Posts tagged with "Regent"

We do love getting feedback from owners on our parks and sharing it with you, so here’s some recent insight into why some of our owners first decided to buy a holiday home and why we know that now is the best time for you to buy one yourself!

Our Top 5 reasons to buy a holiday home:

1. We’ll pay the VAT on your new caravan

From the 6th of April this year, anyone buying a new holiday caravan will now have to pay VAT at 5 per cent where previously this was not the case. (Remember all the news stories last year about the “pasty tax” and “caravan tax”? – Well, the pasty tax was thrown out, but unfortunately the caravan tax was introduced at 5 per cent from the start of the new tax year). This means that buying one of our most affordable ABI Seashore models will cost almost £1,000 more than it did last year. Or a Willerby Atlanta model will cost almost £4,000 more.

But don’t let this put you off…. as for a limited time only, we’re going to be paying the taxman on your behalf. All you have to do is buy your new caravan before the 31st of May and we’ll pay the VAT for you – saving you thousands of pounds. Trust us, there has never been a better time to buy!

2. Improved lifestyle & family time

This is a no-brainer really isn’t it? If given the choice, who wouldn’t want to have unlimited holidays with their loved ones – whether its your spouse, children, grandchildren or close friends? A holiday almost every weekend of the year? Yes please, where do I sign up!

When we ask our owners why they decided to buy and what the best thing is about owning a holiday home, 99.9% of the time, this is their answer. As Mr & Mrs White from Ocean Edge said: “We’ve really got the best of both worlds and we get to go on holiday every week!”

3. Having the freedom & flexibility to escape

To really get the best out of your holiday home, it pays to keep your travelling time to a minimum so we find that most of our owners live within a couple of hours drive of our parks. This means they can jump in the car whenever the mood takes them and not have to worry about check-in times or the stress, hassle and long waits that go hand in hand with airport travel. Mr & Mrs Murphy visit their home on Todber Park nearly every weekend and as they say: “We can leave home after work and still reach the park in good time and before it gets dark.”

4. Enjoying home from home comforts

We all love going on holiday but who honestly can say that they love (or even like!) the whole packing part? Well, that’s the beauty of owning your own holiday home – it has all the comforts (and sometimes more) of your own home. You can leave your clothes in the wardrobe, PJ’s on the bed, toiletries in the bathroom and food in the kitchen cupboards – and it will all still be there waiting for you the next time you visit. It really does give ‘packing light’ a whole new meaning! “I like having my toiletries, shaving cream, clothes, somewhere where I can go. Just jump in the car and go. Without having to pack everything all the time.” Mr B, Fallbarrow Park

5. Having full use of park facilities

When you buy your own home on a holiday park, you’re buying more than just a place to stay. Many of our parks have leisure facilities including swimming pools that you can use at no extra cost and the on-site bars, restaurants and cafes can be great places to socialise and meet new people. Little ones can join the kids clubs and take part in lots of fun games and activities or just play together in the indoor and outdoor play areas with the added reassurance that they are being well looked after in a secure environment. Miss Shaw from Ocean Edge says: “We have the opportunity to go out and socialise at Ocean Edge and can be comfortable in the knowledge that our son can come and go between the arcade, which he loves, and the club for the entertainment.It’s nice as people remember your faces and you get chatting to them so you can build up new acquaintances through owning a caravan on the park.”

Convinced yet?  Then what are you waiting for? Give us a call to find out more about how you can be our next new owner or visit our homepage to see our current range and prices of homes for sale.  

 

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We had a fun afternoon at Ocean Edge earlier this week when our new mascot, Buzz the Bumbaloo – complete with new song and dance - was officially unveiled to an audience of our staff.

For those of you not familiar with bumbaloos (really?!) they are magical, colourful, and quite shy creatures that secretly live in and look after the trees, flowers and plants on our parks.

Buzz loved showing us all his new ‘bumbaloo boogie’ that he’ll be teaching to all the kids on Ocean Edge and Regent Parks’ this year and the entertainment teams (the Buzz Crew) from both parks joined him on stage for his big moment.

All went off without a hitch, which is more than can be said for the earlier dress rehearsal…Without hurting his feelings, its fair to say that Buzz is rather a large creature who slightly misjudged the length of the stage…

…And we caught it all on film for you!

