Haven announces Golden Sands Holiday Park investment

Haven, the UK’s leading holiday park operator, has announced it has acquired Holivans Caravan Park in Mablethorpe, as part of wider development plans for its Golden Sands Holiday Park.

The acquisition of Holivans, which is located directly next to Golden Sands, will transform the park into one of the largest holiday destinations in Lincolnshire.

This latest transaction follows Haven’s acquisition of Richmond Holiday Centre (now Skegness Holiday Park) in 2022, the first since its acquisition by Blackstone, and demonstrates the company’s continued commitment to investing in new locations across the country, driven by a growing confidence in the UK domestic tourism market.

Holivans Caravan Park will continue to trade under the same name for the 2024 season before work begins to incorporate it into Golden Sands Holiday Park. The expansion will see existing Holivans team members welcomed into the Haven family, while also creating new job opportunities in the local area.

The Rowland Family, Owner of Holivans said: “With over 70 years of history, it's been hugely rewarding to see the business grow through changing times and be a part of Lincolnshire’s fantastic tourism industry. The business has been our life and it is with great sadness but fond memories that we say goodbye. A sincere and heartfelt thank you goes out to all of our customers, past and present who have been part of our wonderful Holivans community throughout the years. We are confident that the Haven team will guide Holivans into this new chapter and the park will continue to be a place for families to make lifelong memories."

Lewis Zinzan, General Manager at Golden Sands said: “We are thrilled to welcome the Holivans team, holidaymakers and holiday homeowners to Haven’s Golden Sands Holiday Park. Like Holivans, we are passionate about providing lifelong memories for our guests and are looking forward to delivering amazing holiday experiences with an even bigger and better park for all to enjoy.”

Since being acquired by Blackstone in 2021, Haven has invested over £400m in its parks over the past three years to upgrade and modernise all holiday sites to offer guests an unforgettable holiday experience.

Golden Sands, one of three Haven holiday parks on the Lincolnshire Coast, has seen an overall investment of £10m in recent years. The park benefits from a wide range of activity choices including the popular ‘Adventure Village’, a high-adrenaline outdoor hub and NERF Training Camp – a new activity for 2024. There’s also plenty of food and beverage choices on park, including the new Ferry Boat Inn; a contemporary restaurant with a family arcade.

Elsewhere in Lincolnshire, Haven’s Cleethorpes Beach re-branded from Thorpe Park in 2023 and saw significant investment last year with a new Adventure Park and entertainment hub in the form of a Marina Bar & Stage this summer.

As the domestic tourism market continues to grow, Haven is welcoming more holidaymakers than ever, with projected guest numbers expected to exceed 3.5 million across all Haven parks throughout 2024.