Holiday park in takeover by national operator
ONE of the big holiday parks on Ashbourne’s outskirts has been taken over by a major national operator.
Ashbourne Heights, off the A515 in Fenny Bentley, has been acquired by Park Holidays UK, becoming the firm’s first Derbyshire park, and its 42nd in total.
The lodge-based holiday park, which sits alongside the Tissington Trail, is one of nine holiday parks operated by Bridge Leisure, which has now become now part of Park Holidays UK.
Contracts for the sale were exchanged last month, and the deal is now subject to approval by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Park Holidays UK director Tony Clish says that the company has now become one of the largest single providers of park-based family holidays in Britain.
He said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be joining forces with Bridge Leisure which, like us, has invested substantially in their parks over recent years, constantly driving up quality standards.
“Also, like Park Holidays UK, they have allowed their parks to develop separate individual identities over time which reflect the different areas in which they operate. This is something in which we and our customers take great pride, and we will be keen to preserve their distinct character as they continue to expand.
“We will now be committing even more investment to ensuring their facilities and services meet the highest possible standards, and in further upgrading accommodation and infrastructure.
“Whether customers are looking for holiday stays or to buy a holiday home, we intend to ensure that our group’s parks always deliver a firstclass experience at an affordable cost.
“With Bridge Leisure’s other parks in Cornwall, Devon, Yorkshire and Scotland, we now have a strong national platform to serve the fastgrowing staycation market.
Park Holidays UK was formed over 35 years ago, and its portfolio of coastal parks has been built up largely in southern England, from Devon in the west to Suffolk in the east.
Bridge Leisure was founded in
2008 and has grown through the acquisition and development of selected holiday parks.