Owners of top quality caravan parks in Mid Wales who have invested millions of pounds into making them some of the best in the UK have been congratulated for exceptional five star grading results again this year. Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure Ken Skates and Tony Bywater, chairman of leading caravan dealership Salop Leisure, which has sales centres in Shrewsbury, Machynlleth and Stourport-on-Severn, both praised the parks for maintaining exceptional standards. Their hard work has been recognised with 33 five star gradings from Visit Wales, the tourism arm of the Welsh Government, which runs the rule over the parks. Thirteen of the parks are in Powys, 11 in Meirionnydd or South Gwynedd and eight in Ceredigion and one in Carmarthenshire. Mr Skates said: Mr Skates said: “We need high standard facilities in Wales in order to attract visitors to Wales and entice them back time and again. With their five star ratings, the quality of the caravan parks in Mid Wales can compete with anywhere in the UK. “Our figures indicate that 2016 has been another great year for tourism in Wales, following two record breaking years. There has been a growth of 15% in international tourism visits during the first six months of 2016 and occupancy levels have been maintained or increased across most sectors. Some 85% of businesses reported that they are confident about this year. We now look forward to working with the industry on the Year of Legends in 2017.” Salop Leisure supplies caravans to many of the five star parks in Mid Wales, which not only attract thousands of tourists to the region but also promote a positive image of caravanning, says Mr Bywater. Eight of the Mid Wales caravan parks that he and his company owns have all received five star gradings. “Mid Wales is renowned for having fantastic caravan parks that offer great value for money compared to other parts of the UK,” he added. “Great credit is due to the park owners and managers for continuing to raise their quality standard year after year. “This year’s outstanding gradings in Mid Wales show that the industry is not resting on its laurels but continuing to invest in quality for the future. “Discerning holiday home owners from North West England, The Potteries, West Midlands, Shropshire and South Wales regularly tell us that they really appreciate the quality and spectacular scenery offered by caravan parks in Mid Wales. They demand home from home luxury and that’s exactly what they get.” Val Hawkins, chief executive of MWT, the independent organisation representing tourism and hospitality businesses in Mid Wales, congratulated all the parks for consistently high standards, adding that their grading success was richly deserved. “We are fortunate in Mid Wales to have some of the finest caravan parks in the UK and they account for one third of the visitor economy of the region,” she said. The five star parks are: Ceredigion: Aeron Coast Caravan Park, Aberaeron; Bardsey View Holiday Park, Mydroilyn, Lampeter; Cardigan Bay Holiday Park, Poppit Sands, St Dogmaels, Cardigan; Green Meadow Holiday Home Park, Clarach Bay, Aberystwyth; Gwel y Cwm Caravan Park, New Quay; Ocean Heights Leisure Park, Maenygroes, New Quay; Pencnwc Holiday Park, Cross Inn, Llandysul; Woodland Hideaway Park, Glynarthen, Llandysul;. Carmarthenshire: Cenarth Falls Holiday Park, Cenarth, Newcastle Emlyn. Meirionnydd: Bala Caravan Park, Plas Moel Garnedd, Llanycil, Bala; Gwynedd Holiday Home Park, Tywyn; Hendre Mynach Caravan Park, Barmouth; Islawrffordd Caravan Park, Talybont, Barmouth; Llandanwg Holiday Home Park, Llandanwg, Harlech; Min- y- Don Holiday Home and Touring Park, Harlech; Pale Wood Holiday Park, Llandderfel, Bala; Rowen Caravan Park, Talybont, Barmouth; Trawsdir Camping Park, Llanaber, Barmouth; Parc Gwyliau Pen y Garth Lodge Park, Llandderfel, Bala and Castle View Holiday Park, Harlech. Powys: Bishops Meadow Caravan Park, Brecon; Dolgead Hall Caravan Park, Llanfair Caereinion; Gwernydd Hall Holiday Home Park, New Mills, Newtown; Hidden Valley Caravan Park, Maesmawr, Guilsfield; Maesperthi Holiday Park, Penegoes, Machynlleth; Morben Isaf Holiday and Touring Park, Derwenlas, Machynlleth; Pencelli Castle Caravan and Camping Park, Pencelli, Brecon; Rhyd-y-Groes Caravan and Camping Park, Marton, Welshpool; Seven Oaks Holiday Home Park, Crew Green, near Welshpool; Smithy Caravan Park, Abermule, near Montgomery; Derwen Mill Holiday Park, Guilsfield; Red Kite Touring Park, Llanidloes and Clywedog Caravan Park, Llanidloes.
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A Powys family is celebrating after winning the award for AA Campsite of the Year for Wales 2017.
