Holiday park operator expands digital operation with creation of new jobs

UK holiday park operator, Parkdean Resorts, has chosen Leeds to grow its digital and IT team.

The business owns 67 holiday parks across 3,500 acres of land and welcomes more than three million holidaymakers each year.

Its digital team encompasses all its customer-facing touchpoints, systems, and processes in one place.

Parkdean Resorts first established a presence for its digital staff in Leeds at the end of 2019 operating from a 12-person serviced office suite in the Platform building, next to the station.

The company has now embarked on an ambitious recruitment campaign to quickly grow this team to 40 staff, following increased demand from holidaymakers, as the rise in popularity of staycations continues to grow.

To accommodate the expansion, commercial property agent Fox Lloyd Jones has negotiated a lease for a 2,276 sq ft workspace, which is also within Platform, ahead of the move later this month.

Heading the office will be Claire Macnair, who joined Parkdean Resorts as head of digital transformation after more than 14 years at Bupa.

Catherine Lynn, chief customer officer at Parkdean Resorts, said: “Leeds is a hotbed of digital talent, and since opening in the city we’ve been delighted with the calibre of people we’ve been able to attract, offering different perspectives and adding value to our growing team.

“This new office, in Platform, is a sign of our long-term commitment to the city.”

Macnair said: “The opportunity to establish a new digital capability here in Leeds was just too good to pass on, and there’s a really exciting energy building ahead of our move into our space at Platform later this month.

“In a competitive market, not only can we offer candidates the chance to design and build solutions Parkdean’s customers will love, work in hybrid patterns, and learn from talented new colleagues, but we’ve got unbeatable access and views across the city.”

Property director at Parkdean Resorts, David Lodge, said: “When we moved into Leeds, Fox Lloyd Jones recommended a serviced office within Platform, as it not only enabled us to establish our presence in the short term, but it also provided up to the minute technology to support the digital and IT teams.

“In addition, being right next to the railway station provided easy accessibility to help attract an experienced team.”

Senior surveyor at Fox Lloyd Jones, Harry Finney, added: “We are pleased our recommendation has enabled Parkdean Resorts to expand and bring further jobs to the city.

“The deal demonstrates Leeds remains a highly desirable city for a digital hub and is further evidence of a flight to quality in the Leeds office market.”