SEVENTY YEARS of providing memorable park holidays to families throughout the North West were celebrated this summer by the Holgates group.
The anniversary was marked by a special get-together of friends, colleagues, customers and team members at Silverdale Holiday Park in Cumbria where the group’s success story began.
Today the business comprises nine holiday parks in total, and MD Michael Holgate used to occasion to thank everyone for the parts they have played.
The Holgates first came to Silverdale in 1956 from the Blackburn area of Lancashire where Michael’s grandfather, Billy, had started a successful caravan manufacturing business.
The family’s plan was to carry on the production side of the operation whilst running a holiday park in south Cumbria, just over the Lancashire border.
In the event, the park enterprise quickly grew in popularity, and after Billy died, his son Frank decided to concentrate entirely on developing Silverdale.
Set in 100 acres of countryside with sweeping views across Morecambe Bay, the park has received many awards for its quality standards and care for the natural world.
And this summer, Silverdale Holiday Park was crowned as overall winner of the Holiday Park of the Year by Cumbria Tourism in its annual round of awards.
Facilities on the park include a leisure centre with a swimming pool, spa and sauna complex, and a professional gymnasium plus a popular bar and restaurant.
After the passing of Frank Holgate in 2015, his son Michael took over the helm and began a series of acquisitions, investing heavily in bringing his new parks up to Silverdale’s standards.
Today Michael is helped in the running of the business by his two sons Tom and James, and in his address to guests at the celebration event, he paid tribute to his family’s values:
“The foresight, determination, and hard work of my grandparents, and later my mum and dad, created the foundations that we continue to build upon today,” he said.
“Nothing about our journey has happened by accident. It has resulted from a commitment to creating a parks business rooted in a quality product and exceptional customer care.
“But the real driver behind Holgates’ success has always been the many people who give us their support, from customers and suppliers to neighbours and friends.
“We are also massively grateful to our park teams for their hard work, loyalty, and dedication to giving customers the best possible experience when they stay,” added Michael.
He also took the opportunity to praise two members of staff who had each marked 25 years of service with the group, and to whom Michael presented a commemorative book.
The celebration event was also attended by local tourism officials, fellow park owners, and the Holiday and Residential Parks Association of which Holgates is a longstanding member.
