A HOLIDAY company has had to put in place lengthy waiting lists at its Essex resorts as a result of soaring demand for caravans.

Park Holidays UK, which was founded in 1984 and employs up to 1,600 people, has five caravan sites in Essex, including in Clacton, Harwich, and St Osyth.

Although most holidaymakers choose to hire a caravan when visiting their favourite seaside destinations, others opt to purchase more permeant ones instead.

Despite the financial impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, holiday homes are reported to be more in demand than ever before, resulting in lengthy waiting lists.

Bosses at Park Holidays UK, which boasts 31 different caravan sites across Southern England, is now having to order more homes and develop more pitches to cope.

Director Tony Clish believes the sudden demand for holiday lodges and caravans is an unprecedented occurrence never before seen in the company’s history.

“This has included asking customers to bear with us if their ideal holiday home or preferred location on the park can't be provided immediately," he said.

"They have the assurance that names are being entered on our waiting lists in strictly the order in which they are received, and that there will be no queue jumping."

According to Mr Clish, the group has placed orders for hundreds of new holiday homes with British manufacturers and deliveries already starting to take place.

Hundreds of additional pitches will also have to be created across the group's parks, including some earmarked for prestigious new holiday lodge developments.

"We fully realise that all new buyers will be keen to start enjoying their holiday homes as soon as possible, and we're working hard to make this a reality," added Mr Clish.

"Thanks to our purchasing power, Park Holidays UK will be the first in line to receive the new homes now on order, so we are confident that the wait will soon be over.

"We have also introduced a system to allow customers to reserve a home for a £1,000 deposit, and not have to pay the balance until January 2021.

"As a thank-you, we will also waive all of their pitch fees for next year," he said.

To find out more visit parkholidays.com.