Park Re-Opening Update
By Pentewan Sands on the June 25th, 2020 in
**UPDATED 16th March 2021**
Preparing for your holiday
Now more than ever, our absolute priority is your safety and well-being, as well as that of our staff and their families. In response to Covid-19 we have carefully reviewed procedures across the park and implemented a range of special measures to ensure full compliance and the utmost hygiene. We ask that you kindly work with us to ensure new processes and social distancing measures are adhered to, keeping guests and staff safe. We thank you for your co-operation.
Whilst we appreciate that not all of the below will apply to all guests, there are some changes of particular importance and we ask that you please read and take note of:
Accommodation and Pitches
Check-out times. To allow our housekeeping team more time to clean and sanitise safely, in line with government guidelines, our check-out times will be strictly no later than 10:00am for holiday homes and 10.30am for pitches. These revised times allow us that little bit more time to give each unit a deep clean and will be clearly stated in your booking emails and documents but please look out for any last minute changes.
Revised arrival and check-in times
Pitches - To enable us to best manage numbers on the park we ask that you please do not arrive before 11am for pitches. Any early arrivals will be asked to leave the park and return later on in the day.
Statics and holiday homes – As per our usual procedures, we are still not able to guarantee access to units before 6pm however we will do our best to accommodate earlier arrivals. We will be working hard to ensure swift turnaround times between cleans but ask you to be patient whilst we adapt. With this in mind we ask that all arrivals are as close to this time as possible to avoid over crowding around units. There will be a white board placed outside reception which lists each holiday home, once there is a 'check' against the number this means that this home is ready and you may request the keys from reception.
Arrival procedures
On arrival, we will ask all guests to undergo a health declaration confirming that none of their party are displaying any of the following;
- High temperature
- New, continuous cough
- Loss of, or change to, sense of smell or taste
If the answer to any of the above is yes, guests will be asked to leave the park immediately and return home to self-isolate, advising the NHS track and trace service, in accordance with government guidelines.
Pitches – All guests will be greeted at reception on arrival and directed to their pitch. We are asking that all tents/caravans/motor homes be placed in the centre of the pitch with the awnings facing roadside - this does not apply to the single row of beach front pitches. Your camp guide will advise you further if you are unsure.
Removal of non-essential items. You may notice that some difficult-to-clean and high-touch items will have been removed from your holiday unit. These may include cushions and any items that are deemed non-essential. If there is a specific item or facility listed on our website that you have a question about, please contact us.
Welcome folders. All guests will receive a paper welcome folder as they would normally and these will be waiting for you in your unit along with a key. A camp guide will meet you on arrival and open your accommodation for you. In your folder will be wrist bands for each of your party - please ensure that these are worn at all times.
Keys. We will only be issuing one key per stay instead of the usual two. This is to allow for the second key to be fully disinfected before being handed to the next guest. On departure, please drop your key into the bucket which will be placed outside reception.
Anti-viral surface cleaning. All heavily used surfaces and high-touch items in your unit will be cleaned and disinfected using appropriate products, including a ULV fogging machine which applies a disinfectant mist across all surfaces and takes approximately 8-10 minutes to dry. Such surfaces include, but are not limited to; work surfaces, table tops, remote controls, light stitches and cord pulls, hair driers, door handles, appliances, soft furnishings and bathroom fittings.
Safer check-out. When it’s time to go there are four essential things we need you to do for us. These will help to ensure the safety of our housekeepers, and the next guests:
1. Strip all your beds and seal the linen in the bags provided. This also includes linen that you may not have used. PLEASE leave the mattress protectors on.
2. Empty all bins (not just the kitchen), bag, seal and put out all your own waste into the waste/wheelie bins provided.
3. Leave on time by 10am — our hardworking housekeepers need every minute to prepare as safely as possible for the next guests.
4. Leave windows open on the latch (providing weather conditions allow) and advise us electronically when you have left the park.
Failure to comply with the above may incur charges. We thank you very much for your support in working with us to keep the park open and safe — you are fantastic and we do appreciate your efforts!
Facilities Blocks. These will be open to guests and regularly kept clean in accordance with government guidelines. We have always strived to keep our facilities blocks clean and will take every care to ensure standards stay high with these blocks being cleaned and disinfected using a ULV fogging machine, in line with the government stipulations.
Before you leave home
Do I need to bring anything? We are asking guests to please bring their own pillows and pillowcases with them, this further removes any risk of contamination and will speed up the changeover process. It would be advisable to bring soap, hand gel, gloves, toilet roll, disinfectant and hand sanitiser to ensure surfaces are kept clean and bins can be emptied (and beds can be stripped) hygienically.
