There is no doubt that the world has changed significantly in the past three years, and with it, our views on how to holiday. What began as enforced lockdown has gradually morphed into a new outlook influenced by several factors which have culminated in holidaying closer to home becoming the new norm. For many, the next logical step is the concept of holiday home ownership.
The months in lockdown provided an opportunity for many who had previously felt stressed by the pace of life and thought ‘stop the world, I want to get off’, to actually do so for a while.
The quiet skies, no longer criss-crossed with aeroplane vapour trails, were a startling yet welcome relief. With time to reflect, smell the roses, hear the birdsong and enjoy the amazing return of wildlife in some urban areas, many came to realise that actually the jet-setting holiday norm was not necessarily ideal, given its impact on the planet.
Climate change is now very much at the forefront of everyone’s minds, from global leaders to kids at school, so the foreign holiday has now become viewed more as a naughty extravagance than a must-have routine on the calendar. Holidays with a lower carbon footprint have become an attractive option.
Our gradual release from lockdown, with the hour’s drive limit, saw many people explore delights on their doorstep they’d never previously had reason to explore. ‘Who knew?’ that for most of the population, within an hour of home there were stunning National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
As soon as permitted, the brave booked self-catering accommodation and hotels, grateful for the change of scene and found they were as happy in the hills of northern England as the beaches of the Costa Brava. And so the staycation was born.
A couple of years on and its popularity shows no sign of waning. The bother of Brexit and COVID impacting on foreign travel meant many brave souls experienced hideous delays and difficulties when attempting to venture out of Blighty, and the quick city break abroad has lost its appeal as a result. Holidays at home still tick all the boxes while also helping the UK economy, so it’s a win-win.
With rising costs naturally passed on to the public, the cost of hotel rooms and AirBnBs have increased significantly, which means even a UK staycation can come at a hefty price. The savvy spenders have come to realise that investing in holiday home ownership in a favourite location makes a lot of sense as an alternative.
While there are issues in tourist hotspot villages and towns with many small properties being turned into second homes at the expense of potential homes for local young people, the advantages of purpose-built holiday parks means that particular ethical obstacle is removed from consideration.
There has been a huge increase in caravan and motorhome ownership since lockdown, but the horrific increase in fuel prices is now putting a dampener on touring as a budget holiday option at least. And again, there’s the eco consideration.
So, back to contemplating ownership as the answer for anyone with a modest income and a penchant for holidays. The benefits certainly seem to be manifold.
For the ‘home birds’, holiday home ownership is perfect. You get to fill your little haven with all your own stuff; far more than you could ever cram in a suitcase. Let’s face it; who goes down to breakfast in their slippers and dressing gown in a hotel? Having to get dressed for breakfast is no fun wherever you are. In your own pad, you can lounge on your holiday home sofa with your cereal while the other half is sizzling the bacon. Then you get to have a shower with your own preferred brand of shampoo, not some silly sachet. When you head off to bed, it’s one with your own pillows and duvets and a thermostat set to your liking.
As for dog lovers, you don’t have to leave your best friend behind, there’s no kennel costs to pay, or friends or family to sweet talk into dog-sitting; your holiday simply becomes your pooch’s holiday too. He or she becomes as comfortable in your holiday home-from-home as you are, and you can even take them with you while you pop down to the local hostelry for a drink on an evening.
Talking of which, holiday park homes offer all the community you need. Whether you want to keep yourselves to yourselves or make friends with your neighbours, holiday home ownership soon lends a rewarding feeling of familiarity and ‘belonging’ to the area that you simply don’t experience with travelling holidays.
Holiday homes in the form of static caravans or lodges on professionally run parks also offer a host of support services and security over and above individual holiday home ownership in towns and villages, with CCTV and on-site wardens.
These environments make perfect holiday home investment opportunities for growing young families to enjoy safe holidays with plenty of activities on hand. At the other end of the scale, they appeal to the newly retired as a fabulous base for holidaying with the grandkids and spending time with friends. A suitably sized static caravan or lodge provides scope for the whole extended family to enjoy in all seasons, used regularly together or in smaller family groups.
The Marshall family have been in the holiday park business since 1970. Their parks provide the facility for potential holiday homeowners to effectively ‘try before you buy’ with a small number of luxury lodges or static caravans for hire on their two sites in Bentham; Wenningdale Escapes and Riverside Caravan Park.
Thomas explains, “Many of our owners have purchased holiday homes here after visiting with their tourers over the years and some have owned owned statics elsewhere.”
The location of both Wenningdale Escapes and Riverside Caravan Park takes some beating when it comes to choosing a holiday home. With an impressive backdrop of Ingleborough, Bentham is nested in the foothills of the Three Peaks and is on the doorstep of two contrasting National Parks and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Visitors here are spoilt for choice every day; whether to explore the Yorkshire Dales, the Lake District or The Forest of Bowland. It’s no wonder many choose to buy as there is simply far too much to do in the area to explore in a single holiday; from hiking to cycling, caving to climbing. Or shopping and browsing market town galleries if that’s all too strenuous!
As well as the surrounding area for inspiration, both the Marshall family’s parks have something extra to offer on site. Wenningdale Escapes is a perfect location for golf enthusiasts, set among the fairways of the challenging Bentham Golf Course, while fisherman fall for Riverside Caravan Park, with its own fishing rights on the River Wenning and a well-stocked lake.
Naturally, there’s no shortage of dining out options in the Bentham area for the days when owners don’t want to cook; from gastro pubs to everyday fayre, tea rooms to farm shops, but the kitchens in the statics and lodges are well equipped with all the usual mod-cons for preparing all your own favourites using local produce.
For anyone living in the urban conurbations of the M62 corridor, or the North West and North East, the parks at Bentham are accessible in 90 minutes or less. Holiday home owners still working can knock off a bit early on a Friday and have their feet up on the sofa and drink in hand in a different world by 6pm, with a whole weekend ahead or a week if it can be wangled. And retirees, well they can please themselves when to come and go.
So, how much are we talking? Naturally it all comes down to individual requirements in terms of number of rooms, fittings and fixtures options as new lodges and statics can be made to order, but as a rough guide a static caravan at Riverside Caravan Park can be purchased for as little as £25,000 (yes, that’s less than a new car) while a luxury lodge at Wenningdale Escapes would be nearer £200k; think hot tub on the decking and a small price for living the dream.
For more details on holiday home ownership or staycation holidays, visit https://www.riversidecaravanpark.co.uk/ and https://www.wenningdale.co.uk/
