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2nd November 2022

An Interview with Oliver Curson of Berkeley Parks

Christopher Jackson talks to Oliver Curson, an impressive business leader at Berkeley Parks, about his career at the family company.

Family businesses often have unique dynamics, and Berkeley Parks, one of the leading residential park providers in the UK, is no exception. Founded in the 1960s by John Berkeley, the company is now led by David Curson, who married into the family. He joined the company in 2001 after a stint in the Fleet Air Arm and became the firm’s leader in 2019.

Now, a third generation is involved. I catch up with Oliver Curson, a talented young leader at Berkeley Parks. He oversees both the residential and expanding holiday parks sides of the business.

Currently, Berkeley Parks operates 51 residential parks and two holiday parks. I ask Oliver, what kind of clients Berkeley Parks attracts. “Most of our parks are for people over fifty. They’re looking to retire and downsize. They want peace and quiet without too many children around.”

As a father of two energetic kids, I quickly understand the appeal. It’s also worth noting that there are other benefits to buying a home in a holiday park. “We don’t charge stamp duty, so our clients were unaffected by last year’s changes. Plus, there are no solicitor fees, which helps save money,” Curson explains.

Curson’s role is varied. “I manage the holiday park side of the business, and I handle residential requests. I might attend court hearings or oversee refurbishments. Every day is different.”

The pandemic was tough on the company at first. “We saw a sharp decline in sales, both new and second-hand. But when things reopened, demand surged. By the end of the year, we were back to where we expected to be,” Curson says. This shows the resilience of Berkeley Parks.

However, Curson admits there were challenges with new developments. “We planned to open a new Holiday Park in Essex, but COVID-19 put that on hold. We’re still trying to get it back on track.”

I’m impressed by Curson. He’s achieved a lot at a young age, but remains grounded. That’s often the case in family businesses. Still, it’s not always true – many heirs to family firms lack Curson’s drive and work ethic.

I ask what Berkeley Parks looks for in employees. “Right now, we have 150 employees. The main thing we seek is the drive to do a good job. We focus on expanding the holiday side of our business.

The holiday park sector is competitive. “The staycation trend has driven prices up. We aim to keep our costs lower than local market prices,” Curson explains. Berkeley Parks stands out in this regard. “We base our prices on manufacturing costs. If those don’t rise, we won’t raise our prices. But with the increase in the cost of wood and metal, manufacturers have raised their prices.”

Curson’s modesty reflects the company’s integrity. Berkeley Parks is set for future success. Curson clearly understands the business, from pricing to client needs, and enjoys discussing it.

Curson also has an unexpected background. “I studied motorsport engineering,” he says with a laugh. “I never worked in that field, but university taught me valuable skills, like time management.”

After university, Curson trained as a marine. “My father had a military background too, so I guess I was scratching that itch,” he says. He left in 2018. So, was joining Berkeley Parks always the plan? “It wasn’t. But I always knew the door was open for me.”

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