Growth, Vision and Partnership

When Roger Burnett took on what is now Laceby Manor Spa & Golf Resort, it was a modest 18-hole golf course in North Lincolnshire with limited infrastructure and untapped commercial potential.

Fifteen years on, it has evolved into a premium leisure destination, offering lodges, spa facilities, golf and fine dining, with exciting plans for further expansion - a journey Roger attributes to long-term vision, reinvestment and a pivotal partnership with Landal.

Reflecting on the early days, Roger is candid about what he inherited: “I acquired Laceby Manor as a 18 hole golf course 15 years ago. It was very rundown. Weeds everywhere, a mud track leading down to it, a gravel car park and a very small clubhouse.”

But rather than seeing limitation, he saw opportunity. “My vision was to provide the region with a great wedding venue. But then with weddings comes accommodation. And so, then it meant that we investigated the lodge business. I didn’t know anything about that business at all, and we progressed from there.”

That progression became the foundation of today’s resort model. “Golf is not the best for revenue generation. The costs of running a golf course are very, very high. So, we had to have ancillary revenues that sat around the golf course.”

For Roger, the goal was never to maintain the status quo. “My vision for the resort when I first took it on was actually what we’ve ended up with today… and I don’t mean to sound complacent about that, but there had to be a vision.”

And that vision was rooted in continuous improvement from day one. “I would describe the park before its recent developments as very average and rundown. It needed a lot of bringing to life, a lot of attention to detail, and a lot of focus on customer service.”

That commitment to experience remains central today: “The customer experience here is what we pride ourselves on. When anybody asks me what the best thing about the resort is, I always say the staff that we have are incredible.”

As the business evolved, Roger recognised the need for a stronger partner to help scale occupancy and reach the right audience. Reflecting on his previous arrangement, he openly shared, “I felt that we were being treated as average by a previous partner.”

The introduction to Landal marked a clear shift in that dynamic completely. “When Landal said they’d like to invite me into their portfolio, it felt really special. Landal were different. And I like people that are different. Predominantly a Dutch company coming to the UK, wanting to partner with the best locations and deliver the best customer experience - that was me.”

The impact of the partnership was both immediate and significant.

“Since we partnered with Landal, our occupancy has gone through the roof. I think we ran last year at 97% occupancy and we’ve been nearly fully occupied since the beginning of November. With our previous partner we could go three weeks without changing any pricing. And by then, it’s too late.”

With Landal, revenue management is active and responsive, driving stronger performance. “Our revenue levels have gone up, higher, and our occupancy has also been more sustainable.” And crucially, the partnership supports the entire business model, “We sell lodges to third party owners. We have to be confident we can rent that lodge and provide them with a return. And the only way we can do that is to have a good partner like Landal.”

“The most important element of our partnership is the people and the working relationship. We’ve never had that before and now we’ve got it.”

Roger values the openness of collaboration, “Nothing’s too much trouble for Landal to work with us on. And it’s nice when somebody wants to listen and help you work on things where we can both improve together.”

That collaborative approach was clear early on, “Landal offered to train the staff for me, they offered to work on uniform, standards… it’s always good for somebody to come in with a fresh pair of eyes.”

One moment stands out for Roger as a milestone in the relationship. “We were invited to the offices in Amsterdam and sat with all of the top people involved in Landal to ask how we could improve our partnership, how they could improve, and how we could work together better.”

For him, it reinforced the strength of the partnership, “For me that was a massive milestone. It made us feel very, very valued, and I knew then that our partnership with Landal was going to last a long, long time.”

As the resort has grown, so too has its audience.

“The demographic of our customer base here is predominantly couples. We sell romance and privacy. Since our involvement with Landal, the demographic of our customers has certainly improved and gone higher. The affluence of that customer and their secondary spend on site has grown.”

Looking forward, growth is still very much on the agenda.

“We’ve got 74 lodges on site and capacity for another 85. We’ve got planning permission and we want to roll out that next phase.”

The vision is expanding beyond accommodation. “We are building a big padel and golf centre with indoor courts, wellness facilities like yoga and Pilates, and a training centre for golf.”

For Roger, the partnership remains essential, “Landal will always be critical to our success. They get our customers. We look after them when they arrive. That partnership has to continue. They do a good job for us, we do a good job for them.”

Asked to summarise the relationship, Roger is clear and confident; “Landal have become an ideal partner for us. Our standards are mirrored by Landal, and without them we wouldn’t have the occupancy levels that we have today.”



Partnering with Landal brings scale, credibility and decades of experience to your resort, reducing the complexity and risk associated with holiday resort operations and development. We are proud to enable our partners to deliver commercially successful, guest-focused, future-ready resorts, with the right amount of guidance, bespoke to each park.

For those developing or investing in a holiday resort, involving an experienced operator early can make a significant difference.

If you’re exploring your options, we’re always open to a conversation about your resort and how Landal could support your plans.