Holiday Parks Management Magazine April Issue

Holiday Parks

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

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management April 2017 • Issue 26

New Chapter for Beverley Park Park News

Product NEWS w w w. H o l i d ay P a r k s M a n a g e m e n t. c o m

Holiday Parks

Management

Welcome to our new-look Holiday Parks Management. We hope you like the glossy cover! We are working really hard to ensure that this is the number one publication for the holiday parks sector, by increasing the frequency of issues, renewing our website, which will be unveiled in time for the next issue and introducing a new newsletter. We are constantly scouring trade shows, social media and the wider press for new products and services that might be useful to the holiday parks sector and this issue is no exception. From the BH&HPA conference, we met the team at ECM who have contributed an article on water management. We have an expert speaking about the dangers of Asbestos. Steph attended the Garden Centre Press event and brings you some new suppliers for our planting feature and in addition we have features on outdoor play, insurance and a fascinating interview with Claire Jeavons who is director of Beverley Holidays in Devon. All this and we do not charge a subscription!

Happy reading.

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What’s in this issue?

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Industry news Insurance Outdoor play The dangers of Asbestos Water Management

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Interview with Claire Jeavons of Beverley Holidays Planting round-up Booking systems New Products Classifieds

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features include:

! pools and spas

Proud Member of the Association

! catering

! outdoor furniture

Steph EDITOR

Kathryn SALES 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: steph@upgradepr.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 Š 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 BNAE Completes Landmark Embed Installation at Southampton Arcade BNAE division BANDAI NAMCO Management Solutions, the exclusive UK and Irish distributor for Embed, has completed a full cashless installation using award-winning Embed Smart Touch Readers, which are RFID so customers can tap and play whilst collecting the winnings in tickets back onto the card.

The system was fitted to a mix of redemption, video, air hockey and crane machines at the newly opened state-of-the art 18-lane bowling centre in the heart of the West Quay shopping area in the city.

Players can load value on to their cards via the POS terminal at reception, or via the self-service kiosk.

“The customer feedback so far has been very good with the statistics showing there is a high volume of repeat plays and higher average spends than expected,” says Will Etherington of Hollywood Bowl Group.

“We are looking at further venues to incorporate the system into with a mix of new and existing sites.

“As this venue was a new-build it allowed us to prepare the machines with the Embed hardware in advance so install time was kept to a minimum,” says Steve Short, General Manager of BANDAI NAMCO Management Solutions.

Wyldecrest Parks becomes UK’s largest Wyldecrest Parks has just completed the acquisition of six residential parks, which means that the company is officially the largest park operator in the UK, owning a total of 58 mobile home parks spread across the country.

“The install was completed with staff from Embed and BNAE and key staff of Hollywood bowl Group. In addition, the centre staff were invited to Richmond prior to the install for one to one training on the operational aspects for the system, this has made the whole process very easy for them to operate and push the concept to the players on arrival at the centre,” he adds.

Founded in 2001 by the multimillionaire Romany Gypsy entrepreneur Alfie Best, Wyldecrest Parks now boasts 52 residential parks aimed for the over 50’s, retired and semiretired people looking to downsize and release equity; and six holiday parks that cater for the whole family, offering both holiday homes for sale and family holidays/short breaks.

“From an operational point of view the cashless system translates into fewer calls for coin jams and that means that service staff can spend more time concentrating on keeping the machines in tip top condition.

In addition, minimal time is spent on collections, which allows operator access to machine plays and trends on a daily basis rather than waiting until collection day is complete,” says Chris Bell, General Manager, Services Division, BNAE.

Parkdean Acquisition Completed Onex Corporation has announced it has completed the £1.35bn acquisition of holiday park owner and operator Parkdean Resorts.

Parkdean owns 73 holiday parks across the United Kingdom, selling more than 500,000 holidays and short breaks a year and employs more than 6,000 staff during the peak holiday season.

Finally, the cashless environment means that machines don’t need any extra security added which gives the whole amusement section on the bowl a clean and friendly feel.

Private equity fund Onex Corporation initially agreed to buy the business – which has head office operations in both Newcastle and Hemel Hempstead – from Epiris in December 2016.

Epiris originally invested £70m in the acquisition of term debt in holiday parks

operator Park Resorts in 2012, before leading a consensual restructuring of its debt facilities in 2013.

In November 2015, Park Resorts merged with Parkdean Holidays in a transaction that gave the enlarged company – Parkdean Resorts – an enterprise value of £960m.

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Park News continued

Geronimo! Parks create splash for water-fun fans Park Holidays UK is making waves for holiday home owners this spring by sinking more than £5m into modern new swimming pool complexes at three of its top-rated parks.

Shorefield Holidays invest £1m in new accommodation for 2017 As the 2017 holiday season approaches, Shorefield Holidays is putting the finishing touches to its £1 million accommodation and facilities upgrade.

The holiday company – which owns six parks across Hampshire and Dorset and employs more than 250 full time staff – has been acquiring new holiday homes to ensure that holidaymakers and owners enjoy the superior experience for which the parks have become famous.

The investment follows more than £5 million that’s already been spent on the parks over the last 5 years.

Shorefield Holidays has seen significant growth across its parks, both for holidays and holiday home ownership in recent years. With the impact of the staycation trend, and the increased cost of holidaying abroad following Brexit, they are anticipating this growth to continue.

Podcast Service from Pitched Holiday park web design and marketing agency Pitched has launched a new, regular podcast service providing hints, tips and insights for the industry.

The Cornwall-based agency, which boasts some of the UK’s largest holiday parks as its clients, will share its thoughts and opinions on industry news as well as offering marketing ideas for parks and campsites through its podcasts.

Available on iTunes and also on their website (www.pitched.co.uk/podcasts), the first Podcast sees company director Andrew Hampton and web editor Mike Jarvis discuss the importance of good web design, highlighting the need to identify primary objectives when creating a new site - from capturing data to that all important booking.

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The splash is part of an even wider development programme across most of the group's 26 holiday parks in southern England, aimed at creating world-class leisure opportunities.

But despite the scale of the investment, says Park Holidays UK, the owners of holiday caravans and lodges on its parks won't have to pay a single penny to enjoy the new facilities.

At Seawick Holiday Park in Clacton, the curtain has already been lifted on a new £3m complex boasting a new pool and high-tech entertainment centre.

Similar developments will shortly be ready to open at Birchington Vale Holiday Park near Margate in Kent, and at Harts Holiday Park overlooking Kent's famous Isle of Sheppey.

Meanwhile, other parks in the group have also seen ambitious refurbishments and additions to their leisure facilities which will benefit owners this year.

Demand for new and pre-owned holiday homes is currently being fuelled by one of the largest pre-season sales it has ever staged, says Park Holidays UK. Discounts of up to £5,000 on hundreds of models are being coupled with an offer of a year completely free of pitch fees for families buying before the end of March.

In addition, Park Holidays UK will also pick up the tab on owners' gas bills of up to £500, electricity charges of up to £500, and all water rates.

The savings will, say the company, add up to thousands of pounds for every single purchaser.

Jobs cheer as Clacton parks add holiday fortnight Two major Clacton holiday parks say that the new go-ahead for them to remain open for an extra fortnight each year will be cheered not just by holidaymakers.

Park Holidays UK, owners of Seawick Holiday Park and St Osyth Holiday Park, say the extension will also create more jobs, many with training opportunities.

Previously, both parks went into winter hibernation for the whole of February – but from now on, the "welcome" sign will be hung out for holiday home owners from the middle of the month.

The green light for the extended year was given by Tendring District Council, and the two parks benefitting provide over 1100 holiday homes in total.

Park Holidays UK director Tony Clish says work is now almost complete, and that the development and extended year mean the company is now on the recruitment trail.

At Seawick Holiday Park, the finishing touches are now being put to a near £3 million investment in a prestigious new entertainment and swimming pool complex (More details on Page 5).

There are around 100 jobs to fill on both parks, and although most are initially seasonal, there will be opportunities for some team members to take on full-time roles.

Ian and Jane Akeroyd with their son Jake at their Roseland Peninsula touring park

Cornwall park is best in west say award judges Cornwall's picturesque Roseland Peninsula is home to the West Country's most outstanding holiday park, say judges in the recent Southwest Tourism Awards.

Trethem Mill Touring Park in St Just-in-Roseland was crowned with the top gold accolade in the "camping and caravan park of the year" category of this year's competition.

The park was announced as the overall winner at a glittering awards ceremony at Ashton Gate Stadium in Bristol, attended by over 450 tourism and business chiefs.

Trethem Mill's honour comes in the year when the Akeroyd family, owners of the business, will be marking in July their 25th anniversary of taking over the park.

In the 15 years that the regional awards have been run, Trethem Mill has achieved an impressed array of 15 gold awards at regional and national level.

YORKSHIRE CARAVAN SHOW SUCCESS Yorkshire Caravans of Bawtry, one of the oldest and largest independent retailers of caravans, awnings and leisure accessories in the UK, held its 6th annual ‘Yorkshire Caravan Show’ at its Doncaster Road site between 4th and 12th March 2017. Trax FM were on site during the launch weekend of the 4th and 5th March and there were attractions for all the family including a visit from Traxie Bear, a face painter, Reptile Rendezvous & furry friends, a host of demonstrations and other family entertainment.

Visitors were able to view the NEW Swift Basecamp – the exciting all-new sporty, fun and stylish compact crossover camping vehicle plus there were special show offers and promotions on offer during the week including 0% finance options on selected Awnings and furniture packages. In addition, offers that were available at the Caravan Show at the NEC, were matched at the ‘Yorkshire Caravan Show’ meaning customers enjoyed exactly the same benefits. Customers were also reassured that all caravans purchased at the show and in stock will be ready for collection in time for the Easter holidays.

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Park News

Holiday Park Management Specialist named one of UK’s Best Employers Bridge Leisure Park, which owns and runs holiday parks across the UK, has been named one of the UK's best employers.

The Milton-Keynes based company claimed 82nd place in The Sunday Times' annual survey of the 100 best companies to work for.

Customers' golden verdict on Park Holidays UK team

Bridge Leisure, which employs more than 370 people at its central office and holiday parks in England and Scotland, was praised by staff who said that they had fun with colleagues (84%), are not bored at work (76%) and they wouldn't leave tomorrow if they had another job (74%).

In its review, The Sunday Times praised Bridge Leisure for giving all team members 27 days holiday and encouraging flexible working. The company was also congratulated for its rewards and recognition scheme that sees managers hand out lottery-style scratch cards for outstanding work and customer service, with prizes including paid time off and cash rewards.

Staff at Park Holidays UK are celebrating after customers voted them a prestigious gold accolade for their first-class standards of service.

