Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges (Cancelled)

[Tim]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

It would help if I knew which car park relates to which number

Fortunately I know where the new development is but would it be possible for someone to make or point me in the direction of a map with all the car parks labelled on? A through to whatever number it is.

I'd say this is the type of thing that would be useful in the Wiki if it wasn't down at the moment.

 

[John]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

A scan of the car park map handed out at the fireworks event:

 

[Tim]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

I'm such an idiot. I have a copy of that in my bag and hadn't even noticed. it was dark at the time.

 

[EuroSatch]

Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

Has anybody commented on that each unit contains a kitchenette? It seems they are going to push for them being self-catering, and also suggests they are intending them to be for a prolonged visit. Perhaps they will up the ante on resort entertainment/activities? Or maybe they assume that the idea of staying in a fantasy themed cabin for a few nights is enough draw

 

[Rob]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

Has anybody commented on that each unit contains a kitchenette? It seems they are going to push for them being self-catering, and also suggests they are intending them to be for a prolonged visit. Perhaps they will up the ante on resort entertainment/activities? Or maybe they assume that the idea of staying in a fantasy themed cabin for a few nights is enough draw

There is a kitchenette in each unit, but the planning documents state that the kitchenettes will contain a small sink, microwave, fridge and a kettle. I hope they don't try and promote self catering without providing an oven or a hob!

 

[AstroDan]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

Effectively, Car Parks J & K will be cut for theme park day visitors. Add in the fact that G & H are also set for the chop in the coming years, and it looks like M & N will need to become permanent car parks.

 

[RustyRider]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

So I've had a bit of spare time today and decided to read through the plans a little more. One thing that strikes me as slightly concerning is the size of the complex in comparision to the ONE (yes, one) restaurant.

So if each lodge can hold up to 4/5 people, max capacity stands at 600/750, yet the restaurant only has 150 covers at most. This means that on a full night the restaurant is gunna have to have 4-5 sittings in the evening, which would be absolutely hectic in there.
Thing is, you could counter act this argument by saying well most would probably head down to the hotels for meals & entertainment anyway, but then this adds to the already packed restaurants and bars on the weekends/school holidays...

If this lodge is to work then surely they will need more than one restaurant or at least more entertainment. A lot of resorts now have on site amphitheatres, obviously in the uk it would have to be indoors, but this could work well in my opinion!

 

[AstroDan]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

So I've had a bit of spare time today and decided to read through the plans a little more. One thing that strikes me as slightly concerning is the size of the complex in comparision to the ONE (yes, one) restaurant.

So if each lodge can hold up to 4/5 people, max capacity stands at 600/750, yet the restaurant only has 150 covers at most. This means that on a full night the restaurant is gunna have to have 4-5 sittings in the evening, which would be absolutely hectic in there.
Thing is, you could counter act this argument by saying well most would probably head down to the hotels for meals & entertainment anyway, but then this adds to the already packed restaurants and bars on the weekends/school holidays...

If this lodge is to work then surely they will need more than one restaurant or at least more entertainment. A lot of resorts now have on site amphitheatres, obviously in the uk it would have to be indoors, but this could work well in my opinion!

The restaurant situation concerns me, also...

???

 

[josht]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

^ this should be interesting, hopefully there will be something special

 

[pluk]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

I would much prefer a variety of food choices too but I think they are expecting a lot of people to be using the self catering equipment, so there would be far fewer mouths to feed than that in the restaurant.

 

[James]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

Thing is, for them to provide self-catering equipment and promote it they need more equipment. A fridge, microwave and kettle do not leave much for the imagination. If they are to promote self-catering then the accommodation should have hobs as well. Then there's the hurdle of where these guests are going to purchase food. So supermarket food will have to be provided in the shop for guests to purchase.

Self-catering can still work without a hob, although it's still an odd thing as a hob is kind of expected when you get accommodation like that.

 

[djtruefitt]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

It does mention on the plans that a shop is included in the resturant building, but looking at the plans it seems to be a tiny thing in the corner of reception, I imagine just like the shops in both hotels.