Now don’t worry children, no bumbaloos were hurt in the making of this film and Buzz is literally buzzing with excitement to meet you all when you next visit our two Morecambe parks.

As for the audience, we all left with our new Buzz goodies singing along to his new song. Trust us, it’s an infectious one:

1, 2, 3…“He’s Buzz, Buzz, the bumbaloo

 and he wants to be friends with you

So come along and join his crew

and you can be a bumbaloo too!”

Despite our best efforts to sing-a-long to One Direction on TV at the Brits that night, we just couldn’t get that tune out of our heads…

…“He’s Buzz, Buzz, the bumbaloo

 and he wants to be friends with you

So come along and join his crew

and you can be a bumbaloo too!”

Now what is a bumbaloo again?!

Buzz will be on Ocean Edge and Regent Holiday Parks’ this year and every child under 12 holidaying on the parks will receive a free Buzz goody bag containing a rucksack, face mask, activity book, crayons and a Frisbee as well as a new ‘Buzz Park Pass’ and money off vouchers to use on the parks.

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Well it might have felt like a long time coming but today is the day that most of our parks are reopening again for the 2013 season!

We’ve already given you a flavour of what goes on behind the scenes when we’re closed and now we’re back, with shiny new improvements and full of enthusiasm to welcome you all from today and throughout the rest of the year.

If you are arriving today, you’re in for a treat! It’s the first day of Spring, the sun has been shining in the North West all week, and the forecast looks good for the weekend. If you’re on Regent Park, then make sure you come along to our ‘Welcome Back Party Night’ tomorrow where we’re all going be dusting off our dance shoes and boogying 80’s style to the Agadoo with our special guests, Black Lace. They’re guaranteed to get the party going with a real swing!

Also keep an eye out for our new mascot, Buzz the Bumbaloo who will be officially revealed to our Regent guests for the first time at the party. We know that he’s already been practicing his dance moves and is out to impress you all! He’s also the star of our new ‘Rascal’s’ indoor soft play area as his face is adorned all over the walls. We’ve also got a new indoor multi sports court but we’re sure most of you will be outside making the most of the sunshine whilst its here!

Whichever park you’re on this weekend, welcome back! Have a great time and be sure to share some of your fun times, feedback and photos with us on our facebook pages. We’ve missed you all!

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Do you ever wonder what happens when our holiday parks close for six weeks after the New Year? No? Well, we’re going to tell you anyway!

One of our parks is open all year round but most of them close immediately after the New Year celebrations and don’t reopen again until March 1st. During this time, we are able to carry out vital improvement and maintenance works without impacting on any holidaymakers’ stays.

Pass by the parks during February and it’s not unusual to see a whole hive of activity taking place with our maintenance staff, local contractors and groundsmen working ten to the dozen to make sure that the parks are in top-notch condition to welcome back the next season’s holidaymakers.

We’ll cover everything from deep cleaning and painting, to carrying out gas, electrical, safety and wiring checks; changing and updating appliances, products and facilities inside our caravans and lodges; and tidying and replanting trees, bushes and flowers.

This year on both of our Morecambe family parks – Ocean Edge and Regent – we’ve also updated the children’s play areas with bright, colourful murals of our new mascot; Buzz the Bumbaloo with giant images of Buzz and his two friends, Phoebee and Tobee now adorning the walls.

Making the most of its coastal location, Ocean Edge has also introduced new giant wildlife boards around the park, which will tell holidaymakers what to watch out for around the Ocean Edge seashore. It’s not unusual to see some rare birds as well as even spotting some seals bobbing around in the sea. 

Don’t forget that, as well as being a home away from home for holidaymakers, our parks are also a safe haven to a variety of animal, bird and wildlife so it’s important for us to make sure that their habitats are well looked after to keep them coming back to see us – just like you!

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The 50+ Show at Manchester Central  ...



The 50+ Show is returning to Manchester Central (formerly the GMEX) on 1st & 2nd March 2013

With a wide range of Exhibitors this show is perfect day out for anyone who wants to make the most out of life and will send you home with enough new ideas to last you a lifetime - come with a friend and plan to stay the whole day!

Throughout the day there are various Seminars, Cookery Demonstrations, Fashions Shows, Comedians, Dance Classes and Workshops you can enjoy.