Andrew Howe, chief executive of Bridge Leisure said: "As a holiday business our number one aim is to ensure guests have a good time when they stay at our holiday parks.

Finding innovative ways of keeping our team happy and motivated is key to this.

Park Holidays UK learned this month that it has won the prestigious 2017 Feefo Gold Service award, and joined a small elite of firms able to boast the honour.

"We were delighted to make the top 100 at the first time of entering the awards.

Our challenge now is to make sure we stay there."

Feefo's top-level award is made to companies which allow customers to post unedited reviews via its website, and achieve exceptionally high scoring.

The number of people giving Park Holidays UK a rating of 4.5 or more out of 5 last year mean the group's service rating is worthy of Feefo's gold seal of excellence.

Its badge of honour carries a special weight as Feefo only allows genuine verified customers to give verdicts on their experiences of over 3,000 companies.

They are encouraged to comment on aspects such as using the firm's website, making a reservation, the helpfulness of staff and the quality of the assistance they provide.

Across all these criteria, the holiday group has gained a massive thumbs-up from customers.

Park Holidays UK employs around 1,500 staff over its 26 holiday parks in Southern England, plus a 100-strong team at its headquarters at Bexhill-on-Sea in East Sussex.

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Andrew Howe (green jumper, CEO of Bridge Leisure Parks) and Simon Williams (blue jumper, Commercial Director)

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Park's mammoth quiz answers Devon charity needs General knowledge buffs have helped Beverley Holidays raise £610 for Macmillan Cancer Support in a brain-teasing challenge hosted by the Paignton holiday park earlier this month.

Contestants came from afar to take part in Beverley’s Macmillan Mammoth Quiz – a nationwide charity challenge which holds the Guinness World Record for being the world’s largest simultaneous quiz.

The charity event saw teams from Macmillan South West and Beverley Holidays go head-to-head with holiday park guests in ten general knowledge rounds.

Beverley Holidays’ head of entertainment Drew Baker issued a huge thank-you to all those who came along to take part and lend support: "This is a fantastic outcome for our first-ever Mammoth Quiz, and everyone's efforts have helped us raise a stack of cash for a very worthy cause.

"And a special mention goes to our winning team led by Ian Salter who scored a truly mammoth ninety-two spot-on answers from one hundred questions.

"We are awaiting confirmation, but the quiz buffs at Macmillan believe this may be the highest score ever achieved in this worldwide quiz," said Drew.

Boldscan Celebrates Two Customer Finalists in VisitEngland’s Excellence Awards Boldscan, the market-leading supplier of the Albion Canvas range of Tsavo tented lodges, is thrilled to announce that two of its customers; Longlands and Dandelion Hideaway have been shortlisted for the tourism Oscars: VisitEngland’s Awards for Glamping Provider of the Year.

The results will be announced on the 24th April at the Hilton Waldorf in London.

“This wouldn’t be possible without Boldscan’s beautiful tents. It definitely looks to be the year of the Safari lodge with all three finalists offering Safari glamping accommodation and Boldscan has supplied 2 out of the 3 finalists! What an incredible achievement and a real testament to the quality, durability and aesthetics of their tents!” says Bella Given of Longlands.

“We are really proud to have supplied both Longlands and Dandelion Hideaway,” says Steve Hansford, Managing Director of Boldscan/Albion Canvas. “Dandelion Hideaway was our first customer for the Tsavo lodges in 2011, with Longlands following in 2012. When Alan Wenham our designer first showed me his idea for the safari lodge which we named the Tsavo (the name came from holidays both Alan and I had taken in this wonderful

park in Kenya) I knew instantly it was a winner. Working and listening to our customers, we developed this really great lodge, which has stood the test of time.”

“The Tsavo lodge now comes in 14 different versions , including the new 6m wide version particularly developed for people with mobility/disability issues , a true lodge for everyone, we would like to offer our congratulations to all three finalists,” concludes Steve.

To find out more about Boldscan/Albion Canvas visit: www.albioncanvas.co.uk To find out more about Longlands visit: www.longlandsdevon.co.uk To find out more about Dandelion Hideaway visit: www.thedandelionhideaway.co.uk For more about VisitEngland’s awards visit: www.visitenglandawards.org

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Park News continued

(left to right) Kirstie Apps, partner at Stephens Scown and Carla Newman, marketing and events manager at Ladram Bay Holiday Park

Through the keyhole: holiday park operators share tips for success

The most successful holiday parks in England and Wales are sharing their tips for success in a new guide, which aims to help raise standards across the board in the holiday parks sector.

Stephens Scown – the current holder of the British Legal Awards’ UK Law Firm of the Year title – has produced ‘Park Life’, bringing together insights and advice from award winning holiday parks. The guide includes case studies from a range of holiday parks including Devon’s Ladram Bay, Whitecliff Bay on the Isle of Wight and Tree Tops Caravan Park in North Wales, along with advice from industry experts such as VisitBritain and TripAdvisor.

Kirstie Apps, partner and specialist in holiday parks law at Stephens Scown said: “Holiday park operators are among the busiest people I know. Our idea for ‘Park Life’ is to make it really quick and easy for them to get an insight into the stories behind award winning parks. The advice covers everything from marketing to customer service and sustainability.”

Ten parks have provided an insight to their businesses for the guide, including Ladram Bay, the multi award winning holiday park on Devon’s Jurassic coast.

To download a free copy of ‘Park Life’, go to www.stephensscown.co.uk/parklife.

SEARLE’S TOP JOB Paul Searle, managing director of Searles Leisure Resort, has taken over at the top of the British Holiday and Home Parks Association (BHHPA) In his new role, Paul, 46, will take on a range of responsibilities including liaison with EU and UK bodies on matters, which affect the parks industry.

It’s a task for which he is well qualified having served as BH&HPA’s vice chairman for the past two years, as well as being director of its East Anglia branch.

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Olympic swimmers Rebecca Adlington (left) and Stephanie Slater (right) with club director Sophie Ward (centre)

Olympic stars shine at residential park's gala Three top Olympic swimmers made a splash with park home residents in Lancashire this month when they were welcomed as VIP guests at a special swimming gala.

The event took place at Acresfield Health Club and Spa, adjacent to Acresfield Residential Park and the adjoining Wyre Vale Residential Park in the market town of Garstang.

The gala was the first to be held at the club since it opened three years ago, and saw the three Olympians each captain their own individual teams in a friendly swimming contest.

They were Rebecca Adlington OBE, one of Britain's bestknown female athletes; Stephanie Slater MBE, Paralympic medallist from Rio 2016; and Rob Bale, GB team member from London 2012.

In the event, it was Rebecca's team which came top, and members stood proudly in line to be presented by her with a commemorative trophy.

As well as leading Acresfield's sporting challenge, the Olympic swimmers also took part in a Q&A session with residents and other members of the club.

Helping to organise the event was the club's head coach Ian Kirk, and Acresfield director Sophie Ward who is herself a former GB youth swimmer and medallist.

"It was a fantastic occasion, and everyone was thrilled to get the chance to meet the three high-achieving Olympians, and to learn more about their achievements," said Sophie.

Paul Field Joins Inn Style Board

clear to me that this is a company willing to challenge the status quo and deliver innovative solutions. I am excited to become part of this disruption, especially when the outlook for growing the business has never been as strong.”

Inn Style, the fast-growing, traveltechnology company has announced that Paul Field has joined its Board as a NonExecutive Director.

Paul is CEO EMEA of TouchCast, a New York-based company whose groundbreaking smart video technology is transforming communications in the enterprise and media space. Paul is also an Operating Partner at bMuse, an adventurous incubator which nurtures and launches start ups that are highly disruptive in the media space. Paul is a director of Higgaboom, a boutique consultancy specialising in content and mobile strategies.

With an impressive track record of harnessing technology to drive forward innovation, Paul is a perfect addition to the Inn Style Board. His expertise mirrors the disruptive ambitions of this rapidly expanding company, which is making an impressive mark in the online accommodation booking space.

Adrian Melrose, CEO Inn Style, commented: “Paul has already demonstrated how he can elevate the ordinary to the extraordinary. Our business is set to accelerate with several major partnerships in our sights. I have no doubt that having him on our team will help us in our mission to change the face of online booking for both guests and accommodations”

“Inn Style is a fast-paced, innovative company with a great story to tell,” Paul commented. “Having spent much time with them before coming on board it is

In a successful newspaper career that started on a local paper when he was still at school, Paul rose to be third in command at the Daily Mail where he regularly edited the paper, oversaw features and spearheaded its Weekend magazine, before launching Mail Plus, a suite of highly interactive apps.

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Trendy Tribeca Triumphs at Birmingham Show visitors to holiday parks, This is exactly the objective of our Freedom To Go programme, which is all about attracting newcomers to leisure vehicle ownership and holidays.”

Away Resorts has made an investment of £1.2 million to create the Tribeca and install 15 at its Tattershall Lakes Country Park and a further 5 at its Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park on the Isle of Wight, in time for the Easter and summer seasons.

The National Caravan Council welcomed the launch of the Tribeca from pioneering UK holiday park operator Away Resorts and leading holiday home manufacturer ABI at the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show at Birmingham NEC in February.

Applauding Away Resorts' vision to develop a new caravanning concept for the modern family, NCC group marketing director Jenny Summers said: "It’s exciting to see new product launches such as the Tribeca, which have the lifestyle appeal to bring new

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The ‘boutique-style’ caravan was the result of opinion polls, focus groups and a wide range of research. The Tribeca is the labour of love of Away Resorts CEO Carl Castledine, and is inspired by the loft-style apartments of the trendy Tribeca district in New York City. Carl personally visited every caravan manufacturer and walked through every model ever produced in the last 15 years to create the concept for the new caravan, and worked with ABI to turn this into reality.

Castledine says: “More than 51 million nights are spent in the UK in caravans each year, a figure I suspect will rise as the impact of Brexit kicks in over the coming years. The caravan industry contributes more than £6bn a year to the UK economy, so it’s got no shortage of fans. But, it’s never really been cool, until now.’

Park News continued

Staffs park grabs gold in tourism awards

Adam Breakspeare proudly shows the gold award his family's park has earned for its quality standards

Staff and the family owners of a Staffordshire holiday park are celebrating after it was crowned as the county's most outstanding destination for park holidaymakers.

Oakland Holiday Park, near the village of Brewood, took the overall gold award in the holiday parks category at the recent Enjoy Staffordshire Tourism Awards.

It is the second year in succession that Oakland Holiday Park, set in tranquil countryside close to the Shropshire border, has scooped the top title.

