Holiday park giant snaps up two Scottish coastal parks from historic family firm in multi-million deal

One of the UK’s largest holiday park operators has ramped up its presence in Scotland with twin purchases totalling some £9 million.

Park Holidays has bought the parks, located in Lossiemouth and Burghead, Moray, from Christies Parks in a deal arranged by commercial property firm Colliers. The parks were sold off a guide price of £9m.

Christies Parks was established in 2006 when Gordon Christie reorganised the historic family business, Christies of Fochabers, which had been established by his great grandfather Thomas Christie in 1820. It is recognised as the third oldest family business in Scotland and started trading in caravan parks in 1974.

Lossiemouth Bay Caravan Park and Burghead Beach Caravan Park, which consist of a combined 250 caravan and lodge pitches, are said to benefit from “breath-taking sea views”.

Park Holidays runs more than 40 sites across the UK.

Richard Moss, head of UK parks agency at Colliers, said: “It’s been a pleasure for me and our client to work with Park Holidays and to be able to announce this deal. Our client is an excellent operator and Park Holidays clearly saw that they would inherit a very well organised and sustainable business, in locations that fitted their brief and offering.

“It’s a truly fascinating marketplace at the moment with private equity giants, overseas investors, family offices and expanding private family businesses all jostling for position. Our role is to match the best buyer to our client’s needs whilst not impacting the trading business.”

The vendor was advised by Pinsent Masons (legal), Johnston Carmichael (financial) and Colliers.