Carnforth man ploughs millions into park

1:12pm Wednesday 3rd December 2008

A CARNFORTH businessman is to invest millions of pounds developing a caravan park near Milnthorpe.

Sheep farmer turned property tycoon John Morphet, who runs the Pure Leisure Group, wants to spend £3.5million building state-of-the-art leisure facilities at Fell End Caravan Park at Hale.

The plans are awaiting approval from South Lakeland District Council this month but if approved will see the multi-million pound swimming pool, gym, restaurant and retail units up and running by June next year.

Mr Morphet, who owns Lakeland Leisure Village near Carnforth, has also spent nearly £340million buying a sugar cane plantation on the island of Barbados, which is called Lancaster.

The 54-year-old, who went to Bentham Grammar School and still farms at Beetham near Milnthorpe, is planning to build hundreds of luxury villas and a world-class golf course on the 250acre plot, which will join his neighbouring Royal Westmoreland estate – a popular haunt for the rich and famous.

He said his investment in Fell End at Hale emphasied how he was “continually striving to better cater for customers’ needs”.