Chichester holiday park sees boom in bookings as it prepares to reopen

Park Holidays UK, which operates the holiday park at Lakeside in Chichester, said bookings have ‘avalanched’ in the run-up to re-opening.

It is having to deal with holiday requests on a ‘first come, first served’ basis as families ‘get ready to enjoy their first taste of real freedom in months’.

While an opening date has not been officially confirmed, the Government has an ‘ambitious target’ to reopen England’s tourism sector by July 4 – but only if it is safe to do so.

Park Holidays UK is already taking bookings – but with the assurance that money will be returned or the holiday postponed if the holiday cannot be delivered.

Tony Clish, group director, said behind-the-scenes preparations for re-opening had been going for weeks.

He said: “Our parks are ideal for social distancing as holiday homes are all at least five metres apart, but we have also put in place many other measures to ensure safety.

“Check-ins will not involve any physical contact with staff, and all members of our team will wear PPE where appropriate, and be temperature checked on their arrival at work each day.

“There will be plenty of hand sanitising stations, and all holiday homes will be deep cleaned between visits and then sealed until opened up by the next family.

“Some facilities such as pools and indoor entertainment might not be available, but all of our parks are located near some of Sussex’s loveliest beaches and countryside.

“We’re ready to go, and our teams are really looking forward to providing the unforgettable holiday experience which Britain deserves after so many weeks of lockdown,” added Mr Clish.

He said that guests are able to book without any fears of what would happen in the event of an additional future lockdown or if they were told to self-isolate.

In either case, a full refund or no-cost postponement would be offered without quibble, he said.

The re-opening of its Sussex holiday parks, said Mr Clish, is likely to be widely welcomed by the many smaller county businesses which rely on tourism spending: “We are very much a part of the local communities where our parks are located, and we know it’s been a tough year for many retailers and visitor attractions.

“They need the income provided by our parks, and this year we will be encouraging visitors to get out and spend in the area by providing special offers and discounted entry prices.

“Parks are a major contributor to Sussex’s regional economy, and we’re thrilled to be back in business and playing our part.”

Meanwhile, he said, families planning a summer stay on one of its Sussex parks should book as early as possible as peak capacity is already approaching for many dates.

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