Is it any quieter now?

YES!!!

Finally, although we haven’t quite got to the official end of the season, things are definitely a lot quieter. The phone has quietened down and it doesn’t take more than half an hour to do the mail/emails on a morning.

So what are we doing?

Damian’s job is still as busy as ever – it just includes different things now – leaves mainly! They are all over!!

Damian has also got the mammoth job of making sure that all the caravans are drained down properly over the winter. We were snowed in for almost 5 weeks last year so you can imagine just how cold it got and that can mean lots of burst pipes once the spring arrives (although just one in 2010). He can also start working on the list of “house” jobs that have built up over the summer.

What will I be doing?

Over the last couple of weeks I have been sorting the end of year paperwork, making sure that price lists are printed for next year and updating our website so it is ready to take bookings for 2011. I’ve started relaxing as well – the adrenelin has slowed down now and i’ve been catching up on the “Mum” jobs – helping organise the PTA Halloween party, typing up the PTA recipe book, sorting xmas plans and with two little girls having birthdays between now and January I have birthday parties to plan :-) We also have a dance show to prepare for so things are all go!

For the first time in many years we won’t be heading for the sun this winter – my little brother is getting married this winter and as Damian is a Groomsman and the girls are Bridesmaids it hasn’t been possible. We can make up for it another time.

There are courses that I will be going on in marketing and customer care etc - just making sure that we don't get complacent in what we do.
 
We have no huge plans for anything new on the park eg. buildings, roads and parks as has been the norm for the last few years so I'll be looking at other "new" things that we can implement.
 
Our #family2follow on Twitter was launched quietly over the half term holidays and we will continue to work on that - helping to create itinerary ideas for our guests and I have a special surprise up my sleeve for the kids that come to stay - more details to follow. 
 
More importantly, I will have more time to spend on this blog - making sure it works and making sure I prove my friend wrong!

Things must be quieter now.......

No!


I have lost count of the amount of people saying things must be quieter now the kids have gone back to school. The park itself is quieter – we don’t have the same amount of campers but all the static caravans are still full and will be until the beginning of October.

However, my little office (about the third of the size of reception) feels very, very busy. Electric bills have to be prepared for our static caravan owners, seasonal invoices need calculating and sending out and Xmas cards have to be chosen!

Ooooh – 2011 prices to sort out, get to the printers and uploaded onto our webpage. I may as well be writing a list than a blog – things keep coming to me. We also send out a brochure and updated price list to everyone that has booked with us in 2010 – that’s alot of stamps to stick onto envelopes!

I’ve also got some blog posts to catch up on. The girls and I were tourists for the last week of the holidays and we are sharing our days out with our guests so they know some of the great attractions we have in the area.

Enough procrastinating – I really must start on the list of things to do – boil the kettle was first on the list, right?

The kids have done a bit to help the blog but now the tables have turned and its the guests turn to ask the manager!

Why buy another site? Why not continue working at Crow’s Nest?


Oooh tough one to start with! I was in the final year of a European Languages and Business degree at Leeds Met. Uni. I don’t remember the details of how dad approached the subject and I don’t know how long he was thinking about buying another park. My Grandpa passed away about 18 months earlier and he founded Crow’s Nest so maybe my dad was thinking of the things he had achieved and his legacy. Dad also likes “a project” and at the time there was nothing to knock down and rebuild at Crow’s Nest so maybe he just wanted to play with mini-diggers so much he needed another park.

I loved working at Crow’s Nest. Firstly, I worked in the shop, then in the snack bar and swimming pool before finally going into reception with some shifts in the bar. I enjoyed meeting the different people and the challenges they each brought. I grew up with some many people at Crow’s Nest and still see many of them when I go up there. And, Of course, I met Damian at Crow’s Nest – sure my Dad was horrified at me marrying a guest! Note to my children – don’t even think about it!!

When did you take over Robin Hood Caravan Park?

We moved into Robin Hood on 6th November 1999 – the first anniversary of my Grandpa’s death. I often wonder if he would be proud of what we’ve achieved but I know Nanna and Grandpa will have a smile on their face as we carry on their legacy. Indeed, the day we got our 5 stars I just sobbed with the inspector because I knew they, and my dad, would be so proud of us.

What was it like managing a park at 22?

I loved it – and still do! It was nice to get my teeth into something new. Some guests didn’t like it – if they had a problem they would ask to speak to my mum and dad. I would say “I am really sorry but my Mum and Dad don’t live here.” Then they would ask to speak to the manager – their face was always a picture when I explained I was the boss.

What has been the worst moment?