Fforest Fields Caravan and Camping Park, Hundred House, is located on a long established hillside farm owned by the Barstow family, a few miles from Builth Wells and the Royal Welsh Showground. The meandering tree-lined drive to the park creates a happy feeling of anticipation, and on clearing the outer forest, the gentle slope stops at the level touring areas. The excellent pitch density gives great privacy and the surrounding densely planted hills are home to a wide range of indigenous wildlife. This is a walkers’ paradise as there are lakes and woodland within the park’s boundaries, with the open moorland of the Aberedw Hill stretching out beyond. The site has a conveniently located, spacious, eco-friendly amenities block, fuelled by a bio-mass boiler and solar panels, which provides excellent facilities for adults and families. In addition to the excellent reception, there’s a stylish café that serves local and home-reared produce and, for a glamping holiday, there’s two bell tents, ‘Betty’ and ‘Harry’, each with a kitchen. The Barstow family also has plans to expand the glamping offering in 2017. In recent years, new members of the Barstow family have brought individual and specialised talents to the team equation; the park is very popular with outdoor adventure groups and the family has developed partnerships with local youth groups who enjoy time spent at the park. Katie Barstow, the park’s co-founder, said: “We are utterly stunned by this prestigious award. Over the past 26 years, we have grown the site carefully, adding lakes and landscaped areas but always trying to stay true to the beautiful natural landscape of Mid Wales. “We welcome the most lovely visitors every year, families, couples, walkers, stargazers and those just looking for some fresh air in the wonderful countryside and to enjoy the local area. We are so proud that what we’ve created is something that has become so loved.” All the winners appear in the new AA Caravan and Camping Guide 2017. More than 860 campsites in the guide have all been visited by one of the AA’s qualified campsite inspectors to look at touring pitches, facilities and hospitality before grading the site from one to five pennants, including the gold pennants awarded to the best parks. Each entry within the guide includes location, ratings, contact details, directions, prices, opening times, facilities and a description to help select the right site for your needs. The All Party Parliamentary Group for Tourism and the Hospitality Industry are conducting an inquiry into the impact of the sharing economy on the UK tourism industry, the benefits that it provides and the issues that have arisen including the impact on local communities. The aim of the APPG inquiry is to determine how the benefits derived from this new business model can be maximised while any adverse impacts can be reduced. What do you think? Whilst the UK Government has suggested measures to help to build consumers’ trust in online transactions in the sharing economy’ (Independent review of the sharing economy Government response; March 2015) our concern is with the micro and small tourism operator: - There is simply not the protection afforded to the micro or small business as there is for the consumer. Our industry is dominated by micro businesses supporting many across Wales and whilst we largely operate as businesses, most are self-employed, often struggling to hold up their end of a business transaction via an off-shore on-line travel agency (OTA). There is a misguided assumption by both the consumer and the operator that the OTA offers protection for both, when in reality they offer little when things go wrong. Do you agree? - On-line reviews are a serious concern to the micro operator. Where there are serious flaws in the product on offer, which need to be rectified, a bad review is understandable. However removing a malicious or incorrect review is extremely difficult if not impossible. Again agree or disagree? - Whilst, we appreciate we cannot turn back time, online travel agencies, such as Airbnb, have the potential to provide opportunities, but also hold risk of monopolisation with a few off shore companies that cannot be regulated or required to pay UK tax eating the profits of micro and SMEs. We have great concern that our legitimate small businesses, paying UK rates of tax and abiding by our stringent legislation in relation to a range of consumer protection issues such as food hygiene; fire safety; etc. are being penalised by an unregulated sub-industry who can undercut on pricing and destroy viability. Is this really a sharing economy or simply a legitimised underground economy? If you agree or disagree with the above or there are points you think the WTA could usefully make, let us know, however brief or lengthy send a response to adriangwalker@gmail.com - closing date for the consultation is the 25th November, so please any comments by the 21st November. The External Affairs and Additional Legislation Committee has issued a call for evidence as part of its work on the implications for Wales of Britain exiting the European Union. In particular, the Committee would welcome views on the following questions:
Information on the call for evidence including how to submit written evidence is available on the Committee’s website: http://www.senedd.assembly.wales/mgConsultationDisplay.aspx?id=231&RPID=886050&cp=yes WTA Members recently, raised the issue of BR & Transitional Relief as an agenda item at our WTA member’s meeting on the 25th October 2016. WASCO have raised a number of issues with which we concur (and is reflected below in some of our comment). Whilst we broadly welcome the proposal to provide what will amount to much needed transitional relief to assist those ratepayers facing a significant change in their liability:-
We also hope that any measures implemented as a result of this consultation should safeguard the positive contribution tourism makes to the Welsh economy as we outline above. We also urge the need for scrutiny and debate to be undertaken beyond this consultation and welcome the recent reinstatement of the Tourism Cross Party Group under the Chair of Suzy Davies AM The WTA notes that the UK Government has extended the threshold for full SBRR to £12,000 with tapered relief above £12,000 up to £15,000. It also makes provision for transitional relief. The Welsh Assembly Government does not propose the increase of the current thresholds for SBRR, but does propose to grant transitional relief for businesses currently receiving full SBRR, but no longer able to do so from 2017 onwards. The WAG does not propose any other distinctions. We would like to see parity with the rest of the UK. We are concerned that that this difference could put Wales based tourism business at a competitive disadvantage. The survey by WASCO of their members shows that ‘the proposed 2017 revaluation has again increased their rateable values. For the vast majority (80%) of respondents’ businesses with a 31% increase or more, of which one third is even hit with increases of 71% or higher! It also shows that for the relevant years, for a majority of the respondents turnover decreased or stayed the same. For the remaining respondents reported growth is less or very little more than 10%’. This reported change is alarming. The proposed transitional relief for self-catering businesses with a rateable value of £6,000 or below currently, but with a rateable value above £6,000 in 2017 is not unwelcome, but it does not address the fundamental imbalance between set rateable values for and the earning capacity of many businesses. We share WASCO’s concern that Business Rates and their application have the potential to threaten the viability of self-catering businesses, especially ones that have several units within the same curtilage, who are largely or fully dependent on their self-catering business for their income, and whose rateable value exceeds the current threshold for full SBRR of £6,000. Many businesses in the tourism industry in Wales are run on very tight margins. Couple this to the increasing dependence to on on-line travel agencies, who skim off much of the slim income and the available profit left after an increase in taxation, this could mean that many businesses could simply decide to retire and close for good thus actually reducing the amount of Business Rates raised in the medium to long term. |