Lightwater Valley is a leading North Yorkshire attraction that is focused on family days out and is set in 175 acres of landscaped parkland. The park offers a variety of attractions with rides, amusements, crazy golf, children's outdoor and indoor play, and entertainment shows, together with numerous food, drink and retail outlets. It also runs popular seasonal events including Frightwater Valley at Halloween and Alice in Winterland at Christmas.
The new owners believe that the extensive space at Lightwater Valley provides a long term growth opportunity for the company to develop and expand the park.
For its last full year of uninterrupted trading (year ended 28 February 2019), Lightwater Valley recorded sales of £5.1 million, EBITDA of £1.1 million and pre tax profits of £0.6 million. As for so much of the leisure industry, the financial year ended 28 February 2021 was heavily impacted by restrictions on capacity together with closures in relation to COVID-19. In these latest statutory financial statements, the company recorded a loss before tax of £0.6 million on sales of £2.4 million.
As the restrictions imposed by the COVID pandemic on the UK leisure industry continue to be lifted, the group are confident that Lightwater Valley's trading will resume to normalised levels in the short term.
Anne Ackord, Chief Executive Officer of The Brighton Pier Group, said:
"I am delighted to welcome all the team at Lightwater Valley to The Brighton Pier Group. I believe that, together, we can develop Lightwater Valley into the premier amusement destination across Yorkshire and the surrounding areas.
This acquisition continues the Company's development as a consolidator within the leisure industry, and we are excited to explore further growth opportunities as they arise. I believe our businesses are ideally suited to take advantage of the pent- up demand as the UK unlocks its restrictions.
The booming 'staycation' market is going to significantly grow UK tourism over the coming months as international travel restrictions remain in place, this provides a great opportunity over the summer for all the Group's operations."
