Success in the face of adversity | Tamar Valley Holidays
Fourth in our ‘Celebrating Success’ interview series for Cornwall Business Week, we spoke to Dee Fry and Ian Read from Tamar Valley Holidays at Honicombe Manor.
Following an owner-led buyout of the holiday park where Dee and her husband and Ian and his family owned a lodge, they have, with the help of other owners, overcome numerous obstacles and set-backs to create a successful holiday park with community at its heart.
We caught up with Dee and Ian to find out about their business journey, and they shared some fantastic tips and advice for anyone considering starting a business.
What motivated you to buy into the holiday park originally?
Dee: We owned a holiday lodge on this park for seven years and the overall management was very poor, with general maintenance not being completed and there were so many issues that were not resolved and the reviews were bad. As a result, we got involved with a number of owners who challenged the landlords and put together a group, so that there was safety in numbers and owners had a voice. In 2012, when the park came up for sale and the other owners were looking to invest, we joined the initiative and went along with it too.
Can you tell us a little bit about your background?
Dee: Both my husband and I worked for the police in support roles for past 20 years. My husband was a police custody officer and I worked on the front desk in a police station; both jobs were very secure with a pension attached. We gave up our jobs and in 2015 we moved to Cornwall to run the leisure and holiday side of the park, following the landlord’s withdrawal from the holiday industry.
Ian: I retired from the Army in 2001 (Lt Col) after serving 37 years. I then worked for a further 6 years, including a period with the British Red Cross as a first aid course organizer and as a Civil Servant in HR with the Ministry of Defence. I retired again in 2007. We have owned a Honicombe holiday property since 2006. Ownership of our holiday property was proving to be a painful experience and we learned that other owners felt the same way, trapped and isolated with a holiday property they could not enjoy. I established an ‘owners group’, rallied owners and as a group we commenced action to put things right. Two years later the site owner approached me asking if we wished to purchase the holiday park. After rallying support, fifty one Honicombe holiday property owners put £560,000 into the venture and with a large bank loan, we bought the site in August 2012.
You have had an incredible journey so far; can you talk us through these past few years and share any tips or lessons learnt that you think have helped you?
Dee: The past three years have been a massive adventure and an even bigger learning curve. We had little to no experience in running a holiday park and threw ourselves into every aspect of it.
The bar/restaurant was the biggest challenge as no-one had ever made a success of this part of the business on this park. However, with raw determination and excessive hours we managed to turn it around it in 18 months. With 18-hour days, seven days a week, in 2018, we made the decision to hand the bar over to another owner who had moved down and was at the time working as our Bar Supervisor, so we have now got our evenings back and he and his wife are taking it to the next level.
Lessons learned - don't take on too much as everything becomes diluted, but if you have a passion to make something work, hit it head-on.
Do you have any role models who have been successful that you take inspiration from?
Dee: Not so much a role model but definitely a mentor for me was another owner on the park, Ian, he not only led the owner’s buyout but has since been a massive help with ensuring that I know the history and if I floundered, he was a great source of information. In terms of a role model, I would probably name Alex Polizzi of whom I am a massive fan. She is straight talking, and I aspire to be more like her.
Aside from the normal metrics of success (profit, growth etc.) do you have personal measures of success?
Dee: A personal measure of success to me means creating something that benefits customers, employees, and the community in equal measure. We have worked hard to include the local community into our world and ensure that the park is put on the map for holiday guests and locals alike. Prior to the buyout the local community were not really allowed on the park and the reputation was not good.
Ian: It means that you have done your very best and grasped the opportunities that have arisen.
What is great about running a business in Cornwall?
Dee: Apart from the obvious of it being one of the best parts of the UK? The overall relaxed mentality down here makes it just the best place to be working and in the main, when people are coming on holiday, they are happy to be here too, so it’s a win-win.
Last question to Ian, you have been a huge support and guide to Dee, what advice would you give to others when starting a business?
Ian: Know your business and what want you want from it; what your limitations are - whether fiscal or physical. Have a plan, be flexible but don’t get carried away. Don’t be frightened to ask for advice, but be wary.
The past three years have been a massive adventure and an even bigger learning curve. We had little to no experience in running a holiday park and threw ourselves into every aspect of it.