To find out more why not take a look at the 50+ Show Manchester 2012 Visitor Experience video - CLICK HERE

Show Venue
Manchester Central, Petersfield, Manchester,  M2 3GX

Stand
Come and find us on Stand B22

Show Dates
1st & 2nd March 2013

Show Opening Times
9.30am - 4.30pm

Car Parking
NCP car park on site at Manchester Central, It is open 24 hours and the address details for sat nav are: Lower Mosley Street, Manchester, M2 3GX. 

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Our BIGGEST Ever Holiday Sale*

Any park, any accommodation, anytime!

South Lakeland Holidays have today launched their BIGGEST EVER SALE with Short breaks from as little as £7 per person per night!

This huge saving applies to all 3, 4 and 7 night breaks when booking online or through our Call Centre before the end of January 2013. Choose from a range of holiday accommodation from caravans and lodges to cosy cottages.

South Lakeland Holidays have a choice of 6 fantastic HOLIDAY PARKS in Morecambe, the Ribble Valley and the Lake District. Take advantage of our low deposit offer and pay only £50 to secure your booking.

Book your perfect holiday today!

Perfect moments make perfect holidays so start planning your 2013 holiday today!
Call our friendly Call Centre 015395 69835

Visit www.slholidays.co.uk

*Terms and conditions apply. See www.slholidays.co.uk/terms

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Why John and Margaret Clark decided to part Exchange

John and Margaret Clark from Darwen in Lancashire recently part exchanged their caravan on Regent Park for a newer, larger model on the same pitch. “We didn’t want to lose this pitch,” said John, “It’s a fantastic one and we were lucky to get it. It’s just so private with a real sun trap round the back, we have such good friendly neighbours that it’s almost like a little community here where we all look out for each other.” Mr and Mrs Clark had been on Regent Park for around three years when they somewhat accidently decided to part exchange. “We weren’t actually looking to upgrade,” says John. “It was always going to be a long term thing to upgrade but not at that particular time.”

Like most of us, the Clark’s are just curious and would always have a look to see what vans were coming up for sale and what price they were. On this particular day, John had gone into the sales office and got chatting about a couple of vans that were up for sale, purely for interest and not with a view to buying. “The sales person  mentioned that she had a nice van for sale if I wanted to have a look at it. She gave me the keys and we just fell in love with it right away. We were blown away by it and could immediately picture ourselves in it.” Park Manager Daniel Thornton looked at the numbers and quoted the Clark’s a figure for their current van. “We were really quite surprised at how affordable it was and actually cost less than we had expected,” says John. “We then just thought, why not? We knew we were going to stay at the park for a good few more years so it made sense to have all the comfort. Before we knew it, that was it. We were always really happy with the pitch and now we’re also really happy with the caravan and everything else so we’re sorted.”

Whenever anyone buys a pre-owned holiday home on any of our nine South Lakeland Parks, they are given a three month period in which to inform the company of any issues, faults, or snags, which are subsequently dealt with. These same conditions also apply to any existing owners who choose to upgrade and the Clark’s were appreciative of the after-sales service (when a new holiday home is purchased this is extended for 12 months). “There were a few little snags that had to be dealt with,” John continues. “But absolutely everything that was promised to us at the point of sale was delivered and everyone has been so good with us. From the staff on the park through to the sales and maintenance teams, they were all flexible and fair and we’re really happy with how it went. Since we’ve part exchanged, we know of a few more people on the park who have done it and we would definitely recommend it to anyone.”

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Olympic effort by all as relay challenge raises more than £6,000 for CancerCare

Staff at North West holiday park company, South Lakeland Parks has raised an impressive £6,369 for local charity CancerCare after taking part in an alternative Torch Relay through the heart of the Lancashire and Cumbrian countryside.



More than 30 of the group’s staff including Managing Director, Nigel Wimpenny and even the parks’ mascots raised the money by staging a relay between their 10 Lancashire and Lake District locations last month.

In keeping with the topical Olympic theme, staff ran, cycled, swam, rowed, canoed and even rode a horse between the parks covering more than 106 miles over a two-day period through some fairly challenging weather conditions. 

A support crew cheered them on during the route and collected bucket loads of donations whilst passing through cities and towns including Lancaster, Morecambe and Windermere.

Holiday home owners and holidaymakers came out in strong numbers to support the relay with one park, the 4-star Ocean Edge Park in Heysham raising more than £1,000 for the charity. This was helped in part by the efforts of the park’s Assistant Manager, Vicki Jones who did her bit by swimming 180 lengths – the equivalent of two miles - in the indoor swimming pool in an hour and forty minutes.

