National Car Parks: Difference between revisions
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==Current operations== |
==Current operations== |
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In 2007 National Car Parks Limited was acquired by [[Macquarie]] European Infrastructure Fund II [1]. .Today NCP hosts car parking across the UK, supporting some of the most popular public services such as [[London Heathrow]], [[Manchester Arena]] and Birmingham New Street. |
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NCP was sold to [[3i]] in July 2005 for £555million,<ref name="3iSale"/> with 3i saying it would continue to grow NCP as a service-oriented and public-outsourcing company. In order to maximise the growth potential of both sides of the business, in 2007 the original parking arm of the company National Car Parks Limited was separated from the newer service-based side of the business (NCP Services Ltd)<ref>[http://nslservices.co.uk NCP Services Ltd]</ref> creating two distinct and diverse companies. |
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In 2013 NCP launched a new website and online strategy enabling customers to pre-book their parking at over 100 of their rail, city and town centre car parks. This was an industry first for the UK market. |
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National Car Parks Limited (the original parking operator) was acquired in 2007 by [[Macquarie Bank|Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund II]]. |
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In December 2011 it was reported that the company was struggling with its debt and at risk of restructuring, after suffering a pre-tax loss of £93.5m for the year to March 2011.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/dec/09/ncp-debt-restructuring-private-equity | title=Lenders to NCP poised to take over indebted car park group | publisher=The Guardian | date=2011-12-09}}</ref> |
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Today NCP hosts car parking in all areas of the UK, supporting some of the most popular public services such as [[London Heathrow]], the world's 4th largest airport. They also run the flagship hospital car park located at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge. |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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Revision as of 08:45, 8 January 2014
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2013) |
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| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Car parks and public outsourcing |
| Founded | 1931 |
| Headquarters | England |
Key people | Jo Cooper, CEO |
| Owner | Macquarie Bank |
| Website | www.ncp.co.uk |
National Car Parks (NCP) is the United Kingdom’s largest private car park operator, with over 200,000 spaces across more than 700 locations in towns and cities, railway stations and at airports.
NCP also had a growing service business, but this demerged from NCP in 2007. It is called NSL Services Group, and was previously called NCP Services Group. They also operated a bus company in London, called NSL Buses, and this was previously known as NCP-Challenger.
History
NCP was founded in 1931 by Colonel Frederick Lucas. In October 1948, Ronald Hobson founded Central Car Parks, joined by his partner Sir Donald Gosling after the pair invested £200 in a bombsite in Holborn, central London to create a car park. In 1959 Central Car Parks took over NCP from Anne Lucas, the widow of Colonel Lucas [2].
Hobson and Gosling expanded the company by recognising the under developed status of many post-World War II British cities and towns. The pair began buying bombsites in central London, converting them and large garage sites into car parks. NCP then began managing sites on behalf of third parties.
By the mid-1990s NCP had become one of the most successful private businesses. In 1998, after a late abortion of the flotation of the business on the London Stock Exchange, the company was bought by US-based property and travel services provider Cendant for £801million with Hobson, Gosling, and their family trusts who owned 72.5% of the National Parking Corporation taking £580million [3].
The new owners re-focused the company’s operations, changing NCP from a mainly property owning company into a more service-focused organisation in the broader transport sector. In 1999, NCP launched the UK’s first private-public partnership – setting up a joint venture with Manchester City Council to establish NCP Manchester Ltd (NML).
In 2002, UK-based Cinven purchased NCP from Cendant. NCP began to develop business contracts in the provision of enforcement services for local authorities, vehicle removals and debt recovery, where by 2005 it had become market leader in its field.
NCP was sold to 3i in July 2005 for £555million, with 3i saying it would continue to grow NCP as a service-oriented and public-outsourcing company In order to maximise the growth potential of both sides of the business [4].
Current operations
In 2007 National Car Parks Limited was acquired by Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund II [1]. .Today NCP hosts car parking across the UK, supporting some of the most popular public services such as London Heathrow, Manchester Arena and Birmingham New Street.
In 2013 NCP launched a new website and online strategy enabling customers to pre-book their parking at over 100 of their rail, city and town centre car parks. This was an industry first for the UK market.
See also
References
External links
