Man behind three mobile home parks in North West talks about his career - Cheshire

From the Ellesmere Port Pioneer

Jo Henwood talks to Alfie Best, chairman of Wyldecrest Parks

The man behind three mobile home parks in the North West has caravanning in his blood.

Alfie Best, chairman of Wyldecrest Parks, the UK’s second largest park home company, is a Romany Gypsy.

The successful businessman bought Orchard Park in Elton, Willow Park in Mancot and Will Brook Park in Sandycroft at the beginning of this year as part of a £9m deal.

Born in a caravan, Alfie, 41, spent the best part of his childhood on the road.

“When I was about 12 or 13 we’d spend the summers travelling although we tended to come back to Essex for the winter,” he said.

Unlike many Gypsy children, Alfie went to school whenever possible, although he admits that it wasn’t easy and has no formal qualifications.

He said: “It was very unusual at the time that I went to school, it wasn’t something that Gypsy children did. But my mother wanted us to have an education. She couldn’t read or write at all.”

He has instilled the work ethic in his own children, Elizabeth, 17 and Alfie Junior, 14, who has already started his own business, despite still being at school.

Alfie describes life at one of his parks, where he lived with his wife and family until recently and where his parents still live, as a wonderful community.

“You are surrounded by like-minded people and everyone knows everyone,” he said. “People look out for each other and the crime rate is virtually zero.”

He speaks proudly of a local resident who recently carried the Paralympic Flame through Ellesmere Port.

Despite owning a Porsche at the age of 14 and buying a house at 17, Alfie is quick to point out that it was his wife Emily who first suggested getting into caravan parks.

“She suggested sticking with something I’m familiar with,” he said.

And Emily was right – he now sits comfortably at the helm of a £100m mobile home company with plans to extend into Europe and the US.