The charity relay got underway at the group’s southern-most park at Todber in the Ribble Valley on Wednesday 20th June and finished the following day. The final leg was completed by canoe between the two Windermere lakeside parks, White Cross Bay and Fallbarrow by MD Nigel Wimpenny just before the official Olympic Torch came through the town.



Nigel said: “I am hugely proud of the efforts of all the staff who took part in the relay. The enthusiasm shown at the outset and throughout was heartening and the support we received along the way really gave us the extra push we needed to keep going – especially on the second day when we were handicapped by the Lake District weather!

“We are delighted with everyone’s generosity, which has seen us more than double our original target for CancerCare. The work that they do with cancer sufferers and their families in the local area is at times superhuman and in our eyes, there was no worthier a cause to donate to.”

Lynne Stafford, Chief Executive at CancerCare also got involved by running the last leg of the first day from Hawthorne Park in Morecambe to Ocean Edge in Heysham.

She said: “I had a great time taking part in the relay and even managed a personal best time of 2 miles in 16 minutes. Being able to get out of the office to see the enthusiasm of the people that take part in fundraising activities is such a special part of the job and they should all be applauded for their exertions over the two days.

“For the team to have raised over £6,000 is just absolutely fantastic and will make such a difference to CancerCare. We can continue our valuable role of helping local people whose lives are affected by cancer.”

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The David Bellamy Awards and what they mean to us

Every year each of our parks are independently assessed by experts from the David Bellamy Conservation Award scheme on behalf of the British Holiday & Home Parks Association. It is one of the longest running green tourism awards in the UK and Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards are given out to recognise the work the parks do to protect the environment.

We’re delighted to report that now seven of our nine parks have managed to achieve Gold Award status, the top accolade awarded by the scheme and we will continue to invest in our parks to ensure that we maintain these high standards in future years. Protecting the environment and overall corporate social responsibility is an important part of our day to day business at South Lakeland Parks and is intrinsic in our values as a responsible company.

Our two parks with Bronze Awards, Regent and Ocean Edge have made great strides in recent years as has been highlighted by the positive acknowledgments of the scheme’s assessors. Ongoing investment in landscaping, tree planting and gardening as well as aesthetical improvements such as picnic benches and external decorating have taken place during the Winter.

But there is a lot more to the Conservation Award scheme than just looking after the greenery of the Parks. The assessors also review our progress on energy, water and use of other resources; reducing, reusing and recycling of waste and what we do to support our local communities.

As Mr Bellamy says: “The best holiday parks are mini nature reserves and are helping to drive Britain’s green tourism revolution.” So you can relax in your homes safe in the knowledge that South Lakeland Parks remain committed to being at the forefront of environmental and sustainability excellence.

Here is what our assessors said on their last inspections:
Fallbarrow Holiday Park
“The entrance area at Fallbarrow is particularly attractive and there always appears a great change when entering, between the hustle and bustle outside and the relative peace and calm inside. The working together of all concerned has evolved the park to the high standard that it is. This is a credit to all concerned.”
Result: Gold Award

Gatebeck Holiday Park
“Gatebeck is an extremely pleasant and environmentally friendly park. It is extremely well screened and there is much evidence of strong links with the local community. There is plenty of evidence of the activities of mammals, birds and insects within the area of the park together with a splendid array of wild flowers. Gatebeck residents over the years all say the same thing – the peace, the wildlife and the way the park is run contributes greatly to their wellbeing and enjoyment.”
Result: Gold Award

Hawthorne Holiday Park
“Tucked away down a sleepy lane in the Lancashire countryside Hawthorne Park is a little oasis for its customers. It is secluded, well hidden and has almost no impact on the local landscape. The park has benefitted from significant investment over the past 12 months with new sewage systems, a new play area and the surfacing of access roads. All of these have improved the park significantly.”
Result: Gold Award

Marina Holiday Park
“Marina is an attractive park located by the Lancaster canal close to the village of Galgate. It has the feel of a self contained community with strong familiarity amongst customers and staff. The park is extremely well screened and low level lighting ensures minimal light pollution. Traffic control is excellent and there is a general feel of peace and quiet on the park. Very attractive floral displays create an excellent first impression.”
Result: Gold Award

