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Millions of pounds at risk as a former manager of Dream Lodges holiday homes reveals: ‘I am ashamed to have even worked for this company’
Dream Lodges boss Simon Moir with some of the holiday homes from the nine parks his company owned prior to going into administration last week. Questions will be asked about those who have paid for homes and for holidays. Picture: ARCHANT - Credit: Archant
The collapse of a holiday lodge firm with sites across East England is expected to leave investors millions of pounds out of pocket.
Aerial view of the Dream Lodges holiday homes at Lazy Otter Meadows, near Ely; they are not connected with the marina. Picture: DREAM LODGES PUBLICITY - Credit: Archant
The eight parks owned by Walsham Chalet Park Limited, which trades as the Dream Lodge Group, have either closed or are not taking bookings, including Norfolk Park in North Walsham.A former manager at the group believes losses will run into many millions as some investors paid for homes which were never built.
Mark Kent claimed as many as 50 lodges, which the firm had taken money for, had not been constructed.
“People have invested upwards of £50,000,” he said. “They have invested in fresh air.”
He also said lodge owners who rented their properties had been calling him asking why they had not been paid rent.
Some of the homes owned by Dream Lodges and taken from their recent brochures. The company is in administration but the full extent of the financal loss is not yet known. Picture: DREAM LODGES PUBLICITY - Credit: Archant
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“I am so appalled and am ashamed to have even worked for this company,” he said.
Former staff and customers of Dream Lodge are among those airing their grievances.
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One resident at Norfolk Parks, who did not wish to be named, said: “It’s all up in the air at the moment. We have no clue what’s happening.
“We are residents so are in better shape than the investors, but we are still worried about being kicked off the camp.”
Some of the homes owned by Dream Lodges and taken from their recent brochures. The company is in administration but the full extent of the financal loss is not yet known. Picture: DREAM LODGES PUBLICITY - Credit: Archant
They added: “We are not surprised that it’s gone into administration. The staff could not even get money to buy a lightbulb. It’s a real can of worms.”
One customer of the firm’s Lazy Otter Meadows site in Ely said uncertainty over what was happening ruined his Christmas and left him out of pocket.
Another contributor to a website containing dozens of comments about the administration claimed the gas has been cut off at one park.
Another ex-employee said: “It had, in theory, a good business model.
Some of the homes owned by Dream Lodges and taken from their recent brochures. The company is in administration but the full extent of the financal loss is not yet known. Picture: DREAM LODGES PUBLICITY - Credit: Archant
But added: “People have lost everything; it is a shameful way to conduct business. I fear this will be big news as millions of pounds involved.”
We have been unable to reach anyone at Dream Lodge for comment. The firm is owned by businessman Simon Moir and his family.
Administrators Deloitte said last week a “period of financial pressure” was behind the collapse.
Some of the homes owned by Dream Lodges and taken from their recent brochures. The company is in administration but the full extent of the financal loss is not yet known. Picture: DREAM LODGES PUBLICITY - Credit: Archant
