Andrewshayes was started by our grandmother in the 1930s as a side income to the then dairy farm. We had a public health licence granted in 1936, making us one of the oldest holiday parks in the country. The park has been developed over the years, most significantly by our parents, Harry and Stephanie, from 1960 onwards.

Having both had separate careers first, we have come back to Andrewshayes later in life. Peter was farming and Clare had moved away from Devon and into corporate marketing.

Being brought up helping on the site, we both feel very fortunate to have become formally involved and able to keep the business in the family. Peter has been the General Manager for the last 20 years. Clare has been part-time for 15 years running the accounts and marketing.

Day by day there’s lots of variety, which keeps things interesting. Running your own business is a huge 24/7 commitment, there is also a great deal of flexibility with our time.

Keeping the site looking attractive and being on top of the constant maintenance is a real challenge, especially when we are busy. As a business, we also have to be looking ahead to the future of the site. Customers’ requirements and expectations are constantly moving on, from the provision of things like WiFi and electric car charging, to the quality and size of holiday homes and pitches.

There really isn’t one! For Pete, it ranges from still being hands-on with maintenance jobs or engaging with customers and suppliers, to making decisions about new holiday homes or upgrades to the site. Clare’s role is a bit more routine, dealing with invoices and accounts; however, the marketing is more varied and keeps the day more interesting.

Still being family-run is a unique aspect to Andrewshayes. Although some guests may not realise who we are, being on-site every day keeps us at the forefront of the business and helps make sure our customer service is excellent. We feel strongly that great service comes from having a happy staff team.

We have to agree that the beautiful countryside and the info changing seasons are something to shout about. We are, after all, in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Add in the proximity to the coast and we feel we have the best of both worlds. The best places to visit are the free ones, like walking along the seafront or the coast path. Lyme Regis is always popular for a walk on the Cobb wall, or watching the sunset with a bag of chips is hard to beat.

Peter enjoys a good pub lunch, especially a Sunday roast, in one of our cosy traditional pubs. Clare is a keen walker and can often be found out and about exploring the footpaths and local woods.  She also writes a local blog with lots of helpful information for locals and visitors.