Private equity investor RJD Partners has backed a management buy-in of the East Lothian-based holiday park operator, Dunham Leisure.

A buy-in team headed by new chief executive Graham Hodgson has completed its purchase of the business, which includes the 175-acre (71-hectare) Thurston Manor park near Dunbar. Pease Bay - host of the 2009 Scottish surfing championship - is also now under the control of Hodgson's team, which also comprises Bev Dixon (operations director) and Andrew Wall (finance director).

The management buy-in has been financed by RJD Partners and by Yorkshire Bank Corporate and Structured Finance, which will provide more than £8.5m in debt and other facilities to support the deal. Richard Caston, partner at RJD Partners, said: "The UK tourism industry has performed well over the last couple of years, due to the increasing popularity of the staycation and a growing preference for holidays which have a lower perceived carbon footprint.

"The weakness of sterling has been a further benefit to the sector at a time when consumers are increasingly focused on value. We believe the holiday park sector will continue to benefit from these trends." Hodgson and Dixon previously led a private equity-backed buy-out of South Lakeland Parks in June 2006, before selling the business in December 2007.

Image: Pease Bay