Waking up to see gas bottles floating in the Autumn 2000 wasn’t great but we learnt from it. We were in the middle of developing the site so we were able to build everything higher than the water table – which was the problem – and we’ve put loads of extra drainage in so it won’t happen again.

Foot and Mouth hit the tourism industry hard the following year so our opening two years weren’t great.

What has been the best moment?

Apart from closing day each year? Hahaha. Seriously, I have had loads of great moments. The day we got five stars for the first time was a very special day. The day I sold my first caravan was great especially since those people are still here. The awards we have won and others we have been nominated for are always great particularly the ones which are down to guest nominations. I have loads of best moments – and although it’s really cheesy to say so I love meeting the guests – particularly the ones that come back year after year. They have watched us grow up, they have watched our kids grow up and they pull me out of any bad times we’ve had. Can I go now before I get tearful please?

Ok, but tell us what you will be doing immediately after we've finished?

I'll be checking the answerphone and then sorting out our new environmental board so guests are aware of things around them and how they can help us conserve those things.

Thank-you
If you have any other questions that you want answering leave us a message!

Why should we blog?

It’s been so long since I’ve sat down and wrote a blog piece – I’m sorry! A customer came in earlier and said he enjoyed reading it and was looking forward to the next bit. Our chat got me thinking about what it should be about so I asked him why he had read it:


“To find out what the people are like” said the customer.

“Which people?” I replied (in my defence of asking a silly question I was hungover).

“The people that run it” By this stage I must have looked a tad confused as he went on to explain. “When we look at the various sites we read all the reviews we can to make sure it’s a nice site and if there is a blog attached you can work out the personality of the wardens/owners to see if it’s going to be a war-camp regime with loads of rules or if we can just relax”

I’m hoping that we come across as a friendly, relaxed park where our main rules are to use a bit of common sense and respect the people staying around you. I wouldn’t like to go on holiday and be told what I should and shouldn’t be doing and hopefully that comes across to our guests. That customer hopefully thought that – I’m sure a message will be left if that isn’t the case.

Through the other child's eyes.....

I'm sure every family is the same - one child is a lot different to the other? What one child gets the other one wants? Ours is the same. Our youngest child wanted to answer the same questions as her older sister but answers are a little shorter(!)

Do you like living in a house in the middle of a caravan park?


Yes

Why?

Because I do

Is it nice meeting lots of new people?

Yes

Whats the best bit about living here?

Playing on the park

Whats the worst thing about living here?

Don’t know

Do Mummy and Daddy let you work with them?

No

Is it good having Mummy and Daddy to yourselves in the winter?

No

Do you want to run a caravan park when you are older?

Yeah. Is that is now because Peppa Pig is starting?

First Time Campers....

May I just say a huge thank you to Gail for writing this blogpost for us:

Last time I slept in a tent I was around 13 and in the Girl Guides. The tent was ready assembled and apart from a rather unpleasant incident with a toilet tent during a stormy night found the whole experience very exhilarating.

So when our youngest son, aged 7 became a member of the local Sea Scout troop, we decided to join in the fun and get into the outdoorsy scene. Beavers unfortunately aren’t allowed to camp overnight with the Cubs and Scouts but are able to do so at the annual ‘Family Camp’ – the perfect excuse to buy a tent and get out there.

After a little research into tents and other paraphernalia we descended on a local store and bit the bullet. Stuffing the car boot with a large tent (with carpet) and a few extra’s to ensure we were reasonably well equipped. We decided to test it all out the following weekend and decided on an attractive looking site with good facilities (reviews from a couple of websites spoke of friendly staff, very clean shower/toilets and great play area – all of which was true!) Oh and the weather was supposed to be hot and sunny.

We arrived at Robin Hood Caravan Park late Friday afternoon a little nervous of assembling the tent for the first time on a proper site. We had done a quick practice run a couple of days earlier but had lost the will to live when we failed to see how the ‘ring and pin’ system worked. Yes, it is very simple now we know, but wasn’t at the time. So, we checked in and were told to pitch up wherever we liked in the tent field which was great because we found a large space to spread out all our ‘bits’ of tent before the complicated bit.

This is when you truly appreciate those little pop-up beach tents that once let out of their bag, leap into the air, pirouette beautifully and land perfectly formed and ready to use. Not this baby! Oh no, this one had coloured poles that resembled magicians wands and had to be inserted in a specific order. Once in, ‘someone’ then had to scramble through the mountain of tent fabric like an army assault course to be able to support the centre of the tent while the ringy pin thingy’s were forcibly manoeuvred into place. Stupidly, I thought doing the assault course was the better option until I realised that on a hot, humid sunny day, the centre of a zipped up tent wasn’t exactly the best place to spend fifteen minutes, unless you wanted to do the Indian Sweat Lodge thing.

