Highlands End Holiday Park

RAISING THE BAR

Posted on May 6, 2026

MAJOR UPGRADES and new attractions are set to welcome guests at Highfield Grange and Vauxhall Holiday Parks in Spring.

Park Upgrades Keeping Guests Coming Back

In the highly competitive UK holiday park sector, the key to keeping guests returning season after season is continual reinvestment. Operators who regularly refresh their facilities, introduce new activities, and enhance the overall guest experience build loyalty, generate repeat bookings, and stay ahead of market expectations.

Modern holidaymakers increasingly seek parks that combine high-quality accommodation with engaging leisure, entertainment, and dining options. Failing to evolve can leave even established parks struggling to meet rising expectations. Innovation doesn’t always have to mean massive expenditure, but a well-thought-out investment strategy can transform a park’s appeal.

From upgrading play areas and leisure complexes to introducing new sports and interactive attractions, small and large enhancements alike contribute to guest satisfaction. Successful investments often have a dual purpose: elevating the visitor experience while supporting local employment and boosting regional tourism.

Operators who take a proactive approach to upgrades also position themselves strongly in awards, reviews, and media coverage, which further strengthens their reputation and revenue. In this issue, we look at some of the standout examples of investment and upgrades across the UK, from multi-million-pound leisure developments to creative re-imagining of classic park attractions, demonstrating how operators are keeping their parks fresh, exciting, and profitable.

“There is a strong argument for rethinking some of the attractions our industry has long provided – and Footgolf is a perfect illustration of this.” - James Loveridge, Highlands End Holiday Park

Parkdean Resorts - £50M Investment
Parkdean Resorts, the UK’s largest holiday park operator, is set to invest £50 million across its portfolio in 2026, focusing on both facilities and guest experiences. Highfield Grange Holiday Park in Essex and Vauxhall Holiday Park in Great Yarmouth will each receive £5 million in upgrades, introducing new attractions such as indoor adventure golf, upgraded high and low ropes courses, and immersive Bear Grylls escape rooms.

Existing Tots Zones are being expanded, and off-road driving ranges will offer activities for children aged four and over. A new sports bar concept, Hat-Tricks, will combine food and drinks with interactive indoor sports like darts and shuffleboard. Beyond enhancing guest experiences, the investment will generate up to 100 new jobs in the local communities.

Steve Richards, CEO, emphasises the importance of ongoing investment: “Guests return to us year after year because they trust us to deliver the quality and consistency they expect. We are committed to raising standards to remain at the forefront of the UK holiday market.” Parkdean Resorts’ record results and numerous Tripadvisor accolades reflect how a well-planned investment strategy pays dividends, reinforcing both brand reputation and customer loyalty.

INNOVATIVE AND FAMILY-FRIENDLY: Highlands End’s Footgolf course reimagines a classic park attraction.

Highlands End Holiday Park – Footgolf Innovation
Not all upgrades require huge budgets. At Highlands End Holiday Park in Dorset, marketing chief James Loveridge replaced the traditional pitch-and-putt course with an 18-hole Footgolf course in May 2024.

The result? More than 15,000 visitors have taken part, generating a twentyfold increase in revenue compared with the old course. The course, designed in-house using local suppliers for obstacles, ramps, and themed signage, combines fun with a family-friendly challenge, appealing to both children and adults.

Loveridge believes the success demonstrates that rethinking traditional attractions can refresh guest engagement and create new profit centres. The park’s recognition in the Dorset Tourism Awards highlights the value of innovative thinking combined with minimal investment.

BROTHERS PHIL AND TIM Brierley mark 60 years since their parents pioneered York House Leisure.

York House Leisure – Celebrating 60 Years with £1M Investment
York House Leisure, a family-run group in North Yorkshire, celebrated its diamond anniversary with a £1 million investment across its parks, including residential parks and the popular visitor attraction Monk Park Farm.

The upgrade included a new animal barn and enhancements to existing attractions. Brothers Phil and Tim Brierley, along with sister Heather, emphasise that the business philosophy of constant reinvestment keeps parks appealing while supporting local employment and community engagement. York House Leisure welcomes more than 80,000 visitors annually, and ongoing upgrades ensure both holidaymakers and residential park residents enjoy a high-quality, safe, and enjoyable environment.

These examples highlight that investment and upgrades are not just about adding attractions— they’re about maintaining standards, enhancing experiences, and building guest loyalty. Whether through multi-million-pound leisure complexes, innovative low-cost attractions, or ongoing enhancements to play areas and facilities, UK holiday park operators are demonstrating that reinvestment is essential for long-term success.

