Pub chain JD Wetherspoon is to open its first UK holiday park site in North Yorkshire on the back of a tie-up with leisure firm Haven.
The high street operator has signed an agreement with Haven, which operates 41 parks across the UK, that will see it open an initial venue in Filey at the Primrose Valley site. A £1.1m investment is due to bring Wetherspoon’s value-driven food and drink offer the holiday park in March, ahead of what Haven says is likely to be a busy summer.
The firm says it is the first and only holiday park operator to sign a commercial agreement with Wetherspoon which reported sales of £1.9bn last year. For Wetherspoon, it is the latest expansion-led tie-up after the firm partnered with Newcastle University Students’ Union to open a pub on campus – the second deal of its kind alongside a similar set up in Hull.
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Haven said the addition of Wetherspoon to the site – which already boasts a Burger King, Papa John’s takeaway and Millie’s Cookies – is part of a £4m investment into its food and drink offering for 2024. Overall the private equity-owned brand says it has invested £170m in its parks over the past 12 months.
Peter Blake, chief operating officer at Haven, said “We are thrilled to be the first holiday provider to partner with one of the UK’s leading and much-loved pub operators. This new venture underlines our dedication to growing our food and beverage partnerships and offering for our holidaymakers and holiday homeowners.”
Michael Barron, commercial director of Wetherspoon, said, “We are delighted to be partnering with Haven and are confident that the pub will prove popular with holidaymakers.”
Wetherspoon founder Tim Martin received a knighthood in the New Year honours list, in recognition of his services to hospitality and culture. Sir Tim built up the pub group after buying his first venue in Muswell Hill, London, in 1979. It has since grown to encompass 830 venues in the UK and Republic of Ireland.
Original artice – https://business-live.co.uk/all-about/yorkshire-humber