History
- 1968: First Center Parcs village opens at De Lommerbergen in Holland.
- 1987: The concept of the “villa in the forest” found its way to the UK when Sherwood Forest was built in Nottinghamshire
- 1989: Elveden Forest opens in Suffolk and the British brewers and retailers Scottish & Newcastle become the new owners
- 2001: Center Parcs UK are sold to venture capitalists Deutsche Bank Capital Partners
- 2002: The Oasis Holiday Village near Penrith is taken over by Center Parcs UK and re-named Center Parcs Whinfell Forest
- 2003: The business is floated on AIM (Alternative Investment Market)
- 2005: Center Parcs move to main stock market listing
- 2006: Private Equity firm The Blackstone Group acquires Center Parcs
- 2007: Unprecedented investment programme begins with over £100 million spent on accommodation, restaurants and retail outlets
- Agreements are signed with Tragus, SSP and Nuance to manage a small number of restaurants and retail outlets on each of Center Parcs’ four villages
- Center Parcs teams up with designer Tara Bernerd of Target Living and for the first time the new lodges, including the newly built 4 bedroom executive lodges, are available to book
- Outline planning permission is gained for 5th UK village at Woburn
- 2008: As part of continued investment on at Center Parcs every single bed on the four villages is replaced as well as the entire bike fleet
- Center Parcs sign their first franchise agreement and Starbucks Coffee Shops are introduced across the four villages
- Center Parcs signs a five year partnership deal with Badminton England and are the official partner of Team England and title sponsor of the National School Championships
- Celebrity Chef Aldo Zilli opens the first Zilli Café in Longleat’s Aqua Sana
- 2009: Phase 3 of the accommodation refurbishment starts. By Easter nearly 40% of the accommodation will be newly styled lodges.
