by Joe Jeffrey
New acquisition marks first takeover since Park Resorts and Parkdean merger last year
Parkdean Resorts has acquired Vauxhall Holiday Park in Great Yarmouth for an undisclosed sum – its first acquisition since Parkdean and Park Resorts merged in November 2015.
Vauxhall Holiday Park, a single park operation located in walking distance from Great Yarmouth, has been owned and developed by the Biss family since 1964 and provides holidays and short breaks for in excess of 80,000 holidaymakers each year. The park is a pure holiday hire business (with no holiday home owners), with substantial associated on park retail and leisure facilities and is the only five star park in Great Yarmouth. Together with providing great family holidays, it is uniquely renowned for its weekender music festivals and special events including the “Caister Soul Weekender” and “Skamouth” amongst others.
The freehold park comprises 180 touring and camping pitches, 390 caravans and lodges, and 48 apartments across 41 acres and features a substantial range of high quality retail facilities including the 2,100 capacity V-Arena, 350 seat V-lounge, a carvery restaurant, a sports bar, coffee shop, five other separate food outlets and an amusement arcade. Leisure facilities include the Tropical Water World with indoor main pool, water slides and fun pool, splash zone and paddling pool, a fitness suite and multi-sport area.
John Waterworth, chief executive of Parkdean Resorts said: “This continues our long term buy and build strategy which has been successful in developing Parkdean Resorts into the sector leading business it is today. Vauxhall is a thriving and well-managed park that will fit perfectly into the Parkdean Resorts portfolio offering customers even broader choice in Norfolk alongside our other parks East Anglia. We intend to build on the success of the special events and expand the business via capital investment in new accommodation and by extension of the holiday season.
“Parkdean Resorts is confident of another successful year of growth, with holiday sales for the year 9% ahead of 2015. The group has been acquisitive since its formation and we see further opportunities in this highly fragmented sector via both single parks and multi-site portfolios.”