The presentation to the Breakspeare family, which has owned the park for more than 30 years, was made at a glittering ceremony at the Alton Towers Conference Centre.

Open day kickstarts recruitment drive A major regional recruitment drive has been launched by Shorefield Holidays, a leading tourism business with holiday parks in Hampshire and Dorset.

Shorefield, which runs six holiday parks across the two counties, employs more than 250 full-time staff and contributes more than £27m every year to the local economy.

The initiative, to recruit for dozens of roles, was launched with an open day for people to find out more about the award-winning company, its parks and the jobs that will be available.

Simon Pollock, managing director of Shorefield Holidays, said: “We are proud of our staff training and development programmes, and especially of our team, many of whom come from the local area. We are an Investor in People and especially want to foster local talent.”

The World of Park & Leisure Homes Show – 8-11 June 2017 Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, CV8 2LG This long established outdoor show is the UK’s leading ‘dedicated’ show for Park and Leisure homes. It is designed specifically for visitors either already with or interested in embracing this lifestyle with Residential Park Homes, Leisure Lodges and/or Log cabins. Our show is not an extra add-on to a general caravan or motor-home show and therefore you can be confident that visitors to the show are there because they want to find out more!

The show now runs over 4 days in June and is an outside event, set on grassy areas in the beautiful surroundings of Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire. Services for exhibitors are superb and an excellent network of roadways makes access around the site and the show no problem even in poor weather. Stoneleigh benefits from first-rate catering provided by the award winning in-house Farm shop restaurant. This adds to the quality ‘Park lifestyle’ that we try to create and the general feel of ‘relaxed leisure’.

50 Leisure & Park Homes will be on display for visitors to view inside and out! set as a central ‘Village’, with numerous industry specific exhibitors providing related products and services mixed in amongst the homes. In addition to the Homes and Services, a vast range of Park Sites are also promoted at the show giving visitors a complete ‘one stop shop’ experience.

The World of Park & Leisure Homes is backed by an extensive ongoing marketing campaign which includes radio, national and local newspapers, magazines, direct mail, lifestyle magazines and internet advertising together with a selected roadside campaign. The marketing targets all groups, but is aimed specifically at those in the 55+ age range, together with those groups with disposable income looking for new leisure options.

“Research suggests that over 70% of the audience are looking to purchase within 24 months of visiting the show. We pride ourselves in making sure the show is not only free to enter but visitors receive free parking.

We have set aside a limited number of pitches at a price range to suit all budgets,” says event director Jo Turner.

For further information and to discuss availability and prices, please contact us on 01789 491451.

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Landscaping and environment

Bird-rich Fife holiday park soars in green awards Birds, butterflies and honey bees have helped a family-owned holiday park on the Fife coast to wing its way to a major environmental award.

Tayport Links Caravan Park, between Dundee and St Andrews, has been named as a winner of the prestigious David Bellamy Conservation Award at its top gold level.

Professor Bellamy said the park's caring owners had shown themselves to be true friends of the countryside through a raft of different activities to help wildlife.

David Bellamy also went on to designate Tayport Links as an official "Honey Bee Friendly" park as part of his new initiative to help protect the threatened insects.

This status, he said, was thoroughly deserved thanks to the large number of high nectar-bearing flowers at Tayport Links, providing valuable foraging for bees and butterflies.

The nine-acre park, on the edge of the historic fishing town of Tayport, accommodates just over 100 caravan holiday homes and lodges owned by mainly Scottish families.

Bird-loving NE park swoops on top green award An ambitious scheme to monitor its booming bird population has helped a Tees Valley holiday park in North East England to wing its way to a major environmental award.

Drovers Way Holiday Caravan Park in Elton, Stockton-on-Tees, has been named as a winner of the prestigious David Bellamy Conservation Award at its top gold level.

The family owned business came in from praise from Professor Bellamy thanks to the many initiatives it had instigated in order to help wildlife.

He praised especially a new initiative by the park this year to gather information on the many different bird species, which thrive at Drovers Way. Working with the local branch of the British Trust for Ornithology, more than 700 birds have been ringed so that their numbers, health and location can be tracked.

Devon park toasts a triple triumph of awards Staff and the family owners at Hele Valley Holiday Park in Ifracombe are celebrating after learning that they can now boast a hat-trick of awards to launch the 2017 season.

The Dovey family's triple triumph was completed recently when they were presented with the David Bellamy Conservation Award at its top gold level.

Professor Bellamy praised Sandra and David Dovey and their daughter Rachael Tearall for their hard work in protecting the environment.

Their raft of conservation initiatives at Hele Valley, he said, made the park a haven for wildlife and a valuable source of natural discovery for holiday guests.

David Bellamy highlighted the 25-acre park's nature walk, also used by local schools, the creation of many wildlife habitats, and the planting of hundreds of native trees and shrubs.

He also applauded the family's decision to install a clean energy biomass boiler which is fuelled by wood chippings and supplies hot water and heating in its toilet block.

It is the tenth year in succession that the park has scooped the prestigious green honour.

David Bellamy's accolade comes on top of Hele Valley's recent success in the Southwest Tourism Awards when it was named as a silver winner in the holiday parks category.

The family were congratulated by judges when they received the award at a glittering prize ceremony in Bristol, attended by 450 tourism and business chiefs.

The third distinction being highlighted by the park was its winning of a gold accolade last year in the leisure and tourism category of the Britain in Bloom competition.

Rachael Tearall says that the three awards are important as they highlight different aspects of the park which visitors most value: "We have a special appeal to holidaymakers who enjoy natural and unspoiled surroundings, and David Bellamy's award underlines this crucial element of Hele Valley," she said.

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Landscaping and environment Chipping Scheme Raises Cash Bill Johnston, wood chipping specialist from local GreenMech dealer T H White, brought the QuadChip 160 to the campus to aid with the processing and recycling of the collected trees. Commenting on the day, Bill said, “I thoroughly enjoyed demonstrating the safe use of the chipper and providing the students with information and hands-on experience so that they were able to recycle the trees. The students all enjoyed the opportunity to use the chipper, giving them the chance to enhance their skills and increase their employability.” The chippings produced were then used on the rhododendrons and azaleas around the college grounds.

A Christmas tree ‘chipping’ scheme raised over £6K for a worthy cause, helped by a GreenMech QuadChip 160. Dorothy House, a charity providing care and support to people with life-limiting illnesses, recently teamed up with horticultural students from Wiltshire College in a Christmas Tree Recycling Scheme. In return for a donation, 131 trees were picked up by volunteers and delivered to the college in Lackham near Chippenham, where students studying land-based courses made light work of chipping the trees with a GreenMech QuadChip 160 woodchipper.

The GreenMech QuadChip160 is a 160mm chipper that features a full 360o turntable allowing definitive infeed chute positioning for convenient and safe loading at the kerbside or in restricted spaces. Powered by a 34hp Kubota turbo-charged diesel engine, this workhorse offers exceptional crushing of difficult branches and woody brash, provided by twin vertical feed rollers and a large 160mm x 230mm letterbox opening.

The scheme has successfully raised a total of £6,041 for Dorothy House.

But the next stop for the oaks, ash, beech and conifers won't be the timber merchants. Instead, they will return to the park in a raft of different guises.

Bird and red squirrel nesting boxes, and chippings to provide a soft landing for energetic youngsters in the park's playground are just two of the many uses to which the trees will be put.

Many of the trees were victims of the savage storms which struck Cumbria in the winter of 2005, and which felled around 800 specimens across park.

Logs roll out recycle challenge for Cumbria park

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Skelwith Fold owner Henry Wild said that he and his staff had come together to see just how many ways it would be possible to recycle their huge timber harvest.

The results, he said, convinced him to take the challenge of finding a new life for every splinter:

Red squirrels and red-blooded youngsters will be among those benefitting from an ambitious timber recycling project now underway at a major Lakeland caravan park.

"There are so many purposes to which trees can be put, and they will create an amazing legacy here which will far more valuable to us than their cash worth," said Henry. "In addition to nesting boxes, we will be constructing park furniture such as outside seating, and making planters for flowers and shrubs, as well as timber fencing.

Skelwith Fold near Ambleside says that new forest trails in its 130-acres of woodland have allowed the extraction of hundreds of fallen trees from over the last decade.

"We intend, as far as possible, to use traditional joinery and carpentry skills which will provide a valuable learning experience for our grounds staff.”

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Landscaping and environment Iseki Mower and Mulcher to the Rescue

SIS Pitches seal Fourth World Cup Stadium

Shotwick Park, located in Chester, has taken delivery of an Iseki SXG326 cut and collect compact tractor mower to help maintain the eight-acre private residential area. European and UK Iseki distributor Ransomes Jacobsen Ltd. supplied the machine and local dealer, F.R. Sharrock Ltd., made the delivery.

SIS Pitches has agreed a contract to complete work for a fourth stadium for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Tony Kinkead has been the Estate Manager at Shotwick Park since 2000.

Tony owns one of the 14 apartments on-site and maintains the land with the help of fellow gardeners Mick Williams and Paul Long.

The new Baltic Arena, Kaliningrad, one of twelve stadiums to be used during the finals, is set to be the next highprofile stadium to have a SISGrass transformation.

Commenting on purchasing the Iseki SXG326 to maintain the estate, Tony said: “Our main priority when looking for a suitable ride-on mower was the ability of the machine to mulch leaves and to cope well with the amount of grass that we need to cut here. The area is surrounded by many trees which deposit leaves and pine nuts in autumn, so it is important that we are able to keep the area tidy and presentable throughout the year.”

SIS Pitches will design, construct and install a new SISGrass hybrid pitch in July, and will then provide full maintenance throughout the tournament.

The Iseki SXG326 has been purchased after previously using a different brand for a period of 10 years. The new tractor mower will cut grass in the summer months and has had a tow bar fitted which will assist with other tasks such as maintaining flower beds, shrubs and transporting branches when cutting back trees. During the autumn and winter seasons, the Iseki machine will help with general maintenance tasks and mulching leaves.

Top Devon park invites guests on a "green safari"

The confirmation of a fourth stadium arrives after already securing deals to provide a new natural pitch at the home of Spartak Moscow, as well as a new SISGrass hybrid pitch for the new Rostov Arena and the Luzhniki Stadium, the venue of the World Cup final.

SIS Pitches has also completed work at the Krasnodar Stadium over the last 12 months, which is on the reserve stadium list for the World Cup.

David Bellamy as a winner of his prestigious conservation award at its top gold level.

Now Ladram Bay's family owners say they intend to move up another gear in their efforts to make the park a haven for flora and fauna, including endangered species.

Holiday guests, it says, will notice many new plantings of native trees, shrubs and flowers – including foxgloves flourishing in fallen trees which have been allowed to naturally decay.

