From rising costs to clean energy: how Spring Gardens is powering a positive green future
Spring Gardens Holiday Park in North Wales has built its reputation on creating a welcoming, community-focused space for owners to relax and recharge. Now, with support from the North Wales Clean Energy Fund, the business is taking practical steps to secure its energy future by reducing costs and investing in a more sustainable way of operating.
Located near St Asaph, Spring Gardens Holiday Park offers a peaceful setting for owners of static caravans and holiday lodges.
Owned and developed by Gwyn and Haf Williams and their grandson, Tom Williams, the park has been transformed from a dilapidated touring site into a thriving 72-pitch holiday community, with a strong emphasis on connection and shared experience.
From regular owner events to a welcoming clubhouse, the park is designed to feel like a home from home.
Tackling the challenge of rising energy costs
Like many businesses, Spring Gardens Holiday Park has faced increasing pressure from rising energy costs.
With facilities to run and a commitment to maintaining a high-quality experience for owners, finding a sustainable and cost-effective solution became a priority.
At the same time, there was a clear opportunity to take a more proactive approach to energy, improving efficiency while reducing environmental impact.
Managing Director, Tom Williams, said: “Energy costs have become a real concern for businesses like ours. We wanted to find a way to take back some control and make the park more sustainable for the long term.”
Finding the right support
To explore their options, the owners engaged with UMi through its tailored commercial finance service, delivered on behalf of the Ambition North Wales Clean Energy Fund, which is designed to support businesses to invest in clean energy and reduce carbon emissions.
For Spring Gardens, the decision to work with UMi came down to the experience itself as much as the funding.
“The team were approachable, proactive, and took the time to understand what we were trying to achieve,” Tom explains. “Yes, we wanted funding, but we chose UMi and the Clean Energy Fund because of the support they gave us throughout the process.”
Turning plans into practical action
With UMi’s support, Spring Gardens Holiday Park secured commercial finance to invest in a solar energy solution.
This included the installation of over 100 solar panels on the park’s clubhouse roof, which will deliver an annual carbon saving of 10,607kg CO2.
Throughout the process, UMi provided guidance and support, helping the team navigate the application and delivery stages with confidence.
Tom adds: “Having that support made a huge difference. It helped us move forward with something that might otherwise have felt quite complex.”
Reducing costs and building resilience
- The installation is already helping Spring Gardens Holiday Park:
• Reduce its reliance on external energy sources
• Improve energy security
• Lower long-term operating costs
• Cut carbon emissions
Leading by example
For Tom, the project is also about showing what’s possible. He hopes their experience encourages other businesses to think differently about how they manage energy.
By using finance to invest in clean energy, Spring Gardens Holiday Park is demonstrating how businesses of all sizes can take meaningful steps towards sustainability.
Tom says: “If it works for us, it can work for others too. Sometimes it’s just about knowing what’s available and having the confidence to take that first step.
”It’s an investment that will pay off long-term, of course, but it has also made an immediate difference in reducing our bills. We are able to use the savings towards the loan repayments for the panels.”
Looking to invest in clean energy?
If you’re a North Wales business considering how to reduce your energy costs and make your operations more sustainable, get in touch for a chat about your goals.
O gostau cynyddol i ynni glân: mae Spring Gardens yn buddsoddi mewn dyfodol gwyrdd cadarnhaol
Mae Parc Gwyliau Spring Gardens yng ngogledd Cymru wedi adeiladu enw da am greu gofod croesawgar, cymunedol i berchnogion ymlacio a gorffwys ynddo. Gyda chefnogaeth Cronfa Ynni Glân Gogledd Cymru – sy’n rhan o Gynllun Twf Gogledd Cymru a redir gan Uchelgais Gogledd Cymru – mae'r busnes bellach yn cymryd camau ymarferol i sicrhau ei ddyfodol ynni drwy leihau costau a buddsoddi mewn ffordd fwy cynaliadwy o weithredu. Wedi'i leoli ger Llanelwy, mae Parc Gwyliau Spring Gardens yn cynnig lleoliad heddychlon i berchnogion carafanau statig a chabanau gwyliau.
Yn eiddo i Gwyn a Haf Williams a'u hŵyr, Tom Williams, mae'r parc wedi'i drawsnewid o safle teithiol adfeiliedig i gymuned wyliau ffyniannus 72 llain, gyda phwyslais cryf ar gysylltiad a rhannu profiad.
O gynnal digwyddiadau rheolaidd i berchnogion i gadw tŷ clwb croesawgar, mae'r parc wedi'i gynllunio i gynnig y teimlad o gartref oddi cartref.
