North West Wales

The £550,000 beach front lodge is on wheels

An Abersoch holiday lodge which has just been bought for £550,000 is thought to be the most expensive mobile home ever purchased in the UK.

The four-bedroom luxury holiday home at The Warren in the Llŷn Peninsula resort has unrestricted views of the sea and its own staircase down to the beach.

The buyer has not been disclosed, but they will probably be rubbing shoulders with soap stars and the odd footballer at the holiday park which is very popular with the Cheshire Set.

But the owners needn't be in Abersoch to stay on top of things at their expensive retreat.

"You can control an awful lot via an iPhone," explained Jim Gandon, sales and marketing director for the Haulfryn Group which owns The Warren.

"There's also underfloor heating and reflective double glazing which keeps the heat out in summer and in during the winter.

We don't shy away from the fact it's a static caravan. That's the heritage of the holiday park. The great British holiday has evolved and we should embrace that Jim Gandon

"We used to automatically fit them with air conditioning, but that isn't environmentally friendly.

"There is also luxury Italian furniture and a top of the range kitchen."

Despite all these luxuries, the lodge is still technically classed as a caravan because it is on a chassis and has wheels.

"We don't shy away from the fact it's a static caravan," said Jim, who heads up marketing for 20 such holiday parks across the UK.

"That's the heritage of the holiday park. The great British holiday has evolved and we should embrace that."

For their £½ million-plus, the buyer will get to keep the home, but not the land.

After the 20 year lease runs out they can either negotiate to stay or organise the removal of their mobile home to another location.

However, Jim says this lack of long-term security hasn't put off buyers as the Haulfryn Group have just had their most successful year yet for sales.

Estate agent in nearby Pwllheli, Stephen Tudor thinks this might be down to the continuing low interest rates.

"Those with money are disappointed to not see a return on their savings from the banks so it's better to invest in property," he said.

Abersoch is a haven for watersports enthusiasts

"We see people buying with that in mind - houses to let and holiday homes."

However, Stephen notes that statistics from the Land Registry show that the general housing market on Llŷn is far quieter than three years ago.

As a self-contained holiday park, prices at The Warren don't really reflect what's going on in the housing sector in general.

"But of course, they do spend in the local economy too," he added.

The Warren has 70 properties on the sea front and more will be coming up for sale in the near future.

But anyone fancying a slice of the good life will have to get on the lengthy waiting list.

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