Author Archives: claire.thorburn
Easter will soon be upon us and this year the celebrations will be eggstra special as it’s the first time we can celebrate together after two years of Easter lockdowns.
And while we always have a cracking line up of fun for everyone at Easter, this year we’re pulling out all the stops to make sure our caravan owners and holiday guests have an eggcellent time at Northumberland’s faviourite caravan holiday park Golden Sands in Cresswell.
Golden Sands’ fitness and fun sports coach Cal will be kicking off the Easter celebrations on Thursday April 14 with football. Fancy a new tattoo for Easter? Hop on over to the Clubhouse from 7pm for super realistic, temporary spray tattoos.
Little ones can head along to our Easter Bonnet Making workshop on Good Friday at 11am.
Did you know it’s a tradition to eat fish on Good Friday? Just as well as our Fish & Chips van will be at the park from 12 noon onwards.
Hop on to the Gamezone Bus and play hundreds of the latest games. Get into the Easter spirit by watching our Easter Parade with Dreams on Moonbeams, both from 1pm.
The Easter celebrations begin in the clubhouse from 7pm with our cake and Prosecco night in the Upstairs Bar, while the kids have a roarsome time at our Circus Night from 7pm – 9.30pm.
How we roll…. Our famous Golden Sands Easter Egg is back! We’re so excited we feel like hopping! Join in the fun on Saturday April 16. Little ones will hop to it first at 10.30am for the 5’s and under; 11am Easter Egg hunt (6-10 years) and 11:30am (11’s and over).
Tuck into homemade pizzas from the Dou_h and Co Pizza Van ready for an evening of entertainment with Bingo and live vocalist Alex MaCrae from 7.45pm.
It’s Easter Sunday Funday time! We’ve a full line up of Easter fun for all the family from 12 noon until 4pm with Segway fun, cuddle a pygmy goat in the Pop Up Mini Goat Tent, an Easter assault course, air rifle shooting in the back field, bouncies and more.
Have a poppy Easter with Flash Balloon Modelling for the kids at 7.30pm while there’s Easter Bingo and singing sensation David Bryan for the adults in the Upstairs Bar from 7.45.
Click here for full Easter Event line up and timings
We’re springing into 2022 with a great line up of entertainment for all the family here at Northumberland caravan holiday park Golden Sands in Cresswell.
The team here at Northumbrian Leisure HQ have pulled out all the stops to make this season extra special for our owners, their family and friends and our caravan holiday hire visitors to Northumberland. Click here for our full April, May and June entertainment line-up.
All your favourite fun activities are back including Kid’s Club, popcorn and movie nights, discos, bingo and more. And back by popular demand is Golden Sands’ answer to Joe Wicks – our very own fitness and fun trainer Callum Law with great games and sports sessions throughout the season.
Highlights include a fun-filled Easter Bank Holiday Weekend from Good Friday (April 15) to Bank Holiday Monday (April 18) with cracking fun for everyone including Easter Bonnet Making, Nigel’s famous Easter Egg Hunt.
An egg-stra special day is planned for our Easter Sunday Funday with Segway rides, Cuddle-a-pygmy goat in the Pygmy Goat Pop Up Tent, bouncies, assault course, rifle shooting and more!
Our May Day Sunday Funday on 1 May is full of fun for everyone with the cutest mini ponies to meet, an assault course if you’re feeling more daring, crazy creatures and more followed by kid’s fun and live music and bingo for the adults in the Clubhouse.
May 2 is Northumbrian Leisure’s tee-riffic Golf Day. Putt your name down at reception to play.
Platinum Jubilee Weekend
Famous for our Royal Celebrations (Remember Kate and William’s Wedding Party) we’ve a Right Royal occasion lined up to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Join us for our Jubilee Street Party on Sunday June 5 to share an unforgettable afternoon celebrating 70 years of service by Her Majesty The Queen. Join the festivities including Ellington Colliery Band and family entertainment by pre-booking at table at the Street Party and bringing your own food – that’s fit for a Queen.
