Holiday parks staying open UK wide

[lowwtide]

What can we do about this? Most large companies have shut, however Parkdean Resorts refuse to do so. They have now shut all facilities however their parks are staying open. Lots of individual parks are doing the right thing, but a significant amount aren't. It's a shit situation, jobs could be lost, I'm well aware, but how can we promote travelling around the UK to stay in bloody caravans at a time like this? In large, people from built up areas travelling to small rural communities with elderly locals and small hospitals covering large rural areas. This needs to be stopped.

UK Wide - What can we do? I've emailed my local MP, various journalists, different news shows.

Parkdean Resorts specifically - please sign this petition https://www.change.org/p/boris-johnson-get-parkdean-closed-covid-19?recruiter=false&recruitedbyy_id=47133b50-6ae1-11ea-8a0b-65995a51e955

I don't know but i guess the government will lock down further in the end. A friend who lives in Cornwall said the hoards started to descend yesterday after the schools shut. I am now working on the mindset that i can only control what i do not others. If i don't I'll go mad with upset and anger. Helping those around me and in my community is the best focus of my energies.

It's a difficult situation Titsy, I worry greatly about Cornwall. I think around 6 or 7 Parkdeans are based in Cornwall. Please sign the petition if possible. They have one hospital in the entire county and PDR will bring an influx of tens of thousands over the next few months.

I am based elsewhere, but in a very rural elderly community with only one hospital in a 3 hour radius.. unfortunately we have one of these PDR sites open for business and our small village was flooded yesterday with holidaymakers going into our one local shop and buying essentials, leaving the elderly and vulnerable permanent residents without.

If ParkDean don't allow cancellations or at the very least postponements with choice of alternative dates in the future in these circumstances, never, ever, EVER use this company again!

Agree MummyPop and as much as I hope people get their money back, I need people to also fight for the local residents and the staff being forced to work. Even if Parkdean do a U-turn and start offering refunds, we will still be affected, staff will still be put at risk. They need to shut.

The A38 into Cornwall was noticeably busy with roof boxes and caravans yesterday. I actually had a little cry in the car as I drove home with a sack of potatoes and cat food in the boot.

@Titsywoo that post boils my blood. And it’s why I’ve been saying they kept schools in as long as they did. To stop precisely that! There’s been a mass exodus from Greater London to the coast/ country. And it’s nothing short of selfish.

Greater burden on those rural communities. Greater risk of spreading the virus in those areas. And the current infrastructure (not peak summer) will come under burden.

I’m incandescent. People want to talk about panic buying being selfish. This is far more selfish IMO

It's heartbreaking orange. Please sign the petition. It may not do much, but it's all I can think. If any of you are willing - maybe an email to a local MP, or Parkdean themselves. I'm desperately worried about their cavalier attitude.

Sassbot I agree. So much fuss about panic buying and I've seen no threads on holiday parks other than the two I've created. Boris Johnson lists businesses that need to shut and leaves our holiday parks. Reporters quiz him about other businesses, no one mentions holiday parks. They are being overlooked and it will cost lives.

There was a newspaper report on south wold in Suffolk being full of escapes from London. They were ignoring the advice to social distance and reduce unnecessary contact, the streets and shops buzzing, Unlike the nearby town which was deserted. But it's their hospital that will be overrun as people bring the virus with them

Will do.

My local MP is utterly useless but others in Cornwall like Steve Double are speaking up. So I will email him this weekend.

Thank you all. I'm following the situation closely and will hopefully post an update soon that they saw sense. I somewhat doubt it.

If there any holiday parks near you, staying open and threatening your local communities please do let me know how I can help and I will return the favour.

For people who are self-isolating because of their own vulnerability and taking this all very seriously, bringing their food with them and not planning to leave the holiday home apart from to walk on the beach/countryside, individual holiday homes could be a huge lifeline for their and their children's mental health.

Lots of the people who visit holiday homes have disabled children and often, looking forward to getting away it's the thing that keeps those children (and their parents) going.

Not everyone who goes to these places is going to be draining local resources and I think it's up to holiday parks to impose guidance before people arrive rather than closing altogether.

I'm sorry, Longines, but no. Holidays are non essential. If we can't go without a holiday just for a few months to try and save lives then we really are a truly selfish country. Also, for every person who plans on staying in their caravan - another booking won't. Not to mention the staff they will encounter, even if only checking in. The only responsible option is for these places to shut. Protect the local residents. Protect their staff. Sacrifices need to be made at a time like this, and holidays is definitely one of them.

Sorry Longine, no. This applies to everyone.

I have a disabled child who cannot walk or talk and is extremely medically vulnerable. And an autistic daughter.

I get it.

Still, everyone needs to stay at home.

Well, I should imagine that unless the government orders holiday parks to close, they won't be able to claim on their insurance for loss of earnings and would need to take the hit themselves (and would likely go under).

So while lobbying one's MP might work, the people saying 'boycott the park' are barking up the wrong tree and missing why holiday parks are still open.

The government has announced measures to support businesses - businesses cannot stay open under these circumstances unless absolutely vital. People will die!

I have a Parkdean holiday booked for May and just want a refund. I don't want to rebook for later in the year because we don't know what will happen and when we will be able to go. I usually go away to one of their results twice a year at least, but I'm dismayed that they are ignoring the public mood and government advice.

Resorts* not results.

I'm sure it was on the news yesterday that Butlins are closing and Haven holiday parks. All the others need to as well, I'm sure some families think it is just an extended holiday!

Parkdean are now offering refunds of 100% if you don't turn up, and 50% if you do. They are still encouraging people to come to resort. Can I please ask people to not lose interest now they have their money back - by staying open they are still putting the local communities and their staff at risk. They are still putting extra pressure on the local NHS. Please keep fighting for them to do the right thing and close their parks.

Where are you seeing that news about readings? It's not on their Facebook page and I've not had any emails. I still want them to close though.

We had a large group holiday booked at Haven end of April and was fully refunded today.

Not everyone who goes to these places is going to be draining local resources

But there's every possibility that they will, isn't there? You couldn't up sticks and return to your home health trust if someone became unwell or was injured, you'd unexpectedly need to use the local amenities.

Having a disabled relative doesn't give families carte blanche to act as they wish. They have as much responsibility as the rest of the nation to control their risks and act sensibly.

@LonginesPrime:
If someone is "self-isolating because of their own vulnerability ", then they should not even be out of the house, other than for a walk, let alone travelling to a holiday park.

Social distancing, is another matter.
But even social distancing directive says " avoid unnecessary travel".

What we'd like and what is necessary are 2 completely different things.

Well, George Eustace's advice just now to people travelling within the UK for the Easter hols next week was 'practise social distancing', not 'don't go'.

Appreciate that the government often acts late on these things and that the advice may well change before next week (I'd say this is highly likely once they see the reality of all the migration that will be happening otherwise), but currently, the government isn't restricting UK travel so parks won't close.