The wood provides the flowers with important nutrients, and will encourage them to produce the nectar on which butterflies and honey bees feed.

Visitors to a top Devon holiday park this year are being invited to enjoy a "green safari" of the grounds where a raft of new wildlifefriendly initiatives are taking place.

Ladram Bay Holiday Park in Budleigh Salterton says it has drawn up an ambitious "green blueprint" designed to encourage an even greater diversity of animal, bird and plant life.

The park was named last year named by world-famous botanist

Decaying timber also creates habitats for insects - which in turn provide vital food resources for the many resident and visiting birds attracted to Ladram Bay. Banks of wild flowers are also in preparation, and a special area has been put aside for winter-flowering blooms to help sustain pollinating insects as the colder months approach.

At the same time, the park will be removing various non-native species such as laurel – and bolstering its historic hedgerows with new plants such as blackthorn, spindle and hazel.

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When disaster strikes, it’s too late to look at the small print. HPM brings you a round-up of the different policies on offer from holiday park insurance specialists.

insurance

Five Features of a Leisuredays Policy Leisuredays is the chosen insurance provider of more than 900 UK parks. Here they list five top insurance features parks can look out for when choosing a customer insurance partner:

1. Extensive cover for your customers Your customers will want the reassurance of extensive insurance cover for accidental damage, fire, theft, storm and flooding. The Leisuredays policy has been awarded the maximum five-star cover rating by independent financial experts Defaqto.

2. Well known underwriter Leisuredays’ policies are backed by Royal and Sun Alliance Insurance Plc (RSA), and in the event of events like flooding or storms, they’re well-versed in handling multiple claims and making sure they’re settled as quickly as possible.

3. New for old option If a unit is written off, parks don’t want be left with an empty base for months to come.

A Leisuredays policy offers 15 years new for old cover as standard, but this can be increased for some low risk parks. Without it

a customer might not be able to afford another unit, resulting in loss of income for the park. It’s important for parks to have continuity and that new replacements can be put in place as soon as possible. Plus customers love the peace of mind knowing that their holiday caravan, lodge or chalet and contents will be replaced with new.

4. Debris removal and re-siting Severe flooding, storms, or fire can cause significant damage to a holiday park and if you’re in the unfortunate situation where many units are written off, then you’ll want these quickly removing from your park. The Leisuredays policy automatically includes £10,000 for a damaged unit to be removed, for a new unit to be re-sited and connected to utilities.

5. Public liability cover You and your customers will want that extra peace of mind that you have a good level of public liability cover in the event that the policyholder is ever held responsible for any accidents, injuries or damage in or around their holiday caravan. A Leisuredays policy offers £5 million public liability cover. www.leisuredays.co.uk/parkoperator

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Safeguard Parkhome Insurance Safeguard has many years’ experience providing insurance for Static and Park homes. They have a friendly and experienced team who understand everything from the detail of discounts available for security fixtures, to all the differing requirements for contents, accidental damage and flooding.

Their experience in the leisure insurance industry began when they started to insure motorhomes over 30 years ago. Since then the business has grown, and the company’s knowledge and expertise now spans insurance for motorhomes, caravans, static caravans and park homes.

Park homes are, by their nature, a non-standard home, so all mobile park home insurance policies are comprehensive and staff are trained in the field of specialist park home insurance services.

Safeguard operates an introducer scheme that rewards park owners with commission payments for any of their customers that take a policy out with them.

“We ensure that the customer is at the heart of what we do so we look after them from start to finish, you won’t need to do anything

other than introduce Safeguard to them,” says the company’s Claudia Partridge.

From lush landscapes to wonderful times with family and friends, there’s nothing better than spending time in your park home.

However, being on a site does come with its own common risks, such as storms, falling trees and burst pipes. Safeguard can provide insurance that will help protect it properly.

Safeguard includes contents insurance as part of its specialist park homes insurance policy – but they always recommend that customers accurately value their possessions and the sum insured of the park home to avoid the risk of underinsurance.

This should include other outdoor areas, as damage can easily occur to structures and items on verandas, outdoor furniture, patios, and storage units such as sheds.

Having a park home is probably one of your customers’ most significant investments, so they’ll understand the importance of insuring it. Find out about Safeguard’s introducer scheme and see how it can benefit your business. Call on 0113 259 6004.

Business Interruption cover - Is this something you really need?

When we think about insurance, businesses understand the importance of protecting their property and employees against unexpected and sudden events, but too often they overlook the need to protect their income. When business interruption is mentioned it’s always followed by the question, is this something that we really need? Ask yourself ‘would substantial damage to my property affect my ability to trade to the same level, prior to the loss without delay?’ If the answer to this question is yes, then business interruption cover should be considered.

What is Business Interruption?

In short, it protects your business against financial loss that you could suffer as a result of physical loss or damage to your property.

The age old saying, “Time is Money”, couldn’t be more poignant when we think about significant loss of income while your property is being reinstated, especially in the Holiday Park industry. For example, a fire within a clubhouse could mean that your existing reservations need to be cancelled and future

bookings could be affected. Adding business interruption to your insurance not only covers this loss of income, but can support and fund additional marketing costs that you would incur to advertise that you were ‘back in business’ and help bring you back to the same level of income as before the loss.

Towergate’s team of specialists, welcome the opportunity to provide a review of your current cover and demonstrate how they can work alongside you to protect your business. www.towergateinsurance.co.uk

Towergate Insurance prides itself in being an expert in the holiday park market. The team understands what can happen and how that affects your ability to trade. Towergate’s bespoke specialist policies also extends to include elements that would affect holiday goers. One example being able to “Protect your business from pollution of any sea, beach, waterway or river within a 25mile radius of your insured premises.”

This extension was designed to take into consideration the importance of the parks location and how outside influences could also affect parks bookings. This cover became invaluable to a recent park owner when access to their park was blocked, resulting in a loss of income of approx. £60,000.

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outdoor Play Happy children mean happy parents and this translates into more money spent in your bars and restaurants. As the weather gets better, children need to play outside, here we round up the best in outdoor play developments

API Calls Upon Government to Protect Childrens’ Outdoor Play Areas The Association of Play Industries (API) is the lead trade association for the UK play sector. Its member companies are the UK’s leading providers of playgrounds, indoor play facilities, play equipment and safety surfacing for schools, local authorities, parish councils, leisure attractions, holiday parks, housing developments and hospitality venues. API's accredited members are experienced, professional play experts who design, install and maintain high-quality equipment. They operate to the highest standards, abide by a strict Professional Code of Conduct, and are credit-checked and monitored regularly for financial stability. Members commit to creating play environments that deliver visible challenge and risk within welldeveloped safety standards.

as a timely reminder of the vital and perhaps undervalued role that parks play in all our lives.

“Prioritising our green spaces will help alleviate wider societal problems such as social exclusion, mental health and anti-social behavior. Parks are treasured community assets, worthy of protection and should be well-represented in the Government’s 25year Environment Plan and other policy areas.

“I hope this will provide a strong incentive for the Minister to ensure that local authorities work with Health and Wellbeing Boards to publish and report progress on park and green space strategies.”

The API is calling on the Communities Minister to ensure the future of the UK’s parks and green spaces by recognizing their vital contribution to the nation’s health and wellbeing.

API Chair Mark Hardy says: “The Public Parks Report published in February, which warns that parks are at tipping point due to lack of funding and investment, is an opportunity to re-prioritise the crucial role that our parks and green spaces play.

“I’m encouraged that the Communities and Local Government Committee, values the environmental contribution of parks and their positive impact on the mental and physical health of the communities they serve.

“As advocates for the importance of children’s play, particularly in the midst of an obesity epidemic, we know that parks have a pivotal role in combating children’s sedentary lifestyles.

“Evidence shows that children are more active if they have access to outdoor play facilities. Investment in parks and public play facilities should be a government priority, particularly for deprived communities, where obesity rates are highest.

“We know that there are pressures on land for housing and commercial development so it’s essential that local authorities are supported in protecting their green spaces. We welcome this report

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Gl

mping

BUSINESS

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" BONDED RUBBER SURFACES ALL PRODUCTS TESTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH BS EN1177:2008.

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outdoor Play

HUCK MAKES ADVENTURE A Reality Playbark – For a Safe Landing!

Playbark.com is a nationwide producer and distributor of a wide range of play area surfacing products.

Products include; Maritime Pine play grade bark, graded play area wood chips, rubber playground chippings and a vast range of ancillary products

Huck Nets, based in Bridport, Dorset manufacture and supply an extensive range of innovative rope and net play equipment designed to encourage children of all ages and capabilities to be active. Recognising that everything is more fun when shared with friends and family, the Huck range of play equipment not only suits all ages but also enables friends and family to play together. The diverse range includes climbing towers, bridges, tunnels, hammocks, trampolines and swings designed in all shapes and sizes to give extremely varied adventure landscapes. Play worlds can be customised individually with rope ladders, ropes, tyres and numerous other accessories. Highlighted below is a selection, new additions to the range are being added regularly.

Slide Tower Mini

For a longer-term solution, there is a bonded rubber surfacing which provides a seamless option, maintaining a natural appearance whilst eradicating the problem of loose chippings being displaced within and from the play area.

This is all about climbing up and sliding down. The climber goes up to a 90 cm high platform on the slide tower to get to the slide but first they need the strength and skill to scale the ladder, climbing net or sail in the slide tower, creating an exciting, fun and stimulating play area to suit children of all ages.

All the play products are tested in accordance with BS1177 EN:2008 to ensure complete peace of mind.

Playbark has been established within the industry for over 40 years and as well as holiday parks, their typical clients also include schools, play nurseries, local authorities, landscapers and civil engineers.

The bird nest tree is a hit because of how great it looks and the motor skills it helps develop. You can climb on it, move hand over hand, balance or slide down on it. It is no wonder that the 6-metre high bird nest tree has become one of Huck’s big sellers. To make it even more fun and exhilarating an additional 1.75 m-high slide has been fitted that can be reached via a safe and easy rope bridge.

Delivery is extremely prompt, usually within 2-3 working days and most products are available in handy carry bags, bulk dumpy bags or loose bulk loads.

The Trampoline 2000 offers guaranteed quality under continuous use by all age groups. The equipment is delivered ready for use and can be set up without any installation work on grass or sand surfaces, or alternatively it can also be installed at surface level by means of concrete foundations or with an optimum buried frame for quick and easy installation.

Playbark offers discounts for bulk orders and offers an installation service; work is carried out by experienced operatives all of which are CSCS accredited and DBS Checked.

