UK HOLIDAY PARKS ADVISED TO CLOSE IMMEDIATELY
The British Holiday & Home Parks Association (BH&HPA) have contacted its members who own and manage some 2,900 holiday and touring parks across the UK, strongly advising that they should, with immediate effect, close their parks to all holiday visitors.
All restaurants, pubs and cafes within holiday parks should already be closed. The proposed closures include facilities for all touring guests with touring caravans, motorhomes and tents, all those who rent self-catering holiday accommodation, and all the owners of holiday caravans located on the park that are able to do so.
Whilst BH&HPA acknowledge that a complete closure of all holiday parks would be desirable, doing so would – in some instances – result in actions contrary to the advice of Government.
Where the owners of holiday caravans have self-isolated and are presently in situ on the holiday park, requiring them to return home, often a considerable distance away, would necessitate journeys of the type we are all being asked to avoid in order to mitigate the risk of spreading the virus and may send them back to the very risk they have isolated from.
BH&HPA is currently in discussion with Government on this matter, and are suggesting that the best interests of holiday caravan owners, as well as the general public, will only be served by a sensitive approach to customers’ individual needs.
Following the government’s guidance on social distancing in relation to COVID-19, people should avoid travelling unless it is essential. Government guidance for essential travel does not include – ‘visits to second homes, campsites, caravan parks or similar, whether for isolation purposes or holidays. People should remain in their primary residence. Not taking these steps puts additional pressure on communities and services that are already at risk’.
