J D Wetherspoon to open pubs at Haven holiday parks

An artist's impression of the J D Wetherspoon pub at Primrose Valley Holiday Park in Filey, North Yorkshire

Pub chain J D Wetherspoon has signed an "exclusive agreement" with Haven Holidays to operate at its parks.

Haven, which runs 38 parks in the UK, said the first on-site pub would open at its Primrose Valley venue in Filey, North Yorkshire, in March.

A spokesperson for the firm said no other locations had been currently been identified.

Peter Blake, Haven's chief operating officer, said it was the first holiday provider to partner with the chain.

He said: "This new venture underlines our dedication to growing our food and beverage partnerships and offering for our holidaymakers and holiday homeowners."

Acquired by Blackstone in 2021, Haven said it had invested more than £170m in its parks over the past year, adding that the Wetherspoon deal was part of an additional £4m investment to improve its food and beverage offering.

Michael Barron, commercial director at Wetherspoon, said: "We are delighted to be partnering with Haven and are confident the pub will prove popular with holidaymakers."

The business is no stranger to looking beyond the high street to increase footfall.

In 2022, it entered into into partnership with a students' union in the first deal of its kind at a British university.

At the time, Hull University Students' Union said it meant "students will have their very own 'Spoons' on campus".

And in 2014, Wetherspoon opened the first motorway service station pub, The Hope and Champion, off the M40 in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, despite facing a backlash from road safety campaigners.