Thursfields helps family’s £1.5m purchase of seaside holiday park

Thursfields Solicitors has helped a Midlands business couple to realise their dream of owning and running a holiday park by the seaside.

Thursfields’ acted for Joanne and Warren Dixon’s £1.5m purchase of Calloose Caravan and Camping Park, near St Ives in Cornwall, and on the set up of a new trading company to run and develop the business.

The Dixons, based in Redditch, were already owners of two local exhibitions and events companies, but had long desired to move into a more rural leisure business.

Joanne Dixon, aged 36, said: “We’ve been running successful local businesses for years but have always dreamed of doing something different, and having a lifestyle change at the same time.

Once we found the Calloose site we knew it was just what we wanted – an award-winning, family-owned site with customers going back up to 40 years. We’ve been really impressed with how Thursfields have quickly helped us to realise our dream of acquiring this business.”

Thursfields’ Worcester office handled the project with Gareth Burge, director of the Corporate & Commercial team, leading the business transaction, assisted by senior associate solicitor Tim Edwards. Michelle O’Hara, director of the employment team, advised on the employment side.

Warren Dixon, aged 48, said: “It really was a team operation from Thursfields, with a huge amount of experienced advice and a great extra input of local knowledge.”

That local knowledge came from associate solicitor Katie Williams, of Thursfields’ Commercial Property team, who advised on the purchase of the site itself.

Katie said: “The Dixons are already successful business people in Redditch and were looking for a new venture in the holiday park sector.

It was great to be involved with their exciting plans, particularly as I had grown up in Cornwall just ten miles away from the site itself and therefore have a detailed local knowledge of the area, market and property issues.”

The Calloose site, which has 25 static units and 108 electric pitches for campers and caravanners, is now being fully refurbished before reopening in May.

The Dixons, who between them have four children aged between 11 and 27, are selling their Redditch home to move down to Cornwall to be close to the new business.

As a result, they are restructuring their existing local firms, Abbey Display and Inside Out Events, to be managed in their absence.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do something completely different,” added Mrs Dixon, “and with Thursfields’ help we feel really confident about the future.”

Calloose Caravan Park Ltd has two other shareholders, Jonathan and Alison Cox, who are already based in Cornwall as the site’s management team.

The business currently employs three people full-time and up to 20 seasonal workers, although Mrs Dixon said they hoped to increase staff numbers once the business is fully developed.

For advice on selling or purchasing a business and / or commercial premises please call Katie Williams, Associate Solicitor, on 01905 677048 or e-mail kwilliams@thursfields.co.uk

Thursfields expert Solicitors are available at any of our offices and surrounding areas – Birmingham, Worcester, Kidderminster, Solihull, and Halesowen.