Staff celebrate as Eye Kettleby Lakes voted nation’s best touring park

Craig Oldham, general manager of Eye Kettleby Lakes EMN-191004-133854001

Around £2million has been invested in facilities in the last two years at Eye Kettleby Lakes, which started off as a farm and has been developed into a renowned venue for anglers, holidaymakers and walkers.

So much so, that the readers of leading industry magazine, Practical Caravan and Practical Motorhome, have just voted it the best place in the country to pitch up for a leisure break.

As well as winning the overall award, the venue also scooped the awards for best open all year site, best site for caravans and best site for motorhomes.

Northern Close Touring park at Eye Kettleby Lakes EMN-191004-133916001

An ecstatic Craig Oldham, the site’s general manager, said: “It’s an unbelievable achievement for us to get this national recognition.

“We’ve been chasing this national award for the last six years, and winning it is reward for the investment which has been made here in the last 24 months.

“We are a big team, we’ve got 53 employees, and everyone, from the cleaners to the guys and girls who work in the bar have played their part.”

The new features on the 150-acre complex include a major increase in the number of touring pitches, from 60 to 130, an extension to the tea room and bar, the building of a new office, and the resurfacing of the car park.

One of the glamping huts at Eye Kettleby Lakes EMN-191004-133905001

The site boasts luxury log cabins and glamping accommodation, nine coarse fishing lakes, as well as the touring park for caravans, tents and motorhomes.

Business has been very good this year already, due to a combination of the mild start to the year and recent publicity over the award wins.

Craig said: “The phone just hasn’t stopped ringing in the last few days.

“The warm weather has brought a lot of caravan and motorhome owners to us much earlier than expected.”

The fishing lakes at Eye Kettleby Lakes are increasingly popular EMN-191004-133959001

And, he says, the venue has been a valuable magnet for bringing tourists into Melton and the surrounding villages.

“We now bring in 500 to 600 people a week to Melton,” Craig added.

“Around 70 per cent of these customers do come back because they love what is on offer in Melton.

“We are only three miles from the town so we are ideally placed.

“We’ve come a long way from when the place started out as a farm and everyone is delighted that our hard work has been recognised with these awards.”