April highlights a month of significant investment, adaptation, and shifting fortunes across the UK leisure industry. 

Holiday parks and golf resorts are driving forward major expansion plans, while operators respond to environmental pressures and evolving visitor demand. Landmark projects such as the proposed £480 million Scottish golf resort underline the scale of ambition within the sector, alongside continued upgrades to hotels and leisure facilities. 

At the same time, financial challenges facing some operators and institutions reflect a changing landscape. From regeneration schemes to new fitness developments, this month captures an industry balancing growth with resilience. 

Here’s what defined April across the leisure sector...

• A proposed £30 million expansion at Skerries Holiday Park in Portrush aims to add 154 new caravan pitches to the popular site. This significant investment is expected to provide a major boost to the local economy and tourism industry by enhancing visitor capacity.

• The Old Brick Kilns in Barney has been named one of the top 10 caravan parks in the UK by Practical Caravan judges. The 13-acre site earned high praise for its excellent maintenance, helpful staff, and top-tier facilities like spacious pitches and five washroom blocks.

• A proposed £480 million golf resort is set to be one of Scotland’s most significant hospitality investments, featuring a championship 18-hole golf course across a 310-acre site. This massive development near Wellbank will also debut the region's first five-star hotel under the Hyatt brand.

• Gorleston Golf Club seeks to relocate two of its holes further inland to protect the historic 120-year-old course from rapid coastal erosion. Planning officers have recommended approval for the changes, as the clifftop site currently overlooks one of the fastest-eroding stretches of coastline in Europe.

• Rudding Park in Harrogate is developing a new 60,000 sq ft golf and country club backed by seven-figure funding from HSBC UK. This expansion will upgrade the resort's facilities, including a new swimming pool, while creating 75 jobs and generating £14 million for the local economy annually.

• Whitbread PLC has submitted plans to demolish the existing restaurant at the Littlehampton Premier Inn to make way for 44 additional bedrooms. The proposed overhaul will more than double the hotel's capacity from 39 to 83 rooms while introducing a new internal dining area for guests.

• Leisure operator Fusion Lifestyle has entered administration following a prolonged period of financial difficulty, though facilities currently remain open during a transition period. The charity is working closely with local authorities to ensure memberships remain active and scheduled activities continue while viable future options are explored.

• Plans have been approved for a new multi-million-pound leisure centre in Diss, featuring a cafe, gym, and soft play area on the site of a former car dealership. The development is part of a broader £8.1 million project that will also deliver significant improvements to the town’s bus station.

• The Gym Group has received approval from Wiltshire Council to open a new fitness facility at the Churchill Way West retail park in Salisbury. Located between Lidl and Sports Direct, the project will convert an existing retail unit into a dedicated space for indoor sport and fitness.

• St Lawrence College in Ramsgate has entered administration and closed for most pupils, resulting in the immediate redundancy of 166 staff members. While the school has shuttered for the majority of its 500 students, a small team of staff remains to support Year 11 and Year 13 pupils through their upcoming exams.