Using up my daily lockdown exercise allowance, I took a regular walk along the sea defences at Jurys Gap on Sunday. Others had decided to do the same but there were far fewer people there than I had expected – though along the beach the numbers were greater, but not significantly.
I’ve written a number of articles recently on Pontins in Camber, reporting mainly on the poor accommodation and disappointing visitor reviews but also the seeming lack of investment by the parent company, Britannia Hotels.
By contrast, just further along Lydd Road is the Camber Sands Holiday Park (TN31 7RT) owned by Parkdean Resorts, a totally different experience and where substantial investment has already been made and is obviously ongoing.
And this was confirmed by Parkdean winning two Gold awards in the British Travel Awards 2020 announced this month – for Best UK Family Holiday Company and Best UK Holiday Parks and Lodges Company – decided by votes from the travelling public, and recognising in particular customer service and help with re-bookings, refunds and cancellations.
Parkdean Resorts are self described as “Award winning UK Holiday Parks, in 67 stunning locations, action packed facilities, 90% would book again” and, according to their website, recent new facilities at Camber Sands include a high ropes course, ice cream station, interactive wall, outdoor canopy, indoor climbing wall, woof park (dog agility park), sports dome, arts and crafts den, virtual reality experience, new look fish and chippery, and outdoor gym trail.
And, as if this wasn’t enough, the area fronting Lydd Road where the tents and touring caravans used to pitch up looks more like a temporary battlefield at the moment as the ground has been dug up, redesigned and redeveloped with major earthworks currently in operation as new concrete pads and services are installed, presumably for siting new luxury lodges.
It is certainly a hive of industry there with teams of contractors battling the elements to get the site ready for the summer season, but it also begs the question – are they giving up on campers and touring caravans who used to occupy the area being developed, or are there plans to relocate them elsewhere?
I tried to contact customer services for the answer but to no avail. Still at least they are investing in the site to better the facilities, and perhaps Pontins will see this as a threat to their business and do the same – but only time will tell.
Image Credits: Nick Forman .