Lincolnshire’s Watermill Leisure Park has been given a gigabit-sized, new lease of life thanks to superfast broadband upgrade.
Quickline Communications was enlisted to help bring the Market Rasen holiday park into the 21st century, with the installation of ultrafast broadband services.
Quickline was awarded a £3.48m contract, partly funded by Lincolnshire County Council for its OnLincolnshire programme, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) Superfast broadband initiative, to connect 8,000 of the most remote properties in the region with access to next-generation internet.
Watermill Leisure Park, which runs an 11-month season, is nestled in the heart of stunning woodlands and provides an idyllic nature retreat for holidaymakers.
However, due to its rustic location, internet connectivity was not as it should have been when the owner Simon Clarke and his business partner Ben Caplan bought the business in December 2020.
Now, with the installation of the superfast broadband, visitors have a home-away-from-home experience, so on those gloomier days they can easily access movies and entertainment.
The park’s upgraded services will help with targeting a new market of individuals who can work remotely, which opens up opportunities for people to book an extended trip to incorporate both work and play.
Simon recalls how it was previously ‘pretty impossible’ to do anything, and even simple business tasks such as responding to emails became a challenge.
“Having reliable broadband and WiFi is a level of service which you’d come to expect as standard, as everything requires a connection these days.” Simon said.
“The solution for this particular issue was out of our hands so when the news came that Quickline would be installing new infrastructure, we were so relieved.
"The team assured us that our problems would soon be a thing of the past and we’d be able to operate smoothly as soon as the technology was switched on.
"Quickline was true to its word, and we have had amazing, superfast connectivity ever since.”
Simon added: “This has real been a gamechanger as the accessibility has improved so many things for the business.
It’s opened doors for us, as having the option of WiFi is a huge plus, especially for customers who are buying our luxury holiday homes.
“We can’t thank Quickline enough for making it happen. On another positive note, aside from our new broadband facilities, plans for an additional 100-lodge development are well under way, so it’s exciting that Watermill Leisure Park is moving onwards and upwards.” He said.
Sean Royce, CEO of Quickline, said: “Enjoying a slower pace of life doesn’t mean that connectivity in rural surroundings should follow suit. Internet services have now become intrinsic to daily life and since the
pandemic, more people want the option to get away but still have the freedom to have a working holiday if they choose to, not because broadband dictates otherwise.
“Watermill Leisure Park has so much to offer its guests and we are delighted to hear how well it’s thriving.
"Providing accessibility to gigabit-capable broadband for as many businesses and families as possible in remote regions is our sole mission and we are proud to help make a wonderful difference.”