Bird Nest Tree including bridge and slide

Trampoline 2000

Soft Play area netting Huck Nets manufacture a range of nets for soft play areas. Available with either 20mm or 45mm mesh netting , in single or multi colour and cut to size to cover any soft play netting needs.

www.playbark.com To see the full range visit www.huck-nets.co.uk

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outdoor Play

Take the Fun

Off-Road

Driving School Road-Safety Edutainment World of Rides, the leading UK manufacturers and distributors of children’s amusement rides for nearly five decades, relaunched their brand-new range of ‘Parent & Child’ 24v battery operated Driving School cars to UK Holiday Resort operators at the EAG/VAE at the London Docklands ExCel Exhibition Centre in January, to promote children’s road-safety education… as well as providing a colourful, popular, and very profitable new attraction for all their visitors to enjoy!

The Right-Hand-Drive side-by-side ‘Parent & Child’ cars are fitted with a realistic dashboard and are started with an ignition key, and have fully-operational seat belts, horn, head lights, direction indicators, along with World of Rides exclusive colour-coded accelerator and brake pedals with working brake lights. In addition, the cars have a reverse gear, and can be driven on a road-designed layout, where, depending upon the operator’s imagination and budget, children can experience all the skills and thrills of real driving on normal roads!

“Although our main purpose is to edutain the children, we never forget that all our cars are powered by play!” said World of Rides spokesperson Andrew Robinson. “Our initial site testing with leading operators across both the UK and Europe, was boosted by many additional all-year-round bookings by road safety groups, youth clubs, police forces, schools and education authorities… resulting in very much higher levels of income!”

World of Rides’ larger sized car bodies also allow two persons to ride much more comfortably, which results in many more repeat rides by family members.

All the cars can either be run on free-play, for use during parties, coin-operated or supervisor-operated by remote control, so that higher priced pre-driving classroom-based learning sessions, followed by a hands-on driving lesson can be run, and at the end of each session the children can be presented with their very own special Driving Licence and a copy of the Highway Code to take home.

The cars can also be viewed on the website: www.worldofrides.com

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Polaris, the industry leader in youth off-road vehicles, has announced another first, the single-seat Polaris ACE™ 150 EFI, the industry’s only single-seat youth model with a protective cab frame.

Modelled after Polaris ACE vehicles, the new Polaris ACE 150 EFI gives kids 10 years old and older (varies by market) the single-seat freedom enjoyed by their adult counterparts. Parents will love the included safety features and kids will love how fun it is to drive.

“Polaris continues to innovate its youth line-up to provide a wide variety of safe, fun options for kids,” said Craig Scanlon, Polaris Off-Road Vehicles Chief Retail Officer. “The new Polaris ACE 150 EFI is another way for families to share the off-road riding experience together.”

The Polaris ACE 150 EFI has several features to provide a safe, enjoyable ride. The 150cc, Electronic Fuel Injected (EFI) engine has four speed-limit modes. Standard from the factory the vehicle is limited to 16 km/h (10 mph). Adults are able to adjust the top speed to 24 km/h (15 mph), 35 km/h (22 mph) or 47 km/h (29 mph), based on the skills of the rider.

Other safety features include LED daytime running lights, seatbelt, side nets, whip flag and parking brake. Additionally, the vehicle comes with a video explaining safe operation and a helmet to reinforce the importance of wearing proper safety gear.

The Polaris ACE 150 EFI offers a large ergonomic range of adjustability to grow with the driver. This includes ample amounts of headroom, tilt steering wheel and pedals, and adjustable bucket seat for growing riders.

Likewise, the vehicle is the most capable youth model, featuring (15.2 cm) 6-in. of rear suspension travel, (22.9 cm) 9-in. of ground clearance, and large 22-in tires. The features enable easier maneouvrability over obstacles and provide easier handling for youth riders. For added customisation, the Polaris ACE 150 EFI can be accessorized with poly roof, half-windscreen, and front and rear bumpers.

The Polaris ACE 150 EFI will be available in Indy Red and initial units are expected into Europe in April, 2017 with full availability later this year. It joins the Phoenix 200, RZR 170 EFI, Outlaw and Sportsman 110 EFI, and Outlaw 50 as part of Polaris youth lineup. www.polaris-britain.com

Call in the Experts When it Comes to Asbestos TACsurveys LLP provides cost-effective specialist compliance surveys for all businesses and landlords.

“Asbestos management and Legionella risk assessments have been a part of Health and Safety law for many years but still businesses both large and small, across all sectors are failing to meet the basic requirements,” says Operations Director Alex Wareing.

When people think of Asbestos they immediately think of pipe/boiler lagging and cement roofing like that which is found in over 90% farms. However, Asbestos was used in so many more areas of construction that a non-qualified person would fail to recognise or indeed make the connection that it may be present in certain materials.

As a minimum, every business needs to have an asbestos management plan in place. This is derived from having an asbestos survey conducted to locate and confirm the presence of any asbestos in all the buildings on site (Built before 2000). It is strongly recommended that a qualified and experienced asbestos surveyor should undertake the survey. If ACM’S are found within the building, then they must be managed accordingly as a requirement of CAR. Usually the ACM’s in the building will have an annual inspection to assess and monitor their condition. The survey should then be updated and any changes, recommendations or removal noted.

TACsurveys LLP conducted the asbestos surveys for one of the national key players in the industry. “It proved a little eye opening for the owners”, says Alex. “Over 60% of the sites had asbestos containing materials (ACM’s) present. These were mainly within the amenity blocks but some sites had debris in the grounds from previous building works that had not been dealt with correctly.”

“It is a major misconception that all asbestos needs to be removed. The key to compliance is having a management plan in place that’s relevant, acted upon and recorded. It needs to be actively managed and this is where many organisations are falling short”, explains Technical Director Ian Reed. “The fines and consequences of compliance mismanagement can be

“Health and safety and its legislation touches every aspect of modern life. Ensuring a business is compliant can sometimes seem like an administrative minefield. One area of Health and Safety that is often overlooked and misunderstood is the legislation around Asbestos”

enormous and in extreme cases can close businesses.”

Ian continues by saying; “A lot of property and land owners are diversifying and changing the uses of their buildings. It is fundamental in these circumstances to have a thorough asbestos refurbishment survey conducted by a professional prior to any building work undertaken.”

TACsurveys LLP specialises in all areas of asbestos surveying with nearly 20 years combined experience within the industry.

We have an extensive knowledge of the camping and leisure industry having completed hundreds of surveys and annual re-inspections. It is key that your management survey and subsequent asbestos management plan is accurate, relevant and meets the strict compliance needs of CAR2012. www.tacsurveys.co.uk

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Keeping Your Utilities

Under Control Utilities are of huge importance to Caravan and Leisure Parks – not only is the provision of them a key factor towards providing excellent customer service, but the costs and efficiency implications can be complicated and time-consuming to manage.

Typically, Leisure and Caravan Parks have high water usage and energy costs; with such large networks and site areas to a Park it can be easy for wastage to occur and go unnoticed. The main culprits of wastage are within Electricity and the Water usage on sites. Wastage can occur due to: ! Lights being left on in closed buildings ! Air conditioning running at the same time as heating systems ! Water leakage – a lot of Caravan and Leisure Parks have old water networks installed which can easily develop leaks within the system ! Hose Pipes or taps left running over night ! General misuse of water Gaining an understanding of water and energy usage on your site is vital to saving money on invoices, improving efficiency, and saving admin time and cost spent reviewing consumption. If there are issues on site, particularly with water leakage or misuse, this can remain undetected for a long period of time. If you don’t know what the baseload for your site is and the daily consumption, then how do you know if you’re over using?

Onsite leisure facilities such as swimming pools and entertainment centres can be a large drain on the Park’s energy and water usage, and these can need specific management to help minimise the costs.

Many businesses aren’t aware that the English water market is de-regulating from the 1st April 2017, this means that business customers can choose their water retailer, similar to the way they currently select a gas or electricity supplier. The de-regulation of the market means that it has been split – each business will now have a Wholesaler who supplies the water and waste water services and is in control of the network

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(this will be your local water company) and a Retailer who will provide the front-ofhouse services such as billing and customer service.

Each site will be identified by a SPID (Supply Point Identification) which will hold all the information for retailers to know what services need to be charged, this is why it is important to ensure your Park’s data is correct before choosing to switch supplier so that a new contract can be started on a “clean slate”. This can be done by undertaking a water and wastewater audit with an expert analysts.

One such company is Energy Cost Management Ltd who has spent 20 years building up a portfolio of services to help parks manage and improve their energy and water usage and costs. They can manage the day-to-day activities associated with energy and utility costs allowing you to focus solely on running your business.

With continuing investments in new technology and equipment ECM are market leaders in commercial water management services. They believe in providing a transparent and personal service to our customers. Their solutions include: Bill Validation – their validation service includes us reviewing your utility invoices and ensuring the correct charges are applied Data Logging – ECM can install a data logger on your water meter to monitor usage, and help to quickly identify unusual patterns of consumption Alarms and Dashboards – with ECM’s Data Logger service you receive a managed daily alarm service SmartNetPlus – an extension to our Data Logger service which creates smaller subnetworks on large sites, enabling easier detection of the location for water misuse Leak Detection and Repair – qualified

engineers can attend site and quickly and efficiently locate and fix any leaks on your network Procurement – using their knowledge of the energy market to tender your utilities, including electricity, gas, and water, to all of the major suppliers Day+1 Data – tracking your electricity usage by sub-metering along your park and applying alarms, enabling you see to where and when electricity is being used on your site Utility Audits –analysts will review your utility invoices and inform you if any savings or historic refund opportunities are found PoolProPlus – ECM’s trademarked PoolProPlus system monitors the various energy and heating requirements of a Pool Hall, enabling you to provide a comfortable atmosphere for customers, and a more energy efficient Pool Hall ECMRemote – an online portal with 24/7 access enabling you to review and analyse your consumption data and invoice costs Over 20 years ECM has managed to help a number of clients and have built up a wide portfolio, including a variety of Caravan and Leisure Parks, from small independently owned parks to large 5 star parks. Diane Cottam from Ribby Hall Holiday Village had the following to say: “ECM have been our long term partner in helping to manage our water and energy consumption and costs. They have secured significant financial savings which recently helped us to achieve the 4 Gold Green Tourism Business Scheme award. The team at ECM are always keen and committed to deliver effective water and energy management solutions and we can always rely on them to manage our requirements professionally, efficiently and with minimum disruption to our guests.” www.ecm-uk.com

If having parents who run a sweets factory sounds like every child’s dream, then having a mum and dad who own a holiday park must run a pretty close second. And that, for Claire Jeavons, was the reality of her Seventies childhood. Even better, her family’s park was just a stone’s throw from the glorious sandy beaches of Paignton in Devon.

