Park Holidays UK
 | |
| Private Limited Company | |
| Industry | Leisure / Holiday |
| Predecessor |
Cinque Ports Leisure Ltd (to January 2007) |
| Founded | 1984 (original co.) |
| Founder | Peter Bull & Jim Watson |
| Headquarters | Hastings, East Sussex |
Number of locations | 24 caravan holiday parks in southern England |
Key people |
Jeffrey Sills Alasdair Loch[1] |
| Services | Operation of holiday home parks |
| Revenue |
 £83.6m (2012) |
|
£17.3m (2012) | |
| Profit |
£12.0m (2012) |
Number of employees | 579 (average, 2012) |
| Website |
www |
Park Holidays UK operate 24 holiday parks in the South of England and are the largest holiday park operator along the South Coast.[2] 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.[3][4] Park Holidays UK are also members of the British Holiday and Home Parks Association (BH&HPA) and the National Caravan Council.[5]
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.
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), five in Kent (Marlie, New Beach, Alberta, Seaview, Harts), four in Essex (Steeple Bay, Oaklands, Seawick, St Osyth Beach) and two in Suffolk (Felixstowe Beach, Suffolk Sands).
In 2006 the business was sold to Graphite Capital, 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 expanded into South Devon. In 2009 the company was nominated for 'Best UK Domestic Holiday Operator' in the British Travel Awards.[7][8]
All Park Holidays UK parks have been awarded the ‘Approved Holiday Park’ status by the National Caravan Council (NCC). Park Holidays UK was also awarded the prestigious ‘Investors in People – Bronze Award’ status in recognition of the training and development of their staff.
In November 2013, the company completed a buy-in, management buy-out which facilitated continued investment and further acquisitions.[9] The purchase of Broadland Sands Holiday Park in Suffolk was completed in December 2014.[10]
Holiday Parks
Park Holidays UK operate 24 parks across seven counties.
Devon
- Golden Sands, Dawlish
- Dawlish Sands, Dawlish Warren
- Landscove, Brixham
- Riviera Bay, Brixham
- Waterside, Paignton
Dorset
- Sandhills
Essex
- Oaklands, Nr Clacton-on-Sea
- St Osyth Beach, Nr Clacton-on-Sea
- Steeple Bay, Nr Maldon
- Seawick, Nr Clacton-on-Sea
Hampshire
- Solent Breezes, Nr Fareham
Kent
- Alberta, Nr Whistable
- Harts, Isle of Sheppey
- Marlie, New Romney
- New Beach, Dymchurch
- Seaview, Whitstable
Suffolk
- Felixstowe Bay, Felixstowe
- Suffolk Sands, Felixstowe
- Broadland Sands, Lowestoft
Sussex
- Coghurst Hall, Hastings
- Chichester Lakeside, Chichester
- Beauport, Hastings
- Rye Harbour, Rye
- Winchelsea Sands, Winchelsea
Characters
Park Holidays UK has 3 kids club characters, these are Loopy Rabbit who is the main character and Cyril the Squirrel and new in 2014 Penny the hedgehog. These characters can usually be seen around the parks on most days and also make regular appearances at Kids Club events.
References
- ↑ Park Holidays UK Limited, Directors' Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2010, approved 16 May 2011
- ↑ "About Park Holidays UK". Retrieved December 2013.
- ↑ David Bellamy Conservation Awards
- ↑ "Environmental Work by Park Holidays UK". Retrieved January 2012.
- ↑ National Caravan Council - Park Holidays UK
- ↑ Ersnt & Young - Entrepreneur 2007 Award Recipients
- ↑ British Travel Awards - Past Winners
- ↑ "Park Holidays UK History". Retrieved December 2013.
- ↑ Akhtar, Tanzeel (11 November 2013). "Interactive Investor". Interactive Investor.
- ↑ Shadbolt, Kara (20 January 2015). "Shoosmiths advises Park Holidays on acquisition Broadland Sands Holiday Park". Shoosmiths. Shoosmiths.