From large operators like Parkdean Resorts to family-run groups such as York House Leisure, the message is clear: staying ahead of guest expectations requires vision, creativity, and a commitment to continual improvement, ensuring visitors return year after year.

Highlands End Holiday Park
www.wdlh.co.uk

Parkdean Resorts
www.parkdeanresorts.co.uk

York House Leisure
www.yhlparks.co.uk

EV CONCERNS STALL STAYCATION GROWTH

Posted on May 10, 2023

EV CONCERNS STALL STAYCATION GROWTH

BBC CAMERAS ZOOM in on Martin Cox at his Dorset holiday park, Highlands End

Fears that ‘range anxiety’ amongst electric vehicle owners could put the brakes on domestic tourism growth have been voiced by a major holiday parks operator. Martin Cox, whose family business owns five holiday parks in Dorset, is now calling on government to address the lack of charging points in many rural areas. Their absence, he said, could dissuade visitors from venturing too far into the countryside because of uncertainty about being able to top up their electric cars.

Martin’s concerns were featured in a recent BBC television report in which he warned that rural economies could suffer substantial losses of tourism revenue as a result. Martin was filmed at his company’s flagship holiday park of Highlands End in Bridport which has six EV chargers – the maximum that the local power supply can sustain. “We have up to 500 cars a night in summer, and it simply isn’t enough to meet demand,” he told BBC Politics South reporter Frankie Peck.

“Many will have driven upwards of two hundred miles to get here, and their vehicles will need re-charging before they go out the next day, but we simply haven’t the capacity. “There are only around 275 charging points throughout the whole of Dorset, so the available options are very limited. “Nobody wants to spend their holiday in a state of anxiety about their car coming to a halt, and just one bad experience could deter a family from making a repeat visit.

“In our five decades of operating holiday parks, we have never supplied petrol or diesel to our customers, but there is now an expectation that we will be able to charge their cars. “It changes the dynamics of our relationship with guests who, of course, we want to keep happy - but who we know are sometimes frustrated at not being able to plug in,” he said. As vice president of the British Holiday and Home Parks Association, Martin says that many of the body’s 2,500-plus holiday park members report similar problems.

They would like to help EV owners, he says, but the limited electrical supply capacity in their regions is a major hurdle to them installing additional, or even any, EV charging points. “I am fully sympathetic with the government’s aim to drive up EV usage and have done all we can at present to provide charging facilities,” said Martin, himself an electric car owner.

“However, until the electrical supply infrastructure is improved in many rural areas, some EV owners may think twice about taking a holiday too far from home. “This will produce serious consequences for the visitor economy, and the victims will be the many small businesses who rely on tourism spending to survive and sustain jobs,” said Martin. Martin’s family has owned parks in Dorset for over 50 years, and in 2022 Highlands End Holiday Park won the top gold accolade in the holiday park category of the South West Tourism Awards.

MANY ELECTRIC CAR OWNERS are reluctant to travel far from home, says Martin Cox

Holiday Park Eco Heroes Praised

Posted on September 2, 2019

Holiday Park Eco Heroes Praised

ABOVE: Project support officer Caroline Richards presents the litter-free
award to proud members of the park team.

Anti-litter warriors at a Dorset holiday park have been honoured with an award for helping to make the area’s beaches and sea even more welcoming to visitors. The staff team at Highlands End Holiday Park in Bridport received the accolade from the Litter Free Coast and Sea Dorset campaign in recognition of their many anti-waste initiatives. It was presented after the park was audited by the organisation and received a thumbs-up for its success in minimising wastage, reducing litter, and stamping down on single-use plastics. Martin Cox, a member of the family which has owned Highlands End for almost 50 years, said that everyone was immensely proud to have received the honour: “Minimising waste is an important part of our sustainability polices, and it’s not just about reducing the environmental footprint of our business, important though that is.

“It’s also about ensuring that our holiday guests can enjoy clean beaches on which to have fun and relax, and safe seas in which to swim or take part in watersports. “Our family and the vast majority of our staff were born and brought up in this area, so we naturally feel very strongly about safeguarding its fragile beauty and protecting the natural world. “The Litter Free Coast and Sea campaign does a fantastic job of involving local people and businesses in its work, and we’re very proud to be giving them our full support,” said Martin. He said that Highlands End and its four neighbouring sister parks were now close to achieving their target of recycling 50 percent of all waste materials produced.

Wish You Were Here – Highlands End Holiday Park

Posted on September 7, 2017

WYWHWish You Were Here - Highlands End Holiday Park

For TV drama fans, Highlands End Holiday Park is spectacularly located on the clifftop overlooking West Bay, the setting of ITV’s Broadchurch.

