Our Story

From humble manufacturing roots to our collection of parks across Lancashire, Cumbria and the Ribble Valley

1956

The Beginning

Billy and Miriam signed the lease on the perfect plot of land, Middlebarrow Plain in Silverdale. Holgates Caravan Parks Ltd was incorporated.
1956
Early 1960s

Growing our Silverdale Park

By the time the 1960s began, the family had grown our Silverdale park to include 200 pitches. More than quadrupling the park’s original capacity, this was a sign of bigger things to come.
Early 1960s
Late 1960s

Facilities Join our Silverdale Park

Middlebarrow Plain now featured gravel roads, toilet blocks, a new entrance way and shop – a world away from where they started in 1956.
Late 1960s
1964

The End of an Era

Manufacturing operations cease at Great Harwood, giving the family time to focus on building up Silverdale Holiday Park.
1964
1965

The Next Generation

Frank and Judith Holgate marry, soon welcoming another generation of the Holgate family: Michael, Susan and Roger.
1965
1967

Welcoming Different Ways to Stay

Expanding again and again, by 1967 Middlebarrow Plain had 420 pitches welcoming touring caravans to the site as well as statics.
1967
1967

Family Owned & Operated

The family purchase the lease to Middlebarrow Plain, making the park family property and providing a firmer foundation for even more growth.
1967
1970s

Expanding our facilities

The dawn of a new decade brought even more growth, with the introduction of better facilities such as: the first outdoor pool at Silverdale Holiday Park, expanded shop and new café. A growing collection of facilities meant an extended family of staff. Established facilities welcome everyone from pool attendants to admin support and café waiters, highlighting the park as a popular destination both for visitors and the local economy. Frank and Judith settled into their roles at the head of the company, ensuring the day-to-day running and customer service were both the best they can possibly be. Having built an enviable reputation across the region, new visitors were flocking in from Manchester, Bolton, Liverpool and beyond!
1970s
1980

Bigger & Better

After the success of the 70s, Frank and his team got to work on achieving his vision for an even greater offering.
1980
1985

Our first indoor swimming pool

Major improvements to the infrastructure at Silverdale Holiday Park welcomed our first indoor swimming pool, resurfaced roads across the park and a remodelled café and shop. Silverdale Holiday Park opens for 10 months a year, giving visitors the chance to squeeze more holidays into each year.
1985
1986

A Year of Change

Miriam Holgate sadly passes away. Driving the business forward in Miriam’s memory, the nearby Far Arnside park is brought into the Holgates Family Group. With a beautiful cliff-top setting and stunning views across Morecambe Bay, the location was (and is) second to none.
1986
Late 1980s

Thirty Years On

By the late 1980s the park was unrecognisable from its humble beginnings in 1956. Building a fantastic destination at Silverdale for over 30 years and taking the first steps beyond Silverdale, Holgates was on the way to becoming a leading holiday park group.
Late 1980s
1994

Focused on the Future

Frank Holgate bought out his brother’s share of the business, allowing him to make his visions a reality and his children: Michael, Susan and Roger take on more responsibility in the day-to-day operation of the parks.
1994
1999

Second-to-none Facilities

In the works since the mid-90s, permission was at last granted to build a larger pool and redevelop the café, bar & restaurant, providing premium facilities to be enjoyed by holiday home owners and guests. The challenges faced with development in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (National Landscape) were well worth the wait!
1999
2004

Netherbeck Joins the Family

Netherbeck Holiday Park joins the Holgates Family Group, a quaint little park offering holiday home ownership on the outskirts of Carnforth.
2004
2006

Celebrating 5 decades

A momentous year for the family and business, marking 50 years since Holgates Caravan Parks was incorporated. A year of reflection for Frank Holgate, he decided to take a step back and let his children lead the way. Michael took over the parks with Roger’s support, whilst Susan took the reins at Park Cliffe in Windermere.
2006
2007

Bay View joins the Holgates Family Group

Bolton Holmes in Bolton-le-Sands is acquired by the business, soon followed by Detrongate next door. The two were combined, creating Bay View Holiday Park. The vision for a larger park fulfilled, now recognized as one of the best in the North West.
2007
Late 00s