But as Claire points out, living literally next door to the park didn’t quite turn every day into a holiday. In fact, her earliest memories of life at Beverley were of stacking shop shelves, emptying the park bins, and helping to get holiday caravans cleaned and ready for the next guests.

As family-run businesses know well, however, such a grounding can have a useful pay-off later in life. Today, Claire can look at the job descriptions of her staff – numbering around 150 in high season – and either put a mental “done that” tick against their duties, or at least have a thorough grasp of what’s entailed.

The same hands-on experience of keeping a busy holiday park functioning smoothly can also be claimed by Claire’s sister and cousins. But to start at the beginning, it was Claire’s grandad Stanley and his wife Marion who originally moved to Devon from the Midlands in 1956, and bought the land on which Beverley now sits.

A caravan fan himself, Stanley had long held the ambition of owning a park in a holiday location much loved by him and his wife. But ever the entrepreneur, Stanley’s plan was to woo guests with rather more than the grassy pitch and standpipe which most sites then regarded as the sum total of refinement their visitors required.

Memory lanes Sixty years ago, caravanners journeying to the West Country from the south would grit their teeth for something of a trek, all be it a very scenic one. Winding single-

Devon family set to

pen new chapter in park’s success story

Claire Jeavons, director of Beverley Holidays in Paignton, Devon, reflects on how a business modelled almost 60 years ago still draws on its founder’s forward-thinking philosophy carriageway roads left virtually no village or town unvisited along the way, and fingers were kept crossed that your Morris Minor or Rover P4 wouldn’t overheat as it crawled behind a farmer herding his sheep along the lane to a distant field.

But when guests did eventually motor through the gates of Beverley, with the glistening sea as its backdrop, they knew they had reached somewhere special.

Stanley had created a holiday destination which offered not just picture-postcard views from the caravan window, but a lineup of facilities and attractions clearly designed to please.

An outdoor swimming pool with sunbathing areas, a well-stocked bar, modern cafe, family club-room and a warm welcome from smiling staff set Beverley apart from the usual frill-free experience of touring in the austere post-war years.

Evidence that Beverley was indeed raising the bar higher than ever before came just a few years later. In 1972, the English Tourist Board – just a couple of years after its creation – introduced a grading system for

parks, and five stars became its ultimate accolade. That first year, only five parks in the country were considered worthy of the honour, and Beverley was one of them.

Today, of course, the accolades still shine on Beverley – and the park has also garnered a host of other awards. They pay testimony to the Jeavons family’s determination to constantly refine and develop their product, always mindful of the need to generate in guests the same thrill and sense of excitement which their first visitors felt on arrival over half a century ago.

Touring remains as popular as it ever was at Beverley, but there are now far more accommodation options. The park’s circa 475 pitches also play host to holiday caravans, available to both rent and own, as well as luxury lodges with private hot-tubs, and glamping pods.

By degrees For Claire, who attended local schools in Paignton, park life was something she said she “lived and breathed” as a youngster.

But for her, going straight into the family business was never on the radar. Teaching

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Top-class attractions, leisure facilities and entertainment would, she knew, need to keep step with rising customer expectations. But Claire, and the rest of her family, also recognised the importance of her grandfather Stanley’s policy of offering guests the highest possible standards of hospitality. And that was not something which could simply be bought in.

Local knowledge The vast majority of Beverley’s staff, then as now, are recruited locally, and many come from families who have lived for generations in the Paignton area. Their knowledge of the region, the family decided, could be harnessed to help provide guests with an even better holiday experience

was a profession she always dreamed of entering, and after sixth-form Claire took up a place at the University of Brighton to read for a science degree.

That was followed by study for a postgraduate teaching qualification at the University of Exeter, and from there to London where she taught sports science and maths to secondary school students.

But Claire still harboured personal ambitions which remained unfulfilled, not least the urge to travel and to learn more about the business world. Both boxes were successfully ticked when she won a place at Sydney University to read for a diploma in strategic management, and combined her studies with exploring as much of Australia and its wild outback as she could.

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Back finally in Paignton, Claire became part of the family firm at Beverley which by then – in the mid-1990s – had further evolved as a park at the top of its game.

The previous modest clubhouse was now a glittering Starlight Cabaret Bar, and swimming was no longer a weatherdependent activity thanks to a new tropical indoor pool complete with a spa, steam room and sauna.

Even just 20 years ago, such facilities were far from common features of holiday parks. Claire, however, had inherited the mindset of her forward-thinking family, and sensed that constant change would be necessary to ensure that Beverley remained competitive as other parks began to catch up.

Pointing visitors in the direction of a great pub to dine in, or a quiet beach away from the crowds, or a glorious country walk off the beaten track, would give families an extra sense of privilege from staying at Beverley, believed Claire.

Key to this, and to delivering other aspects of a first-class service, would be encouraging staff to interact with customers. With this in mind, Claire and her family set about developing an ambitious training programme which encompassed all team members, regardless of their role. The thinking, she said, was that the notion of “customer service” was a fundamental part of everyone’s job Beverley.

Today, that training is formalised into a programme known as the “Beverley Wheel” which sees all employees provided with learning and personal development

today when families can choose from a wealth of different experiences,” said Claire.

“But common to each of us is the need to foster loyalty among our customers, and to continue building the volume of repeat bookings which is the mainstay of all our businesses.

Happy returns “This can only be achieved by creating the sort of memories to which families will want to return time and time again – and in our experience, there are two important factors in play here. The first, of course, is the park’s ability to create physical surroundings which customers will regard as being at the top of their game, be it for a simple camping trip or a family fun holiday. opportunities. The focus, says Claire, is on providing guests with impeccable service skills. The knowledge gained by staff can both bolster their own confidence, and help enhance their career progression within the company.

And there is certainly no shortage of areas in which employees can specialise. As well as catering, retail, and entertainment, Beverley has staffing needs in its many other operations ranging from grounds maintenance to customer support services and the running of its own sports academy.

The company’s commitment to re-investing in the business never abates, and this winter alone saw the business inject £2 million into a stylish new Jetty Lounge and Restaurant, a high-tech customer reception facility, and additions to its fleet of luxury letting and sales units.

together, and pooling their skills and expertise for the common good. This belief she also puts into practice as chair of the Best of British holiday parks group, widely regarded as the industry’s most successful consortium of independent park businesses, and an important generator of holiday bookings for its members.

Although Beverley is among the largest of its 50-plus members, Claire says that the group has proved itself capable of benefitting all businesses equally. Its raft of promotional activities, including an acclaimed website (www.bob.org.uk), creates a level playing field in which a small farm-based touring ground can enjoy the same exposure as a much bigger multifacility park.

“Holiday parks have never been a one-sizefits-all proposition, and that’s especially true

“But read the online reviews for any type of park, and almost always there will be a reference to what the guest thought about the service he or she received. Words like “friendly owners”, “great atmosphere”, and “cheerful and helpful staff” all point to the value people place on how welcome they feel, and of course such comments also resonate strongly with readers of such reviews.

“I think that like many park owning families, we regard the best legacy we can hand to next generation is a business built on customer trust. This can only ever be the result of a team effort, whether the park employs just a handful of staff or a much bigger workforce. Ultimately, it’s people who leave the most abiding impression on guests, and we never forget this,” concludes Claire.

Destination Devon But whilst Claire is keen to see her family’s park continue to develop, she also recognises the importance of ensuring that Torbay maintains its traditional holiday appeal. Her park’s future success, she says, is inextricably linked to the region demonstrating that it can provide the type of stays which modern families want, be it buckets-and-spades by day, or gourmet dining by night.

Helping to achieve this is Claire’s work with the English Riviera Tourism Bid Company of which she is a non-executive director. The organisation is a partnership between tourism providers of all types from Torbay, and it recently won the go-ahead to run a high-profile destination marketing campaign assisted by funding from business rates.

Claire remains a firm believer in the effectiveness of businesses collaborating

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planting news Destroy Buxus Fungal Diseases with TOPBUXUS TOPBUXUS HEALTH-MIX is an EC-fertiliser with trace elements for the prevention and cure of Buxus fungal diseases such as Box Blight (Cylindrocladium) and Volutella. Because HEALTH-MIX is an EC-fertilizer, the solution is available for all Boxwood fans: Nurseries, landscape contractors, parks, gardeners, private consumers.

GreenWall is ideal spacesaving solution for showcasing flowers

TOPBUXUS CARPET creates a hygienic environment around the Box. In the nursery straw is usually used, however, since straw aesthetically is not accepted in private gardens, TOPBUXUS has created a replacement that offers the same qualities as straw. It has a structure (to absorb the splashing rain and keep the plants clean) and airy.

Paul Smith, business manager at Brundle Gardener, said: “The vertical planting system is ideal for any size garden or outdoor area in a holiday park – including decking, patio or an open space.

“Because it grows up rather than out, it is a perfect solution for showcasing an array of floral attractions in the tightest of spaces.”

The perfect solution to showcasing plants, herbs and fruits in even the smallest of outdoor spaces has been unveiled by Brundle Gardener.

The GreenWall Vertical Planting System creates an ideal space for a variety of flowers, fruits and herbs against walls, caravans and fences - or just free standing.

And its unique building-block design means it is the perfect solution to fit around any height or width - while also benefitting from an effortless watering system.

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The watering system can be either manual, using a watering can or automatic at various levels.

Designed by Brundle Gardener, GreenWall continues the company’s drive to be innovative and to stand out from the crowd.

This is also shown by Brundle’s range of raised planters which boast a range of popular colours and sizes.

The coloured raised planters have proven particularly popular with its powder-coated steel and 288-litre capacity.

The first 15 to 20cms next to the Box are very important to create this preventive, clean environment. In combination with TOPBUXUS HEALTH-MIX it’s a 100% guaranteed protection from Box Blight. topbuxus.co.uk

Brundle’s range also includes tall and box planters, which have a 50-litre and 100-litre capacity respectively.

Paul added: “We are very pleased with the range of planters we are offering with popular colours and sizes that make them perfect for any outdoor space.”

For more information on these products, please visit www.brundlegardener.co.uk or ask at your local garden centre.

About Brundle Gardener Brundle Gardener has grown by importing and wholesaling a broad range of products for both garden centres and high street retailers.

The company’s ethos is to stand out from the crowd by offering customers stylish and costeffective products for their gardens or garden centre displays.

With warehouses located around the UK and a flexible and friendly approach, Brundle can tailor a delivery service to meet any requirements. www.brundlegardener.co.uk

From early spring, weeds can plague decorative flowerbeds, borders and containers, making them look untidy and uninviting for visitors.

