Haven to make arrivals procedure 'Covid safe' in Weymouth

Seaview on Preston Road have asked Dorset Council's permission to install new arrivals lodge

Author: Trevor Bevins, Local Democracy ReporterPublished 17th Feb 2021

Weymouth's Seaview holiday park is responding to the Covid pandemic by changing its arrivals procedures at its Preston Road site.

Haven, which runs the holiday park, has asked Dorset Council to be allowed to build a new arrivals lodge which will prevent the need for new arrivals to queue with other people.

The lodge, which will have a 21 square metre footprint, will allow staff to process guests without the visitors leaving their cars. It will also mean introducing timed arrival slots.

The company says that the new arrivals area will help it to provide a Covid-safe check in system with holidaymakers met by team members outside and given their keys and basic information and directed to their holiday home without the need to leave their vehicle. It hopes to have the changes in place by March.

Haven says the system is safer, reduces the need for people to be waiting around with others, and has turned out, in trials, to be significantly more efficient than the previous system where guests arrived when it suited them, sometimes resulting in queues.

The new building will be north west of the existing entertainment complex with a canopy to provide shelter for staff while they check guests in.

Haven say the area is sufficiently far down the site’s main road to avoid congestion at the entrance and they anticipate each check in will be achieved in under a minute to keep traffic flowing.

Two existing caravans will have to be removed to make way for the new system.

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Greatest Hits Radio app.