A GOLF club and holiday lodge resort near Pocklington has been acquired by the fourth largest operator of holiday parks in the UK.

The KP Club at Kilnwick Percy has been bought by the Darwin Leisure Property Fund and will become part of the Fund’s Darwin Escapes portfolio of holiday parks.

The club, which provides 34 letting lodges and an 18-hole championship golf course will be the 20th under the North Wales-headquartered Darwin Escapes brand.

Also featuring two restaurants, The Glasshouse and the Vale of York, the KP Club has been sold by its private owners for an undisclosed sum.

Lindsey Bamford, managing director at Darwin Escapes, said “The KP Club is the perfect addition to our Darwin Escapes portfolio of holiday parks. Each Darwin Escapes park has its own unique character, but all offer the highest standards of accommodation, facilities and service.

“Darwin has invested heavily across the portfolio in order to create some of the best holiday destinations in the UK and we look forward to carrying on the legacy of The KP Club to ensure it continues to be a leading resort”

Colliers International’s Richard Moss, who handled the sale, commented: “The parks and leisure resorts sector has been very active so far in 2017 and Darwin’s continued investment into the industry illustrates the continued strong demand for UK holiday and leisure businesses. Furthermore, it signals their intention to grow their business in the North of England. The previous owners created a resort of the highest quality, making The KP one of Yorkshire’s most well regarded holiday and leisure destinations. I have no doubt that under Darwin’s ownership, it will continue to thrive and be the setting for many more memorable customer experiences.”

The resort’s previous owners built the club house and restaurant in 2008 followed by a £4 million investment five years later to build 24 new holiday lodges in addition to the ten existing at the time.

Darwin Escapes is owned by the Darwin Leisure Property Fund (DLPF), which was launched in January 2008. The DLPF is a £495 million investment fund, whose investors include some of the largest UK pension funds.