Cove UK, one of Britain’s largest caravan park operators, has entered administration, impacting 11 sites across England and Scotland. The company is part of the wider Cove Group, which includes about 25 to 30 companies, though the parent is not affected.
Affected English parks include Gwel an Mor Resort in Cornwall and Solway Holiday Park in Cumbria. In Scotland, Drimsynie Holiday Village, Hunters Quay Holiday Village, and Loch Eck Caravan Park face uncertainty. Argyll Holidays, bought by Cove UK for £100 million in 2022, is also affected.
Joint administrators Adam Paxton, Rob Croxen, and Ben Cairns from Alvarez & Marsal Europe have been appointed to Cove Communities Venture 2 Argyle OpCo Ltd. They confirmed that holidaymakers will not be affected as the parks are currently closed for the season.
Adam Paxton said: ‘Our priority is to ensure a smooth transition and maintain stability across the parks. Owners, residents and holidaymakers should not be impacted, and can contact the site managers with any questions.’
The collapse has sparked disappointment online, with some blaming corporate consolidation. Michael Woodhouse, a sales manager at Springwood, urged respect for staff who are ‘working extremely hard to support owners and guests.’ About 250 people are employed during peak season, though the largest resort, Seal Bay in West Sussex, is unaffected.
The news comes after a post-COVID boom in staycations, with recent closures like Baltic Wharf Caravan and Motorhome Club site in Bristol making way for housing. While cheap package holidays remain popular, the administration highlights challenges in the sector.
