Your Definitive Guide to Leisure Lodges

With 80 years experience in all things camping, caravanning and holiday home related, Ladram Bay know a thing or two about what makes our holiday park accommodation special. However, we thought we’d take a step back and ask a higher authority about what goes into making a holiday home and where better to start than the source – a holiday home manufacturer.

We’ve found interviewing people at Ladram that over the years holiday lodges provide the backdrop to some of their most cherished memories. They become part of the family, a meeting point for families that are scattered around the county for much of the year.

The folks over at Victory Leisure Homes put roofs over the heads of plenty of our loyal residents so we asked Victories managing director Peter Nevitt for some insights into the process of building holiday lodges.

The floor plan drawing you sent us (above) looks great, is this a classic design that is tweaked each year or do you start with a blank canvas each time?

When introducing a new model we start from a blank canvas but once a model has been successfully launched it will just receive a few model tweaks each season

How long does a lodge take from design, manufacture & delivery?

This varies from model to model but on average about 16 weeks for the development model, thereafter it takes about 4 weeks.

How many people does this involve?

Currently we employ just over 100 people across two production lines, one for lodges and one for static caravans.

How many countries do you sell in?

We currently deliver units to Spain, France, Belgium & Germany.

Where’s the furthest afield you’ve sold to?

The South of Spain

If shipping abroad is done, are the homes delivered flat packed and constructed upon arrival?

All lodges are delivered as completed units, lodges are delivered in two parts and then put together on the park

Do people specify their own floor plans? (if yes) what is the wackiest idea that someone has requested from you or do they simply choose around a size & then the number of rooms?

We produce standard models with set floor plans so changes are very limited and generally very expensive.

What is the hardest part in the leisure home manufacture process?

With well over 100 years production experience within the team we have removed the difficult production areas.

Are any markets more demanding than others?

Some countries have their own specification such as gas pipes and electrics but we take these changes in our stride.

What is the most striking or unusual location a Victory leisure home as been placed in. 

The views from the new development at Ladram Bay have to be some of the best that I have seen during my travels around the country

What is the biggest difference from designs that might have been around in the 80’s & 90’s?

Over recent years units have increased in size which has enabled us to introduce utility rooms, separate shower rooms and bigger bedrooms offering more comfort.

Are there any materials that have changed the way lodges are designed?

The traditional static caravan is still made from aluminium but we are receiving more and more requests for soft vinyl or canexel

Do you have any industry facts about UK leisure home ownership, numbers, facts or trivia?

Some model trivia that will surprise is that in one lodge caravan we use about 480 metres of electrical cable, 8542 component parts, and 1500 metres of timber.

Is technology changing the way you design and manufacture lodges?          

No, by the very nature of the product it is for holidays and customers seem to like having comfort without the technology, such as USB ports or phone chargers.

Are the Victory team big leisure home fans themselves outside of work?

Quite a lot of our staff do book holidays with the family on parks around the country

Where was your first leisure home holiday & when?

My first leisure home holiday was in the South of France back in the late 70’s

What is the nicest complement a Victory customer as ever told you about one of your homes?

This purchase has given us so much family enjoyment and freedom.