Tackle relentless weeds such as dandelion, horsetail and thistle quickly and effectively with Neudorff’s Superfast & Long Lasting Weedkiller. Even tough root weeds such as couch grass and ground elder can be targeted and destroyed, ensuring visitors comment on your parks’ gardens and public areas for all the right reasons.

Superfast & Longlasting Weedkiller is glyphosate free and contains naturally occurring pelargonic acid, which is a long chain fatty acid that originates from pelargoniums and gets to work quickly attacking the cell walls of the leaves causing the weed to lose its structure. It also includes growth regulator, maleic acid hydrazide, which prevents the roots from dividing.

The treatment can be applied and is effective even at low temperatures, making it a good choice for use from early spring right through to late autumn - results can be seen within one day of treatment. The product is also effective at killing moss and algae making it perfect for use on paths and patios.

The ingredients used are biodegradable and will not reside in the soil after use, which allows for treated areas to be easily sown or replanted again after treatment.

Children and pets are safe to re-enter treated areas as soon as the spray has dried.

Superfast & Longlasting Weedkiller is available in various ready to use options including a handy 750ml spray, which is ideal for targeting weeds in small spaces such as containers and patio areas and a large 3L jerry can with a sprayer attachment. Concentrated options in1L and 2L bottles.

Keep weeds in check this spring Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use.

For more information on Neudorff visit www.neudorff.co.uk

plant and tree species which complement the local landscape and provide a high quality setting to the holiday park.

“We have a well-established, successful relationship with Johnsons of Whixley that has enabled a specific plant and tree stock list to be developed, with high quality stock checked at the nursery and delivered to site expediently.

5 star planting scheme at luxury Lake District holiday resort Johnsons of Whixley, the leading supplier of plants and trees to the amenity sector in the UK, has won a £70,000 contract to supply a new, 5* luxury holiday resort in the Lake District.

Landscape architect, the RPS Group, one of the UK’s leading multi-disciplinary consultancies advising on all aspects of the built and natural environment, selected Johnsons of Whixley to supply over 300 trees, 13,000 native hedging and woodland mixes and over 2,000 ornamental shrubs to the new holiday park.

Keswick Reach Lodge Retreat was opened this winter by Darwin Escapes

(www.darwinescapes.co.uk), which operates 16 holiday parks across the UK. Since purchasing the site, previously known as North Lakes Caravan Park, Darwin Escapes has been undertaking a complete redevelopment of the resort in order to create a market-leading holiday destination, which, as well as featuring a new restaurant, bar and outdoor activity centre also includes a new landscaping and planting scheme.

David Cox, Technical Director at RPS said: “Darwin Escape's new development at Keswick Reach has been carefully designed to provide a bespoke holiday experience.

The planting designs use carefully selected

Tony Coles, amenity sales manager at Johnsons of Whixley said: “We have supplied holiday parks before, but never on this scale and were extremely delighted to be chosen as the preferred supplier by the RPS Group and Darwin contractors.

“The mix of trees, native hedging and woodland varieties, with ornamental shrubs, perfectly complement the natural scenery, hills and woodlands surrounding the new resort and the planting scheme truly shows what we have to offer in terms of quality stock and the ability to meet large orders and deadlines for our clients.”

Johnsons of Whixley Ltd is one of the largest commercial nursery businesses in Europe and a trusted supplier of plants and trees to the amenity sector. www.johnsonsxpress.co.uk

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Chris Waters determines the current park occupancy on each of the days being requested. If the new enquiry doesn’t break the limit set, then the booking is accepted. A nifty tool which can save you quite a headache!

Be Responsive With Your Online Bookings Online booking engine and responsive website - The Number 1 strategy for increasing your park bookings With over 57% of all holiday bookings now made online and, with more than half of those transacted on a small screen, your park must be easy to book on a mobile phone or tablet. If not, you are potentially denying yourself access to over half of the marketplace. Getting your website and online booking system right is key to increasing your bookings.

We asked Chris Waters from Inn Style, to give some advice to park owners on how they can be smart with their online presence. “Mobile-friendly and speedy to load is a ‘must’. The most important thing you can do for your business is to embrace technology. Your guests expect to be able to search availability, book and pay online with just a few taps on a phone or tablet.

Give them the tools to do that - otherwise they’ll go to a competitor who offers the instant service that you don’t,” he says.

Your website and booking platform must respond quickly too. Get a system that has been built to load quickly. Guests expect instant gratification - they won’t wait for slow technology. Think about hosting and search engine optimisation (SEO) too. You need to make sure guests can find you.

As for security; “Your website and booking engine should be served over https, which

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will give you, and your customers, a completely encrypted browsing and booking experience. You can tell if yours is by the green padlock on the browsing bar.

This demonstrates your commitment to keeping your guest personal data private,” adds Chris.

Secure websites make search engines happy too. If Google knows your website gives visitors a secure environment, they’ll be inclined to rank it above a non-secure website.

Inn Style’s own booking data shows that twenty per cent of all online bookings occur between 10pm and 8am. You’re unlikely to be responding to emails or to welcome phone calls in the small hours of the morning. Let your booking engine do it all for you.

From issuing confirmation or post-stay emails, to sending payment requests - a good booking system will enable you to work sensible hours in a 24/7 world.

Your system can also safeguard against exceeding limits. When a reservation is in progress, an algorithm

“People expect to pay when they book either a deposit or the full amount. It improves your cash flow, as well as reducing the time to manually process payments when people check in or out.

With online tools, you can take payments very quickly - all you need is a tablet and a 3G signal,” points out Chris.

At the touch of a button, your booking system can tell you all the facts and figures that you need to know about your business.

From occupancy rates to total bookings value; revenue per pitch, to calculating days to booking - it’s all there whenever you need it, which means you can make more informed pricing and marketing decisions.

“Be loud and proud that guests can book instantly — Don’t tuck your availability and booking calendar away on a drop-down menu somewhere, make sure they can see it clearly both in the main menu and standing out in the key pages of your site,” says Chris.

“Don’t re-direct potential direct bookings to an online travel agent (OTA) — You’ve successfully managed to get a potential guest to your website, don’t throw away a significant percentage in commission by linking them to an OTA to make the booking. Shout about direct bookings through social media — Facebook and Twitter allow you to add booking buttons to your links or profile pages easily,” he concludes. www.innstyle.co.uk

PRODUCT NEWS

Earn Revenue from Redundant Space

Sanderson Launches Caravan Cleaning Service Most sites have a corner of rough ground or woodland that doesn't generate revenue. The area might be difficult to access or not large enough to accommodate a full size unit.

Country Cabins have overcome this by designing a 7 m x 3 m glamping pod that is built on site without the need for cranes or vehicular access.

Priced from £10,000 plus VAT, return on investment is rapid and most operators realise a healthy profit within two years. Often exceeding the profit per visitor from conventional accommodation. www.Country-Cabins.co.uk

The Ultimate Luxury Simple installation and easy maintenance as well as low running costs make a Softub spa the perfect choice for a holiday rental, caravan park or glampsite.

The durable and weather-resistant materials allow for hot tub enjoyment all year round, while the barrier free basin makes the spa suitable for groups of all different sizes and offers families and friends a new favourite place to relax and enjoy quality time together. The tactile, non slip materials are not only comfortable but also allow for safe and elegant entry without the danger of slipping and twisting an ankle on holiday.

Thomas Sanderson, famous for their blinds and window stylings, have launched a unique cleaning service for static caravans.

The service is a detailed top-to-bottom deep clean of the exterior of a static caravan – with a difference: Overhead savings and a revenue stream for site managers.

There are several ways in which the service can benefit site managers. ! As a revenue stream: By selling-on the service to caravan owners. ! For caravan sales offices – The deep clean is truly transformative, adding value to static caravans which are on sale, and helping them to sell more quickly. ! For site-owned statics - by keeping them looking fresh – or helping to bring aging caravans back up to standard. ! By reducing the time taken by on-site cleaners to clean bathrooms (more below).

Not only will the service transform the caravan, it will also help reduce regular cleaning times. Here’s why: as well as applying an exclusive non-stick glass treatment to all windows to prevent salt and dirt from sticking to glass for years to come, Thomas Sanderson also apply the same treatment to glass shower screens to prevent scale and dirt build-up - saving the time of cleaning staff during their scheduled cleaning programmes.

The differences continue: Thomas Sanderson never use pressure washing equipment – their two-man teams use only elbow grease and a range of exclusive, specialised cleaning treatments to remove ingrained dirt – perfect for vans sitting under trees, nesting birds or exposed to sea spray – and ideal for preparing them for the new season.

The service is available Nationwide. For more information contact Thomas Sanderson on 02392 238233 or email valet.services@thomas-sanderson.co.uk

The stylish design of a Softub hot tub will add to the overall look and luxurious feel of the property while our whisper technology motors ensure that guests can star gaze in peace and quiet without disturbing wildlife, neighbours or other guests. www.softubuk.com

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PRODUCT NEWS

Haddonstone’s new Personalised Range of engraved garden ornaments

Haddonstone, one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of fine garden ornaments and architectural stonework, is launching the new Personalised Range of engraved garden ornaments. Pictured is the Personalised Hadrian Seat, an elegant seat of modest proportions incorporating a panelled back, scrolled arm rests, chimera supports and an egg and dart seat top.

Pizza in 60 Seconds with Uuni Global outdoor cooking brand Uuni, has made the best even better, with the launch of the Uuni 3 wood-fired oven (RRP £199). Available online; the new portable product is a must-have for outdoor cooks and pizza fans and makes the ideal companion for camping and holiday trips.

An evolution of the highly acclaimed Uuni 2S, Uuni 3 also reaches 500°C in just 10 minutes, and can cook an authentic wood-fired pizza in an incredible 60 seconds. The patent-pending oven runs on wood pellets, which are very energydense and inexpensive. The new model fuses the brand’s distinguished Nordic design with a number of new features, including an insulated body which creates more heat efficiency. There’s a new grate and hopper to load the wood pellets in, which enables more temperature control and consistent cooking. Uuni 3 has three

legs instead of four making the Uuni even more stable on any surface. It has a new chimney clip mechanism, making it easier than ever to pack up and move - whether heading to the hills or hitting the beach.

Uuni is made from 100% high-grade stainless steel, so fine to be outdoors all year round. Uuni also offers a Cover Bag (£25.00), making the oven truly portable as well as protected from the elements.

Uuni 3 will also be compatible with the forthcoming gas burner.

Uuni 3 will retail at £199, and will be available from 1st March at uuni.net as well as selected retailers.

