The takeover of holiday park Het Samen in Kaatsheuvel has hit like a bomb among regular guests in recent days. Some have been there for decades, but they will have to pack their bags in two seasons. The new owner has other plans for the campsite.
“You have lost your place”, says an emotional Andries van Opstal in his caravan. He sobs. “We have recently renovated the caravan. My wife and I thought we would grow old here together. And then those letters came… At first I thought it was an April Fools’ Day joke.”
75-year-old Van Opstal refers to messages from the former owner of the recreation park and the new owner. The former owners, the Megens family, sell the campsite immediately to the company Marvilla-Parks. This has several large parks, especially in France.
That company completely changes course at the holiday park. There will be all kinds of new houses and a new water park, according to a letter to the guests. So far so goodyou would say. Were it not for the fact that Marvilla-Parks has decided that there is still room for two more seasons for all annual guests. Then they should be gone.
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That decision has a big impact on the guests. “It really is a fantastic place. We have been here for five years now and we are having a great time. The area is beautiful, you can enjoy cycling here,” says Van Opstal.
Regular camping guest Madeleine from The Hague is also completely upset. She comes there almost every weekend. “The children were raised here and now the grandchildren are also coming to visit. Our caravan is in the most beautiful spot: on the edge of the forest where we see deer and squirrels,” says De Haagse. “We have put a lot of money into this. This feels like the worst thing that could happen to us. I’m crying all day.”
Madeleine feels overwhelmed by the decision and abandoned by the former owners. Marian Megens, who ran the park with her husband for 24 years, can imagine this.
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“We have told the new owners to treat the guests well. But in the end they are in charge and we have nothing to say about what happens to the park,” she responds.
Actually, the Megens family had no intention of selling the park, Marian says. “Our children were going to take over, but then out of nowhere a good offer came up. A lot has changed due to corona: catering staff was no longer available. Sometimes our kitchen or the terrace had to be closed. That also led to swearing. The pleasure in work disappeared.”
However, the regular guests are not interested in that now, says Madeleine. She has to look for a new place. Although some are looking for possibilities to legally challenge the decision. Madeleine: “But I’m afraid we don’t have a leg to stand on. We will go down fighting.”
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