LEADING holiday park operator Parkdean Resorts has set out investment plans of £40.7m across its estate, with a primary focus on new accommodation for the 2019 holiday season.

Overall, £22.5m will be spent enhancing the caravan and lodge offering which will see more than 760 new caravans introduced on parks and £4.4m worth of refurbishments take place, while £1.5m will allow for 18 new luxury lodges to be added across eight locations.

A further £9.5m will be invested to strengthen park infrastructure and £1.8m will see retail developments on parks UK-wide.

In an innovative move for the sector, 53 one-bedroom caravans will be launched across 12 parks, specifically designed for couples a customer profile that Parkdean Resorts has identified as an area it is keen to develop.

Chief executive John Waterworth said: “We have lots of people that come along in twos on holiday so we will be introducing one-bedroom caravans for the first time with young couples, empty nesters and retired people in mind.”

Due to the increasing demand for lodge holidays, lodges will be expanded across parks – particularly those with four bedrooms – such as Ruda Holiday Park where four brand new three and four bedroom lodges to the sum of £400k will boost its lodge variety on offer. Hot tubs have also proved popular and 16 will be added to a number of existing models in key lodge destinations like Tummel Valley in Scotland and Warmwell in Dorset.

Opening up even more choice for ownership opportunities, new caravans and lodges have been introduced with a higher specification. Models from popular brands such as Victory Leisure Homes and Carnaby Caravans are now available at many ownership parks for the first time.

Upgrades to retail and leisure facilities include some exciting developments comprising new play area equipment as a result of a £350k investment. The likes of Devon's Challaborough Bay, Newquay in Cornwall, Grannie's Heilan' Hame in Scotland and Ocean Edge in Lancashire will all welcome newly-installed adventure playgrounds with trim trails, cradle swings, rope walks and climbing towers to keep young guests entertained and active outdoors.

This latest pledge takes Parkdean Resorts' investment total to over £165M since 2016 and cements the company's on-going commitment to continued improvement for its holidaymakers and holiday home owners.

John Waterworth continued: “It is with great pride that we announce a further significant investment across our parks this year, ahead of the 2019 season. Work is already underway to bring in these changes to accommodation, retail, entertainment and many other elements that make up the Parkdean Resorts experience, which we continue to build upon while listening to customer feedback and reacting to market demand.

“We're looking forward to hearing how our holidaymakers and holiday home owners receive the enhancements we're making.”

A total of 27 holiday parks are preparing to welcome 2019's first holidaymakers for February half-term.

For more information on Parkdean Resorts' 2019 investment visit https://www.parkdeanresorts.co.uk/why-book-with-us/investments/.

ENDS

Additional information:

• One-bedroom caravans will be added to Brynowen, Southerness, Wemyss Bay, Fallbarrow, Barmston Beach, Valley Farm, Camber Sands, Torquay, Sandford, Looe Bay, Crantock Beach and Lower Hyde Holiday Parks.
• £1.5m will bring new three and four-bedroom lodges to Tummel Valley, Pendine Sands, Wemyss Bay, Manor Park, Southview, Kessingland Beach, Lower Hyde and Ruda Holiday Parks.
• New holiday home ownership models available include The Victory Atlantic, The Carnaby Oakdale, The Atlas Debonair Lodge, The Atlas Sherwood Lodge, The Atlas Mirage, The Atlas Oasis and The Atlas Moonstone.
• £158k worth of arcade refurbishments will benefit a number of parks including Cayton Bay, White Acres and Newquay Holiday Parks.
• £350k will be spent on new play area equipment across Bideford Bay, Breydon Water, Carmarthen Bay, Cayton Bay, Challaborough Bay, Cherry Tree, Coopers Beach, Eyemouth, Hayling Island, Heacham Beach, Holywell Bay, Kessingland Beach, Looe Bay, Mullion, Newquay, Ocean Edge, Romney Sands, Southerness, Sunnydale, Todber Valley, Ty Mawr, Valley Farm, White Acres, Whitley Bay and Withernsea Sands Holiday Parks.
• £200k has been allocated to outdoor LED light installation, upgrading parks with more modern and environmentally friendly lighting which will reduce light pollution. Parks include Bideford Bay, Breydon Water, Brynowen, Cresswell Towers, Highfield Grange, Manor Park, Newquay, Sandy Bay, Skipsea Sands, St Minver, Thorness Bay, Vauxhall, White Acres, Whitley Bay and Withernsea Sands.
• Funds of £9.5m will be utilised across the regions on maintenance and infrastructure works.
• A further £6.5m will be invested throughout the year to continuously improve holiday park facilities.

