The ‘staycation’ trend boosts Park Leisure

York-based Park Leisure, which owns 11 holiday parks across the UK, has reported a turnover of £28.4m in the six months leading to June 30 2015, up 56 per cent on the same period in 2014.

The firm also announced an operating profit of £3.4m in the six-month period, up 70 per cent on last year, and an increase in EBITDA of 59 per cent to £5.1m.

Gary Molloy, CEO at Park Leisure, said: “The surge in popularity of caravanning and holidaying in the UK, as well as our recent acquisition and mass investment across the 11 sites, has meant we are able to boast our most successful year and a half to date.”

He told The Yorkshire Post: “I think there’s more and more people looking for their own piece of Britain to go holidaying in.”

Mr Molloy added that a lot of people were looking to holiday closer to home as it was less stressful and safer than travelling abroad.

“Some people are fed up of all the stress and hassle of going abroad. I just think there’s a new breed of British people who are wanting to spend more time in their own country,” he said.

Jo Cowl, finance director at Park Leisure, said that ease of access was a reason for the popularity of holidaying at home.

She said: “From my own point of view one of the things that I’ve noticed since joining Park Leisure is the fact that people tend to buy a caravan or lodge only a couple of hours away from where they live. So they can actually get over to their holiday home practically every weekend, which gives them a lot more opportunities to enjoy the countryside.”

Earlier this year, the company strengthened its empire of country and leisure parks and nearly 3,000 holiday homes, with the £15m acquisition of luxury location, Plas Coch Holiday Homes in Anglesey.

Ms Cowl said: “We’ve taken some new acquisitions into the business in the previous 12 months which have contributed to some of the growth.

“ We’ve got a fairly challenging full-year forecast that we’re working towards and the half year results that we’ve put in have put us ahead of that.”

Mr Molloy said: “The acquisition of Plas Coch Holiday Homes was a major milestone for Park Leisure, helping us to achieve even bigger presence in the UK across a total of 11 sites.

“It provided a significant growth opportunity for the company as we continue to push industry boundaries, offering five star, premium holiday parks unlike anywhere else in the UK.”

The addition of Plas Coch to the portfolio means that the company now employs 300 staff members across its 11 parks, a 100 per cent increase since 2011.

Park Leisure made further investment, totalling £2.1m, in the first half of this year. Improving the luxury offering and facilities at each of its 11 locations.

The firm says it plans to continue to invest heavily in existing facilities in order to further exceed the expectations of both new and existing customers, and is also considering further acquisitions.

“We’re always looking for acquisitions, but it has to fit into our portfolio,” said Mr Molloy.

Park Leisure is also planning on launching two new products next year. It plans to introduce a concierge service at every park, similar to a five star hotel.

It will also be launching Park Leisure Experience which ensures a dedicated experience programme for all owners and their children, including activities like coasteering, surfing and water sports to falconry, hill walking and rock climbing.

A growing industry

Nearly 200,000 Brits now own a static holiday home in the UK, investing an average of £55,000, according to a report by Onepoll and Park Leisure.

Of those surveyed half saved for years to fund their dream holiday home with one in ten using their pension and one in five re-mortgaging their first home.

Park Leisure was founded in 1998 by Gary Molloy, Miles Dewhurst and Phillip Burton.

The first park was acquired in 1999, with a further ten parks opening over a period of 16 years. The York-based firm has three parks in North Yorkshire.

Across the whole business it employs 300 people.