Magnificent Seven

ABOVE: Lodges at Ord House Country Park, Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Low Carrs is one of seven parks in the Maguire family portfolio…

A family business in wholesale carpets and flooring changed tack in 1981 when Billy Maguire Senior invested in Low Carrs, a residential park with 50 homes just five minutes walk from the city of Durham. In 2001, when Billy’s son, also Billy Maguire Senior, took over the running of Low Carrs, Maguires Country Parks was born. Today, Low Carrs is one of seven parks in the family-run portfolio that includes two residential developments - Low Carrs and the new Hurworth Springs Country Park; the award-winning Ord House Country Park, which offers a mix of residential homes, holiday homes, touring pitches and glamping pods; as well as four other ‘Country Parks’ - The Kaims, Forget Me Not, Newbus Grange and Swainby - that all feature privately owned holiday homes. Each of the Maguire’s parks is located in the northeast of England, close to the family’s roots in Darlington. Billy’s grandsons - Gilbert, Nathan and Billy Junior – are all Company Directors and heavily involved in the daily running of the parks, but with an expanding portfolio, this year saw the appointment of Maguires Country Parks first non-family Directors. Gilbert explains: “Scott Mounsey, Gretchen Wardman and Wayne Jones have all joined us this year, bringing their expertise to the company. Scott is our first-ever Financial Director. With their extensive corporate background, mixed with our family values, we hope this appointment will help us grow the business from strength to strength.” It’s clear from talking to Gilbert that these family values are held in the highest regard. The park’s business is in the Maguire’s blood. “I’ve grown up with these parks,” says Gilbert fondly. “I’ve known a couple of the residents of Low Carrs all my life. I spent most of my summers there, mowing the grass and helping out on the park whilst my Grandad sold the homes. I left school at 16 and we bought Newbus Grange the very next day. We eat and breathe the business as a family.” This commitment has paid dividends at the flagship Ord House Country Park, located close to picturesque Berwick-upon-Tweed, the northernmost town in England. Ord House, bought by the family in 2003, has a growing list of accolades that Gilbert says is “testament to our exceptional team.” From winning ‘Best Park in the North East’, to gaining a ‘Certificate Of Excellence’ from TripAdvisor for consistent 5 Star reviews, to being rated 5 Star in the ‘Loo Of The Year’ awards for their washroom facilities, Ord House is a true success story.

ABOVE: Scott, Billy, Area Sales Manager Emma, Gilbert and Nathan.

TOP NOTCH

TOP NOTCH With just 20 residential homes, Ord House is predominately a holiday park with privately owned homes benefitting from an abundance of top-notch facilities. Development is afoot with residential change of use secured for 60 plots, which will see Ord House welcome many more permanent residents in the near future. Ord House may have attracted the attention so far but hot on its heels is a new passion project. Gilbert says that “Hurworth Springs is the development we are most excited about as a family.” “Hurworth Springs is the first time that we haven’t inherited someone else’s vision and planning. Essentially, this park is a blank canvas, which affords us the chance to completely develop our own residential park from scratch. I’m so excited about this opportunity. And the fact that it’s situated just a mile outside Darlington, where we all grew up, is so important to us all… it truly feels like it’s meant to be.” The Maguire family have invested in Hurworth Springs financially as well as emotionally. Over five million pounds has been ploughed into the development and the park is now starting to take shape with 20 of the eventual 122 homes already occupied and residents starting to personalise their properties with their own touches. Hurworth Springs offers plenty of choice for prospective homeowners. “We offer everything from single units to huge twins with bi fold doors and every model in between. That’s another advantage of designing this park from scratch,” explains Gilbert. The Maguires work closely with several different manufacturers including Willerby and Pemberton Park Homes, but many of the homes on Hurworth Springs are supplied by ABI Holiday Homes, hand built in Beverley, East Yorkshire.

DIFFERENT AND MODERN

“We had a vision to create something different and modern at Hurworth Springs,” says Gilbert. “We wanted to move away from the traditional park home look and feel, and Abides Can Exel cladded homes fit the bill. The homes at Hurworth Springs look more like wooden lodges and combine good looks with quality and great performance, alongside minimal maintenance.” Hurworth Springs represents a first, not only for the Maguire family but also for the northeast of England. “The concept of residential park living is increasingly popular down south but it’s a new concept in the northeast,” explains Gilbert. “Educating prospective purchasers about the benefits of park home living is a pleasure. We love to challenge perceptions that bricks and mortar aren’t the be all and end all!” “First time visitors are completely blown away by the quality of the homes when they see them. People almost expect to still see oil lamps inside!” laughs Gilbert. But the message is a serious one. The family believe that these luxurious, fully furnished, one-level homes could provide a solution to the shortage of easy access bungalows in the area, and also alleviate loneliness in the over 50s, creating an old-fashioned sense of community. “Living on one of our parks is about peace of mind and security,” says Gilbert. “Residents can relax safe in the knowledge that we, as a family, will look after them.”

Maguires Park Homes
Tel. 01289 305288
www.maguiresparkhomes.co.uk

ABOVE: Hurworth Springs, close to Darlington, is the family’s latest development