Park Holidays UK

Park Holidays UK Limited
Private Limited Company
Industry Leisure / Holiday
Predecessor Cinque Ports Leisure Ltd
(to January 2007)
Founded 1984 (original co.)
Founder Peter Bull & Jim Watson
Headquarters Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex
Number of locations
 26 caravan holiday parks in southern England
Key people
 Jeffrey Sills
Services Operation of holiday home parks
Revenue Increase £106.6m (2014)
Increase £22.6m (2014)
Profit Increase £16.2m (2014)
Number of employees
 579 (average, 2012)
Website www.parkholidays.com

Park Holidays UK operate 26 holiday parks in the South of England and are the largest holiday park operator along the South Coast.[1] The company also carries out conservation work in the areas around their parks and have been awarded the David Bellamy Conservation award for their efforts.[2] Park Holidays UK are also members of the British Holiday and Home Parks Association (BH&HPA) and the National Caravan Council, in which all of their holiday parks were awarded the ‘Approved Holiday Park’ by the NCC.[3]

History

The company was originally called Cinque Ports Leisure, founded by Peter Bull and Jim Watson in the mid 1980s. Frenchmans Beach at Rye Harbour was the first park to be owned, and as the company expanded to include other Kent and East Sussex parks the name Cinque Ports Leisure was introduced to emphasize the regional base, Cinque Ports being a collection of five Kent and East Sussex ports.

The company significantly expanded in 2001 with the purchase of ten parks from Haven Holidays, which extended the company's presence west into Dorset and Hampshire and north into Essex and Suffolk.[4]

In total, Park Holidays UK now operates five Parks in Devon (Riviera Bay, Landscove, Waterside, Dawlish Sands, Golden Sands) one in Dorset (Sandhills), one in Hampshire (Solent Breezes), five in Sussex (Beauport, Coghurst Hall, Chichester Lakeside, Winchelsea Sands, Rye Harbour Holiday Park), six in Kent (Marlie, New Beach, Alberta, Seaview, Harts, Birchington Vale), four in Essex (Steeple Bay, Oaklands, Seawick, St Osyth Beach) and three in Suffolk (Felixstowe Beach, Suffolk Sands, Broadland Sands).

In 2006 the business was sold to Graphite Capital,[5] with Peter Bull continuing his involvement, and in 2007 he was awarded the Ernst & Young London Overall & Master Entrepreneur of the Year award.[6]

The company changed name to Park Holidays UK in 2007, reflecting its more national coverage having plans to expand into South Devon the following year.[7]

In 2008, the company acquired two new holiday parks in Dawlish Warren, Devon - Golden Sands Holiday Park and Peppermint Holiday Park.[8]

In 2009 the company was nominated for 'Best UK Domestic Holiday Operator' in the British Travel Awards.[9]

In November 2013, Park Holidays UK was sold by Graphite Capital to Caledonia Investments for £172m.[10] The company completed a buy-in, management buy-out which facilitated continued investment and further acquisitions.[11]

The purchase of Broadland Sands Holiday Park in Suffolk was completed in December 2014.[12]

In 2015 Park Holidays UK purchased Two Chimneys Holiday Park, a popular 5-star holiday park situated in Kent - and one of the largest of its kind. Upon re-opening, the park was renamed Birchington Vale, to reflect its location in 100 acres of tranquil North Kent countryside.[13]

In December 2015, Park Holidays UK relocated its head office from Coghurst Hall, Hastings, to Glovers House, Bexhill-on-Sea, the first development to be completed in the newly built Bexhill Enterprise Park.[14]

Holiday Parks

Park Holidays UK operate 26 parks across seven counties.

Devon

Dorset

Essex

Hampshire

Kent

Suffolk

Sussex

Characters

Park Holidays UK has 3 kids club characters which are Loopy Rabbit, who is the main character, Cyril the Squirrel and Penny Prickles. These characters can usually be seen around the parks on most days and also make regular appearances at Kids Club events and entertainment.

References

  1. ↑ "About Park Holidays UK". Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  2. ↑ David Bellamy Conservation Awards
  3. ↑ National Caravan Council - Park Holidays UK
  4. ↑ 2001 Haven Acquisition reference
  5. ↑ Graphite Capital buys in to Park Holidays UK
  6. ↑ Ersnt & Young - Entrepreneur 2007 Award Recipients
  7. ↑ London Stock Exchange - Park Holidays 2007 re-branding reference
  8. ↑ Graphite Capital backs further acquisitions by Park Holidays UK -Golden Sands and Peppermint holiday parks
  9. ↑ British Travel Awards - Past Winners
  10. ↑ Graphite Capital - Press Release
  11. ↑ Akhtar, Tanzeel (11 November 2013). "Interactive Investor". Interactive Investor.
  12. ↑ Shadbolt, Kara (20 January 2015). "Shoosmiths advises Park Holidays on acquisition Broadland Sands Holiday Park". Shoosmiths. Shoosmiths.
  13. ↑ Popular five-star Kent caravan park acquired by Park Holidays
  14. ↑ Park Holidays UK has relocated its head office offsite from Coghurst Hall in Hastings to Glovers House in the Bexhill Enterprise Park.
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