Mynd i'r afael â'r her o gostau ynni cynyddol
Fel llawer o fusnesau, mae Parc Gwyliau Spring Gardens wedi wynebu pwysau cynyddol oherwydd costau ynni uwch.
Gyda chyfleusterau i'w rhedeg ac ymrwymiad i gynnal profiad o ansawdd uchel i berchnogion, roedd dod o hyd i ateb cynaliadwy a chost-effeithiol yn flaenoriaeth.
Ar yr un pryd, roedd cyfle clir i fabwysiadu agwedd fwy rhagweithiol at ynni, gan wella effeithlonrwydd wrth leihau effaith amgylcheddol.
Dywedodd y Rheolwr Gyfarwyddwr, Tom Williams: "Mae costau ynni wedi dod yn bryder gwirioneddol i fusnesau fel ein un ni. Roedden ni eisiau chwilio am ffordd i gymryd rhywfaint o reolaeth yn ôl a gwneud y parc yn fwy cynaliadwy ar gyfer yr hirdymor."
Dod o hyd i'r gefnogaeth gywir
I ystyried y dewisiadau posib, aeth y perchnogion at UMi trwy ei wasanaeth cyllid masnachol sy’n cael ei ddarparu ar ran Uchelgais Gogledd Cymru, ac wedi'i gynllunio i gefnogi busnesau i fuddsoddi mewn ynni glân a lleihau allyriadau carbon.
Ar gyfer Spring Gardens, roedd y penderfyniad i weithio gydag UMi yn ymwneud â’r profiad ei hun, nid dim ond y cyllid.
"Roedd y tîm yn hawdd i gysylltu â hwy, yn rhagweithiol, ac yn cymryd amser i ddeall yr hyn yr oedden ni’n trio ei gyflawni," eglura Tom. "Wrth gwrs, roedden ni eisiau’r cyllid, ond fe wnaethon ni ddewis UMi a'r Gronfa Ynni Glân oherwydd y gefnogaeth a roddwyd i ni trwy gydol y broses."
Troi cynlluniau'n weithredu ymarferol
Gyda chefnogaeth UMi, sicrhaodd Parc Gwyliau Spring Gardens gyllid masnachol i fuddsoddi mewn system ynni solar.
Roedd hyn yn cynnwys gosod dros 100 o baneli solar ar do tŷ clwb y parc, a fydd yn darparu arbediad carbon blynyddol o 10,607kg CO2.
Trwy gydol y broses, darparodd UMi arweiniad a chefnogaeth, gan helpu'r tîm i fynd trwy’r broses ymgeisio a chyflawni'n hyderus.
Yn ôl Tom: "Roedd cael y gefnogaeth honno'n gwneud gwahaniaeth mawr. Fe wnaeth ein helpu i symud ymlaen efo rhywbeth a allai fod wedi bod yn eitha’ cymhleth fel arall."
Lleihau costau ac adeiladu gwytnwch
Mae'r gosodiad eisoes yn helpu Parc Gwyliau Spring Gardens i:
Leihau ei ddibyniaeth ar ffynonellau ynni allanol
Gwella ei ddiogelwch ynni
Gostwng costau gweithredu yn yr hirdymor
Lleihau ei allyriadau carbon
Arwain drwy esiampl
I Tom, mae'r prosiect hefyd yn gyfle i ddangos yr hyn sy'n bosibl. Mae'n gobeithio y bydd eu profiad yn annog busnesau eraill i feddwl yn wahanol am sut maen nhw'n rheoli ynni.
Trwy fanteisio ar gyllid i fuddsoddi mewn ynni glân, mae Parc Gwyliau Spring Gardens yn dangos sut y gall busnesau o bob maint gymryd camau ystyrlon tuag at gynaliadwyedd.
Dywed Tom: "Os ydi o’n gweithio i ni, mi all weithio i eraill hefyd. Weithiau mae o’n ymwneud â gwybod be’ sydd ar gael a chael yr hyder i wneud y cam cyntaf 'na.
"Wrth gwrs, mae'n fuddsoddiad a fydd yn talu ar ei ganfed yn yr hirdymor, ond mae o hefyd wedi gwneud gwahaniaeth ar unwaith i ni wrth ostwng ein biliau. Ryden ni’n gallu defnyddio'r arbedion i dalu arian yn ôl ar y benthyciadau ar gyfer y paneli."
Ydych chi'n meddwl buddsoddi mewn ynni glân?
Os ydych chi'n fusnes yng ngogledd Cymru sy'n ystyried sut i leihau eich costau ynni a gweithredu’n fwy cynaliadwy, cysylltwch â ni am sgwrs am eich amcanion.