Enjoy family fun and entertainment throughout Whit Week and the Bank Holiday weekend including Alpaca Walks in the Park, Kids Quads, Bouncies, Sports Afternoon and more.
Ghouls just want to have fun – which is just what we’ll be having at Golden Sands’ this Howl-o-een!
The magic will happen on Friday October 29th with our fangtastic Northumbrian Leisure Halloween party at Golden Sands Holiday Park, Cresswell. Join us from 7pm and have a scream with games and prizes for the ghastliest fancy dress costume, so be sure to come dressed in your worst.
Then on Saturday October 30th when we’ll be saying get ready, get set -GHOUL for trick or treating at 6.30pm, followed by a kids’ disco where little pumpkins can throw some spooky moves.
Northumbrian Leisure owner Nigel Thompson said: “We’re looking forward to a fa-boo-lous Halloween with all our owners and having a scream together!
“We missed everyone last year. So we’re looking forward to an extra spook-tacular time this year.
“So boo from the Golden Sands crew and see you on Halloween weekend. Be there or be scared!”
We’re teeing off the season for Northumbrian Leisure caravan owners with our first-ever Golf Day.
Owners and their friends from our North East caravan parks are set to have a ball as teams of four play off in a Texas Scramble friendly at Newbiggin Golf Club on May 31st.
There’s a great line up of prizes up for grabs, including Longest Drive and Nearest The Pin at the event, which is being organised by Northumbrian Leisure, home of the best north east caravan parks with sites on the Northumberland and South Tyneside coastline.
Northumbrian Leisure owner Nigel Thompson said: “With so many of our owners loving a round of golf, we thought we would tee up the season underway by taking to the green for our first-ever Northumbrian Leisure Golf Day at nearby Newbiggin Golf Club which is a really lovely course to play beside the sea.
“We always like to give our owners fun, new entertainment and we’re looking forward to everyone enjoying our first-ever Northumbrian Leisure Golf Day, which is certainly proving a hit among everyone.
“We’ve ‘putt up’ some great prizes to play for, and it looks set to be a belter of a day out for everyone as we’re all enjoying getting back to normal and spending time together as lockdown restrictions lift. The event will give owners across our parks in Bamburgh, Seahouses, Cresswell, Warkworth and South Shields a chance to meet and socialise – we’re all looking forward to a cracking day.”
Limited places are still available for the event, which begins at 12.30pm. Places cost £20 per person. To book your place call 01670860256 or email enquiries@northumbrianleisure.co.uk
Northumbrian Leisure is known for its outstanding sites and caravan parks Northumberland in sought after, beach front locations. With a great range of new and pre owned static caravans available to buy, contact us for more information about moving into your perfect caravan holiday home.
We are over the moon that Northumbrian Leisure’s stunning north east caravan parks are open again. It has been amazing welcoming owners back to their caravans and guests into our beautiful fleet of luxury hire homes.
Our caravan parks in Northumberland and South Tyneside have reopened in line with the lifting of lockdown restrictions which allowed holiday parks to reopen for owners and for caravan holidays. It has been amazing seeing the parks return to life once more with owners reunited with their caravans as well as families and friends once more and for people to enjoy a well deserved holiday after months of lockdown living.
The safety of all our owners and visitors is of the utmost importance to us. As well as making sure you have the best possible holiday experience with us, we’ve been working hard to make sure our north east caravan parks have safety measures in place so you can enjoy a fun-filled time with us with extra peace of mind. We’re Good To Go quality assured and have been working closely with VisitEngland and The National Caravan Council so you can visit our parks with the reassurance of knowing we have Covid secure measures in place to keep everyone safe.
Nigel Thompson owner of Northumbrian Leisure said: “It has been amazing seeing the parks return to life once again with owners and caravan holiday guests – we’d like to say a big welcome back to everyone. We’ve missed you! Northumbrian Leisure is a family business and our owners are part of the family. It means so much to us all being able to open the gates once more. We’ve spent months preparing to welcome everyone back safely and making sure our parks are at their very best to greet owners once more as well as launching our exciting new development Water’s Edge at Cresswell for seaside caravan holidays in Northumberland.
