The Holkham Estate completed the acquisition of six caravan parks along the Norfolk coast, expanding its portfolio through the purchase of McDonnell Caravans, a family-owned holiday park operator. The newly acquired parks are located in Snettisham, Heacham, Holme-next-the-Sea, Brancaster, and two sites at Thornham, alongside McDonnell Caravans’ distribution and sales businesses.
Founded in 1966, McDonnell Caravans has been an integral part of Norfolk’s tourism landscape, known for selling a range of static holiday homes and touring caravans. In 1983, Mike McDonnell took over the business from his father.
With this acquisition, Holkham Estate has also taken control of McDonnell Caravans’ head office in Gayton, near King’s Lynn, which will now operate as a subsidiary of Holkham Holiday Parks Ltd. Darren Williams, director of Holkham Holiday Parks Ltd and general manager of the estate’s Pinewoods holiday park in Wells-next-the-Sea, will assume the role of managing director of McDonnell Caravans.
According to an article published by North Norfolk News, Mike has transitioned into an advisory consultant role and expressed satisfaction with the sale, stating, “My father founded the company in 1966, and I took it over in 1983. After 41 years at the helm, this is the right time for me to scale back my involvement…I am pleased to see six of my parks now being taken forward by the Holkham Estate, who I am confident will carry on with the same commitment to running exceptional parks that [have] worked so well for me.”
Despite the sale of the six parks, McDonnell retains ownership of two holiday parks in Hunstanton, which he will continue to manage independently.
He emphasized his ongoing commitment to the industry, noting, “I’m not retiring quite yet. I will enjoy running my two parks to keep my connections within this industry, which I have loved being so widely involved in for most of my working life.”
