Latest news with #CentreParcs
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Scotsman
27-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Center Parcs coming to the Scottish Borders is like a 'blue whale arriving in a medium-sized pond'
Center Parcs want to build its first site in Scotland near Hawick in the Scottish Borders. Sign up to our Scotsman Rural News - A weekly of the Hay's Way tour of Scotland emailed direct to you. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A tourism chief has compared the interest of Center Parcs in the Scottish Borders to a 'blue whale arriving in a medium-sized pond'. The hugely-successful holiday park company wants to build a £400 million site near Hawick, with a potential opening date of early 2029 proposed. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad An impression of some of the lodges planned for the proposed Centre Parcs site near Hawick in the Scottish Borders. Picture: Centre Parcs. | An impression of some of the lodges planned for the proposed Centre Parcs site near Hawick in the Scottish Borders. PIC: Centre Parcs. Center Parcs has signed an option for the land with the Duke of Buccleuch. The company's commitment to the area comes as major work advances in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway to boost tourism revenue by £1 billion by 2034. David Hope-Jones, chief executive of the South of Scotland Destination Alliance (SSDA), said the investment of Center Parcs and the associated visitor numbers could be 'transformative' for the area. David Hope-Jones, chief executive of the South of Scotland Destination Alliance. | Contributed Mr Hope-Jones said: 'Essentially, it is the equivalent of a medium-sized pond and suddenly a blue whale arrives. It is the largest single investment that there has ever been - £400m. It is larger than the entire cost of the Borders Railway. 'It is going to create 1,200 year-round permanent jobs and that is probably where the biggest impact will be. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'When you take 1,200 jobs, even if they were at minimum wage, which they won't be, that is a total salary of £30m to £40m a year. That is going into pockets where it wasn't before. 'You look at Hawick, Jedburgh , Selkirk - these are towns that lost their mills between the 1970s and 1990s. Hawick High Street can feel like a depressing place at times. This is the equivalent of re-opening several of those old mills, but in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way.' Centre Parcs has proposed to build a new site on Duke of Buccleuch land just north of Hawick in the Scottish Borders. PIC: SSDA. | Centre Parcs has proposed to build a new site on Duke of Buccleuch land just north of Hawick in the Scottish Borders. PIC: SSDA. Center Parcs wants to build 700 lodges and accompanying tourist facilities on a site to the north of the town. If approved, it will be the company's first site in Scotland and its seventh in the UK and Ireland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A series of public consultations has been held, with the most recent one last week at Hawick Rugby Club attended by Center Parcs' chief executive Colin McKinlay and Rajbinder Singh-Dehal, the chief corporate officer. Some concerns have been voiced about the loss of usable farmland and also that visitors might not venture into the surrounding area, according to accounts. Mr Hope-Jones said his own research found the 'overwhelming majority' of businesses locally were 'strongly supportive' of the development. He said: 'I would say there hasn't been a single item of news that has had such consistent positivity in places such as Hawick in decades and decades. I did a survey of businesses after one week and after six months and the overwhelming majority are strongly supportive.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Hope-Jones said it was expected the SSDA would sign a formal partnership with Center Parcs by the time a planning application was submitted, which is due to happen in July. The partnership would look to encourage Center Parcs guests - with 35,000 a year expected to stay at the Hawick site - to explore the surrounding area. 'Even if we are only talking 10 per cent of guests bolting on a three or four-night stay afterwards, that would be transformative,' Mr Hope-Jones said. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He added: 'The extraordinary thing about Center Parcs is not just the price point they command, the brand loyalty they command, but also their occupancy rates. They are phenomenal. READ MORE: 10 unique events taking place across Scotland this summer 'The most recent Center Parcs was built in Longford in the middle of Ireland, the bit that no one really knew about. Within five years - and it included Covid - they have got an occupancy rate of 98.8 per cent. 'It has taken one of the poorest areas of Ireland into one of the most economically active areas of Ireland in terms of job creation and taxation. The growth is unprecedented. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
Scotsman
27-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Center Parcs coming to the Scottish Borders is like a 'blue whale arriving in a medium-sized pond'