“Northumbrian Leisure parks are located in the very best beach, coast and countryside locations across the north east. After months of lockdown living people want fresh air breaks. Our caravan parks are all located in amazing locations, right on the sea front or in beautiful countryside close to beaches. They all have spacious pitches spread across acres of our own private park land – perfect for people to enjoy fresh air, feel the sand between their toes and enjoy a taste of well deserved freedom after months of being indoors.”
Northumbrian Leisure’s caravan parks in Bamburgh, Seahouses, Warkworth, Cresswell and South Shields have reopened for static caravan owners. Golden Sands Holiday Park and Sandhaven in South Shields are also open for holiday home hire. Motorhome and touring caravan pitches are available to book at Glororum Holiday Park in Bamburgh and Sandhaven in South Shields, although indoor toilet, shower and laundry facilities remain closed until 17th May.
Who is egg-cited for Easter?
We certainly are, here at the north east’s favourite caravan holiday parks and we’ve got an Easter Eggstravaganza of virtual events lined up on Saturday April 3rd from our flagship static caravan holiday park Golden Sands Holiday Park here in Cresswell, Northumberland.
Easter is always an egg-star special time for us here at Northumbrian Leisure.
It’s the first Bank Holiday of the year and a time when our parks are usually buzzing with happy families and friends enjoying the best caravan parks in north east England.
While we still can’t celebrate together just yet (although hopefully there’s not long to go until our Northumberland caravan parks and South Tyneside caravan parks can open again), lockdown restrictions aren’t going to stop us from having a hoppy Easter Bank Holiday with all of our owners thanks to our Virtual Easter egg-stravaganza with the fantastic Dreams on Moonbeams team!
We’ve a cracking line up of virtual Easter fun for you to hop on line and enjoy via Facebook live or Zoom. From hilarious Easter bingo zoom, have-a-go Easter craft making, virtual treasure hunts so you can hop around our new Water’s Edge development and more.
Northumbrian Leisure owner Nigel Thompson said: “Easter is always a very special time for owners across all of our parks. It’s the first Bank Holiday of the year and a time when the parks are usually busy with families and friends enjoying their caravan holiday homes by the sea. It’s not long until we can welcome everyone back again, but in the meantime, let’s look on the sunny side and celebrate Easter together!
“We’ve a bunnylicious line up of free Easter fun to get everyone out of their shells! We hope you’ll be able to hop to it and join us on Easter Saturday for our legendary family fun events – virtually.”
To take part in any of our fun and free Easter activities below, just email us for a zoom link for the events you’d like to join.
Saturday April 3rd
1pm – 1.40pm Easter Bingo via Zoom
1.45 – 2.15pm Live Easter Crafts and story. Kids will need a paper plate, paper card and cotton wool balls.
2.40pm – 3.15pm Live virtual easter hunt around Golden Sands Holiday Park in Northumberland
3.30pm – 4pm – Virtual Easter Mini Disco
That’s all for now yolks! We’re looking forward to seeing you this Saturday April 3rd on Zoom or Facebook Live at Golden Sands Holiday Park in Cresswell, Northumberland.
The finishing touches are being put to our stunning new Northumberland caravan development Water’s Edge at Golden Sands Holiday Park.
Including landscaped water features, wide-spaced plots and sea views, Water’s Edge has been designed to offer caravan holiday owners maximum space for social distancing and privacy. And of course, it’s just moments from one of the best stretches of beach on the UK coast in Northumberland.
Part of the award-winning Northumbrian Leisure collection of stunning caravan parks in Northumberland and north east England, pitches at Water’s Edge at Golden Sands are being released ready for holiday makers to enjoy what is predicted to be a bumper staycation summer.
Northumbrian Leisure owner Nigel Thompson said: “Despite the impact of the lockdown, we’ve remained focussed on completing our expansion here at Golden Sands as we continue to grow and develop our park for static caravan owners.
“A combination of people not wanting to or being unable to holiday abroad or go on a cruise as a result of Covid or Brexit has led to a surge in demand for static caravan holiday home ownership – especially in prime seaside locations like Cresswell here on the Northumberland coast. Pitches are in short supply, especially in coastal locations.
