FOUR Lovell brothers from Wales lived in the US, where they owned and ran a lodge park. What brought them home to the UK was certainly not the weather! But some family members were homesick, and there was the issue of schooling for the kids. Besides which, lodge parks were not really invented here when they went over the pond.

When it was time to return, they found lodge parks becoming the ‘in thing’ here. Now they have chosen a lovely part of the UK for their first venture – a rural site near Malton, North Yorkshire.

The family has stuck together and all four brothers are involved, as well as dad, and Sandra and Charlotte, the wives of two of the brothers, Tim and David respectively. And at least one of the children has her pony in an adjacent field.

What did they bring from the USA?

A sense of scale! I was having a look round with Tim Lovell, and he had noticed, for example, how small the parking spaces sometimes are on UK parks. Malton Grange gives ample parking space for each lodge, as he pointed out – so you can bring your Mercedes without a problem!

Another area where the American proportions kick in is the large deck surrounding each lodge – space to sit, barbecue and more. And there is space between each lodge, plenty of it.

There’s no skimping on infrastructure, either. The Lovells have sunk about £2m into things that are not all that noticeable – wide tarmac access roads and kerbed edgings, block paved parking spaces, etc. They are looking long-term and wanted to build a lasting and easy-to-maintain park. Starting from scratch with just planning permission, meant they had scope to build as they chose.

Beginnings

Malton Grange Park had its first Open Weekend in January 2007. It is a park of 15 acres and the first phase was for 30 lodges. By the time you read this there should be another 13 plots available. And that will be the total, 43 on 15 acres, so a permanent sense of space.

The second phase will have even bigger deck areas – and there will be grazing for a few ponies adjacent to the lodge area, another point of interest. A BBQ area is also provided.

From the beginning, the park has attracted predominately over 50s, retired and semi-retired, though there is no age rule. The peace and quiet appeals to that age group, perhaps. No letting of your lodge is permitted, and the Lovells hope thereby to retain the exclusive feel.

There is a mix of backgrounds among owners and a relaxed atmosphere, and visiting children are welcome. Owners are from as far afield as Northampton, Bedfordshire, Birmingham and Leicestershire. There are also, more predictably, owners from Leeds and that sort of distance.

The family firm

Tim, David, Leighton and Billy are the four brothers. Dad is pictured above driving the buggy. Tim’s wife Sandra manages to fit in time to help with the garden, around being a full-time mum with four children. David’s wife Charlotte is involved in sales. Leighton and Billy have recently had their 18th birthdays, so it’s a real family affair and, as the picture shows, no-one is afraid of getting their hands dirty!
Though there were different opinions about the return to the UK, there was
no question of leaving anyone behind!

Buying at Malton Grange

If you are quick, you might be in time to get one of the show homes from Phase One featured on these pages. They are now on sale at recession-busting prices!

OMAR MIRAMAR

Was £75,000, now £49,900. A 40x12 two-bedroomed lodge. The Miramar has an off-centre ridge, and pleasant lounge arrangement with two inward-facing sofas, and a lot of glass at the front end. An angled divider separates lounge from kitchen, where there is a good range of cupboards. The adjacent dining area has plenty of light too. There are two bedrooms – a master which is perhaps smaller than many in a lodge of this size, but where the space is well-used and gives scope for an en suite. A further family bathroom and a twin bedroom complete the arrangement.

STATELY-ALBION LAKEWOOD

Originally priced at £130,000 this twin unit three-bedroomed lodge is now just £79,900. With full-width concertina doors, this is a very good price for a three-bedroomed 40ft by 20ft lodge. This Stately has a comprehensive and attractively shaped kitchen, in light wood effect. Dining area and lounge front the lodge and take advantage of the light, and on a nice day, the air. The doors open right back, giving the impression of being half outdoors. Striking modern black beige and red curtains have their colours echoed in equally striking seating fabric. A spacious family bathroom serves the bedrooms, with the master having its own en suite, with modern steam shower.

ADVENT ROSEMARY

At £99,500 reduced from £125,000, this is the largest show home on offer, at 43ft by 20ft. Patio doors at one side and a bay at the other are the design features of this lodge, which Advent are aiming at those who ask for practicality and good design.  Advent’s house-like Rosemary is still available at present in its show version.

WHAT YOU GET

The prices quoted in this feature were correct at the time of writing and only available on current models. Call the park for the prices of new leisure lodges on Phase 2.

All the show lodges featured include:

• Siting
• Decking and skirting package worth £10,000
• Fully Furnished
• Show homes – additional interior fixtures and fittings
• First year’s site fees
• All show models ready to move into
• Free upgrade from 40 year to 99 year site licence worth £10,000
• Lodge finance available

FOR SALE

Phase 1: Advent Rosemary 43x20, £99,500; Stately-Albion Lakewood 40x20, £79,900; Omar Miramar 40x12, £49,900. Vacant pitches on Phase 2 now available – call park for prices. Malton Grange will deal with any major lodge supplier.

LOCAL INFO

• Local amenities: There is a post office in Amotherby, but the nearest shops, supermarkets and banks are from about 2.5 miles away in Malton.
• Health: The local GPs, dentists, opticians and pharmacies are in Malton, as is the district hospital, which is about 2.25 miles from the park.
• Transport: There is a railway station in Malton, on the line from York to Scarborough. There are hourly buses through Amotherby, Mon-Sat, on the route from Malton to Hovingham, and occasional buses on routes from Malton to Pickering and Malton to other local villages.
• Eating and drinking: The nearest pub is the Blacksmiths Arms on the Malton road, about three quarters of a mile from the park. The nearest restaurants and takeaways are in Malton.
• Entertainment: There is a two-screen cinema, The Palace, in Malton, showing the latest releases. The nearest theatres are in York (16 miles) and Scarborough (20 miles). Malton (3 miles) and Pickering (7 miles) both have leisure centres, and there is a swimming pool at Norton, which adjoins Malton.

WHAT CAN I DO AROUND HERE?

Castle Howard – Malton lies on the north-east corner of the Howardian Hills, and this magnificent house is the ancestral home of the Howard family. Great art and gardens, monthly craft and product
markets, café, courses and special events.

Wharram Percy – The ruined church, grassy lanes and foundations of a lost medieval village in the Yorkshire Wolds, dating back to the 10th century. Protected  by English Heritage, the remains are open all year during daylight and admission is free.

Eden Camp – Just outside Malton, this former Second World War POW camp is now an award-winning museum with displays on many aspects of the military, social and political events of 1939-45, including POWs, the rise of Hitler, women at war, etc.

Wolds Way Lavender – The Yorkshire Wolds and Howardian Hills are famous for their lavender fields, and this lavender and herb farm at Wintringham offers the oppritunity to see how the plant is grown and processed. Tea room, shop and giant beehive.

CONTACT

Malton Grange Leisure Lodge Park. High Street , Amotherby, Malton, North Yorks YO17 6TL. Freephone: 0800 1910776. Office: 01653 699298. Mobile: 07795 420048. Email:  [email protected]. Website: www.maltongrange.co.uk

• Season opening March 1 to January 14
• Pitch fees £1500 + VAT.
• A further site fee of £500 is also payable
• Each lodge contributes around £200 at present to rates.
• No age restriction.

Prices
Start at £49,900


This review was published in the April 2009 issue of Park & Holiday Homes magazine. To order our latest issue please click here.


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