Business Editorials / Events in Norfolk and Suffolk / Tourist Attractions Norfolk and Suffolk November 30, 2015
Barry Phillips and his wife Margaret, from St Ives in Cambridgeshire, have been visiting Great Yarmouth for holidays and day trips for 40 years. Barry, who was in the market for a new car, browsed round Great Yarmouth showrooms during his last holiday in September and was so impressed with the customer service at Thurlow Nunn, that he drove home in a new Astra. Tourism businesses like Vauxhall Holiday Park and Cherry Tree Holiday also support the local economy with vehicle leasing and servicing.
“We started visiting the area for family holidays in the summer around 40 years ago,” said Barry Phillips. “We stayed at chalets in Hemsby then. For the last 14 years we’ve been at The Winchester and always tie in our holiday with the Maritime Festival. We also stay with our daughter for a couple of weeks every year in a caravan in the borough, and come over several times a year for day trips and enjoy walking along the seafront. We also popped over for the Out There Festival, which was great fun.”
“I didn’t come on holiday with the intention of buying a new car, but browsed round the showrooms. I was so impressed with the welcome at Thurlow Nunn that I decided to buy a new Astra from them. I can also fit in my annual service when we visit next September.”
It’s not just Barry Phillips who is supporting the local economy in this way. Tourism businesses like Vauxhall Holiday Park also source vehicles locally. The holiday park has had a long relationship with Peugeot Sidegate Motors in Great Yarmouth.
The local dealership has been providing vehicles to the family run five star holiday park for 13 years. Historically these were purchased, though recently they are on a lease basis, which includes service and maintenance of the fleet.
Simon Clarke from Sidegate Motors commented: “Vauxhall Holiday Park is just down the road from us and we have a long standing relationship with them and other tourism businesses in the area. We have recently become a Business Dealership specialist, meaning we can offer special deals to business customers from our head office. Only 80 of our 400 branches offer this service, and we are delighted to offer these special packages to business customers in Great Yarmouth.”
Roger Finney, General Manager of Vauxhall Holiday Park added: “We secured our first fleet of brand new contract hire vehicles at the end of last year with Sidegate Motors, and have been impressed with the service on offer. They are on a fully maintained contract with service included and include eight vans and a Teepee Minibus. By switching to a lease agreement we know exactly what we are paying each month and as the vehicles are relatively new they are very fuel efficient.”
Andrew Bowyer, General Manager, Cherry Tree Holiday Park added: “As we are part of the Parkdean group, our vehicles are purchased locally, but we get them serviced in St Olaves. In addition we have 120 staff, all but five live locally and travel to work in their own vehicles or public transport.”
David Marsh, interim Chairman Greater Yarmouth Tourism & Business Improvement Area said: “Tourism plays a vital role in Great Yarmouth’s economy. The support from regular visitors like Barry and Margaret Phillips is what makes the borough ‘tick’. I wish Barry and Margaret many more happy years visiting Great Yarmouth, and am delighted that top customer service at Thurlow Nunn made them decide to invest in the borough’s economy rather than at home.”
“Our businesses also contribute in all sorts of ways to the local economy. Vauxhall Holiday Park’s relationship with Sidegate Motors and Cherry Tree Holiday Park employing 115 people who live locally are two examples of the way our industry works with other sectors.”