“Our Water’s Edge development will offer holiday makers the chance to have a caravan holiday home here on the beautiful Northumberland coast that they can access all year round, while supporting the local economy by generating much-needed annual spend.”
Mr Thompson added: “We’ve invested a great deal of time and effort into this stunning new development, from the landscaping and planting of the site to make sure every pitch makes the most of its location.
“There’s no denying it continues to be a very challenging time for UK tourism. But hopefully, we’re seeing light at the end of the tunnel with the Government’s plan to re-open the country. Our owners are counting down the days until they can return back to their caravan and we can’t wait to welcome them back.”
The completion of Water’s Edge at Golden Sands Holiday Park coincides with the Thompson family’s 30-year anniversary at their flagship Cresswell site.
Mr Thompson said: “It’s entirely fitting that the completion of Water’s Edge coincides with our 30th anniversary here at Golden Sands. We’re a family owned and run park through and through and that makes all the difference to the park’s unique community atmosphere. We’re just 30 miles from Newcastle but the park is a seaside haven with a relaxed, community feeling that sets us aside.”
He added: “While the anniversary party we’d planned might be on hold just now, the biggest celebration will be seeing our gates open once again and seeing the park – especially Water’s Edge – coming back to life with people enjoying caravan holidays once again.”
As well as its flagship five-star Golden Sands Holiday Park, Northumbrian Leisure’s caravan site portfolio includes Glororum Holiday Park at Bamburgh, Cliff Top and Stone Close in Seahouses, Riverside Holiday Park at Warkworth and Sandhaven Holiday Park in South Shields.
Creating Northumberland caravan park Water’s Edge has safeguarded 10 jobs directly through the construction phase as well as a creating 20 secondary jobs including landscaping, sales and maintenance positions across the company, the ten-acre development is on target for completion to coincide with the Government’s planned easing of travel restrictions which will see holiday parks reopening on 12 April in line with the four-step roadmap to take England out of lockdown.
Usually open all year round for static caravan owners and with a fleet of 15 luxury self-catering caravan homes to hire, Golden Sands is located close to famous Northumberland beauty spot of Druridge Bay.
The Water’s Edge development is the most recent phase of planned expansion works at the coastal park since the Thompson family acquired the site 30 years ago.
“Water’s Edge has been designed to offer caravan holiday owners maximum space for social distancing and privacy”
North east caravan park klaxon! It’s the news we’ve been waiting for – The Government’s roadmap out of lockdown has brought a glimmer of hope across our holiday parks in Northumberland and South Tyneside.
Following the Government’s four-step roadmap earlier this week, family owned and run Northumbrian Leisure is planning to reopen all of its North East caravan and touring/motorhome parks from Monday April 12.
Park owner Nigel Thompson said: “It really is the news we’ve all been hoping for, that all being well, we’ll be able to reopen our caravan parks and touring sites from Monday April 12th, providing, of course, there are no delays to the Government’s roadmap and that everyone continues to follow the rules.
“This is great news, as we know how much everyone is looking forward to coming back to their holiday homes and we can’t wait to welcome you all back and see the parks come back to life once again. We’re a family owned and run park and there is such a strong sense of community about all of our parks. We’ve had so many really lovely letters and messages from caravan owners telling us how much they miss being here and all of the team. Hopefully it won’t be long until we can welcome everyone back to your caravans and parks.”
Nigel added: “There are rules we’ll all have to follow – the Government states that accommodation must be self-contained and only used by the same household. This means that for our touring sites at Glororum and Sandhaven shared facilities including our toilet and shower blocks must remain closed until we get further guidance, which means owners of touring caravans/motorhomes will have to use the facilities in their own caravans or motorhomes.
“We continue to monitor Government guidelines closely and we’ll be contacting our owners and holiday makers nearer the time to confirm our reopening. In the meantime, thank you for your continued support and we really can’t wait to welcome you back soon to your favourite north east caravan park.
