Butlin's sold to Bourne Leisure co-founder for £300 million

The seaside resort group maintains three sites across the country, including Bognor Regis, Minehead and Skegness and was formerly owned by Bourne Leisure, which also has holdings in Haven Holidays and Warner Leisure Hotel.

Now, a fund controlled by the Harris family has bought out Butlin’s and all of its remaining assets, for £300 million. This new deal does not, however, include assets sold to the UK’s largest private pension scheme – the Universities Superannuation Fund -earlier this year, also for approximately £300 million.

The Harris family were one of the founders of Bourne Leisure, having held a considerable share in the company for 45 years before selling a majority stake in 2021.

Having just bought back into to the Butlin’s brand, Paul Harris of the Harris Family Trust said: “We are delighted to reaffirm our love Butlin’s and once again be the new owners of this great brand.

"We look forward to working alongside the Butlin’s leadership team as they strive to deliver their strategic plan for the business and help them accelerate their investment plans to give our Butlin’s guests an even better holiday experience.”

Operating a 60 acre resort containing an amusement park, several restaurants and cafes, one of the UK’s largest entertainment arcades, and a recently refurbished swimming pool, Butlin’s Bognor Regis resort is one of the biggest employers in the area, with nearly 1,000 staff across a number of apartments. It remains to be seen how the buy-out will effect local prospects.

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