Only a few harsh words were uttered, probably because we were in earshot of other campers but eventually the thing looked like a proper tent. A very big tent! A lovely, spacious, marquee of a tent with carpet. Hubby set off to blow the airbeds up. Now, as we all know, airbeds have a valve to put the air in and it’s usually the very same valve used to squash the air out too. Ha, not our one. Who knew there was a second hole in the thing and a little plug that should be fitted when inflating it. Strangely, it was some time before hubby, sweating like a pig on a spit complained that it was taking ages to blow up. I managed to stifle my laughter (it wasn’t the time or place for a sense of humour!) and suggested he put the second plug in.

Two and a half hours after arriving we were sitting with a cold alcoholic drink outside our new home watching the children play and enjoying the sunshine. It was a beautiful evening especially when at around 10pm and children were still running around squealing, the heavens opened and forced them all into their tents and bed. No need to play ‘hunt the child’ that night!

The only thing wrong with our first camping trip was that it wasn’t long enough. Thank you Robin Hood staff!

Through the kids eyes........

Who are you?


My name is Sophie, I am 7 years old and we live in the house on the caravan park

Do you like living in the middle of a caravan park?

Sometimes I do. Its good because people come and talk to me and my sister. But I don’t like it when Mummy and Daddy have to keep going to reception when I need them in the house and people ring up in the middle of the night to ask if we have room for them to come and stay – it wakes me up. We have movie nights on Friday nights and people keep knocking on our door and interrupting.

There must be some good things - isn’t it nice meeting lots of new people?

Yes because we get to play with other people. Trev and Sue make me laugh and Andy is helping me with my gardening homework. We get lots of Easter eggs from our customers. We can ride our bikes round and round the caravan park.

What is the best bit about living here?

In the holidays we get to go to the park with my grandma and play with the other boys and girls staying here. I helped Grandpa pick the park out of the book. I get very cross when children drop litter on it.

I also like sleeping in the caravans when we are allowed. We get to choose a different one each time and I am hoping that one day we are allowed to sleep in a tent.

I also like it when we can all close the gates.

Whats the worst thing about living here?

I miss my Mummy and Daddy when they are busy. Its also unfair that some children are allowed to stay up because they are on their holidays and I’m not allowed because I live here and have to go to school.

Do Mummy and Daddy let you work with them?

Me and my sister have our work uniforms so we can look like them when we help. We get to do the inventories with Mummy which helps with our counting and me and my sister see who can get the most rubbish in our sacks when we do a litter pick with my Daddy.

I told Mummy we should do an activity pack for the other children like we get when we go to restaurants. She thinks it is a really god idea so I am helping her with that at the moment.

Is it good having Mummy and Daddy to yourselves in the winter?

Yes because we get to go sledging in the tent fields – they can play with us. We can go on our own holidays in the winter. Mummy won’t let me go in a tent though because its too cold in the winter.

Do you want to run a caravan park when you are older?

No I want to be a dancer – but then I can put dance shows on for our guests and I can go on the stage when we go to Grandpas. Amelia can run the caravan park.

Question of the week

Who should be the next person to be questioned and what would you ask?

If I were the owners........

Love reading that comment in the reviews people leave about the park on various websites. To be fair, we do learn alot from reading them but the latest one states “ If I were the owners I would also offer vacant electrical pitches whether for one or two nights, not just the minimum three” presumably referring to the three night minimum stay we have over the Bank Holidays. However, we have been fully booked for all three nights of all Bank Holidays since we implemented the restrictions into our terms and conditions so I’m not really sure that we will be putting this reviewer’s ideas into practise.

We do have some guests that will book, and pay, for all three nights yet only stay for 2 - so as the owner of the park we will be keeping our 3 night minimum booking policy for Bank Holidays. Oooooh and just a little reminder we’ve only got one pitch available for the Summer Bank Holiday in 2010 and have already taken bookings for Spring Bank Holiday in 2011.

The only other minimum stay restriction we have for tents with electric is for the Castle Howard Proms weekend – its 2 nights then and we have already filled those 2 nights. We don’t have restrictions on tents using electric hook-ups at any other times.

A Holiday at Home

Living on a caravan park, it’s inevitable that our kids are going to want to stay in one of our caravans at some point. They see everyone come and spend their holidays here – but it’s their home – not their holiday.


