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PGL Travel

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PGL Travel Ltd.
PGL
IndustryHolidays
FounderPeter Gordon Lawrence
Headquarters
United Kingdom
Area served
United Kingdom, Spain, France, Australia
ServicesHoliday camps and activities
OwnerHolidaybreak PLC
Websitewww.pgl.co.uk

PGL Travel Ltd is a company established in 1957 and is a provider of school activity courses and summer camps for children in the United Kingdom.[1] It is a part of the Holidaybreak group.

Overview

PGL takes its name from the initials of its founder – Peter Gordon Lawrence[2] – who started leading canoe trips down the River Wye in 1957. The initial market was young adults but during the early years PGL established a key position in the organised school group travel market. Lawrence died in 2004 following complications with a heart condition.[2]

PGL has been known for some time to stand for "Parents Get Lost". Or, as the staff call it, Pretty Good Laughs!

The company was sold in 2007 to Holidaybreak Plc[3] and formed the first part of the Holidaybreak 'Education Division'.

At the beginning of the 2010 season, PGL had 21 centres in the UK, 2 centres in Spain, 10 centres in France, contracts with numerous ski resorts and 'Action Stations' at Eurocamp in France and 'Go Active' at 6 Pontins sites located in the UK.(Prestatyn, Southport, Blackpool, Camber, Brean, Pakefield). Some of the largest centres are Boreatton Park (Shropshire) and Caythorpe Court (Lincolnshire).

The purchase in 2005 of 3D Education and Adventure, their biggest competitor, gave the company two more centres on the south coast, one on the Isle of Wight and a contract with Pontins to provide children's activities on their sites. Though with Pontins going into administration in 2010[4] and its subsequent purchase by the Britannia Hotels Group in 2011[5] the contract between Pontins and PGL ceased to be.[citation needed]

PGL's largest area of business is school trips and educational travel. These range from activity and adventure trips to subject focussed trips (Science, ICT, Maths, Field Studies and French Language courses are all offered).

PGL closed Court Farm in Herefordshire in July 2012 following a development plan for the site. Plans have now been submitted by PGL to turn this site into houses.[citation needed]

Centres

PGL operates a number of centres in the UK, including:

  • Barton Hall (Devon)
  • Beam House (Devon)
  • Boreatton Park (Shropshire)
  • Caythorpe Court (Lincolnshire)
  • Dalguise (Perthshire)
  • Hillcrest (Herefordshire)
  • Liddington (Wiltshire)
  • Little Canada (Isle of Wight)
  • Llwyn Filly (Powys)
  • Marchants Hill (Beacon Hill (Hindhead, Surrey)
  • Osmington Bay (Dorset)
  • Treygoyd House (Powys)
  • Windmill Hill (East Sussex)
  • Winmarleigh Hall (Lancashire)

Holidays

During the UK school terms PGL mainly offers school and youth group holidays, as well as birthday parties and day trips. Outside of the UK school terms PGL also offers family and child-only summer camps.

Holidays cost between £200 and £600 depending on the length of stay, and type of holiday. The most popular holiday run is the "Multi-Activity" where guests get to sample a range of activities. Specialist holidays are also run, these are listed below

  • Adrenaline Adventure (10-16)
  • Climbing Adventure
  • Dance (10-16)
  • Film Making (10-16)
  • Indiana Jones (7-13)
  • Kayaking (13-16)
  • Leadership Challenge (13-16)
  • Learner Driver (13-16)
  • Mission Spy (7-13)
  • Motorsports
  • Motorsports Pro (13-16)
  • Music Studio (13-16)
  • Photography Adventure (10-16)
  • Pony Trekking and Riding
  • Surfing (13-16)
  • Video Games Workshop (10-16)
  • Wellbeing (13-16)
  • Wet and Wild (13-16)
  • Wild Wheels (13-16)
  • Xtreme Adventure (13-16)

Some of these are available at a variety of centres, others only at one of two.

Abroad

PGL has centres in France and Spain for School and other youth groups. These offer both activity and educational holidays.

During the winter they offer a school ski programme in resorts across France, Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Andorra and the USA.

PGL pioneered Canoe camping holidays in the Ardèche River and staff developed the modern folklore tale of Harry Willis and the round river.

References

  1. ^ Obituary of Peter Lawrence in the Independent
  2. ^ a b http://www.pgl.co.uk/PGLWeb/about-us/who-we-are/Peter-Gordon-Lawrence.htm
  3. ^ Guardian 2007 article
  4. ^ BBC News - Holiday camp firm Pontin's goes into administration
  5. ^ BBC News - Pontin's holiday firm bought by Britannia Hotel group

Sources

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=PGL_Travel&oldid=750130022"