A DORSET company has come near the top of a Which? survey of the best value holiday parks.

The Weymouth-headquartered Waterside Holiday Group scored 87 per cent in the survey of more than 2,200 stays.

The score put it at number two, behind top-rated Potters Resorts.

Waterside Holiday Group scored five out of five stars in every category, including quality of accommodation, facilities, and value for money.

Dave Bennett, chief executive of the company, said: “We are thrilled to have received such an incredible score as part of a renowned nationwide survey, which reflects genuine visitor reviews.

“We have invested heavily in all our holiday parks to ensure we offer a five-star holiday experience to our guests, with exceptional quality accommodation, facilities, and customer service. I would like to thank everyone at Waterside Holiday Group for their hard work in helping us continually achieve excellence across our parks.”

Waterside Holiday Group has invested in its parks over the past two years, introducing a range of luxury holiday homes with hot tubs and updated dining.

It has also continued a commitment to sustainability in its parks, including the creation of natural habitat areas using native plants and species, the introduction of beehives and installation of solar panels.

The company has three parks locally: Waterside Holiday Park and Spa at Weymouth’s Bowleaze Cove, where the business is headquartered; Chesil Vista on Portland Road, Weymouth; and Osmington, at Osmington Mills.

It also has Tregoad Holiday Park near Looe, Cornwall, a 55-acre site which it acquired last year. 

Earlier this year, the company won approval for plans to extend its park at Bowleaze Cove.

It plans 31 premium static holiday homes as well as a 10-acre ecological area intended to encourage more wildlife to the site.

The application was scaled down in response to objections, prompting Weymouth Town Council to drop its objections. But Dorset Campaign to Protect Rural England still objected, citing concerns about noise and traffic. 

The company aims to have the new homes finished by Easter 2023.

The business was started in 1963 by Ralph and Esther Jacobs, whose granddaughters Miranda and Olivia Jacobs are directors today.