Center Parcs want to build its first site in Scotland near Hawick in the Scottish Borders. Sign up to our Scotsman Rural News - A weekly of the Hay's Way tour of Scotland emailed direct to you. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A tourism chief has compared the interest of Center Parcs in the Scottish Borders to a 'blue whale arriving in a medium-sized pond'. The hugely-successful holiday park company wants to build a £400 million site near Hawick, with a potential opening date of early 2029 proposed. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad An impression of some of the lodges planned for the proposed Centre Parcs site near Hawick in the Scottish Borders. Picture: Centre Parcs. | An impression of some of the lodges planned for the proposed Centre Parcs site near Hawick in the Scottish Borders. PIC: Centre Parcs. Center Parcs has signed an option for the land with the Duke of Buccleuch. The company's commitment to the area comes as major work advances in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway to boost tourism revenue by £1 billion by 2034. David Hope-Jones, chief executive of the South of Scotland Destination Alliance (SSDA), said the investment of Center Parcs and the associated visitor numbers could be 'transformative' for the area. David Hope-Jones, chief executive of the South of Scotland Destination Alliance. | Contributed Mr Hope-Jones said: 'Essentially, it is the equivalent of a medium-sized pond and suddenly a blue whale arrives. It is the largest single investment that there has ever been - £400m. It is larger than the entire cost of the Borders Railway. 'It is going to create 1,200 year-round permanent jobs and that is probably where the biggest impact will be. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'When you take 1,200 jobs, even if they were at minimum wage, which they won't be, that is a total salary of £30m to £40m a year. That is going into pockets where it wasn't before. 'You look at Hawick, Jedburgh , Selkirk - these are towns that lost their mills between the 1970s and 1990s. Hawick High Street can feel like a depressing place at times. This is the equivalent of re-opening several of those old mills, but in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way.' Centre Parcs has proposed to build a new site on Duke of Buccleuch land just north of Hawick in the Scottish Borders. PIC: SSDA. | Centre Parcs has proposed to build a new site on Duke of Buccleuch land just north of Hawick in the Scottish Borders. PIC: SSDA. Center Parcs wants to build 700 lodges and accompanying tourist facilities on a site to the north of the town. If approved, it will be the company's first site in Scotland and its seventh in the UK and Ireland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A series of public consultations has been held, with the most recent one last week at Hawick Rugby Club attended by Center Parcs' chief executive Colin McKinlay and Rajbinder Singh-Dehal, the chief corporate officer. Some concerns have been voiced about the loss of usable farmland and also that visitors might not venture into the surrounding area, according to accounts. Mr Hope-Jones said his own research found the 'overwhelming majority' of businesses locally were 'strongly supportive' of the development. He said: 'I would say there hasn't been a single item of news that has had such consistent positivity in places such as Hawick in decades and decades. I did a survey of businesses after one week and after six months and the overwhelming majority are strongly supportive.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Hope-Jones said it was expected the SSDA would sign a formal partnership with Center Parcs by the time a planning application was submitted, which is due to happen in July. The partnership would look to encourage Center Parcs guests - with 35,000 a year expected to stay at the Hawick site - to explore the surrounding area. 'Even if we are only talking 10 per cent of guests bolting on a three or four-night stay afterwards, that would be transformative,' Mr Hope-Jones said. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He added: 'The extraordinary thing about Center Parcs is not just the price point they command, the brand loyalty they command, but also their occupancy rates. They are phenomenal. READ MORE: 10 unique events taking place across Scotland this summer 'The most recent Center Parcs was built in Longford in the middle of Ireland, the bit that no one really knew about. Within five years - and it included Covid - they have got an occupancy rate of 98.8 per cent. 'It has taken one of the poorest areas of Ireland into one of the most economically active areas of Ireland in terms of job creation and taxation. The growth is unprecedented. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
Scotsman
27-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Centre Parcs coming to the Scottish Borders is like a 'blue whale arriving in a medium-sized pond'
