Beacon Park Boats, a luxury canal boat holiday provider based in Llangattock, has been rescued from administration, safeguarding 30 jobs and hundreds of summer holidays along the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal. The business was sold to Timeout Escapes Limited in August, following a period of trading under the control of joint administrators from PKF Littlejohn Advisory.
Turbulent trading after pandemic led to significant debts
Beacon Park Boats operates a fleet of more than 20 narrowboats and delivers hundreds of holidays each summer. Visitors book its vessels to cruise along the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal. However, the company experienced "turbulent" trading following the pandemic, and a long recovery left it with significant debts.
The firm sought assistance from PKF Littlejohn Advisory, which had worked with the business since late 2025. PKF explored several options, including a potential "time to pay" arrangement with HMRC and securing additional external funding, but none proved viable.
Joint administrators appointed, summer bookings honoured
Oliver Collinge, partner in PKF Littlejohn's Leeds office, and Paul Williams, partner and head of advisory in the London office, were appointed as joint administrators of Beacon Park Boats. During a short period of trading in administration, PKF secured additional funding to keep the company operational, ensuring all summer holiday bookings were honoured and the team remained fully employed during one of the busiest seasons of the year.
The PKF team then sold the business out of administration to Timeout Escapes Limited in August, saving both jobs and holidays. Law firm Walker Morris advised the joint administrators, while interim funding and valuation advice was provided by Gordon Brothers, according to PKF.
Heritage and workforce preserved, says advisory partner
Paul Reeves, partner at Littlejohn Advisory UK LLP, commented: "Beacon Park Boats has an incredible heritage and a unique offer to holidaymakers wanting to explore the beautiful Welsh valleys. While the business had struggled in the years following Covid, its fundamentals were very strong and we had confidence that it could thrive given the opportunity."
Reeves added: "We are pleased for its loyal customers and staff that we were able to safeguard the company's future. Businesses like Beacon Park Boats are all about people and that was something we kept in mind throughout the process. It was good to work with the teams at Walker Morris and Gordon Brothers to ensure that the process went smoothly. It was particularly rewarding to help ensure that workforce was maintained, keeping decades of industrial knowledge in the local area."
The sale to Timeout Escapes Limited secures the immediate future of the canal boat operator, preserving employment for 30 staff and protecting the holiday season for customers who had booked trips on the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal.
