Member Article

Full steam ahead for popular Wayside lakes

It is action stations for a popular upmarket holiday park in the heart of the North York Moors National Park.

Colourful retro posters highlighting the beauty and tranquillity of Wayside Lakes, inspired by the iconic railway advertisements of the 1930s, can now be seen at stations on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR).

The 10-acre £500,000 Wayside Lakes development at Wrelton, between Kirkbymoorside and Pickering and situated next to Wayside Holiday Park, is owned by Yorkshire businessman Mark Goodson.

Mr Goodson, whose family are steeped in the entertainment business and ran much-loved cinemas in Filey, Tadcaster and Sleaford, explained that his love of famous railway art inspired him to commission the eye-catching posters for Wayside Lakes.

“The North Yorkshire Moors Railway is one of the jewels in Yorkshire’s crown and there is a strong synergy between the railway and Wayside Lakes. Our lodge owners here appreciate the beauty and his history of the area and the NYMR is an integral part of that. It seemed a natural idea to marry the two.

“I asked Sharron Mann of Mann Creative, a friend and colleague, to design a poster for us and I was blown away by the result. She has paid homage to those great railways posters, while highlighting the magic, the beauty and the tranquillity of Wayside Lakes. It is a stunning mixture.

“The NYMR were very helpful and we now have posters on every station on the line, apart from Whitby, which the railway doesn’t own. Our striking posters add to the ambience of the lovely stations at Levisham, Goathland, Grosmont and Pickering itself, and provide a timely boost to the region’s tourism industry,” he added.

The five-star Wayside Lakes, whose focal point is two picturesque lakes, caters for up to 38 exclusive lodges. Already 14 (double check) lodges have been bought and are occupied on site, with strong interest coming in for others from across the north of England. Prices start from £60,000, rising to £120,000.

Mr Goodson commented: “Our posters highlight that Wayside Lakes is a quality addition to Wayside Holiday Park. We believe strongly it’s our best creation to date, providing luxurious lodges, where owners can relax and enjoy the beauty around them. “The upmarket lodge market is currently pretty buoyant, thanks to the strength of the so-called grey pound, and we have discovered that an exclusive holiday park is an idea whose time has come.

“Post-Brexit, despite worries about the future, the market has picked up well and we are looking forward to an excellent year. Currently the fall in the strength of the pound means that holidays abroad are markedly more expensive and the idea of a ‘staycation’ is increasingly attractive. What better than making that staycation permanent by investing in a high-quality but affordable lodge in beautiful surroundings?

“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 welcoming lodges fit this bill perfectly.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Robert Beaumont .