Centre Parcs want to build its first site in Scotland near Hawick in the Scottish Borders. Sign up to our Scotsman Rural News - A weekly of the Hay's Way tour of Scotland emailed direct to you. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A tourism chief has compared the interest of Centre Parcs in the Scottish Borders to a 'blue whale arriving in a medium-sized pond'. The hugely-successful holiday park company wants to build a £400 million site near Hawick, with a potential opening date of early 2029 proposed. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad An impression of some of the lodges planned for the proposed Centre Parcs site near Hawick in the Scottish Borders. Picture: Centre Parcs. | An impression of some of the lodges planned for the proposed Centre Parcs site near Hawick in the Scottish Borders. PIC: Centre Parcs. Centre Parcs has signed an option for the land with the Duke of Buccleuch. The company's commitment to the area comes as major work advances in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway to boost tourism revenue by £1 billion by 2034. David Hope-Jones, chief executive of the South of Scotland Destination Alliance (SSDA), said the investment of Centre Parcs and the associated visitor numbers could be 'transformative' for the area. David Hope-Jones, chief executive of the South of Scotland Destination Alliance. | Contributed Mr Hope-Jones said: 'Essentially, it is the equivalent of a medium-sized pond and suddenly a blue whale arrives. It is the largest single investment that there has ever been - £400m. It is larger than the entire cost of the Borders Railway. 'It is going to create 1,200 year-round permanent jobs and that is probably where the biggest impact will be. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'When you take 1,200 jobs, even if they were at minimum wage, which they won't be, that is a total salary of £30m to £40m a year. That is going into pockets where it wasn't before. 'You look at Hawick, Jedburgh , Selkirk - these are towns that lost their mills between the 1970s and 1990s. Hawick High Street can feel like a depressing place at times. This is the equivalent of re-opening several of those old mills, but in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way.' Centre Parcs has proposed to build a new site on Duke of Buccleuch land just north of Hawick in the Scottish Borders. PIC: SSDA. | Centre Parcs has proposed to build a new site on Duke of Buccleuch land just north of Hawick in the Scottish Borders. PIC: SSDA. Center Parcs wants to build 700 lodges and accompanying tourist facilities on a site to the north of the town. If approved, it will be the company's first site in Scotland and its seventh in the UK and Ireland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A series of public consultations has been held, with the most recent one last week at Hawick Rugby Club attended by Centre Parcs' chief executive Colin McKinlay and Rajbinder Singh-Dehal, the chief corporate officer. Some concerns have been voiced about the loss of usable farmland and also that visitors might not venture into the surrounding area, according to accounts. Mr Hope-Jones said his own research found the 'overwhelming majority' of businesses locally were 'strongly supportive' of the development. He said: 'I would say there hasn't been a single item of news that has had such consistent positivity in places such as Hawick in decades and decades. I did a survey of businesses after one week and after six months and the overwhelming majority are strongly supportive.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Hope-Jones said it was expected the SSDA would sign a formal partnership with Centre Parcs by the time a planning application was submitted, which is due to happen in July. The partnership would look to encourage Centre Parcs guests - with 35,000 a year expected to stay at the Hawick site - to explore the surrounding area. 'Even if we are only talking 10 per cent of guests bolting on a three or four-night stay afterwards, that would be transformative,' Mr Hope-Jones said. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He added: 'The extraordinary thing about Centre Parcs is not just the price point they command, the brand loyalty they command, but also their occupancy rates. They are phenomenal. READ MORE: 10 unique events taking place across Scotland this summer 'The most recent Centre Parcs was built in Longford in the middle of Ireland, the bit that no one really knew about. Within five years - and it included Covid - they have got an occupancy rate of 98.8 per cent. 'It has taken one of the poorest areas of Ireland into one of the most economically active areas of Ireland in terms of job creation and taxation. The growth is unprecedented. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
Daily Mirror
21-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Huge Center Parcs £67 million expansion as guests warned over work starting
