York House Leisure, a family-run parks group in North Yorkshire, is marking its 60th anniversary this summer with plans for a £1 million investment across its portfolio. The funding will be directed toward holiday parks, residential parks, and visitor attractions operated by the company.
The business traces its origins to 1964, when dentist Neil Brierley and his wife Patricia purchased land on the Causeway Coast in Northern Ireland.
After several years of success, the couple returned to England and acquired York House Holiday Park in Balk, near Thirsk, beginning what would become a growing parks enterprise. Neil continued his dental practice until the mid-1990s while also helping develop the business.
Over six decades, York House Leisure has expanded to include three award-winning holiday parks, two residential parks designed for retirees, and the 84-acre Monk Park Farm visitor attraction near Thirsk.
Today, the business is led by the founders’ children, brothers Phil and Tim Brierley, with their sister Heather also involved part-time. The company employs around 50 staff, mostly local recruits who receive training and career development opportunities.
Phil Brierley said York House Leisure now welcomes more than 80,000 holiday visitors annually, whose spending contributes to the wider local economy and supports jobs in the region.
Approximately 200 people also live in the group’s residential parks, with numbers expected to grow following a new development at Gateforth Park in Selby.
Part of the planned £1 million investment will be allocated to Monk Park Farm, which the company purchased four years ago when it faced closure.
The attraction, which also draws around 80,000 visitors each year, recently introduced a new animal barn as part of its ongoing development.
“We are immensely proud of the business our parents pioneered, and work hard to keep alive their philosophy of always putting customers first and foremost,” Phil told The Yorkshire Post.
“York House Leisure is really all about making people happy and getting the most from their lives, be it children and families on holiday or those slowing down after a lifetime’s work. Our aim is to continue raising the quality bar by constant reinvestment in our parks and providing the best experience possible for everyone with the help of our amazing teams.”
For industry professionals, York House Leisure’s milestone highlights the importance of sustained reinvestment, diversification of offerings, and long-term succession planning.
The company’s model demonstrates how family-owned businesses can balance tradition with innovation while contributing to local economies and tourism growth.