Provisions and shopping. Whilst we are anticipating most of our local shops to be open, and we do want you to use them because we love you to support our Cornish retailers, we ask that you please plan ahead to avoid wasting precious holiday time in queues and, where possible, this is done by one family member – as you would have at home.
If you have symptoms before you depart. If you or any member of your party display symptoms in the days leading up to your departure please advise us immediately and we will transfer your booking to a later date, free of charge. You will be expected to stay home and self-isolate, reporting your symptoms to the NHS track and trace team, in accordance with government guidelines. The same applies if you have been contacted by the NHS track and trace team as having been in contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19.
During your stay
Please stay alert to the latest coronavirus guidance and any social distancing measures whilst on holiday, whether on the park or out and about. Please continue to wash hands regularly and rigorously, use hand sanitiser where required and face masks if appropriate. Contactless forms of payment will be encouraged across the park with one-way systems in place where required. If you are staying in a unit with self-contained facilities we ask that you please use your own facilities whenever possible. We appreciate that this is not always easy, particulalry with children, however any efforts to do this will be much appreciated and will take the strain off the communal facilities.
If you display symptoms whilst on holiday with us. Should you or any member of your party display any of the above symptoms during your stay, or we have reason to believe that you may be infected, we ask that you advise us, pack up and depart the park with immediate effect, contacting the NHS track and trace service, again, in accordance with government guidelines
Our beach will be open to guests during their stay and whilst there is plenty of room for everyone, we do ask that current social distancing measures are adhered to and that adequate spacing is allowed between beach goers.
We ask that you please do not meet or gather with friends in social groups outside of your social bubble, invite any visitors into your unit or onto your pitch and do not allow children to roam unsupervised around the park as they may inadvertently break the social distancing rules. As always, please avoid walking across pitches and stay on the footpaths or road side.
To keep chances of infection to a minimum, we will not be allowing any day visitors to pitches during your stay. We understand that this may be frustrating however we have a duty of care to our staff and guests and thank you for supporting us with this decision.
Please also be aware that town centres may be very busy whilst all-weather attractions are generally operating on a pre-book system. Do check before visiting, make sensible choices if the sun stops shining and be sure to plan ahead as much as possible to make the most of your day out.
What will your stay with us look like this summer?
Many of you will be anxious to better understand what your stay might be like over the coming months and whilst we would love to be able to offer our usual full, fun range of activities and facilities, unfortunately this isn’t the case. We are constantly monitoring the latest government advice and facilities we open will be done so in full compliance with the latest government guidance and social distancing measures.
Food and Drink
The Seahorse will also be operating a takeaway service from 12th April and again, this can be pre-ordered and paid for over the phone. Orders will be available for collection from the Seahorse and we kindly ask that only one person comes to collect their order. Limited indoor dining will be offered from 17th May inline with goverment guidelines.
To ensure that we can operate indoor dining safely, both for diners and staff, we kindly ask that all children remain seated with their family and are not allowed to run or walk around. Social distancing measures will be in place, according with government guidelines and we will be strictly adhering to these.
Opening hours, menus and phone numbers will be clearly displayed in your welcome pack as well as our website.
Pentewan Plaice will be open for takeaway from 12th April however social distancing measures will be in place and must be adhered to. Please look for the floor markings and advice displayed in the windows.
The Hubbox are confirmed as opening or takeout only from 12th April with the restaurant re-opening on 17th April. For more detailed information, please check their website and social media for the latest updates.
Our on-site supermarket will be open with our usual stock of goodies but social distancing measures will be in place, as with the supermarkets back around the country, with limits on numbers in the shop. There will also be Perspex screens at the check-out and contactless payment will be encouraged.
Things to Do
With the easing of government restrictions, we are pleased to confirm that the outdoor children’s play areas will be open as well as the Seahorse arcade, our boat launch facility will also be fully operational.
Our indoor swimming pools will be open from 17th May, more information to follow.
Unfortunately, guidelines for cleaning and operating soft play areas have not yet been released and this does sadly mean that we do not yet have a confirmed re-opening date.
But don't forget, there is always plenty of fun to be had walking, playing tennis riding bikes and exploring the wildlife around the park. Hit the beach and enjoy hours combing the tide line and rock pooling, discover heart urchins (or sea potatoes), cuttle fish, razor shells, anemones and blennies. Not forgetting the stunning array of sea glass, perfect for making souvenirs and keep sakes back at home. And don’t forget to share your finds or craft home creations with us, we always love to see them!
We realise that there is much to take in and digest, the situation is constantly evolving and procedures may change before or during your stay. Please bear with us whilst we work hard to get things right and, as ever, we thank you for your ongoing understanding, patience and support - we look forward to you all breathing life back into the park once again!