Our History
Blue Anchor Leisure has been part of the Lincolnshire coast for more than 50 years. Founded by John Woodward OBE in the late 1950s, the company began with the manufacturing of holiday caravans under the Blue Anchor International name and quickly became recognised across the leisure industry for innovative holiday home design.
The Blue Anchor name soon became established on holiday parks throughout the UK and Europe, with the company receiving the Queen’s Award for Export in both 1974 and 1975 in recognition of its success and contribution to British manufacturing.
“John Woodward’s vision helped shape modern holiday park tourism along the Lincolnshire coast, creating a legacy that continues through the business today.”
Investment
During the 1990s, Blue Anchor Leisure began a major programme of investment across the Lincolnshire coast. One of the company’s most significant developments was the transformation of the former Eastgate Holiday Centre into Fantasy Island, creating the UK’s first indoor theme park resort alongside Europe’s largest open-air, seven-day market.
In 2000, the company purchased the former Robin Hood Leisure Park in Chapel St Leonards, which was later redeveloped into the Golden Palm Resort. Today, the resort is home to family accommodation, leisure facilities, dining venues, and Club Tropicana — one of the largest entertainment venues on the East Coast.
Progression
What began with a single holiday park in the 1950s has grown into one of the region’s leading holiday park operators. Today, Blue Anchor Leisure owns and operates 18 holiday parks and developments located across the Lincolnshire coast.
Over the years, the company has continued to invest in new developments, including The Retreat, Lilac Blossom Meadow, Buttercup Meadow, and Wildflower Meadow, helping to shape the next generation of holiday home ownership on the East Coast.
Expansion
As a family-run business, Blue Anchor Leisure continues to invest in holiday parks, entertainment, and leisure facilities across the region. Alongside the continued development of existing parks, the company has also expanded into new areas of the leisure industry, including the growth of the Woody’s venue brand.
More than five decades later, Blue Anchor Leisure remains proudly family-run, continuing the vision and legacy established by John Woodward OBE on the Lincolnshire coast.
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