Our Company history spans over 75 years back to the mid 1940’s and is now a third generation family business.
Richard House our current Managing Director has found memories delivery milk around the camping fields by horse back.
The company has changed significantly over the years and regular investment has taken place to continually develop and diversify the business that first started as a dairy farm.
Let’s have a look back at the history.
1946-1970’s
Albert and Marie House bought Unity Farm in 1946 and for the next 30 years run the farm primarily as a dairy farm which a heard of 140 cows. They then supplied the local area with milk that was bottled on the farm. Bert also had a passion for horse racing and enjoyed success with a number of winners in both flat and national hunt races.
However as far back as 1946 camping was a very popular past time and Fry’s Chocolate Factory from Bristol pitched large tents on three fields of the farm for a two week period during the summer so that there employees could have a holiday by the sea.
What we today know as Holiday Resort Unity started here and it wasn’t long before many groups including Boy’s Brigade Troops from across the country were coming to Brean for holidays.
In 1948 planning permission was granted to change the use of some of the farm land to caravans and camping and 20 acres was converted to this use. During the 50’s and 60’s caravan and camping became a bigger part of the business and slowly the number of cows, pigs and sheep decreased.
In the late 60’s a bar called ‘Bert’s Bar’ was opened on the resort and became one of the parks first main facilities.
1970’s – 80’s
During the 70’s and 80’s the beginnings of Brean Leisure Park was created and the Mid Somerset Golf Centre which included Target Golf, driving range, pitch and putt and also an 8 hole golf course opened. Through the years additional recreation activities were added including Greyhound racing, a swimming pool, donkey derby’s and open air markets to name just a few.
The park was now attracting a lot of visitors from the Birmingham, South Wales and Bristol areas and in the late 1970’s the House family bought out the other Directors so that they could concentrate on their passion of developing leisure and holiday facilities for local residents and holiday makers.
The 8 hole golf course was expanded to 18 holes and Brean Golf Club was created. The course hosted a number of pro and celebrity amateur tournaments as well as becoming a members club and a facility for holiday guest to use.
In 1980 the complex that we know today as the ‘Tavern’ was opened and was then knows as the ‘Farmers Tavern’ providing a venue for evening family entertainment, functions and weddings. The complex also included an Amusement arcade and Fast Food outlets.
The Greyhound track was closed in 1984 and to improve the look of the park a significant landscaping project was undertaken across both Brean Leisure Park and also Unity Farm.
1990’s
Further facilities were added during the 90’s including a river tyre ride at the Swimming Pool complex and also the addition of 2 Ten-Pin bowling lanes at Unity Farm in 1994.
2000 – RJ’s Opening
In 2000 one of the biggest projects that we have undertaken opened. The RJ’s Entertainment complex was a £1m investment in the resort and the American Themed venue replaced Bert’s Bar and Chicks Roost with a venue with a capacity of 700 people.
2000 – 2010
Over the next 10 years the development of the facilities continued and included a new toilet block in green field and also an extension to RJ’s called ‘Berties’.
In 2003 ‘Golden Sands Caravan Park’ was purchased. This park is located 1 mile from Holiday Resort Unity. The park 20 static caravans available for hire and a footpath to the beach.
2005 saw the opening of the Costcutter supermarket as well as a refurbishment to yellow field toilet block. The Cadell brothers became the sole operators of Fun City which resulted in the significant investment of new rides and visual improvements within the park.
With Holiday Resort Unity now providing holidays for thousands of people every year the old reception and office building became outgrown and a new facility was opened in 2006 to improve the check in procedure of our guests. The old reception building was then converted into the over 18’s arcade at Unity Bowl.
In 2008 a new toilet block was constructed at Brown Field and also the Caravan Sales building was constructed and opened. The Resort was also awarded a 4 star holiday village for the first time by the English Tourism Board.
Work to improve Brean Golf Club was completed in 2009 including the creation of the longest hole in Somerset. A family 9 hole pitch and putt was opened.
A subway franchise and a family restaurant were opened during 2010 following the purchase of a former pub just 100 metres from the entrance to Brean Leisure Park.
2011 – 1st phase of Brean Splash completed
The first phase of a multi-million pound project to create a new pool and entertainment complex was completed. The £2m investment in Brean Splash saw the opening of a new indoor 25m swimming pool, indoor children’s splash park and a seaside themed outdoor children’s play structure with 3 waterslides.
2012
During 2012 we celebrated our 65 birthday and are one of a handful of large independently owned holiday parks left in the UK. Further work on Brean Golf Club was completed this year with 3 new holes opening and Fun City opened a new Sooty Film attraction.
2014
We completed our final phase of Brean Splash to include a new indoor pool area with mini slides. Brean Play, our new indoor soft play attraction opened, offering an all year round play facility and cafe. The concession at Fun City changed hands was re-named Brean Theme Park.
2016
New Gym, Sauna & steam room opened at Brean Splash as well as the Rainbow Rings Waterslide.
2017
New Baby Pool and Disco Slide at Brean Splash Waterpark.
2018
Work was completed on our £4m NEW Golf & Lodge development, Brean Country Club, a premium venue for dining, weddings, events & lodge development for sales. Coast, our new dog friendly cafe opened in the former Legends bar.
2019
Saw the addition of new hire fleet and a refurbishment of Wimpy restaurant, into The Pavilion Food Court, plus a new central stock distribution centre.
2020
The year of Covid-19 caused disruption Resort wide. This delayed new projects and inhibited operating across the year. Our Ninja Warrior course was installed on the mezzanine at Brean Play.
2021
Installation of our new outdoor play equipment at the outdoor play area. The focus for the year was on sustainability with the slogan “Sustainability at Heart” and we achieved some amazing results through mixed recycling, food recycling and energy initiatives.
Brightholme Holiday Park was purchased 300m from Holiday Resort Unity. The park consists of 70 privately owned static caravans and a bar and restaurant.
The Future …..
Brean Leisure Park now attracts over 500,000 visitors every year and with the further work at Brean Splash planned this number will hopefully only grow. Holiday Resort Unity has a capacity of around 5000 guests at any one time.
As a business we are committed to developing the facilities of both Brean Leisure Park and Holiday Resort Unity and over the last 10 years over £15 million has been invested to improve the holiday experience of our guests.
Although the House Family are the driving force behind the making of the business as it is today, they could not have done it alone and gratefully acknowledge the help and support from past and present management and team members and hope they have enjoyed being part of a family run business.
The business offers permanent employment for around 170 team members, with our seasonal team members pushing our total numbers to around 300 at our peak in the Summer. Our team consists of many people from the local areas as well as some international team members that originally came over as Summer placements or as part of sporting arrangements to play for local sports clubs.
There are many career development opportunities and examples over the years. Our longest team member being with us for over 30 years.
To find out more about opportunities at #TeamBrean visit www.breanjobs.com