Say “Hello” to Hollins Farm

The fifth park to join the Holgates Family Group was Hollins Farm, a small camping and touring park at the foot of Arnside Knott. Sat between Silverdale and Far Arnside, purchasing the park and giving it the Holgates touch was the only option!
Late 00s
2010

Silver Ridge joins the Holgates Family Group

By 2010, Michael, Roger and the team were well practiced at the art of turning a standard holiday park into part of the Holgates group. Situated just of the A6 in Hale near Milnthorpe, Silver Ridge was a natural addition with scope to transform the park into a truly ideallic woodland retreat.
2010
2015

Remembering a Hero

In January 2015, Frank Holgate sadly passed away. Pancreatic Cancer continues to be a cause close to the family’s heart, with countless charity events and fundraisers held in the years since his passing.
2015
2016

Celebrating 60 Years

Continuing Frank’s legacy, Holgates celebrated 60 years in the leisure and tourism industry with a landmark event on the park.
2016
2016

The Royal Silverdale joins the Holgates Family Group

2016 marked a new venture with the acquisition of The Royal Silverdale. Lovingly redesigned and restored after being closed for several years, the friendly local pub also introduced two holiday cottages, marking the inception of the Holgates Cottage Collection.
2016
How to Choose the Perfect Location for Your UK Holiday Home
2019

Expanding into the Ribble Valley

Rimington Leisure Park also joins the Holgates Family Group, now known as Holgates Ribble Valley. The park has been extensively re-developed, showcasing the group’s expertise in transforming holiday parks as the brand expands into the Lancashire countryside.
2019
2019

The Cove

Situated across from the Silverdale Park on the site of the former Leeds Children’s Holiday Camp, Holgates regenerated the land to create a new luxury holiday lodge park: The Cove. This development stands as a hallmark of the quality and craftsmanship the group has provided for over 65 years.
2019
2020

New Development launches at Holgates Ribble Valley

The group has completed a series of enhancements at the Ribble Valley park, ranging from infrastructure and security to decorative planting. This expansion also introduced two new sections of the park, specifically positioned to overlook Pendle Hill.
2020
2021

Never Standing Still

To maintain the premium, historical tone of the Holgates brand, this rewrite removes the personal "our" and "we" in favor of a more authoritative, narrative voice. Here are a few ways to refine this for your digital marketing materials: Option 1: Sophisticated & Resilient (Recommended) "Despite the uncertainty of the global pandemic, development and expansion continued across the Holgates Family Group. Refusing to stand still, the group utilized the period of enforced closure to enhance Wi-Fi infrastructure across several locations and commence construction on a second swimming pool at Silverdale Holiday Park.
2021
2021

Further development at Holgates Ribble Valley

In the summer of 2021, Holgates Ribble Valley introduced a bespoke outdoor children’s play area and a meticulously renovated bar, featuring an elegant conservatory extension.
2021
2022

Marsh House joins the Holgates Family

In March 2022, Marsh House reopened as the ninth park within the Holgates Family Group following significant investment. Boasting exquisite views of Morecambe Bay, the park was a natural acquisition for the brand's expanding portfolio.
2022
2022

Beetham joins the family as our 10th park

Nestled within the Cumbrian countryside, Holgates Beetham is situated in a stunning National Landscape, offering guests breathtaking surroundings and a wealth of scenic walks directly from the park.
2022
2023

£10,000 raised for St John’s Hospice & Pancreatic Cancer UK

A record-breaking donation of £10,000 was raised during the Holgates Family Fun Day & Ceilidh Dance. The proceeds were divided equally between Pancreatic Cancer UK and St John’s Hospice, supporting two causes of great importance to the group.
2023
2024

Ribble Valley wins the Star in Tourism Awards.

Holgates Ribble Valley was honored with the Transformational Tourism Award at the annual Stars In Tourism Awards, a testament to the park’s recent re-development and commitment to excellence.
2024
2024

Our Charity Ceilidh raised £5,500

A further £5,500 was raised for St John’s Hospice following the 2024 Holgates Charity Ceilidh, continuing the group's long-standing support for the local community.
2024
2024

Netherbeck wins prestigious double awards

Holgates Netherbeck has been honored with a VisitEngland ROSE Award. This recognition highlights the park’s dedication to providing an exceptional guest experience and industry-leading service.
2024