Parkdean Resorts invests £700,000 in Morecambe caravan holiday parks

Holiday park operator Parkdean Resorts has given a significant boost for tourism in Lancashire with a substantial investment for two holiday parks in Morecambe ahead of the 2021 season.
Regent Bay Holiday Park in Morecambe.Regent Bay Holiday Park in Morecambe.
Regent Bay Holiday Park in Morecambe.

The spend of more than £700,000 to install new caravans and renovate dining areas is part of a £70 million investment in its business nationwide, and the award-winning company is now hiring for seasonal and full-time roles in the region.

Parkdean Resorts operates two holiday parks overlooking Morecambe Bay – Ocean Edge Holiday Park in Heysham, and Regent Bay Holiday Park in Morecambe – which in 2020 welcomed more than 26,000 visitors.

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As part of the investment, there will be a spacious, modern caravan at Ocean Edge, where the restaurant and gazebo area has also been extended. Regent Bay will feature two new caravans, while there will also be twenty replacement caravans introduced across the two parks.

Parkdean Resorts employs almost 200 staff in season at the two parks, which are currently hiring for a number of seasonal roles across sales, food and beverage, and housekeeping.

The company expects to hire 6,500 seasonal staff for summer 2021, and anybody interested in applying for a job should visit Parkdean’s jobs website to view all vacancies.

Parkdean Resorts is the UK’s largest operator of caravan, lodge, cabin, glamping and camping holiday resorts, and was named Best UK Family Holiday Company, and Best UK Holiday Parks and Lodges Company at the British Travel Awards 2020, the UK’s biggest opinion poll for travel and tourism in the country.

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During a challenging 2020 – particularly for areas like Morecambe whose local economy is heavily reliant on tourism – Parkdean topped all furlough payments up to 100% during lockdowns, donated tens of thousands of pounds worth of provisions to local food banks, and provided free accommodation for more than 100 NHS key workers at four holiday parks. In response to increased demand for staycations last summer, once lockdown lifted, the company hired record numbers of seasonal staff, and will recruit more seasonal workers this year as it prepares to bounce back again for the holiday season.

Ocean Edge Holiday Park in Heysham.Ocean Edge Holiday Park in Heysham.
Ocean Edge Holiday Park in Heysham.

Steve Richards, Chief Executive of Parkdean Resorts, said: “Despite the most challenging of years, we’re continuing to invest in our parks, creating an even better experience for holidaymakers and holiday home owners in 2021.

"With industry-leading Covid-safe standards, we’re looking forward to welcoming people back safely, to enjoy everything our parks, and the surrounding areas, have to offer. We know how reliant the local economy is on tourism, and we’re confident that we can help the region recover by welcoming holidaymakers to enjoy a well-deserved staycation in Lancashire.”

Nationwide, the £70m investment for 2021 includes £22.5m spent on introducing more than 700 new caravans and lodges, £13m on maintenance, more than £12m on technology projects, and £12m on three ‘Parks of the Future’, at Sandford in Dorset, Trecco Bay in South Wales, and Cayton Bay, Yorkshire, which have received everything from new luxury accommodation options to exciting activities, including high ropes and virtual reality zones, and facility upgrades, such as new swimming pools, pop-up food stands, and outdoor dining spaces.

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The investment in these parks takes the total number of ‘Parks of the Future’ to seven, as Parkdean continues to invest in taking its parks to the next level.

In addition, two parks – Cayton Bay and Cherry Tree, in Great Yarmouth – will be home to a number of new Connected Caravans, as Parkdean tests out new smart accommodation, with improved sustainability credentials, as part of a trial to improve energy efficiency within the holiday park sector.

Parkdean Resorts has also further cemented its partnership with the Bear Grylls Survival Academy following a successful launch in 2020.

The agreement sees a new and exciting Shipwrecked themed concept brought to seven parks across the UK.

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There are four missions available to children aged eight and above, plus a family session where children of all ages can get involved, with all missions delivering great entertainment, theatre and a grasp of Bear Grylls’ key survival skills and priorities.