The popular former manager of North Alves caravan park, Andres Vazquez Gomez, has died aged 83.
The father-of-five, who also ran The Old Mill Inn and caravan park in Brodie, served holidaymakers in the north of Scotland for four decades.
Move to the UK
Andres Vazquez Gomez was born in La Coruna, Spain, in 1939.
Son of Andrea and Emanuel – a haulage contractor – he was part of a large family comprising five boys and two girls.
In his early 20s Andres began working on ships sailing between Spain and the UK, this led to an opportunity to relocate to England.
Initially in the same line of work, he lived in the south of the country.
Other jobs followed including a move into hospitality with a stint at the Dorchester Hotel where he met The Beatles.
After just a couple of years Andres decided to move north.
New home in Scotland
From the outset Andres fell in love with Scotland. He began building a new life in his adopted home. While visiting Gleaneagles he met Carol Paton from Auchterarder.
As a couple they would form a winning team – working and raising a family together.
In 1973 they took over the Old Mill hotel and caravan park in Brodie, Forres.
Running the popular spot would equip them for their next step, becoming leaseholders of North Alves caravan park in 1983.
The almost 20-acre site comprising almost 100 static vans and space for touring caravans, kept the pair busy for decades.
Family affair
Andres devoted himself to the upkeep of the park including ground maintenance and the business side of the operation while Carol juggled working in the NAAFI at RAF Kinloss, auxiliary teaching and cleaning the caravans.
In his spare time he liked to tee-off at Hopeman Golf Club and watch his beloved Celtic on television. When the children grew up he was also able to visit Spain more regularly.
Andres also served as a member of his local community council.
In 2007 Carol passed away suddenly after a short illness.
Andres successfully manage to keep running the site on his own for eight years, reticent to leave behind a lifetime of family memories at the park. However, with the onset of arthritis, and after almost 40 years as the man behind North Alves caravan park, he retired in 2015.
He moved into his Cummingston bungalow, which he had been renting out.
‘Loved his life’
“My dad was a very traditional man. Hard working and dedicated to his family. He could be very serious – and had very definite thoughts on how things should be done,” said Ana Maria, Andres’ daughter. “He rarely spoke Spanish in the home but was very proud to have come from Spain, however, he loved Scotland and loved the life he built here.”
Andres moved into Grove Care Home in Elgin in June 2022 following a mixed diagnosis of vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Andres died peacefully in the early hours of May 23.
He leaves behind his five children: Monica, Pauline, Donna, Miguel and Ana Maria. He was also a doting papa to his eight grandchildren.
Tributes
Dozens of online tributes have been posted on the North Alves Holiday Park Facebook page.
John Peden wrote: “Andres was an absolute gentleman. Had many a conversation with him over the years whilst visiting Alves whilst [he was] on his ride-on mower cutting the site’s grass, and had a few games of table tennis too with him and Miguel.”
Tracey Scott-Boland added: “So sad to hear this news. Such a lovely man, always made time to stop and say hello. A true gentleman.”
Anne Wilkie said she knew the family at Brodie Mill and followed them, van in tow, to Alves. Adding: “He will be missed by all who knew him.”
His funeral will take place at Alves Parish Church on Friday June 2 at 12pm, thereafter to Alves Cemetery where he will be laid to rest with his wife Carol.
You can read the family’s announcement here.
Conversation