Regional breakdown:

• £3.2m will be invested in Scotland. As well as investment in new accommodation, at Tummel Valley five hot tubs will be added to existing riverside lodges which will each receive a full refurbishment using a pot of £158k.
• £950k will be invested in the Lake District. At lakeside holiday park Fallbarrow, £55k has been allocated to create new jetties for boat launching and £91k will see two cottages fully refurbished with the addition of hot tubs on both.
• £1.7m will be invested in Yorkshire. Skipsea Sands will receive a brand new outdoor play area, crazy golf and beer garden, seeing a £125k cash injection. Meanwhile, Cayton Bay will benefit from a full arcade refurbishment worth £30k.
• £2.1m will be invested on the Isle of Wight. Over £1m will bring a mix of 49 new lodges and caravans to the four parks on the island.
• £2.8m will be invested in Devon. At Ruda £400k has been invested in four brand new three and four-bedroom lodges, in addition to almost £500k on new caravans. £100k will see the swimming pool at Bideford Bay refurbished and new equipment will be added to the outdoor play area.
• £1.5m will be invested in Dorset. The restaurants at Sandford and West Bay will be fully refurbished to become The Boathouse Bar & Restaurant thanks to £300k, and at Warmwell £67k will see 6 hot tubs added to existing lodges. Additionally at Warmwell, a further £68k has been allocated to refurbish the soft play and roller rink for parties, skating sessions and silent discos.
• £3.5m will be invested in Cornwall. £128k worth of arcade refurbishments will benefit White Acres and Newquay, and 95 new accommodation units will arrive at the region's eight parks.
• £5.6m will be invested in East Anglia and Lincolnshire. £3.5m is bound for new accommodation across the region's parks with over £957k bringing 43 new caravans to Vauxhall Holiday Park alone. Vauxhall's showbar is set for refurbishment with a £75k investment and at Southview £36k will see three hot tubs added to existing lodges.
• £1.4m will be invested in Kent and Sussex. St Margaret's Bay will welcome enhancements to the value of £175k including a restaurant refurbishment, renovated reception area and a swimming pool and spa refurbishment with, for the first time, a steam room.
• £531k will be invested in Hampshire. £315k will bring 15 new accommodation units to Hayling Island.
• £838k will be invested in Lancashire. Todber Valley's restaurant and bar will be refurbished as well as new equipment added to the outdoor play area including a double cradle swing and toddler's tower.
• £2.1m will be invested in Essex. £185k will facilitate upgrades to the swimming pool, accessible facilities and an arcade refurbishment at Valley Farm, whilst Naze Marine will receive a new shower block for touring holidaymakers.
• £3m will be invested in Wales. £200k is to be spent on a new and improved bowling alley at Trecco Bay Holiday Park; with four new lanes and equipment, as well as an impressive £895k on 39 new caravans across the park.
• £2m will be invested in the North East. £892k will bring 45 new accommodation units to the region's five holiday parks.

For all media enquiries, photography requests or more information please contact Kayleigh Hepburn or Sally Crossley by emailing kayleigh@opr.co.uk / sally@opr.co.uk or call 0191 232 5690.

Notes to editors:

Parkdean Resorts is the largest holiday park operator in the UK following the merger of Parkdean Holidays and Park Resorts in 2015.

Holidaymakers have an unrivalled choice from one operator of holidays and short breaks across the UK in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, East Anglia and Lincolnshire, Essex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent and Sussex, Lake District, Lancashire, Northumberland and County Durham, Yorkshire, Scotland and Wales.

A varied range of accommodation options are available on a break with Parkdean Resorts, including caravans, lodges and glamping, as well as taking a touring or camping pitch. There's also the option to own a caravan or lodge holiday home at many of the parks, meaning holidays can be enjoyed more frequently.

For the third consecutive year, Parkdean Resorts was awarded gold in the Best Camping & Mobile Holiday Company category at the British Travel Awards in 2018, and silver in the Best UK Family Holiday Parks Operator category.