It’s the final Saturday of the school half-term holidays and everyone was going home – we had one of our brand new caravans available so we promised they could sleep in one.

Excitement was an understatement – they were up early Saturday morning packing their bags ready for their “holiday”. Naturally packing by a four year old isn’t a good thing – but we went with it – if she hadn’t packed something she needed it wasn’t going to be a problem – we were at home afterall!! So, Troy the Teddy Bear and a Curly Wurly were all she really needed!?! The bags stayed at the front door while we got on with the Saturday routine – changeover day, ballet lessons etc.

After tea they turned into “guests” – they trundled off to reception with their suitcases and sleeping bag – I wandered after them with the things they really needed (and a bottle of wine for myself). Daddy continued his job in reception, giving the girls their key and the map of how to get to the caravan. Sophie (aged 7) was in charge of the key and Amelia (aged 4) was in charge of the map and getting them to the right caravan – didn’t take too long and soon they were choosing their beds, unpacking their bags and relaxing in the front of the TV.

They were having the time of their lives and I was making notes about how we could improve our services for the guests – now I was one. Fans are at the top of the list – I was always worried about being too cold in the caravans and last night we were all sweating buckets so now I’m finding ways of keeping the guests cool.

The midnight feast was eaten by 9pm, we texted Daddy to bring us more supplies – the things we’d forgotten (not a service available to all guests – sorry) and he joined us on our holiday. Getting the kids to sleep was a nightmare – too hot and too excited. They played Musical Beds for about an hour and were threatened with going home once or twice but they fell asleep........eventually.

A few more rounds of musical beds went on during the night so when I woke up at 7.30am (had to turn back into Park Manager at 9am) there was no one in the bedroom with me. Have a look where I found them..............Note to caravan manufacturers - who needs bedrooms!

We didn't take breakfast with us - we had that back at home - its only 30 seconds away so it didn't take long to get back. Not sure that any of the guests saw us while we were on our holidays - goodness knows what they would have thought. The kids had a great time - after a really busy half term holiday for Mummy and Daddy it was really nice for us all to spend some precious family time together. And secretly, I had a lovely night - despite a lack of sleep - and I've got some really positive ideas that I plan to make reality over the coming weeks. Then we'll do it all again......

Friday, 4th June - Quick Update - Introducing Question of the Week

Up with birds this morning – well not quite – up with whoever wanted to book a tent pitch at 6.30am and managed to wake the whole house up by doing so. Someone was obviously keen to book their pitch (we’re full – oops)
I haven’t kept up with this blog as often as I’d hoped because things have been busy. The phone hasn’t stopped, internet bookings are coming in thick and fast and we have been ensuring we keep the park looking as fab as always but now I know people actually read it I’ll try a bit harder to keep you up to date.

In recent weeks we have had 2 fantastic Bank Holiday weekends – so the weather wasn’t fantastic but everyone seemed to have a great time while they were here. We got some really good comments in reception and people seemed really keen to tell us what they would do with the park if they ran it – some of them absolutely ludicrous but others were really constructive and we will definitely take some of them on board – keep those comments coming in.

We have also received our grading from Visit England – proud to announce we are still 5 stars. As soon as that car pulls up and I recognise the inspector my stomach does a back flip. I know that we are worth everyone of our stars but every year is the same – I find it so stressful. Our guests reassure us of what a great job we do but it’s only the inspector that can confirm it for me.

I don’t want to be the only one that writes this blog and currently have one guest writing an article for it and my little girl wants a turn but we want feedback from you as well so, here is my:

Question of the Week

My one question to you would be, if you have a really bad time somewhere – feel as though you need to complain you would probably put it in writing? Yes? Well I would. But, if you have had a really enjoyable time somewhere – are you as quick to put it in writing? I’m not. Every year, when looking at the awards we can be nominated for we are always asked for customer letters/emails. Don’t get me wrong – I have loved receiving bouquets of flowers, boxes of chocolates, bottles of wine and even a Dutch fruit loaf from some Dutch customers we helped but we need emails, letters and cards and I’m not sure how we can do that. Any ideas?

Its time for the awards

Chauffer driven cars were pulling up, the band was serenading the guests, we were walking the red carpet and the champagne was flowing – you would have thought we were at the Oscars. Well we were, just not the Oscars you were thinking of – we were at the Visit York Award ceremony.


As a finalist in the Self-Catering/Caravan Park of the Year Award nerves were high but there was also a sense of excitement as we entered the Great Hall of the National Railway Museum. Men wearing tuxedos and ladies in their gorgeous dresses and highest heels were looking around the trains. Helping ourselves to champagne we wandered around the turntable with huge steam trains all around us mingling with 400 guests from across the tourism and hospitality industry.

