Fancy being the owner of a caravan park? You could be for a cool £4m

In 1989, Carol Croft purchased Cayton Village, a touring caravan and camping park in Scarborough, set in a unique location, overlooking the Yorkshire Wolds and within half a mile of the beach at Cayton Bay.

Over the past 29 years, the business has been transformed from its initial 0 stars (when it was first purchased) to a beautifully landscaped development which has been awarded a 5 star luxury grading by Visit England. It was also recently presented with the 5 pennants by the AA scheme and has attained the David Bellamy Gold Conservation Award and Pets Welcome Award.

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Carol says, “When I first bought the caravan and camping park, it wasn’t in dire straits but certainly needed revamping. I’ve always been particularly interested in wildlife and nature and within five years of purchasing the development, I had managed to plant 3,500 trees. From an aesthetic perspective, we wanted to make the park more attractive but we also wanted to welcome animals and nature. The trees have really grown over the years and we now have a forest and some of the best routes and paths for dog walkers in the region. The park attracts deer and other animals including barn owls, hares and hedgehogs. Perhaps it was more luck than judgment but within 15 years, I realised I had created this ‘conservation park’, before that term had even been coined as a buzzword.

“All the buildings have also been replaced – they were specified to match the brickwork of surrounding villages. We also upgraded the playground and created luxurious bathroom facilities. Additionally, in a region which is home to all singing and dancing parks, we have always adhered to a strictly no noise after 11pm policy, to ensure that the area is calming and peaceful for our guests.”

13 years ago, Carol’s daughter, Gemma, who has a degree in business management, and son-in-law, Steve, who worked in property management, decided to pack up and leave their home and jobs in London to come and help Carol run the park. Since then, the business has continued to grow from strength to strength. A really expanding new side of the company which they set up was selling caravans, which can be kept at the park throughout the year.

However, Carol has now decided that now is the right time to sell Cayton Village.

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“I have thoroughly enjoyed living and breathing this wonderful business however I am now 72 years old and spend half the year in York and the other six months in Wiltshire so I have decided to retire and as a family, we have come to an agreement to sell the park. The caravan park and camping park will be particularly attractive to new owners as it is next to Cayton Village, where you will find our local pub and popular fish and chip shop. The stunning Yorkshire Moors are within easy reach and the caravan park is ideally located for visits to historic York and the picturesque seaside towns of Whitby; Robin Hood’s Bay; Filey; Runswick Bay; Staithes; Sandsend and Bridlington.”

Cayton Village is up for sale for offers over £4 million. Contact Colliers International 0113 200 6910 for further information.