operated or supervisor-operated by remote control! www.worldofrides.com

Top Safety Accreditation for IDS Group Security solutions provider, IDS Group has been awarded accreditation from Alcumus SafeContractor for achieving excellence in health and safety in the workplace.

Alcumus SafeContractor is a leading third party accreditation scheme which recognises extremely rigorous standards in health and safety management amongst contractors. It is used by thousands of organisations in the UK including SMEs and FTSE 100 companies.

Based in Southgate, North London, IDS Group is principally involved in the physical security sector, specialising in Leisure, Construction

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Having built more than 100 skateparks throughout the UK over the last 13 years, leading Dorset based manufacturer Evolution Skateparks have recently added a new product to their range.

Teen Shelters are essential for a well-earned rest from riding, respite from the wind and rain and also for spectators to enjoy when not taking part on the park.

Having looked at the quality of other shelters currently on the market, Evolution knew they could offer something better.

The new shelters are made from galvanized steel, are more pleasing to the eye, more durable and have a much longer life span. They come in anything from a three section to seven section sized option, to suit all park sizes and budgets.

David Trickey, Director of Evolution Skateparks says, “All skatepark owners should buy one of these great new shelters because they not only come with a 10 year guarantee but are also available in the colour of your choice.” Who can say fairer than that?

Teen Shelters start from only £2,500 plus VAT. Evolution work with many of the leading holiday parks and councils including recent clients Pontins, Newperran, Alfreton and Woodbridge.

They design and manufacture their high quality parks in-house to order and build them SkatelitePro1000 and offer a 10 year guarantee.

For more information or to get a quote, please contact Evolution on 01929 472030 or email them at david@evolutionskateparks.com www.evolutionskateparks.com

and Residential industries. IDS Group’s most recent clients have included Sunnydale Holiday Park, local residential developments, Ariella Fashion house and the Cokenach country estate.

The company’s application for SafeContractor accreditation was driven by the need for a uniform standard across the business. SafeContractor accreditation will enhance the company’s ability to win new contracts, and its commitment to safety will be viewed positively

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Holiday Parks

Management

Claire Jeavons, director of Beverley Holidays in Paignton, Devon, reflects on how a business modelled almost 60 years ago

Classifieds

Contact Kath today for details of our classifieds package Clean Your Caravan

t: +44 (0) 7575 408580 e: kathrynkelly@swanevents.co.uk

Online Bookings

Park Maintenance

REACH MORE CUSTOMERS. GET MORE BOOKINGS.

For camping, touring, holiday and glamping parks.

See www.bookings.campsited.com.

E: info@campsited.com P: 0123 318 5585

Health & Safety

ASBESTOS SURVEY

Online Bookings

Photography

YO AD FO UR P D R F AR RE K E

Does your site have an up to date management plan for asbestos?

If no or not sure give the experts a call – You need one.

For free advice call us today Alex 07879818952 or Ian 07772716833 or email alex@tacsurveys.co.uk www.tacsurveys.co.uk

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Visit

...and see where it leads you

21st - 23rd September 2017

NAEC, Warwickshire

Register now to visit

www.theglampingshow.com