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What happened to secret beach next to picture postcard Midlands village that drew huge crowds every summer?
As soon as the sun starts shining most of us will start thinking about one thing and one thing only – the beach. The trouble is, as Midlanders, we’re about as landlocked as it gets and unlike those lucky lot who live on the coast a trip to the seaside is a full-on day out.
Step forward the closest thing we had to a beach in the Midlands, Market Bosworth Water Park. Just one hour from Derby, the popular attraction had playgrounds, ice creams, crazy golf and a swimming lake that did a pretty decent job of impersonating the sea.
For years local news websites would reveal the details of the water park, describing it as a secret or hidden beach a short drive from Derby, Nottingham, Leicester and Coventry. It quickly became the worst-kept secret in the area and as soon as the sun threatened to break through the clouds traffic started queuing on the road out of Market Bosworth.
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You won’t find those queues today though. The secret beach still exists, but it’s now surrounded by the sort of holiday lodges you might find on the coast.
In 2021, after three decades, the owners announced a “change of direction”. In a statement, a spokesperson said: “Our park will remain closed to all-day visits from 3rd October and we will reopen the campsite on 1st April to caravans and motorhomes only until phase two commences where the park will close to lodge owners only.”
In a separate message on their Facebook page, they said: “It has taken 30 years, 2 generations of family, dedicated staff both long-standing and seasonal all putting their heart and soul into creating the fantastic environment we all love.”
There will be 103 lakeside lodges on the site when it’s completed. The lodges are sold with a 50-year lease, including a driveway, balcony and garden area.
Many are still available too, with an exclusive lakeside lodge on the market for £325,000. According to the website, of the 48 plots available to buy 16 have been sold or reserved. Ownership on the site is limited to those over 45.
The website states: “Whether you are looking to have a bolt hole to escape the rat race and spend quality time with your children – or you’re retired and want a place to spend the majority of your time relaxing and taking in the surroundings, Bosworth Lakeside Lodges has it all.
“Bosworth Lakeside Lodges is set in the sumptuous countryside on the Leicestershire and Warwickshire border. Every corner turned reveals a quintessentially English picture postcard village, country pub or beauty spot. Venture out from the park and within a short cycle ride or walk you’ll discover a steam railway, canal wharfs and historic trails – plus the beautiful picturesque town of Market Bosworth.”
The site isn’t totally shut off to the public though, with schools and groups invited to take part in watersports on the lake, with sailing, raft-building, kayaking and pedalo sessions available. There’s even a Saturday morning kids’ club
Speaking to Leicestershire Live in 2022, Toby Ryley, who was running the business with brother Ben, said: “The business model just wasn’t working anymore. It grew into something it wasn’t intended to be. On sunny days, it got so busy that it wasn’t a nice experience for anyone – including the staff who got verbally abused.
“If it rained, we’d maybe get 50 customers, but if it was sunny, we’d get 5,000 customers. It became so hard to manage. It didn’t work for us as a family any more.”
The park also saw tragedy a few years before it closed for good, with a schoolboy drowning there. His step-father was jailed for manslaughter, while his mum received a suspended sentence for child neglect.
Now the days of traffic queues and big crowds are a distant memory and on sunny days the park appears a tranquil place. Toby added: “We want to offer something different, and be the best rather than sticking to the mould of what other holiday parks are like. I want to see the park succeed, and I want to do it with a smile on my face.
“I already feel that we’ve got it back to what we wanted it to be – a family-friendly, family-run park, which is a peaceful and relaxing place to spend time.”
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