Ebikes for Happy Holidaymakers

This seat can be personalised with lettering along the top of the seat back as shown. As standard, at no extra cost, Haddonstone can offer three typefaces or fonts – serif, serif italic and sans serif – and three infill colours for the lettering – black, slate grey and gold.

Prices for Personalised designs start at £150 inc VAT. The Personalised Range compliments Haddonstone’s standard designs in traditional, classical and contemporary styles - from planters, fountains and statues to balustrades, paving and gate piers.

Haddonstone’s garden ornaments and architectural stonework can be used together to create a grand entrance or an impressive focal point for a garden or landscape.

Haddonstone is a unique form of cast limestone with a surface texture similar to Portland stone. The material matures and weathers like natural stone to create a timeless ornament that grows ever more distinguished with age. Each design, whether standard or bespoke, is hand made by Haddonstone’s skilled craftsmen in Northamptonshire. www.haddonstone.com

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RooDog ebikes is a family run business based in the beautiful seaside town of Hornsea in East Yorkshire, they recently exhibited at the Caravan, Camping and Motorhomes Show. They specialise in a range of high quality, stylish, good-looking yet affordable range of electric bikes to suit all tastes and needs. They pride themselves on excellent customer service, and are run by fully experienced, knowledgeable and friendly staff.

RooDog continuously carry out research and development into the requirements of the UK electric bicycle market, helping them to consistently deliver an innovative, good quality, and a good looking range of ebikes.

There is something to suit everybody and RooDog offers its range at very competitive prices within the UK ebike market. On top of all that, they offer two years’ warranty, have an ever-growing nationwide dealer network and have a great team of friendly knowledgable staff who will happily answer any questions you have both before and after your purchase. www.roodog.co.uk

PRODUCT NEWS

Brentwood offers digital solution

Handheld two-way radios, or ‘walkie talkies’, have long been favoured by holiday park operators looking to coordinate operations across a large resort. However, the traditional analogue technology built into two-way radios has always faced one drawback – they operate on a dedicated local network, meaning they will only connect with each other within a certain range. In the past, resort operators have found that the signal coverage of analogue radios is not big enough for their site.

Thankfully, since the introduction of modern digital two way radios, such problems have diminished. Better output power, signal range and call quality, plus a whole host of additional features, mean digital handsets can now be deployed on even the largest holiday resorts to provide complete and reliable communications coverage.

Correlle – For Elegant Outdoor Dining Made in the USA from a unique glass material called Vitrelle, Corelle is renowned for being incredibly thin and lightweight and yet amazingly strong and durable. Every piece of Corelle dinnerware is chip and break resistant – making it perfect for glamping and caravanning or just picnicking in the great outdoors!

Brentwood Communications has more than 40 years’ experience supplying two-way radio to businesses right across the spectrum, including holiday parks and resorts. Experience has taught Brentwood that holiday parks cannot be supplied with off the shelf networks. Because of differences in size, terrain, layout and location, every holiday resort needs its own bespoke two-way radio solution to keep everyone in touch.

Available in a wide range of attractive patterns and shapes, from traditional to contemporary – Corelle gives you a number of benefits that other brands just can’t offer – for example, they are scratch resistant so look great even after years of use.

They offer the benefits of compact storage, making them the perfect choice for pods, yurts or caravans with limited space.

They are microwave, dishwasher and oven safe and yet thin and lightweight. Finally, they are stain resistant and very easy to wash.

www.brentwoodradios.co.uk

Choose from over 80 designs at www.worldkitchen.co.uk

Safety first with What Knot

The What Knot is an ingenious device that enables anyone to connect ropes easily and safely without having to tie knots. No more fumbling with cold wet hands or tired fingers to try and undo tight or wet rope knots. Ideal for holiday makers, holiday parks and glamping.

Using the What Knot, you can tie and untie ropes in less than 6 seconds, opening up a whole new world of rope use. The What Knot is a safe way of tying things down, unlike elasticated stretch cords/bungees, which have been known to cause serious injuries.

This bungee has been around for over 70 years and has filled a need for those that can’t or don't want to know how to tie or untie knots. It is a very quick way to hold something down. But did you know that this length of elastic with hooks on recoils at over 27mtrs a second or 90 feet per second.

The What Knot material has been tested at -50 to +120c and has been evaluated for use by the British Antarctic Survey to enable tying and untying of ropes with gloves on. The What Knot is unaffected by the sun’s UV and can be used in any type of water. It will never rust or rot being 100% this very strong pleastic - so strong it can be used to replace steel parts.

The What Knot has a lifetime warranty due to its superb design and materials, is made in America and available through Screwfix.com or yourwhatknot.com

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PRODUCT NEWS

No Concrete Required with Ground Screws

Campsited.com: Built with Passion

Campsited.com is an online booking platform dedicated to making it easier for parks get more bookings. It’s free to list on Campsited.com, with no minimum allocations or exclusivity required. Parks can choose instant bookings, or booking requests. With booking requests, parks accept or decline bookings based on their availability at the time.

Parks pay 10% commission for confirmed bookings.

With its ground screws, KRINNER Schraubfundamente has been revolutionising foundation construction for almost ten years now. Doing without the arduous process of excavation, concreting and refilling, KRINNER Schraubfundamente simply uses the screw concept. What has been working in walls for decades, KRINNER Schraubfundamente has successfully realised at the vertical level as well.

This versatile system saves time and money, goes easy on resources and provides new opportunities for an innovative design. Its worldwide success attests to and rewards the company’s courage in challenging what seemed to be an iron law of architecture, viz., a foundation has to be made of concrete.

The company behind these ideas is as innovative as its products. KRINNER Schraubfundamente has signified unusual but highly practical solutions for about twenty years now. The advantages of the ground screw system are as follows: ! Cost and time savings ! No digging, no concreting ! Structurally tested repeatedly ! Proven high pressures, pulling-out force and lateral pressure loads ! Utmost stability and durability ! Instantly loadable, no waiting period ! Sustainable and environmentally friendly ! No soil sealing ! Surroundings not impacted ! Easy deconstruction allows instant relocation www.krinner.co.uk

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“We’re absolutely committed to two things” says founder Finán O’Donoghue. “The first is to make it easier for people like me to find and book great parks. I grew up in Kerry, in Ireland, and have spent my whole life exploring the outdoors. In my early years our family holidays were spent on caravan and camping parks. This has given me a lifelong passion for the outdoors and camping.

“When my wife and I had our first son a few years ago, we decided to book a camping holiday, to pass on our passion for the outdoor life. I spent days trawling the internet for an easy-to-use website, with a comprehensive choice of great campsites around the world to book.

Unfortunately that website didn’t exist. We wanted to change that, so Campsited.com was born."

Bookings for the company were up 840% in 2016, and they expect even higher growth in 2017.

“Campsited.com is the perfect way to promote, and drive business to, our park. We published our listing in no time. I would highly recommend Campsited.com to all park owners and managers,” says Grace Skehan, Owner of Dunmore East Holiday Park In addition to their guest portal Campsited.com, the company offers parks a free front desk booking and payments system, for phone, email, and walk in bookings, and payments. Parks need to be bookable on Campsited.com, to avail of the free booking system, yet parks have complete control over their availability on Campsited.com.

“It’s an honours type arrangement” says O’Donoghue. “We’re in this because we love what we do, and want to build long-term partnerships with those who use our technology. If we make great online booking technology, that genuinely helps parks, and we have to give a little to build trust, then it’s absolutely worth it.”

The company has also launched a website builder, which enables parks create a new, mobile optimised website, in hours."It's very simple" says O'Donoghue. “We just get some text and photos from parks. We populate this into the new website structure, which is standardised, and we publish. Once live, parks can make updates instantly. We developed this because we found when talking to parks, that getting a new website live can often be a lengthy process. This didn't have to be the case, so we decided to do something about it”.

PRODUCT NEWS

FRONTIER PITTS WORK WITH CARAVAN PARKS TO INCREASE SECURITY Over the years Frontier Pitts have installed perimeter security equipment on many caravan park sites nationally, to ensure the holiday park sites fulfil their security requirements with cost-effective traffic management.

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

The FBX is designed for reliability and durability, featuring sealed-forlife, no-maintenance bearings on the drive shaft; while both barriers and control cabinet are supplied with a 20-year protective alkyd paint finish as standard. The FBX accessories options include a variety of warning signs, lower folding skirts, boom lights, articulated boom, over-ride key switch, magnetic locks for the end-rest, with a choice of ‘pogo stick’ or fixed end-rests.

Holiday Parks

Management

Frontier-Pitts, based in Crawley, Sussex, is the acknowledged leader in perimeter security equipment. Their services include design, manufacture, civil and electrical services, site surveys, installation, spare part and a full Maintenance Contracts package to give you complete peace of mind. The product range includes security gates, automatic barriers, road blockers and rising kerbs, bollards, and pedestrian control gates and turnstiles For further information, please look at the website www.frontierpitts.com or telephone 01293 548301.

Classifieds

Contact Kath today for details of our classifieds package

BOOKING SYSTEMS

Roadblockers and Rising Kerbs are impact-resistant barriers which control vehicle access and are well suited to ‘High Security’ sites. Such installations range from car parks through to anti-terrorist protection of defence installations. There are a few models of road blockers available, including the Parking Height Rising Kerbs and the Security height Roadblockers.

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

INSURANCE Safeguard insurance Let us help your customers with their insurance. Find out about our introducer scheme and see how it could benefit you.

HEALTH & SAFETY Do you have shower blocks?

Do you have a reception?

Do you have a shop?

Were they built before 2000?

If so, you WILL need an asbestos survey TACsurveys have worked with many holiday parks nationwide to ensure their site compliance is up to date and relevant. Don’t get caught out, The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 apply to all commercial buildings pre-2000. Non-compliance can cost businesses thousands of pounds and ruin reputations.

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

ONLINE BOOKINGS REACH MORE CUSTOMERS. GET MORE BOOKINGS.

For camping, touring, holiday and glamping parks.

For more information please call 0121 318 5585

See www.bookings.campsited.com.

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

PLAY SURFACING PRODUCTS

ONLINE BOOKINGS

are a nationwide supplier of a wide range of natural and rubber play surfacing products.

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

Tel: 01538 751514 Email: info@playbark.com Website: www.playbark.com

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A FANTASTIC BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Whether you are an established glamping operator or planning to launch a glamping business; a visit to the Glamping Show will pay dividends!

Discover the latest products and services and attend any of over 60 seminars covering every aspect of setting up and running a glamping business - FREE.

DEVELOP YOUR NEXT BUSINESS AT THE GLAMPING SHOW

TO REGISTER visit:www.theglampingshow.com THE GLAMPING SHOW 21st – 23rd September 2017 NAEC, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire