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Ashley
Gorge Holiday Park Runner-Up Jasons 2003 Business Turnaround Award Located at 697 Ashley Gorge Road, Oxford, North Canterbury. Just 45 minutes from Christchurch. Practically on Inland Scenic Route 72. We run the seasonal park ourselves most of the year. Over the winter season Brian works outside Holiday Park as a builder. We both undertake cleaning, shop work and have a very flexible anything else focus and attitudes. Hopeful apprentices in 5yr old and 2 1/2 yr old daughters! Tranquil Native Woodland Park (12 Acres) beside the Ashley River in Canterbury foothills q 46 power sites and 54 non-power sites, 4 kitchen cabins, Bunkhouse complex with 2 lodges, Camp shop with office, and Kiosk on picnic area, Large Picnic Area (13 Acres) beside park that we oversee and maintain. Our biggest challenge has been the huge trials and adjustments in becoming an extremely weather-dependent type of business and doing business at home. Starting off with flooding and the worst season for years after leaving our real and regular jobs to choose this lifestyle change for our family, and ourselves we were left wondering `What had we done'? Our turnaround challenge is taking on a rundown camp. Both its reputation and its facilities were desperate for some TLC. Structurally things were practically sound but just very tired, and extremely grubby. Just after our first visit we had pages of ideas and improvements we could implement. We looked at other camps but it is the idyllic natural river setting that kept us coming back here to Ashley Gorge. After surviving our first season and enjoying the positive feedback we were still keen to continue. The most satisfying result that we have noticed is the number of bookings, the number of forward bookings and the number of people coming back and bringing groups of friends with them. Our goal is to be full during summer. Customer satisfaction is another wonderful result. People were booking for their next holiday on their way home from this one. Plus the number of people whom just want to stay longer and added extra night(s) increased. There is no better marketing that word of mouth and we are noticing more referrals. We are a work in progress. It seems for every job crossed off on the to do list there is at least one more added on! It's a huge BOOST for us seeing people using and enjoying this fantastic natural resource. We are a small and seasonal park and work hard to survive, but we enjoy the lifestyle and our dream. Heather & Brian Norton |
