RAVEL A HAVEN FOR
Safe, clean fun as park is given seal of approval
“IT’S all safe and secure,” chirped the Haven rep as she waved us on to the holiday park.
She’d just outlined how there’d be a seal across the door of our caravan to show it had been fully cleaned and checked ahead of our arrival, part of the new measures introduced in the Covid era.
Like many parents I’d been keen to get away since holiday restrictions were lifted.
But I was also concerned about how safe the campsite would be and how much we’d be able to relax while constantly trying to social distance from anyone outside our household group.
Feeling slightly apprehensive I parked up outside our home for the next three days – a spacious ‘prestige’ caravan with a decked veranda.
My fears didn’t last long as our holiday home was pristine. As we entered our feet sunk into the lush carpet and the fittings and appliances looked brand new.
The sinks and toilets (there were two bathrooms) were spotless, the bed linen clean and crisp and even the rattan outdoor furniture on the veranda gleamed.
I was staying at Haven’s Church Farm Holiday Village in tiny Pagham on the Sussex coast, along with husband Tim and our children Rosie, 14, and Freddie, 11. All Haven’s parks are now open but certain facilities and activities remain closed to comply with government-imposed restrictions and to keep things as safe as possible.
As of this weekend the indoor and outdoor pools at Church Farm are open, as well as the restaurant and bar. Evening entertainment was off during my visit, but Haven is now holding acoustic performances outdoors, weather permitting, along with pre-recorded kids’ entertainment in the afternoons.
The amusement arcade, pitch and putt course, tennis courts and multi-sports pitch were all in use during our stay, and the onsite supermarket and a takeaway fish and chip shop were also up and running.
During the day several children’s activities were available to book including junior Segways, archery, target shooting, bug hunts, den building and fire lighting. Early booking – via the Haven What’s On app or in person at reception – was essential as the activities were popular. We managed to hire a four-man go-kart for a fun-filled hour (£16), and it provided the perfect opportunity to explore the vast holiday park.
There were very few outward signs of the pandemic that’s changed so much of our lives over the past months. But it’s clear much work has gone on behind the scenes to make the ‘new normal’ holiday experience as smooth as possible.
Holidaymakers are given a half-hour arrival slot to help prevent queues and a rep comes out to greet you so you can stay in your car. Keys and welcome packs are left inside your caravan to minimise contact.
Each caravan undergoes a deeper clean than normal – cleaners are in there 20% longer – with particular emphasis on surfaces that are touched the most. A supervisor then inspects the unit before giving it the seal of approval – literally – on the front door. Our three-bedroom caravan lay at the back of the holiday village in a quiet area overlooking the pitch and putt course. A nearby path led past a pretty lagoon and an RSPB nature reserve to a shingle beach and a stretch of sea that was as clear as glass.
We liked the beach most in the early evening when the sun had had a chance to warm up the water (it was still decidedly chilly). But even on a hot day it still wasn’t busy – perfect for social distancing.
If you fancied a stroll into Pagham village itself, with its fish and chip shop, cafe and ice cream shops, was about 15 minutes away along the coast.
For a change of scene we drove over to Bognor Regis five miles away. We enjoyed a couple of rounds of mini-golf on the seafront, then popped into Pinks Parlour for homemade ice cream.
Back on the park it was business as usual. The play areas were busy and children – including Freddie - gathered together as normal to play football in the multi-sports cage.Families and friends relaxed outside their caravans with BBQs and beers.
We all missed the pool – but at least we had the sea on our doorstep. The atmosphere was laid back and the C-word was rarely mentioned.
When it comes to holidays, it seems the ‘new normal’ isn’t much different to the old one.
SPLASH HIT: Park’s indoor and outdoor pools have reopened