“Until then, we’re busy completing our exciting new development at Golden Sands, Water’s Edge which will offer 50 amazing new static caravan plots here on the Northumberland Coast at Cresswell and carrying out essential maintenance. It’s always important to us that our parks look the best they can and we’re making sure they are absolutely pristine to welcome owners back to again. Everyone’s got a spring in their step. It’s given everyone something to look forward to.”
Click here for further information about the Government’s lockdown roadmap.
Just like the rest of the UK our holiday parks in Northumberland and South Shields are temporarily closed. But behind the scenes it’s a busy time here at Northumbrian Leisure as we’re making sure the north east’s favourite caravan parks are all ready and set to reopen as soon as we can and our residents have peace of mind knowing their caravans are in safe hands.
Our maintenance teams have been hard at work right through the lockdown looking after all our stunning caravan parks in Northumberland and South Tyneside.
One of the best things about Northumbrian Leisure is the fantastic locations of our holiday parks, with static caravans by the sea in Northumberland at Golden Sands in Cresswell, Glororum at Bamburgh, Riverside in Warkworth, Clifftop and Stone Close in Seahouses and Sandhaven in South Shields.
It’s an ongoing process keeping the park tidy, maintaining our grounds, planting new shrubs and trees, checking caravans and making sure all our parks are shipshape and secure. As you know, Northumbrian Leisure is a family owned business so we take that extra care and pride in our caravan parks.
That includes thinking about what we can do to make our holiday parks even better for you. We’re busy putting in a new pathway across the playpark so you don’t get muddy feet getting to our play park.
And it’s not just caravan park owners who get five start treatment at Golden Sands. The team have been busy making sure the park’s llamas are warm and cosy with a new llama shelter, while preparations for some new arrivals are underway! We’ll tell you all about them next time.
And of course work on our exciting new development Water’s Edge at Golden Sands is almost completed. Water’s Edge will offer stunning new pitches for you to fulfil your dreams of having a static caravan on the Northumberland coast. If you want to find out more email enquiries@northumbrianleisure.co.uk
Lockdown won’t be stopping us from celebrating the 75th anniversary of VE Day this Friday.
Here at Golden Sands we’ll be marking the occasion with virtual events throughout the day. We hope you’ll join us from your own homes as we celebrate together this special day when the Second World War ended in Europe.
Live Two-Minute Silence
Join us at 11am on Facebook for a two-minute silence as we honour the sacrifice of the Second World War generation and reflect on the impact Covid-19 is having on so many lives across the world today.
Cheers for Victory
At 3pm fill your glasses and join us in a toast to celebrate VE Day. We’ll be posting a video of us all at Northumbrian Leisure HQ on our Facebook page. Join in with us virtually by posting your Cheers for Victory pictures in a comment or send by messenger. Why not dress up for the event in red, white and blue, make a Forties playlist and learn how to Lindy-Hop? We’ll be commemorating the occasion with a special showreel of all your pictures and videos, so be sure to send them in over the VE Day weekend.
9pm join us for a Golden Sands Singalong – We’ll Meet Again
We’re all facing some of the most challenging times since the end of the Second World War. That’s why we feel it’s important for us all to join forces together and keep our spirits up.
Following the Queen’s address to the nation, join us on Facebook as we sing along with Dame Vera Lynn.. Waterproof mascara warning! Get your bunting out or make your own bunting, wear your red, white and blue and get those Union Jacks waving…
We’ll meet again
Don’t know where
Don’t know when
But I know we’ll meet again
Some sunny day
Keep smiling through
Just like you always do
‘Till the blue skies chase
Those dark clouds far away
And I will just say hello
To the folks that you know
Tell them you won’t be long
They’ll be happy to know
That, as I saw you go
You were singing this song
We’ll meet again
Don’t know where
Don’t know when
But I know we’ll meet again
Some sunny day
And I will just say hello
To the folks that you know
Tell them you won’t be long
They’ll be happy to know
That, as I saw you go
You were singing this song
We’ll meet again
Don’t know where
Don’t know when
But I know we’ll meet again
Some sunny day