 

[GAGrathea]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

I would imagine that if the increase in guests equated to increased demand for food reservations that the new restaurant couldn't handle, we might see more frequent opening of both Emperor's and Sir Algenon's

 

[pluk]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

Oh, I had miss read, I thought hobs were going in. That is pretty useless then, you can't call it self catering without a cooker and you can't expect people to eat out every night for extended stays. So what exactly are they aiming for?

 

[Sazzle]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

I recall having concerns about the scale of the restaurant offerings when this news first broke, and I was at that point mocked for thinking that ATR wouldn't have accommodated for this in their plans... to which we now have the plans and my initial concerns are seemingly a potential reality :-\.

210 max capacity if you include the 60 outdoor seats, which might well be okay on a warm summers eve, but what happens if we have a wash-out summer with torrential storms and everyone needs to be inside? Capacity down to 150, when the site on the whole could be potentially holding 500+ people at that point.

I've had a closer look at some of the layout plans for the huts/lodges/holes, and they simply say 'kitchenette' as a description, but nothing more detailed with regards to whether this includes a hob/oven? Has anyone seen a more substantial document with a break down and could confirm/refute the claims they will not have a hob/oven?

Personally, if I go 'self-catering', I'll sort out breakfast and lunch for myself, but eat out in the evenings anyway. I'd consider self catering to mean having the freedom to sort your own meals if you wish, but with the option to ditch the pans and have a meal elsewhere. I just hope that these plans aren't relying too much on guests taking the former option and not the latter - folk are on holiday, they want a break from cooking sometimes .

Even if guests cooked for themselves in their respective accommodation, its likely they'll fancy a wander out to a bar/entertainment venue... of which there appears relatively little available.

---

Actually, just thinking about it, 150 seats to cater for 500 guests wouldn't actually be that bad? Half an hour time slots, a constant flow of bums-on-seats from 6-9pm, and you'd probably manage it... that's if all guests decided they wanted to eat at that restaurant on that night?

My 500 estimate comes from the fact there will be 150 huts/holes/lodges in total, averaging at around 3 guests each.

Any ideas on the numbers that Secret Garden and Flambos deal with on a peak-season Saturday night?

 

[Rob]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

I've had a closer look at some of the layout plans for the huts/lodges/holes, and they simply say 'kitchenette' as a description, but nothing more detailed with regards to whether this includes a hob/oven? Has anyone seen a more substantial document with a break down and could confirm/refute the claims they will not have a hob/oven?

I can't remember exactly which document it is as there are so many, I think it's the main document, but it does state that the kitchenettes will comprise of a small sink, a microwave, a fridge and a kettle. There's no mention of there being ovens or hobs!

 

[Sazzle]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

Ready meals and Pot Noodles a-plenty then eh?

Just looking through the documents, and for the £18,265 planning application fee they've paid I'm putting a bit of faith in the fact everything has been thoroughly thought out, and battled over in meetings.

Putting more thought into it (yeah it hurts, and no its not a hobby of mine!), I'd say the likelihood is that there are no hobs/ovens for fire safety reasons. There's far less chance of your supermarket pre-packed lasagne catching fire/smoking in the microwave than there is toast/pizza/hob cooked goods. I burned a pan dry once and it was not pretty!

[Never, ever ask me to cook for you. Ever.]

 

[Harv]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

At a local campsite near me, there's an on site pizzeria which you can call from your tent, and they deliver to your tent. I know it's not exactly the same but getting a pizza delivered would be quick and easy for most people.

 

[Johno]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

I would suggest that phase 1 will open, with half the lodges and thus the required number of covers will be met in the restaurant with just 2 sittings.

The development of phase II I would imagine they will open some form of Entz complex with a second restaurant.

 

[djtruefitt]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

A couple of photos from the closed season album on the Towers Street Facebook page here:

I belive this is where Phase one will go

And this is where the reception/restaurant and phase two will go.