CAPTION: (l-r) Kevin Hollinrake MP, Trevor Jones and Mark Goodson, with Wayside Lakes in the background

AN AWARD-WINNING holiday park in the North York Moors National Park has been praised for its "tremendous contribution to tourism" in the region.

Kevin Hollinrake, MP for Thirsk and Malton, visited the ten-acre £500,000 Wayside Lakes lodges development at Wrelton, near Pickering, during English Tourism Week.

While there he presented Trevor Jones, Wayside’s park manager and co-director with a long-service certificate for his 27 years involvement at the park.

Mr Hollinrake said: "This is an excellent and very attractive development, which provides the perfect base to explore some of the most beautiful parts of Yorkshire. Owner Mark Goodson must be congratulated on his vision and commitment which have enabled the dream of Wayside Lakes to become a reality.

"Tourism is one of Yorkshire’s most important industries and it is developments like Wayside which stimulate the sector. The knock-on effect of a successful holiday park like Wayside, in terms of jobs and investment in Ryedale, is very significant. It is an inspirational park – and it has been a privilege to come here."

Mr Goodson, owner of Wayside Lakes and the adjacent Wayside Holiday Park for static caravans, said he was absolutely delighted that Kevin Hollinrake had found time to visit "during a very hectic and challenging time in Parliament."

"Our MP showed a genuine interest in what we are trying to achieve at Wayside. Given the constraints on his time at the moment, we were honoured that he took the trouble to come to see us. It was also fitting that he presented my colleague and friend Trevor Jones with a long-service certificate.

"Trevor has worked here for 27 years, first for my father Roger, and now with me as my co-director. His hard work, enthusiasm, good humour and commitment to Wayside is exemplary – he is someone who always brings me solutions, not problems."

Mr Goodson, whose family ran iconic cinemas in Filey, Tadcaster and Sleaford, hopes this year will be even more successful than last.

The five-star development, whose focal point is two picturesque lakes, caters for up to 38 lodges. Already 16 have been bought and occupied, with strong interest coming in for others from across the north of England. Prices range from £60,000 to £120,000.

Mr Goodson said: "2018 was a strong year for us. We sold four lodges, together with three static caravans, worth a total of nearly £400,000. This was despite the uncertainty of Brexit, the awful weather at the beginning of the season and the football World Cup, when everything stopped.

"This year Brexit may well encourage our key demographic, the grey pound, to holiday in the UK. We have three demonstration houses at Wayside Lakes and four new static caravans at the Holiday Park. We are already experiencing strong interest in both the Lakes and the Park."

Last year also saw Wayside short-listed for the York Press Family Business of the Year and the Ryedale Family Business of the Year.

Mr Goodson said: "Most of our new owners are 50-plus, professional and white collar workers who are retired or semi-retired. They have decent pension pots and want a comfortable and attractive home, away from the bustling world, but close enough to beautiful countryside and sophisticated tourist attractions. They find our development fits this bill perfectly."