South Lakeland Parks Invests £3 Million In Park Upgrades And Staff

South Lakeland Parks, the north-west’s largest holiday park operator, has spent £3million investing in new and improved facilities and is recruiting 40 new staff across its nine locations across the north-west. 

The company which has been operating the parks for over 20 years is one of the few UK business to have performed well despite the recession as MD Nigel Wimpenny highlights: “We had a fantastic year in 2009 for holiday home sales and so far in 2010 we are already 12% ahead on forward bookings so things could not be better.  However we’re not a company to rest on our laurels so we have already carried out extensive refurbishments.  Our clients’ enjoyment of the parks is our key priority and it’s for them that we have enhanced the facilities. As customer expectations are now higher than ever it’s our aim to keep raising the bar to meet them. ”

The company’s flagship site White Cross Bay near Windermere saw the biggest investment, following the November floods, with features including:

- New luxurious hire fleet lodges

- State of the art new multi sports play area

- New beer garden

- Full club house refurbishment

- New restaurant ‘The Flying Boat’ and new caterers

- Development of new owner pitches

 Other parks to have benefited from the investments include:

Ocean Edge, Heysham

- Extensive refurbishments to the main complex

- New reception area

- New games arcade

- Fully refurbished bar and entertainment area

- Revitalised swimming area

Hawthorne, Heysham Village

- New bar and social area

- New children’s play area

 Furthermore Fallbarrow, Limefitt and Regent parks are all expanding to offer brand new pitch developments as demand for privately owned caravans and lodges soars.

 In addition to investing in the parks, South Lakeland Parks is also providing hope for the local economy by creating 40 new positions across all its sites.

 “At a time when I’m reading in the papers about companies shedding more staff in 2010, I’m pleased to say that we are doing quite the opposite.  Indeed we’re currently recruiting for 40 new positions across the group with a variety of posts available.” Said Wimpenny.

 Wimpenny only became MD of South Lakeland Parks in January 2009 and is the driving force behind the company’s recent success and investments.  Having moved up the ranks from finance director, he was well placed to understand the benefits of investment. “It’s always going to cost a lot of money to keep our parks looking as good as they do but that’s why we have so many people visiting year on year and eventually purchasing.  We’re proud of our parks and that’s due to all our work and investment in both the sites and the staffing.” concludes Wimpenny.

 South Lakeland Parks features nine sites around the north-west regions of Morecambe Bay, Ribble Valley and Lake District.  The company offers holiday homes for both sale and let.

 

For further details please visit www.southlakelandparks.co.uk or call 015395 69831.