New operator for park visitor centre after cuts
LDNPAThe running of the UK's first national park visitor centre has been handed over to a new operator following government cuts to funding.
In March 2025, the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) said the lease of its Brockhole-on-Windermere site would be put on the market after it expected its funding from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to be cut by 9%.
Bewilderwood, a company which has adventure parks in the Norfolk Broads and Cheshire countryside based on a series of children's books by Tom Blofeld, will take stewardship of the site in April.
The company said Brockhole's grounds, walkways and cafes will remain free to access.
Brockhole-on-Windermere was the UK's first national park visitor centre when it opened in 1969.
In 2025, the LDNPA said the 9% cut to funding meant the site's budget had been more than halved in the past 15 years.
At the time Defra said it was helping national parks "cut through bureaucracy" and take an "entrepreneurial approach" to boost earnings.
Bewilderwood said it will not be building a new large-scale park on the site, but instead will add new elements including an indoor play and sensory adventure and outdoor adventure playground.
Tenants already operating from the site - Zip World and Windermere Lake Cruises- will remain.
A spokesperson for Bewilderwood said Brockhole "could not be a more perfect venue" for them.
Gavin Capstick, chief executive for the LDNPA, said Bewilderwood's "approach to adventure in nature aligns with our ambition to ensure Brockhole remains a destination for families to easily access their national park".
"We are confident that they will sensitively care for Brockhole and respect the site's unique heritage and setting, including continued public access," he said.
