Parkdean Resorts

Parkdean Resorts is a holiday park operator in the United Kingdom.

Park resorts
Private Limited Company
IndustryLeisure / Holiday
PredecessorParkdean Holidays Park Resorts
FoundedNovember 2015
HeadquartersNewcastle upon Tyne
Number of locations
67 holiday parks in the UK
Key people
Steve Richards
Martin Robinson
Ian Kellett
Catherine Lynn
Judith Archibold
Mos Shamel
ProductsSelf catering holiday parks
OwnerOnex Corporation
Number of employees
Over 6,000 in peak season[1]
ParentPD Park Holdings Limited group
Websiteparkdeanresorts.co.uk

Parkdean Resorts was formed in November 2015 through the merger of Parkdean Holidays and Park Resorts. Operating 67 holiday parks across England, Scotland and Wales,[2] Parkdean Resorts is currently the largest holiday park operator in the UK.[3]

Parkdean operated 24 holiday parks across South West England, South Wales, Scotland and East Anglia[4] while Park Resorts operated 48 holiday parks across the South and East coast of England, Scotland, Wales and the Isle of Wight.[5] In July 2016 the business acquired Vauxhall Holiday Park based in Great Yarmouth which caters to 80,000 holidaymakers a year.[6]

As of June 2019, Parkdean Resorts' CEO is Steve Richards, taking over from John Waterworth who previously led the business for almost 20 years.[7]

History

Legacy brands

Parkdean Holidays was formed in November 1999 with a management buyout of Trecco Bay Holiday Park in Wales[8] for £21.4 million, and has since grown through a ‘buy and build’ strategy, growing to operate 24 parks in 2015. Parkdean Holidays was acquired by Alchemy Partners in March 2006,[9] valuing the Company at £139.7m.

Park Resorts was created in March 2001 when CBPE (Close Brothers Private Equity), in partnership with a management buy-out team of three led by David Vaughan, decided to purchase twelve Haven freehold caravan parks from Bourne Leisure Ltd. The deal was finalised in May 2001 at a reported cost of £46m.[10] Park Resorts has grown from 12 Caravan Parks in 2001 to 48 Holiday Parks in 2015. Park Resorts management team and Epiris (formally Electra Partners)[11] acquired the business in July 2013.

Merger

The merger of Parkdean Holidays and Park Resorts was completed in November 2015 following approval from both the Financial Conduct Authority and the Competition and Markets Authority.[12]

Ownership changes

In December 2016 it was announced that Parkdean Resorts had been purchased by the Canadian private equity company Onex Corporation for £1.35bn from Alchemy & Epiris. Onex stated it plans to invest up to £600m into the newly acquired company.[13] The purchase was completed on 3 August 2017.[14]

Awards

In November 2019, Parkdean Resorts won two awards at the annual British Travel Awards:[15]

  • "Best UK Family Holiday Company *Large*" - Gold
  • "Best UK Holiday Parks and Lodges Company" - Bronze

Coronavirus response

Parkdean Resorts closed its parks to the public on the 23rd March 2020 due to COVID-19, and has announced plans to re-open to the public on 6 July – subject to government advice.[16] The company has stated that it will enforce the necessary social distancing measures that will enable holidaymakers to use facilities such as swimming pools, restaurants and bars.[17]

During the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, Parkdean was criticized for not shutting down its travel parks during a time when the government was advising citizens to avoid all but essential travel. Parkdean replied that the caravans are standalone and separated from each other and 70% are privately owned, saying there is "no instruction or logic to evicting people who are enjoying the fresh air in their own space."[18] On the 20th of March 2020, Parkdean shut down all restaurants, pools, and other facilities in response to a nationwide Government order.[19] However, they remained open for people to stay, despite many other parks in the industry closing.[20][21][22]

Welsh Health Minister Vaughan Gething objected to the parks staying open in Wales, saying "There's clear advice for people to avoid unnecessary travel and going to your caravan on the weekend doesn't strike me as necessary travel.".[23] Local people in multiple locations where Parkdean operates were described as "angry and concerned" about the decision to stay open. They expressed concern that it would place pressure on sparsely populated areas that are already struggling to obtain food supplies[24] and that it would further spread the virus from metropolitan areas to remote rural areas that were poorly equipped to deal with it.[25] There was concern that an influx of seasonal population to sparsely populated rural holiday locations had the potential to cripple their local health services at a time when they were very vulnerable.[26] Static Caravan owners have also complained that full charges are being sought for pitch fees despite facilities and access being unavailable.

During the pandemic in the UK, Parkdean Resorts instructed its parks to donate remaining food, drinks and hygiene products to local communities, including food banks, schools and medical centres,[27] as well as offering free emergency accommodation to NHS workers who were unable to return home.[28]

Despite many businesses in the travel sector issuing redundancies due to COVID-19, Parkdean Resorts confirmed it would be supporting and retaining all of its employees, and offering 100% salary to those on furlough.[29]

Parkdean Resorts confirmed on the 10th of June 2020 that as a result of COVID-19 holiday home owners would receive a 50% credit towards 2021 site pitch fees.[30]

Holiday parks operated by Parkdean Resorts

As of 2018, Parkdean Resorts operates 67 holiday parks across the UK.[31]

