Red Rose, Britain’s youngest park home manufacturer, exhibited at The Lawns show for the first time this year.

Words Val Chapman
Photography Richard Chapman

It’s less than two years since family company Red Rose began making park homes. The first one was made for a family member and they’ve never stopped since, directors Jimmy and Violet Welch told me.

The company is exhibiting at this year’s Caravan Extravaganza for the first time; the show is at The Lawns, Cottingham, East Yorkshire, on 2 and 3 September. Red Rose unveiled its latest creations; two new models, called Orton Gold and England Rose.

How it all started

Red Rose was originally a park home interior and exterior refurbishment company; the family also owns residential parks.

The company is a husband-and-wife team, Jimmy is head of the sales and after sales and Violet in control of design. Jimmy explains: “We own residential parks as well as manufacture park homes and lodges.”

We are talking at the company’s base just outside Lancaster. It’s a residential park, and the manufacturing unit is close by. Violet met her husband Jimmy, in 2009 and they together set up Lancashire Parks Limited, a sister company of Red Rose.

Jimmy explains the ethos behind the homes they create and the service they offer: “We are a small, specialist company dedicated to producing quality homes, on time, at no extra cost.”

Personal service is an important element: “When a customer phones the office, they are speaking to either myself or Violet.

“As a park owner I know what people want and expect. As a manufacturer I can see that perspective, too. Our aim is to bring the two elements together and always deliver on time.

“And quality, for us, comes as standard. I go out of my way to keep to timescales because I know and understand the impact of delay in the arrival of a park home.”

Jimmy and Violet are proud of their business: “It’s a team effort,” says Jimmy, “The business is our creation together as a couple.”

Lancashire Homes is now approved by the NCC (National Caravan Council) as a manufacturer and well as a refurbisher.

Planning and design

Setting out in park home building seemed a logical step, given the couple’s background in the whole subject of park homes.

I wanted to know how Violet begins the design process. “When I design a park home I think about space and practicalities and storage – and the light coming into the kitchen. Aspects like having nice big cupboards for towels and bedding and pan space in the kitchen. Once I understand the practicalities, comes the interior design."

The company builds homes for both residential and holiday use.

“For holiday lodges everyone wants open plan and it’s all about looking outside to the views. The home must be cosy and warm but also must cater for outdoor and indoor living, using many big windows to let the outside in – and an open plan kitchen is pretty much a necessity.

“For residential homes, it’s altogether different. You need to have practicality first and foremost.” Sometimes, though, the two disciplines join.

The company’s first home, called Contemporary Rose, was unveiled this summer (that’s the one pictured here). It’s built to residential specification (British Standard BS3632) but is also suitable for a holiday home.

“I wanted a home versatile to both markets,” says Violet. That first Contemporary Rose is going to a residential park; it’s a bespoke order.

“We can design a home to requirements and specifically for a plot, to take advantage of views or elevation.”

Chatter turns back to design inspiration. “Sometimes I plan around a particular fabric, incorporating it into the design. Many customers don’t know what they want, so you have to have the knowledge to guide them. You are not born with that ability; it comes with trial – and sometimes error!

“Neutral background shades work well, so that a trend colour can come and go, as fashions change.”

Contemporary Rose

Big windows are one of the principal design elements of the Contemporary Rose.

“We put windows in the roof and didn’t take the front windows down to floor level because I had to think about where the furniture would go, while making sure there was plenty of light coming in. It’s all about creating open living space; the idea was contemporary meets classic.”

The kitchen of the Contemporary Rose is off the living room, wide open with plenty of floor space and a separate utility room with a washing machine and dryer – “...so you can shut the door on it to keep the noise out; that’s important if you are designing an open-plan home.”

Every possible storage opportunity has been created: In Contemporary Rose there are two big hall cupboards, and loft space above them.

Orton Gold

At the Caravan Extravaganza show at the Lawns, the company is unveiling two new models. One of them is a residential park home, called Orton Gold – the name derives from the family company’s park Orton Grange, near Carlisle. It has been designed to suit a specific plot and the location of the park, a great walking area. Warm colours and creams predominate. Furniture has an oak theme and the kitchen is country-classic in style.

England Rose

Red Rose is also launching the England Rose. “It’s going to be regal in style,” Violet explains.

“It has a big central island in kitchen; posh and grand. It’s exclusive – I’ve designed this one for an individual customer, to their requirements.” Spacious bathrooms, a spacious kitchen and huge windows are key design elements”, Violet tells me.

The company – and the name

Lancashire Parks is a sister company of Red Rose; the name derives from the symbol of the county where the family was born and bred – and the rose name is an element of most of the company’s homes.

“Lancashire Rose was the first home we built; a classic lodge with a traditional name. Then came Butterfly Rose, then the Orton Gold was named after the park…”

There’s also a Royal Rose, on the drawing board; it’s being designed to suit a high end park.

Construction

“All the doors are oak-veneered. Quality is at the heart of what we do. All

internal walls are double-insulated for sound exclusion.”

The company is increasing production and is now outgrowing its premises. A new purpose-built construction facility is on the way.

Fascinatingly, this company’s construction division began by building garages and outbuildings. “It was our test-bed and we attended our first exhibition with a garage, in 2015. “We still build garages, steel framed and insulated, sited and erected within hours – the buyer is using it the day it arrives.”

Garages aren’t the only small buildings in the Red Rose portfolio. Violet leads me outside the family home into a courtyard, to a pretty, miniature construction with two storeys and a tiny kitchen.

The company has made a Wendy house for Violet and Jimmy’s children and intends to make more, when time permits. For now, though, the focus is firmly on the new Rose park homes creations.

Contact Us

Address
Red Rose Park Homes
Lancashire Park
Westgate
Morecambe
LA3 3BA

Telephone 01524 68438
Website redroseparkhomes.co.uk