Green Acres Caravan Park in Carlisle has been named the top site in the North West region for the fourth consecutive year in the Practical Caravan Top 100 Sites Guide 2026 rankings, an annual list determined by public voting.
The recognition reflects continued guest satisfaction at the family-run park, which has undergone expansion and operational changes in recent years.
Director Mike Brown, who manages the park alongside fellow director Josie, acknowledged the repeat recognition and emphasized the role of returning guests in sustaining the business.
“This is the fourth year in a row that we’ve been awarded it now, and we’re very grateful,” he said. “It’s actually voted for by the public, and we’ve had such a strong relationship with our guests over the years.”
The site has a long operational history. Brown’s parents established the caravan park and managed it for approximately 20 years before transferring ownership in 2019. Since then, the current leadership has focused on scaling the operation and upgrading facilities. “My dad made the park to start with, he had the groundwork and that kind of thing, and my mother ran it for 20 years,” he told News&Star.
“They were at the stage where they felt like they’d done their time, and it was Josie and I who were excited to take on the challenge, really – we both left our careers, and we’ve gone from strength to strength.”
At the time of the ownership transition in 2019, the park had 35 pitches. That number has since increased to 64, following capital investments that included the construction of a new shower block in 2020, during the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. “We invested quite a lot at the start,” Brown said.
“It was a bit worrying because of Covid, we weren’t sure if we were going to be able to open back up, but luckily on the back side of that, with the staycation boom, we just kind of went from strength to strength.”
In addition to infrastructure improvements, the park has incorporated partnerships with local food providers to enhance the guest experience. These include scheduled visits from regional vendors offering meals throughout the week, an approach that supports nearby businesses while diversifying on-site services.
For operators in the outdoor hospitality sector, the park’s trajectory illustrates several operational considerations, including the timing of capital investment during uncertain market conditions, the potential value of maintaining long-term guest relationships, and the role of local partnerships in shaping guest experience.
The reliance on repeat visitors, including some seasonal guests who have returned for more than a decade, also highlights the importance of customer retention strategies in sustaining occupancy and reputation in a competitive regional market.
Brown noted the importance of guest feedback in guiding operations. “People really love the park, and it’s just nice to hear the feedback that we get from the guests.”