The Jack Lazenby Interview

Justin Allitt chats with Jack Lazenby, Commercial Trading Manager at Towergate Insurance, to discuss the park industry, his role in it, and what he likes to do when not working.

Hi Jack, you’ve worked for Towergate for a while now – How did you get the role?

I started working for Towergate in 2016, helping park home and caravan owners arrange their insurance. I enjoyed this time, getting to know this industry’s fantastic customers. After a brief foray into marine insurance, I took a position working in our commercial team providing business insurance for park operators in late 2017 – the rest, as they say, is history!

We’ve had some turbulent times over the last couple of years – What will happen in the next couple?

Turbulent is the right word! The lockdowns of the last two years were hard on everybody in the industry, but some parks have also seen some of their busiest periods.

On a personal level, everybody has their own experience of the last two years, and I feel lucky to say mine has been broadly positive. In particular, it has been incredibly fulfilling working at Towergate and supporting the industry during these unprecedented times!

Looking ahead, the economic situation is an obvious concern, with the cost-of-living crisis and inflation presenting difficulties that, to some extent, we will all have to face together. Ensure your insurance protects you and your business adequately and appropriately as your needs change.

It’s important to remember there are reasons to be hugely optimistic about the next two years, though! With the end to lockdowns and the constant evolution that we see in the industry, it’s an exciting time to be involved in ‘Park World’!

If you weren’t in the park industry, what would you do?

My two major interests are food and sports (with the latter helping to offset the former!), so I would probably look to one of those sectors. There’s been a sales aspect to all my roles, and I couldn’t imagine myself in a position that didn’t at least have some sales element, so perhaps I’d try to combine those elements somehow!

What do you like to do when not working?

I love to cook; I find that time spent in the kitchen can be a great way to decompress after a busy week. I’ve always been a huge fan of sports and fitness too, which is why I love to run most days and try to play golf and football every week. Any genuine ‘down time’ I have is spent watching the cricket or the football, although as a Manchester United fan, the less said there, the better!

Is there any advice you’d like to share with those starting in the industry?

Remember that it’s people that do business, not companies. With so many great people in this industry, time spent getting to know people and developing relationships is never wasted. It’s an incredibly hard-working industry, too, so keeping up the pace is important. Oh, and whatever your role, make sure you visit the parks that make the industry so diverse and exciting!

Which clients would you love to help?

Many parks have faced an incredibly busy period over the last two years, and keeping your insurance fully updated in a rapidly changing environment can be difficult. I’d also love to give park owners confidence that they have the cover levels they need at a competitive premium price.

Read the Ray Currie from Atlas Leisure Homes interview here.