  • Barmston Beach, Yorkshire
  • Bideford Bay, Devon
  • Breydon Water, East Anglia & Lincolnshire
  • Brynowen, Wales
  • California Cliffs, East Anglia & Lincolnshire
  • Camber Sands, East Sussex
  • Carmarthen Bay, Wales
  • Cayton Bay, Yorkshire
  • Challaborough Bay, Devon
  • Cherry Tree, East Anglia & Lincolnshire
  • Church Point, Northumberland & County Durham
  • Coopers Beach, Essex
  • Crantock Beach, Cornwall
  • Creswell Towers, Northumberland & County Durham
  • Crimdon Dene, Northumberland & County Durham
  • Eyemouth, Scotland
  • Fallbarrow, Lake District
  • Gatebeck, Lake District
  • Grannie's Helian' Hame, Scotland
  • Hayling Island, Hampshire
  • Heacham Beach, East Anglia & Lincolnshire
  • Highfield Grange, Essex
  • Holywell Bay, Cornwall
  • Kessingland Beach, East Anglia & Lincolnshire
  • Landguard, Isle of Wight
  • Limefitt, Lake District
  • Looe Bay, Cornwall
  • Lower Hyde, Isle of Wight
  • Manor Park, East Anglia & Lincolnshire
  • Lizard Point, Cornwall
  • Nairn Lochloy, Scotland
  • Naze Marine, Essex
  • Newquay, Cornwall
  • Nodes Point, Isle of Wight
  • Ocean Edge, Lancashire
  • Pendine Sands, Wales
  • Regent Bay, Lancashire
  • Romney Sands, Kent
  • Ruda, Devon
  • Sandford, Dorset
  • Sandy Bay, Northumberland & County Durham
  • Sandylands, Scotland
  • Sea Acres, Cornwall
  • Skipsea Sands, Yorkshire
  • Southerness, Scotland
  • Southview, East Anglia & Lincolnshire
  • St. Margaret's Bay, Kent
  • St. Minver, Cornwall
  • Summerfields, East Anglia & Lincolnshire
  • Sundrum Castle, Scotland
  • Sunnydale, East Anglia & Lincolnshire
  • Thorness Bay, Isle of Wight
  • Todber Valley, Lancashire
  • Torquay, Devon
  • Trecco Bay, Wales
  • Tummel Valley, Scotland
  • Ty Mawr, Wales
  • Valley Farm, Essex
  • Vauxhall, East Anglia & Lincolnshire
  • Warmwell, Dorset
  • Wemyss Bay, Scotland
  • Weeley Bridge, Essex
  • West Bay, Dorset
  • White Acres, Cornwall
  • White Cross Bay, Lake District
  • Whitley Bay, Northumberland & County Durham
  • Withernsea Sands, Yorkshire
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References
  1. "Onex to Acquire Parkdean Resorts". Marketwired.com. 16 December 2016. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
  2. Kollewe, Julia. "Park Resorts merges with rival to create Britain's biggest holiday park firm". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  3. Martin, Ben. "Park Resorts merges with rival to create caravan parks giant". The Telegraph. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  4. "Interactive Holiday Park Map - Parkdean Holidays". www.parkdeanholidays.co.uk. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  5. "Family Holiday Parks in England, Scotland & Wales | Park Resorts". www.park-resorts.com. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  6. Walsh, Dominic. "Parkdean makes a splash with new deal". The Times. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  7. Manning, Jonathon. "Parkdean Resorts CEO John Waterworth to retire in summer". The Chronicle. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  8. "John Waterworth Chief Executive, Parkdean Holidays - British Hospitality Association". British Hospitality Association. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  9. "Alchemy turns Parkdean purchase into a reality". The Journal. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  10. "Bourne caravan parks sold". The Telegraph. 14 May 2001. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  11. Afanasieva, Dasha. "Electra Partners renamed Epiris as tries to forge new future". Reuters UK. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  12. Jameson, Angela (2 September 2015). "Park Resorts in £1bn merger with Parkdean". Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  13. McGoogan, Cara. "Caravan giant Parkdean sold to Canadian Onex for £1.35bn". The Telegraph. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  14. Carrigan, Laura. "Director of Investor Relations". Market Wired. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  15. British Travel Awards
  16. "Parkdean Resorts holidays open: When will Parkdean open again?". Express. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  17. "Parkdean Resorts announces reopening date - and guests can use swimming pools and bars". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  18. "Cornwall holiday parks and cottages slammed for staying open". Cornwall Live. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  19. "Coronavirus". Parkdean Resorts. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  20. "Haven closes all holiday parks including seven in Wales". South Wales Argus. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  21. "Three Pembrokeshire holiday parks close to safeguard visitors and staff". Western Telegraph. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  22. "All the places councils in Wales are closing because of the coronavirus pandemic". Wales Online. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  23. "Coronavirus: Action urged as travel advice ignored". BBC News. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  24. "Cornwall holiday parks and cottages slammed for staying open". Devon Live. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  25. "Parkdean in firing line as it's 'business as usual' at its Embo holiday resort despite coronavirus". Northern Times. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  26. "Cornwall holiday parks and cottages slammed for staying open". Plymouth Herald. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  27. "Parkdean Resorts donates supplies to foodbanks and community groups". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  28. "Parkdean Resorts provides free accommodation to NHS workers". Travel Weekly. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  29. "Parkdean Resorts: UK's largest holiday park operator agrees to close due to coronavirus". Devon Live. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  30. "Martin Lewis gives major refund update for Parkdean Resorts caravan owners". Mirror Online. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  31. "Holiday Park Locations". Parkdean Resorts. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
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