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'{{refimprove|date=January 2013}} {{Infobox company| name = National Car Parks | logo = [[File:NCP logo.svg|200px]] | type = Private| company_slogan = N/A| foundation = 1931 | location = [[England]] | key_people = Jo Cooper, CEO| owner = [[Macquarie Bank]]| industry = [[Car park]]s and [[Outsourcing|public outsourcing]]| homepage = [http://www.ncp.co.uk/ www.ncp.co.uk] I LOVE MY JOB MICHELLE!!! }} '''National Car Parks''' ('''NCP''') is the [[United Kingdom]]’s largest and longest standing private [[car park]] operator, with over 150,000 spaces across more than 500 car parks in towns, cities, airports and [[London Underground]] and [[National Rail]] stations. ==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.<ref>Ray Clancy, [http://www.propertyforum.com/property-in-the-uk/35-the-story-of-national-car-parks.html "The story of National Car Parks"], ''PropertyForum.com'', 09/10/2008</ref> 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.<ref>BBC, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/68904.stm "Millions for car park entrepreneurs"], ''BBC Business'', 24/03/1998</ref> 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.<ref>3i, [http://www.3i.com/news/corporate-news/3i-closes-%C2%A3555-million-acquisition-ncp "3i closes on £555 million acquisition of NCP"], ''3i.com'', 01/09/2005</ref> ==Current operations== In 2007 National Car Parks Limited was acquired by [[Macquarie]] European Infrastructure Fund II.<ref>Peter Smith, [http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/bc1d5ee2-d299-11db-a7c0-000b5df10621.html "3i sells NCP car parks unit for £790M"], ''Financial Times'', 15/03/2007</ref> 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. ==Events== National Car Parks has become very popular with numerous industries looking for an alternative style venue. Since 2010 House of Holland has booked out the Brewer Street NCP to host their catwalk shows for London Fashion Week previous attendees have included [[Alexa Chung]], [[Jamie Winstone]] and [[Rachel Bilson]].<ref>Vogue, [http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/spring-summer-2013/ready-to-wear/house-of-holland "House of Holland"], ''Vogue'', 15/09/2012</ref> In Cardiff, [[Evans Cycles]] have created the Urban Duel, a BMX racing event that takes place in NCP Dumfries Place. There are plans to host this event at other car parks around the country.<ref>Evans, [http://www.evanscycles.com/pages/urban-dual "Evans Cycles Urban Dual"], ''Evans Cycles'', 28/10/2012</ref> Art Drive exhibited its collection of classic [[BMW]]’s designed by famous artists including [[Andy Warhol]], [[David Hockney]], [[Jeff Koons]] and [[Roy Lichtenstein]] at the Great Eastern Street NCP in Shoreditch.<ref>Beth Parnell-Hopkinson, [http://londonist.com/2012/07/art-preview-art-drive-ncp-car-park-shoreditch.php "Art Drive! @ NCP Car Park Shoreditch"], ''Londonist'', 17/07/2012</ref> As part of the Manchester International Festival, National Car Parks arranged a live relay screening of [[Kenneth Branagh]]’s new play [[Macbeth]] with hundreds of fans turning up to the open air screening.<ref>Dianne Bourne, [http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/theatre/eyes-sir-kenneth-branagh-manchester-5171346 "All eyes on Sir Ken as Manchester International Festival bows out"], ''Manchester Evening News'', 22/07/2013</ref> ==Controversies== In the early 1990s NCP was accused of planting spies in rival group Europarks, but Britain's then biggest industrial espionage trial ended with the full acquittal of NCP chief executive Gordon Layton.<ref>David Connett, [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/car-parks-chief-is-cleared-of-spying-on-rival-1497355.html "Car parks chief is cleared of spying on rival"], ''The Independent'', 13 March 1993</ref> In November 2013, following the announcement that [[Kingston upon Hull|Hull]] was to be the [[UK City of Culture]] 2017, NCP Managing Director Duncan Bowins took to popular social media website [[facebook]] and branded the city a sh**ehole - despite the fact that his car parks take over £1 million from the city each year.<ref>James Burton, [http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/NCP-boss-labelling-Hull-sh-ithole-Facebook/story-20244213-detail/story.html "NCP boss in crude Facebook outburst at Hull"], ''Hull Daily Mail'', 30 November 2013</ref> This ''crude slur'' led to Duncan Bowins winning the Award for ''Most Inappropriate Use of Social Media'' at the [[Hull Daily Mail]] Angus Young Awards 2013.<ref>Angus Young, [http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Angus-Young-Awards-2013-Sluts-mass-blubbing-Hull/story-20380187-detail/story.html "The Angus Young Awards 2013"], ''Hull Daily Mail'', 30 November 2013</ref> In December 2013, The Crawley News and The Argus reported that NCP Staff had been parking in the towns limited [[disabled]] bays for convenience.<ref>Neil Vowles, [http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/10868707._Disgust__as_NCP_van_parks_in_disabled_bay/?ref=var_0 "'Disgust' as NCP van parks in disabled bay"], ''The Argus'', 11 December 2013</ref> An NCP spokeswoman subsequently issued a statement claiming the pair had parked there to clear leaves from the car park and that there had been nowhere else to park. However, when the [[Crawley]] News presented a photo clearly showing spaces right next to the disabled bay the firm's Head of Operations, Nigella Sorenson, called to apologise and admitted that the incident was "embarrassing and upsetting" for the company.<ref>Dave Comeau, [http://www.crawleynews.co.uk/Disabled-parking-space-gaffe-Firm-embarrassed/story-20336217-detail/story.html "NCP embarrassed after staff park in disabled bay"], ''Crawley News'', 19 December 2013</ref> ==See also== * [[NSL Services Group]] ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *[http://www.ncp.co.uk NCP - National Car Parks and Airport Parking] *[http://www.ncp.co.uk/airport-parking/heathrow-airport-parking/ Heathrow Airport Parking] {{Commons|Carpark}} [[Category:Companies established in 1931]] [[Category:Companies of the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Parking companies]] [[Category:3i Group companies]]'