How a Dutch holiday idea took root in Robin Hood's ancient forest

THE RISE OF CENTER PARCS - AND WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS

- By JOSHUA HARTLEY

Center Parcs' Sherwood Forest site when it opened in 1987. The dome of the Subtropical Swimming Paradise is instantly recognisable.

SINCE the 1970s, Britain’s big holiday resorts have often been the butt of jokes, with many preferring to jet off to sunnier climes thanks to cheap flights.

Center Parcs though has never been in that category of traditional British holidays, which are often at the mercy of our unreliable weather.

And its network of woodland holiday retreats has transformed into a mammoth multi-billion pound operation.

The New Ollerton business, which now employs more than 9,000 staff, came from humble beginnings right here in Nottinghamshire.

The concept for Center Parcs was the invention of Dutch businessman and philanthropist Piet Derksen, who set up a holiday village called Sporthuis Centrum in The Netherlands back in 1968. Nearly 20 years later, after Sporthuis Centrum had been renamed and had its tents switched for more familiar lodges, the business began its expansion into the UK.

Having already expanded to Belgium and France, Center Parcs opened its first UK resort at Sherwood Forest in 1987, bringing its unique mixture of nature, leisure and relaxation that isn’t easily ruined by wet or cold weather, thanks in part to its indoor subtropical swimming paradise.