Cheers! New jobs as holiday park foots £20,000 bar bill

At least 12 new jobs are being created at Silverdale Holiday Park in south Cumbria as the business gears up for the holiday season with a major revamp of its bar and cafe-restaurant.

The mix of full and part-time posts mostly come with formal training opportunities, says the park, making them ideal for younger people wanting a career in the leisure industry.

Silverdale Holiday Park reports that the number of visitors in 2016 set a 60-year record for the family business, and that it is now preparing for an even busier 2017.

Part of the preparations include a £20,000 refurbishment of its bar and dining areas in which Cumbrian craft ales and locally produced foods are a speciality.

Although the cost includes new furnishings, said park owner Michael Holgate, the project also involves extensive restoration work using traditional techniques such as French polishing.

Even the toilets will benefit from the makeover, and will rival the standards of the park’s main amenity building which in 2016 won a top platinum prize in the Loo of the Year awards.

Work will be completed by early spring, says Michael, when the main tourism season begins to hot up – but that new staff will also be essential to help the park keep pace.

The business is offering jobs and training in a number of different capacities, including catering positions and lifeguard work in its swimming pool.

Most will involve recruits attending external courses as part of their work, both at local colleges and further afield if more specialist or advanced training is required.

Many of the 135 staff who work at Silverdale and the group’s other five parks also participate in the personal development opportunities which are offered, says Michael:

“Tourism and leisure are important components of Cumbria’s regional economy, and there are today many fantastic chances for career progression within the county.

“A large number of our staff who are now in management positions started in trainee roles.

“The qualifications which employees gain are nationally recognised, so they can also open doors to more senior jobs in other sectors of the hospitality and leisure industry.

“Being committed to training makes sense because it also bolsters an individual’s confidence, and helps us deliver a top-quality service to our customers,” added Michael.

There is more information about Silverdale Holiday Park, and the five other Cumbria and North Lancashire parks belonging to the Holgates group, at www.holgates.co.uk