The UK's only quoted caravan holiday park operator.
A subsector within which there has been much takeover activity of late.




This from their website:

The industry:
The camping and caravanning sub-sector of the domestic holiday industry has enjoyed solid growth in recent years. Published research indicates that the value of the domestic camping and caravanning market rose from 1.88 billion in 1996 to 2.31 billion in 2000.

One of the most important drivers of this growth is the popularity short breaks as increasing numbers of people take more than one holiday per year. That trend has been particularly evident in owned static caravans, where 62 per cent of visits are of less than four nights. The trend is also apparent in the fleet hire segment, with short breaks accounting for one-sixth of trips and 8 per cent of total expenditure in 2000.

Expenditure in the static caravan segment is also said to have risen as a result of a trend among owners to treat their asset as a second home, which has resulted in park owners investing more heavily in associated services and facilities. The British Holiday and Home Parks Association estimates that there are about 3,500 holiday parks in the United Kingdom.

Few, if any, new caravan parks are currently being constructed in the United Kingdom due to onerous planning restrictions and no significant new park developments are anticipated. The industry is highly fragmented with the biggest player owning only 40 caravan parks.

Parkdean:
Parkdean's market share is estimated at less that 2 per cent and that there are significant opportunities to expand its operations. The majority of parks are owned by small independent operators and, as such, there is opportunity for Parkdean to expand by acquisition.

The Parkdean strategy does not end with the purchase of a park, rather the Directors seek to grow revenues and profits by ensuring that the parks it buys are brought up to a similar standard with the rest of the portfolio. A degree of standardisation and branding is imposed on new parks, which helps the centralised marketing effort.

Where appropriate, Parkdean also upgrades park facilities, a recent example of which was the construction of an indoor leisure complex at the Challaborough Bay Holiday Park. Finally, subject to local authority planning permission, it may be possible to improve profitability by converting touring pitches to static pitches or even extending a park.



Company website: www.parkdeanholidays.com
Also check out DIRECTORS and brief history


Customer website: www.parkdeanholidays.co.uk

Gas central heating, underfloor insulation, proper fitted kitchens, carpets, double-glazing.
(Latest acquisitions are not yet showing on this map. Total now is 11 sites in west country, 6 in Scotland,
2 in Wales and one in East Anglia, a total of 9,189 pitches.)

On Aim, caravan site operator Parkdean Holidays rose 8 to an all-time high of 265p. Traders said the shares were better on further consideration that last week peer Park Resorts had been sold to ABN Amro Capital for 165m. Dealers also said the company has been visiting institutional investors.

(The Telegraph)

This from earlier this month:

The Warmwell Ski Centre at Warmwell Holiday Resort, Dorset’s premier holiday destination, is to have the south’s first Snowflex Park in early 2005. The development work will be carried out by Briton Engineering, bringing the exciting terrain and technology to snowsporters of every level.

The current site has a flat rectangle slope covered in an outdated surface. The design is still being drawn up, but the slope layout and design will be broadly based around the facility recently completed by Briton Engineering in Aberdeen, Scotland. This consists of a rainbow rail and straight rail, big air jump and kicker, an elliptical quarter pipe and a new nursery slope with a Briton Queuedodger lift. The creative design will provide interesting and varied runs, making sure the centre is at the forefront of UK snowsports.

Warmwell Holiday Resort is owned by Parkdean Holidays, one of the largest UK holiday providers. The centre offers year round British holidays and has a wide selection of accommodation cottages and chalets on site, which it has been envisaged could offer the ideal facility to have residential competitions, training camps and courses all year round.

The slope will provide facilities, previously not available, to an area covering much of southern UK, which should include a good deal of the London area.

Work will commence January 4th 2005, and pending weather and project progress the complete slope is expected to be open within the winter season (Date to be announced).


(The Aberdeen slope)