MP Scott Mann flew the flag for Cornwall tourism when he paid a visit to Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park in Padstow as part of English Tourism Week.
Mann, who is MP for North Cornwall, was accompanied by Visit Cornwall chief executive Malcolm Bell – and they were both welcomed by park owner Patrick Langmaid.
English Tourism Week, which runs until May 31, shines a spotlight on the tourism sector and the huge annual contribution it makes to the economy.
Langmaid said that staff and guests were delighted that Mother Ivey’s had bounced back after more than a year of lockdowns and was once again buzzing with activity.
But, he told Mr Mann, the park was intentionally operating below capacity for safety reasons, and had closed entirely its camping field for a second year to reduce pressure on site facilities and help safeguard the local community.
During their tour of the grounds and its private beach, Mann and Bell heard about the raft of changes made to the park during the months it had been closed.
Among them were new measures to protect the natural environment, including the installation of water and energy saving equipment, and charging points for electric vehicles.
Langmaid also outlined his intention to give away around 200 free holidays this year to NHS workers and others who helped Britain keep going during the Covid crisis.
He said that similar plans for last November were frustrated by the lockdown – but that the park would be offering many more free stays this year than originally earmarked.
The £40k cost, said Langmaid, was just a small token of Mother Ivey’s gratitude for the dedication and bravery shown by those on the front line of community care.
Mann commented: “This has been a very challenging 14 months for Cornwall’s hospitality industry, and many other businesses which rely on visitor spending have also suffered.
“Now, but with a cautious approach, we can reopen our tourism industry once again and provide the fantastic guest experiences for which Cornwall is world famous.”
NHS workers who would like to apply for one of the remaining holidays at Mother Ivey’s Bay should email info@motheriveysbay.com
