Hay park celebrates two golds – and a gong for its loos
The husband-and-wife team behind a Hay-on-Wye holiday park are celebrating two national gold awards this autumn – plus a chain of honour for their park’s first-class loos.
The first of its awards has placed Borders Hideaway Holiday Home Park, in Clyro just outside the world-famous literary town, among a small elite of holiday parks judged to be Britain’s best.
It is among just ten out of more than 2000 caravan and camping parks in the UK which boast the prestigious Five Star Gold award given out by VisitEngland to its highest rated parks.
The national tourist board says the Gold standard can only be achieved if a park demonstrates exceptional quality standards during its annual grading inspection.
Even then , a subsequent “mystery shopper” visit by a VisitEngland quality assessment manager must be made before the award is officially confirmed.
Its second glittering prize this autumn has been the David Bellamy Conservation Award, presented to Borders Hideaway by the world-famous conservationist at its top gold level.
The accolade recognises exceptional achievements by tourism businesses to protect and enhance the natural environment, and to encourage indigenous flora and fauna.
According to Professor Bellamy, park managers Tracy and Graham Leggat have created a “wildlife wonderland” with a range of inspired initiatives.
These include hedges and verges kept wild to provide habitats for many types of animals and birds, and extensive planting of wild flowers to attract butterflies, bees and other insects.
David Bellamy also praised the park’s sensory flower bed which has been created to encourage young and old to appreciate plants in new and different way.
Highlighted too is the park’s harvesting of rainfall to provide irrigation to plants and conserve water.
Nesting boxes abound in the park, and shielded lighting helps visitors to enjoy the night sky. Guests are also encouraged to recycle and to follow the park’s policy of shopping locally.
Completing the hat trick of honours for Borders Hideaway this year has been its gaining of a 2014 Loo of the Year award for the high quality standards of its washrooms.
The family-run park was acquired by local businessman Denis Lloyd Jones in 2006, and has since benefited from extensive investment in its landscaping and facilities.
Borders Hideaway provides luxury caravan holiday homes for sale, and pitching facilities for guests with their own touring caravan, motorhome or tent.
Tracy Leggat said that everyone at the park was thrilled at news of the autumn awards, including its conservation accolade:
“Although many of our guests do come here to enjoy a traditional family holiday, we can also offer an wonderful environment to explore and make wildlife discoveries,” said Tracy.
“It’s a real privilege to live and work in this beautiful part of Herefordshire, and it’s great to be able to help preserve its very special character with the support of someone like David Bellamy.
“I also hope that the national spotlight thrown on Borders Hideaway will benefit other tourism businesses by showing what a wonderful place this region is for a holiday,” added Tracy.
More information about the park is available at www.bhhhp.co.uk
October 13, 2014
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