Limefitt Holiday Park
“Limefitt has changed quite dramatically over the years yet retained its character – a park set in superb Lakeland valley scenery, keeping its old buildings and of course its position alongside the fast flowing Troutbeck. The overhaul of waste and recycling arrangements has taken place and been so successful that the amount of unrecycled items has been significantly reduced. The park now recycles used printer cartridges and any old mobile phones – this to support the Roy Castle Cancer Foundation.”
Result: Gold Award

Todber Holiday Park
“Huge improvements have been made at Todber since the last assessment. The Park should be commended for their achievements. The development on the higher levels is stunning. Some great work has been undertaken since the last assessment with some valuable planting schemes of native species of hedges which have added great aesthetic and conservation value to park.”
Result: Gold Award

White Cross Bay Leisure Park
“It was encouraging to see the improvements that have taken place at White Cross Bay in recent years. The park has matured and there was and continues to be, an obvious desire to do everything possible to improve the place for the benefit of the environment and park users. From the park entrance to lakeside shore, thanks to the planning and work undertaken, much of White Cross Bay is green and inviting; a good deal of planting up has taken place.”
Result: Gold Award

Regent Leisure Park
“Regent Park is a popular holiday home park which has had a number of physical improvements since the last assessment. New landscaping has greatly enhanced the park and an excellent reception area with stunning floral displays makes visitors welcome on arrival.”
Result: Bronze Award

Ocean Edge Leisure Park
“Ocean Edge has seen some investment since the last assessment with touring caravans stopped in favour of holiday homes and with that change has come favourable improvements in landscaping. The park’s prime coastal views and the wildlife are a valuable asset and the park has really begun to improve physically.”
Result: Bronze Award

 

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South Lakeland Parks launch lowest ever priced holiday home.

Holidaying at home is set to become even more affordable at four Lancashire holiday parks when their new, lowest ever priced holiday caravans are launched this weekend.

Ocean Edge, Regent and Hawthorne holiday parks on Morecambe Bay and Todber holiday park in the Ribble Valley, all part of the South Lakeland Parks group, will be unveiling the brand new caravan over this Easter weekend, 6th-9th April 2012.

The ABI Seashore, priced from just £19,995 is the group’s lowest ever priced new holiday home and is exclusively available only on these four seaside and countryside parks.

The two-bedroom caravan is fully equipped with everything needed to enjoy a break away from home including gas fire, 4- hob cooker and twin oven, shower, family dining table seating, and an extra pull out bed in the lounge.

The 36 by 12 foot model also comes with a separate en-suite to the master bedroom and uPVC double glazing and full central heating as standard.
With the average cost of a one-week family holiday to Europe being around £2000, a family of four could easily recoup the cost of this great value home within just five years. 

The seaside parks of Ocean Edge and Regent have a wide range of facilities for all the family to enjoy including indoor heated swimming pools and saunas, indoor and outdoor play areas and family cabaret lounges complete with entertainment and live shows.

For those looking for a more peaceful and laid back way of life, the smaller Hawthorne Park on the shores of Morecambe Bay is the perfect place to relax. Owners also have the added benefit of being able to use the leisure facilities at nearby Ocean Edge.

Todber holiday park in the picturesque rural setting of the Ribble Valley is ideally placed for exploring The Trough of Bowland and the Yorkshire Dales whilst the park itself has all the charm of a private countryside hideaway.

Caroline Farrer, Group Marketing Manager at South Lakeland Parks, said: “Holidaying at home does not have to be an expensive option and with the introduction of these exciting new homes on four of our parks, we are making it more affordable than ever.

“So, if the idea of limitless holidays and short breaks appeals to you then come along to our unveiling events at the parks this weekend and be one of the first to take advantage of these brand new, great value homes.”

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Park Life the Magazine for Owners at South Lakeland Parks ...

It may have flown by but we at South Lakeland Parks have come a long way in 6 years. With the 3rd edition of 'Park Life'  now ready this is what can be found in our latest edition of Park Life;

- Owners' Inbox - Competition, letters, Owner feeback
- New Developments for 2012
- David Bellamy Awards - What they mean to us.
- Charity News
- Exclusive Owner Events
- Attraction Review - Blackpool Tower
- Manufacture's review - ABI Seashore
- Owners Discount Vouchers - with great savings on local attractions.
- What's On
- Plus much more

So to view the magazine CLICK HERE

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