Paignton holiday park gears up for Christmas extravaganza

A Paignton holiday park is expecting bumper Christmas bookings and guests will be treated to fabulous festive fayre as much as possible of it coming from local suppliers, including fish from Brixham.

Hoburne Devon Bay is one of nine sites in the Hoburne Holidays stable.

Group Executive chef, Chris Blake, says: "We strongly believe in supporting local growing, fishing and rearing whenever at all possible.  It’s more sustainable environmentally and economically.  A strong local economy is good for all of us, and we’re lucky to have food production of such high quality on the doorsteps of all our parks.”

He added: "The majority of the fresh fish and seafood Hoburne uses comes from the south coast and is sourced from Brixham, a short hop from the Devon Bay Park, as much as possible sustainably sourced and accredited by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).

"We use a butcher local to the New Forest and all our fresh meat comes from within the UK and we actively seek produce carrying welfare assurances such as Red Tractor.  Our delicious bacon is cured in Dorset, just a stone’s throw away from Hoburne Park.

We use the New Forest Ice Cream Company, just down the road from our Hampshire parks (Naish and Bashley by Hoburne), and our specialty cheeses all come from producers located in the Southern Counties.  These include Lyburn Farm, Croxton Manor, Cricket St Thomas, Isle of Wight Cheese Co., Tunworth & Rosary Goat Cheese Co., to name but a few.

Our eggs are all free range (except when restricted) and of British origin with the Red Lion Stamp.

A Hampshire supplier provides our fresh produce such as fruit, vegetables & salads, and when in season, most is grown on local farms in the south and southwest of England.  In fact, the majority come from farms within twenty-five miles of Bashley in the New Forest.  Also from Hampshire, we’re pleased to work with ChalkStream Trout Farms of Romsey.

Mr Blake said: "Such is our commitment to local suppliers that even our table salt comes from the Dorset Sea Salt Company, which harvests its products by hand on Chesil beach.

“Quality and taste are obviously the most important things for us and for our customers, but we’ve found, by researching what’s available from local suppliers, sustainability doesn’t have to mean compromise.  You really can have the best of both worlds, being good to the planet and our neighbours, while also guaranteeing our guests a great eating experience.”

The company is also trying to do the right thing by its guests when it comes to the wider Christmas festivities.  Some companies take advantage of families’ desires to make the best Christmas they can by hiking prices on activities in a way which Hoburne refuses to do. 

Group Entertainment Manager, Hayley Baber, says: “Money is tight for everyone and people have already paid to come to stay with us so we don’t want to heap unnecessary extra expense on them as a price for joining in with all the festive fun."