The lodges and some of the touring caravans and motorhome pitches on the park have views out over Broadchurch while some of the other caravans, and camping pitches overlook the ‘Broadchurch Hut’ and Eype Beach. Part of West Dorset Leisure Holidays, a family run group, Highlands End Holiday Park is located on the clifftop near West Bay in Dorset and enjoys panoramic views across 99 miles of World Heritage Jurassic Coastline.

Highlands End has been providing memorable holidays for families, friends and couples for decades and todays accommodation includes luxury lodges, glamping pods, caravan holiday homes, apartments, bungalows and pitches for touring caravans, motorhomes and tents – many of which enjoy fantastic views over the surrounding coast and countryside. The park is particularly popular with star gazers and dog owners, who enjoy the clear night skies and mile after mile of footpath to explore.

The Park has a newly refurbished bar and restaurant with one of the largest and most important private collections of fire service memorabilia in the country. The collection has been built up over three decades by Martin Cox, a member of the family who have owned Highlands End – and its four sister parks – for 45 years.

As well as ‘Martin’s Bar & Restaurant,’ the parks highly-praised facilities include a Leisure Club which incorporates a pool, sauna and steam room, a shop specialising in fresh Dorset produce and a pitch and putt course that is great for the whole family.

Highlands End Holiday Park
Tel. 01308 422 139
www.highlandsendholidaypark.co.uk

Broadchurch Fever Hits Bridport

Posted on April 15, 2015

broadchurch

Bookings at Highlands End Holiday Park are up by 57.8 per cent following the return of the TV drama Broadchurch. Pic: ITV

Broadchurch Fever Hits Bridport

Business is booming at Highlands End Holiday Park in West Dorset following the return of the popular ITV drama Broadchurch, which features scenes filmed at the park and the surrounding areas.

Highlands End Holiday Park in Bridport says bookings so far this year are up 57.8 percent for holiday home rentals and up 196 percent for touring pitches.

The programme, filmed around West Bay, returned for a second series on ITV in February, featuring a stellar cast including David Tennant and Olivia Coleman. Visitors flocked to the area last year to see the locations, and many more now seem keen to take a holiday in the heart of the action.

Highlands End Holiday Park general manager James Cox said: “At the end of October the cast and crew of Broadchurch were filming the second series on Eype Beach next to the park.

“While the holidaymakers at Highlands End were asked not to take pictures of any plot spoilers, they had a bird’s-eye view of the filming from the decking of their caravan holiday homes.”

He added: “We have recently expanded our luxury holiday lodge accommodation as the existing lodges, bungalows, holiday homes and apartments are all booking well on the back of Broadchurch fever.”

Triple Gold For Dorset Park Group

Posted on January 27, 2014

Triple Gold For Dorset Park Group

West Dorset Holidays were the big winners of the night at the Dorset Tourism Awards inaugural ceremony. Pic: Nick Williams Photographer.

West Dorset Leisure Holidays pulled off a hat trick of wins at the recent Dorset Tourism Awards.

The family-owned holiday park based in Bridport scooped two gold accolades for its flagship Highlands End holiday park. It took both the Holiday Park of the Year title, and the Sustainable Tourism award.

The icing on the cake came when the group’s managing director Martin Cox was awarded a special honour for Outstanding Contribution to Tourism.

Launched for the first time this year, the awards highlight the many excellent businesses operating across the county as well as promote Dorset itself as a top quality destination. The competition attracted 60 entries, each undergoing a rigorous three-stage judging process including visits by a team of mystery shoppers, and final assessment by an independent judging panel. Finalists came from across the county with hotels, pubs, attractions, festivals, holiday parks and B&Bs amongst the list of winners.

West Dorset Leisure Holidays’ Sustainable Tourism award also follows other honours won for its care for the natural world, including recently the David Bellamy Conservation Award at its top gold level. A host of environmental initiatives at Highlands End have included energy-saving measures and successful moves to protect wildlife with the creation of animal and bird habitats.

The park has also been praised for its links with the local community, and its charity work which includes raising over £36,000 for the Jurassic Coast Trust over the past five years.

Although the cliff-top Highlands End holiday park is no stranger to awards, Mr Cox said he was especially delighted for it to be named as Dorset’s Holiday Park of the Year and that his personal award for outstanding contribution to tourism had come as a complete surprise.

Highlands End, along with other category winners, will now be fast-tracked into the South West Tourism Excellence Awards in January 2014. Success here will then see winners move on to the National Visit England Awards later in 2014.