A popular Center Parcs resort is undergoing a huge £67 million expansion, which will see 200 new lodges added to the site. However, guests have been warned the upgrade may cause some disruption Center Parcs has warned customers over potential disruption, as it ploughs ahead with a huge expansion. Whether you're a sucker for the Subtropical Swimming Paradise and wave machine, or love to stroll through the forest after splurging out at the Pancake House - a trip to Centre Parcs is like no other. The holiday complex, which first came to the UK back in 1987, aims to bring 'people and nature together'. Its site, which tend to be set amongst vast stretches of woodlands, feature all your typical holiday camp facilities - such as an indoor swimming pools, water slides, arcades, restaurants, shops and a spa. But, guests can also work up a sweat thanks to the numerous activities on offer - spanning from badminton and tennis to archery and yoga. Originating in the Netherlands, Center Parcs now has 28 resorts across Europe, including six in the UK. Over in Ireland, the resort's Longford Forest is a popular choice - and is currently undergoing a huge €80 million (around £76 million) refurb. The huge investment, which was first announced back in 2021, include the addition of 200 new lodges, including four of the brand's iconic treehouses. These premium accommodation types sleep up to eight people, and come with a games den, outdoor hot tub, private parking and dedicated 'Treehouse Host'. Alongside new lodges, Center Parcs also has plans to extend its existing leisure facilities, restaurants, cafés, as well as the Subtropical Swimming Paradise and Aqua Sana Spa. In a 2021 press release, Center Parcs said the investment would create 250 permanent jobs, as well as a further 300 jobs during construction. "As part of our ongoing development, we are currently constructing new lodges and facilities at Center Parcs Longford Forest," the resort states on its website. "During your stay, you may notice increased construction traffic around the village and hear some noise from the works taking place." Center Parcs confirmed that the works will not impact the village facilities, which will remain open as normal. "We will work hard to keep disruption to a minimum," it added. "Thank you for bearing with us during this time." If you're wanting to visit a Center Parcs lodge a bit closer to home, you can choose from Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire; Woburn Forest, Bedfordshire; Elveden Forest, Suffolk; Whinfell Forest, Cumbria, or Longleat Forest, Wiltshire. May half-term breaks start from £799. Prices include entry to the Subtropical Swimming Paradise, but do not include activities such as tennis, badminton, bowling, or access to the spa. You can book these ahead of your visit on the Center Parcs app.
Daily Record
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Mum shares perfect 'Center Parcs alternative' that's cheaper and inspired by Robin Hood
If you're looking for the perfect place to take the kids this summer without breaking the bank, look no further than this Center Parcs 'alternative' that boasts lots of activities but is more affordable The summer holidays are fast approaching, and parents may be looking ahead already in search of the perfect getaway for their families. While getting everyone together to travel abroad is not only a daunting task but also expensive, more and more people are opting for UK staycations instead. Center Parcs is a popular choice as it has activities for grown-ups and kids alike. It has destinations across the country and boasts an array of amenities. However, it can take a toll on your wallet if you're looking for a longer getaway. To help, mum Louise - who has two kids, aged nine and six - has shared a different holiday location that she claimed delivers a similar experience but is easier on the wallet. "If you're looking for a cheap Center Parcs alternative, then this could be right up your street. We spent three nights here for just under 500 quid, or £40 per person per night," she said at the start of the TikTok video. The place in question is Sherwood Castle Retreat, located in Newark, in between Sheffield and Nottingham. While showing snippets of the park in her video, Louise explained: "It is heavily influenced by its location near Sherwood Forest and by the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. There are loads of original props from the movie here, including the actual reception." As for the accommodation, the mum shared clips of their lodge that they've been staying in, which included a kitchen with a dining table that was linked to a living room with a TV. It also included bunk beds for the kids as well as a log burner. "The woodland lodges have hot tubs, and are pretty similar to the Centre Parcs ones with the layout," she explained. "We even had a log burner here, which was lovely at night." She went on to say: "Plus you have tennis, bowling, and swimming available before five pm. You can actually book out the whole pool for yourselves if you wanted. "They even have a little animal farm here too. Although you probably don't wanna be staying too close to it as they have two massive cockerels and these woke us up before five am every morning." She did warn the resort did not have Wi-Fi and said the play park and mini golf courses were not quite as she expected. "However, it is less than half the price of the cheapest Centre Parcs lodge, it's in a beautiful location, and there are loads of lovely places to visit nearby," Louise said at the end of the video. In response, several people took to the comment section of the video, with many sharing their own experiences of staying at the Sherwood Castle Retreat. One person wrote: "We stayed there was amazing and the booking out the pool to our self was great as it was good for our 4 year old." Several people were also grateful that Louise had shared her hidden gem, as one viewer said: "This place looks great and brilliant price."
