This week, we sat down with the Johnson-Lairds Family, a happy, young family who own a holiday home at Mersea Island Holiday Park in Essex.

After a cup of tea and a tour of their lovely holiday home, we asked the family to share their experience of holiday home ownership and what they love most about having a home from home right by the coast.

Here’s our video interview with the Johnson-Lairds!

Q: Thanks for agreeing to talk to us about your experience. How long have you owned a holiday home here at Mersea Island?

This is the third summer that we’ve had our holiday home here but we’ve been coming to the island in a tourer for a years before that.

Q: Have you owned a holiday home before?

This is the first holiday home we’ve owned but my parents have had a holiday home here for more than 30 years so I’ve been coming here since then.

Q. What was it you liked about the idea of owning your own holiday home?

We like to have the ability to get away from work, really. We both work from home and it provides freedom for the kids. It’s like a holiday every weekend – it’s just great.

Q: How often do you get to come and use it? 

Well, we come and use our holiday home most weekends and we stay over here sometimes during school holidays. We live for the Friday. I start work Monday and all I can concentrate on is Friday evening. We pack the car and get down to the caravan.

Q. Owning your own holiday home sounds pretty glamorous …but can you tell us how you came to the decision to buy?

We go on holiday abroad every year and waiting a whole year for another holiday is a long time. So we wondered why not go on holiday every weekend? The kids are off school for 13 weeks of the year so there is a lot of time to enjoy it.

It’s affordable every month, it’s part of our budget along with other home bills and stuff. We tried a tourer first and it was like a half way step and we really enjoyed it.

Q. Can you tell us what owning a place is like for your family?  Can you describe what it feels like?

Well, I have to say, until you do it no one really knows what it’s quite like but having done it, I love it. It’s the best thing we’ve ever done.

It’s very relaxing to have our own holiday home. Back home there’s always jobs and chores and things to be done, but here we’re outside, we’re relaxing and we spend more time with the kids.

What do you think of all the recent enhancements to the park?

I think the things they’re doing to the park is brilliant for the children. It looks so much smarter!

I love it! When you come in now it looks lovely and secure. What they’re doing is definitely for the better. The indoor pool makes it more usable all year round and it’s a massive improvement.

Do you go to the owners events?

The ones I’ve been to include a singers’ event and the scones and prosecco was a nice one. I liked the hog roast too, nice food.

What do you like about owning at Mersea Island?

I love the island. I love the fact it is an island. It’s a small community and I’ve come here for so long to me it’s like a home from home. Me and my sister grew up here and we just love Mersea.