We were then called to “follow the band” through to the station hall where the awards ceremony was to take place. I’d only ever taken that walk in trainers – never imagined to be doing it in three inch heels! Note to guests – easier to do it in trainers.

 

Trains from the bygone era were all around us – very surreal to be enjoying the occasion surrounded by trains. The tables were set out over the platform with giant screens at the front. Its not a good sign to be seated at the back of an awards ceremony – do you ever see the Academy Award winners walking from the back of the theatre?

 

Its time to settle down, get the wine open, browse through the menu and grab the freebie pens. The evening was hosted by Gervase Phinn, writer and poet, and he soon put everyone at their ease.

We didn’t have to wait long – we were the third award to be given. The Dovecote Barns and Jollydays Luxury Camping Ltd were our competition. I couldn’t tell you what was said about the category, I couldn’t even tell you which of our pictures was used in the film reel – could be the amount of wine consumed but probably the nerves – I can say that thanks to the guys at York Marriott I did hear a huge cheer when our name was read out as one of the nominees. Nick was opposite me ready with the camera to take a picture of the “look of joy/disappointment” as the winner was announced. I haven’t seen that picture but I’m sure I kept smiling as The Dovecote Barns’ had their name read out. To be fair, we didn’t expect to win in our first year of entering – we were just proud to be in the top three out of eighty other candidates.

Once the other awards were out of the way we tucked into a lovely meal. Warm tart of asparagus and Shepherds Purse Yorkshire Blue Cheese followed by Roast Rump of Dales lamb – yummy - all washed down with equally lovely wine.

After the meal we hit the casino – all for charity with no real money changing hands – shame really we would have come home with a fortune. We didn’t go home completely empty handed – Dad won the magnum of champagne in the prize draw in aid of Marie Currie York and I was allowed to take some balloons home to our daughters. A good night was had by all and we'll try again next year

Click here for photos

More courses - but a good week!

Its been a really hectic week - Damian had 2 days helping out at our sister park at the beginning of the week Crows Nest Caravan Park but hopefully all the trees have been planted now. Beki has been on more training courses - a couple in customer service and one in marketing so she is busy building on her ideas - its just finding the time. With two small children it is vital to find the right work/home balance particularly when working from home.

We are being inspected for the awards tomorrow so nerves are building. Both Beki and Damian know the site is looking its best - just hoping for a bit of sunshine now. We aren't sure how the lady is going to judge us in the same category as luxury houses, apartments. Only in these awards are the two sectors (self-catering and caravan parks) put together but we feel confident in our abilities. It will just be an agonising wait until the winners are announced.

Its been an up and down week!

Its been one of those weeks where neither of us have stopped yet don't seem to have anything to show for it. I console myself with the knowledge that had we not done this weeks jobs the guests would have been able to tell - thats the most important thing. It can be quite frustrating when a seasonal or owner tells us we don't seem to have done much while they have been away but if the grass hadn't been cut, the weeds not dealt with, the facilities not been clean, lighting not maintained - they would have been the first to complain.

The freezing temperatures meant bursts this week - can't be helped - we've had to put the water onto some of our pitches for our guests but temperatures of -5 at night have lead to frozen pipes. I don't know how people cope on parks that are open during the winter months. The bursts have been on outside pipes so luckily haven't led to any damage - just frustration! Lets hope the night time temperatures are going to start climbing.

The "up" of the week happened on Wednesday when we received a letter from Visit York to say we had been shortlisted for the Self Catering/Caravan Park of the Year award. So exciting - we still have a mystery phone call and site inspection to go through but to get onto the shortlist is an honour in itself. We have been to a number of award dinners to celebrate the success of our sister site Jasmine Park so we are thrilled that its our turn now.

What will she think of next?

We are now dreading the next course the boss goes on as she comes back with some many ideas! Here is the latest - youtube!

Do we or don't we?

Do we or don’t we? That is THE question. Beki has been on a couple of search engine optimisation courses lately and one of the suggestions was blogging. She is no good at creative writing – never has been and was told by a friend not to try it! Maybe he knows her too well – she’ll witter on about absolutely anything and probably do more harm than good – so this blog is being written by everyone connected with Robin Hood Caravan Park – managers of the park and of our sister sites Crows Nest Caravan Park and Jasmine Caravan Park, suppliers, fellow accommodation supplier, reps and most importantly the guests – we’ll give it a whirl – if it works then woohoo and if not – that friend would be right!