06 Jun 2013
One of the first UK holiday parks to venture into Vintage accommodation, Away Resorts has acquired three caravans that were popular makes in the 1970s – original Cosalt Abbey caravans from 1971, 1974 and 1976 – and has refurbished them to give them a Cath Kidston, shabby-chic inspired-look.
This new accommodation is part of the Canvas Village – the glamping area of the park which has 15 luxury Bell Tents – and is designed to tap into the nostalgia to relive the days of holidays gone.
The team at Whitecliff Bay is hopeful that the Vintage Caravans will appeal to guests who love all things retro.
The refurbishments include flooring that’s black and white retro tiles, furniture upholstered in crimson and lime-coloured fabrics from Romo furnishings. The curtains and cushions are Cath Kidston English rose, and there’s vintage Bush radios (no TVs), free-standing lamps and old English country fayre bunting.
The outside of the caravans are painted in bramear green, which is a vintage-styled minty colour.
Prices start at £130 for four nights in a two-berth Vintage Caravan.
The Canvas Village is the perfect setting for this new experience as it is already home to some vintage-inspired Bell Tents that are stylishly furnished in a English country flair kind of way.
They have all been given quirky names and have candle lanterns, fairy lights and bunting outside. The tents are fully equipped with double futon sofa beds, two single beds (ready made), quilts, pillows, bed linen. TV, fridge, double gas burner, kitchenware, electric lights, 240v plug socket.
The Bell Tents, which are are based on the original war-time models, sleep four while the Canvas Cottage sleeps up to eight.
This area also has the Magic Loungeabout, an covered area in the Canvas Village, which has bean bags and hay bales to relax on and a bar made out of apple crates, along with free wifi, and is the perfect place for people to chill in the evening.
Managing director Carl Castledine says that the operator leads the way when it comes to offering new holiday experiences. “First, there was the Canvas Village, then there was Wild Camping and now we are pioneering the Vintage Caravan experience.
“The great British holiday is going from strength to strength and we have found that our guests are keen to introduce a bit of their childhood holiday experiences to their children, hence these three types of vintage holiday experiences that we offer.
“And the ever-popular Cath Kidston furnishings bring the accommodation bang up to date.”
The Vintage Caravans are not the only things that are new at Whitecliff Bay this year. There’s also:
- An all new production for the much-loved Away Resorts pre-school characters Bear in the Woods and his friends Lucy and Scratch with a brand-new character called Lucy’s Teddy.
- An hour-long ‘Play Live on Stage’ production based on the format for Saturday morning TV programmes with ‘presenters’, game shows, dancing/singing competitions and a mini version of Bear in the Woods. This will take place at 7pm and is aimed at all the family.
- However, a toddler-friendly version of ‘Play Live on Stage’ will take place between 4pm and 5pm just before toddler tea time with the new character Lucy’s Teddy will have her own adventures. This ensures the younger children don’t miss out on the entertainment.
This new entertainment additions will complement the existing packed programme of activities, which include:
- My Active scheme for three-year-olds and upwards, which features activities such as pool snorkelling, abseiling, archery, kayaking, flying remote control helicopters, water walkerz, walking trails, cheerleading school, geocoaching (high-tech treasure hunting game using GPS devices), archery and body zorbing. There is also Cheerleading School and football coaching
- My Play activities which include Junior Geo (kids can pan for gold, make their own fossils, they also get sand-pouring souvenirs, dig for dinosaurs and a membership pack), Crack Pots (painting pottery, puppets, faces and hands) and Science Bugs (children can try out a collection of experiments and nature discoveries).
- The ever-popular Midnight Screen Outdoor cinema
Along with all that there is to do at Whitecliff Bay, the jewel in the park’s crown is its own secluded beach.
Media contact
Angie Cronin
Loudbird PR and Communications
07970 810302
Days out from Whitecliff Bay, Isle of Wight
- Head along the beaches at Yaverland and try to find yourself a fossil or two in the fossil-rich cliffs before all the crowds arrive. The Zoo and Dinosaur Museum is also close by.
- Osborne House in East Cowes. Once the holiday home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s holiday, it is now owned by English Heritage and gives a real insight into how the royals lived in the 19th century.
- Alum Bay, which is home to the iconic Needles, and is a fantastic day out for all. You can take the chairlift ride over the cliff edge if you are brave enough down on to Alum Bay beach where you can hop on a pleasure boat ride out to The Needles. Visitors can also create their own souvenirs of Alum Bay’s famous coloured sands and there are some rides for the kids to enjoy.
- Blackgang Chine on the south of the island is home to a theme park packed roll of rides and experiences, including lots of rides for the pre-schoolers and roller coaster, waterslides, mazes and a real-life game of snakes and ladders that involves lots of slides and stairs for the more grown-up visitors.
About Away Resorts
- Away Resorts is a private equity-backed UK holiday park operator, with a head office in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire.
- Away Resorts currently operates four holiday parks in the UK: Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park on the Isle of Wight; Tattershall Lakes Country Park in Lincolnshire; Mill Rythe Holiday Village on Hayling Island and Barmouth Bay Holiday Park in north Wales
- Whitecliff Bay is its coastal escape; with its own secluded beach.
- Tattershall Lakes is the lakeside retreat with a range of water sports on offer, including cable wakeboarding, and also a golf course and new £1.2 million leisure complex with pool, gym, spa and lakeside outdoor hot tubs.
- Mill Rythe is the operator's entertainment’s hub, with a full programme of shows and musicals throughout the year appealing to all ages, and featuring West End calibre performers, from an Abba showcase and Champions of Rock show, to the first UK musical theatre production based on the life of Vera Lynn.
- Barmouth Bay is the perfect place to escape from the pressures of modern-day life, with its beach-side location and Snowdonia in the background.
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